I miss blogging so much and still don't have time so I was just looking for one (which I still can't find) and found some other good ones! So I may re run a few for fun. Here's an oldie but goodie.
Horses Running...
Such Bliss! Sitting on my front porch, facing an acre of green grass with one huge umbrella tree in the front yard, I watch my girls running, like horses across their land.Their long hair is flowing and they are wearing long, colorful, flowing skirts that seem to float in the air like waves of the ocean.Their hair is let loose and blowing in the wind...Rachel has perfected the "horse", galloping like a gazelle, wild and free.Then to drassage, with her head turned to one side and down as if her bit is being pulled, with her "front legs" tight and prancing up and down with pointed toes...Then to gallup and barrell racing and trot and canter...Now all the girls are copying and they are choreographing the whole thing...AMAZING!I love these wild and innocent girls...already fighting the good fight against the world with their innocence, purity and honesty.We shall protect them from all until the Lord calls them to fight!
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Maidens of OMG!
I dunno, maybe too much AI? Lol
Honestly, if ya'll didn't know me, you would think these girls were raised in public school and on MTV...they were cleaning out the closet under the stairs...you know, the one by the downstairs bathroom? If you don't know, it goes waaaay back. So they found these electric "guitars" in the very back...left by the previous owners! This spawned an entire day of "rocking" that ended in full face makeup which I cannot bear to blog, lol and a whole lotta shakin' goin' round!
So yesterday, we took a break from maidens of worth evidently and became, at least for the moment, IRON maidens!!
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Hip Hip Hooray # Three on the way!!
All I can think is..Boy, do I need makeup. Lol
But, it's definitely the best issue ever though! Just LOOK at that cover!
I can't wait for you all to see it. New designer and I mean to SAY! Needs a little girl touch here and there for next month but honestly, between him and our new printer, this magazine is really looking professional. We are getting tons of amazing feedback and I am proud. Not of myself. It is such a team effort. I just say Yes, no, or maybe so. Ha ha. Only those of you that READ it will get that. I REFUSE to ask Pastor D or Lisa if they read it..hint hint...but hope they do. ;) It is important that we get that message out about the Lord! Sometimes it is only in saying the word "Blessings" or "joyful heart" or "obedience" or the little inuendo here or there but I surely hope through all of my pain of balancing my school beliefs that it all comes out alright in the end. I think just the perspective of where the magazine comes from in it's editorial rings of Truth...no 'inner child" stuff here...
Sorry I blog so much about the mag but this is pretty much my life right now. It is a blessing to be able to reach many people and I need to be more thankful and less complaining about it. I had always wanted to be a public or motivational speaker and now I can, sort of, without "really" leaving home....so Glory To God...
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Oh no she di-nt!!
I'd like to be able to say this is the Native Hindi Script that blogger is always trying to convince us to translate to but alas I cannot.
It is compliments of my youngest, yet again, proving to herself that yes, this makes Mommy mad.
Say WHAT?
We brought home the local "Big Daddy" magazine today to peruse.....You know the one...big, glossy, elitist...lol It was their April issue.
As I looked through it and oohed and ahhed over the 80 stock 4 color glossy paper I couldn't HELP but feel the shudder of a little green eyed monster. I pursed up my lips into a pout and purported that a few things in there looked amazingly similar to what WE had done in the March issue...Now I am sure they have better things to do than bother to look through my little po' dunk magazine but it WAS odd... so as I sat brooding everyone was saying:
"Hey, they can't do that!" and
"Mom! You should call them!"
but Lauren stole the show when she said...
"I know! Let's BURN it!!!"
Lol
I better watch that kid....
Note: The other magazine is home to some very nice people by the way and remember this is a private blog so please don't repeat this! It's supposed to be funny but PRIVATE! Lol
We can only HOPE to be in the same league as them one day!
As I looked through it and oohed and ahhed over the 80 stock 4 color glossy paper I couldn't HELP but feel the shudder of a little green eyed monster. I pursed up my lips into a pout and purported that a few things in there looked amazingly similar to what WE had done in the March issue...Now I am sure they have better things to do than bother to look through my little po' dunk magazine but it WAS odd... so as I sat brooding everyone was saying:
"Hey, they can't do that!" and
"Mom! You should call them!"
but Lauren stole the show when she said...
"I know! Let's BURN it!!!"
Lol
I better watch that kid....
Note: The other magazine is home to some very nice people by the way and remember this is a private blog so please don't repeat this! It's supposed to be funny but PRIVATE! Lol
We can only HOPE to be in the same league as them one day!
"Working" Girls
Now, I don't know if this is a result of my working more but when Jeff and I came home today, we found this poster on the wall...It says: "Getting to work is what we do best! To find out more information about SR&L Chores call 555... Remember! You could be a chore master today! Call now!
Replete with designer photos of a clean kitchen...
Click!
Click!
Clunk.
Though the "L" in S R & L doesn't necessarily look too happy about it.
Friday, April 18, 2008
True Love!
Much to the chagrin of her older sisters! But if it the supposed"tight squeeze" bothers you like it bothers them, I'll tell you what I told them. These kitties will survive Kate "loving" them the same way their other kitties survived all of THEM!!!
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Until your feet bleed...
Wrapping up on integrity...God has reconciled the issues I was having specifically with the lack of integrity in the world and it is a glorious thing. I have learned SO much...I don't often think of the Lord using the WORLD to teach a Christian...lol I wanted to just post an excerpt from an email I sent to a trusted counselor/advisor...it just struck me down how pursuing reconciliation was worth it in the end and how it has formed a NEW foundation in my patience and grace with others.
...It is SO WORTH fighting for reconciliation. I don't mean just hoping for it, trying for it once or twice--- but I mean PURSUING it with fervor...though it is harder and causes one to surrender more and more and more of their "rights" (which you know we don't have anyway)it is worth it because the end is so much sweeter than just acceptance. PEACE is there as opposed to just "negotiated acceptance."Now in this situation, not everyone was a Christian so that makes it all the harder...you know, we are not coming to the table with the same thing....but that just makes it all the more important to us...somewhere inside the unregenerate spirit, the enemy is doing all he can to make the unsaved hate the saved...so we, as Christians, must go go go (until-our-feet-are-bleeding go) the extra mile to hold to the Jesus standard...
Let us all go go go the extra mile until reconciliation is reached. And if you come to the end of it with bloody feet and they STILL won't reconcile? Do as my advisor prayed and just let it go....
...It is SO WORTH fighting for reconciliation. I don't mean just hoping for it, trying for it once or twice--- but I mean PURSUING it with fervor...though it is harder and causes one to surrender more and more and more of their "rights" (which you know we don't have anyway)it is worth it because the end is so much sweeter than just acceptance. PEACE is there as opposed to just "negotiated acceptance."Now in this situation, not everyone was a Christian so that makes it all the harder...you know, we are not coming to the table with the same thing....but that just makes it all the more important to us...somewhere inside the unregenerate spirit, the enemy is doing all he can to make the unsaved hate the saved...so we, as Christians, must go go go (until-our-feet-are-bleeding go) the extra mile to hold to the Jesus standard...
Let us all go go go the extra mile until reconciliation is reached. And if you come to the end of it with bloody feet and they STILL won't reconcile? Do as my advisor prayed and just let it go....
Monday, April 14, 2008
more stuff
These however SEEM a little more coincidental but of course we know there's no such thing..
We were on a Lord of the Rings kick much like you were all on the Harry Potter kick a bit ago,
and Sloan was really wanting the set on disc. No way, says I. She had the tape of one and the DVD of two I think...but anyway we were having this LONG conversation about it when suddenly: knock, knock, knock. Our pastor from our old church is standing there with his daughter. They didn't come in. They just wanted to drop off, yep, the entire Lord of Rings set on DISC. They were getting off their own LOTR kick and thought they'd pass it on...Ha! God is in the details...
Yesterday we were looking for a movie to watch when we came across Zathura on TNT...we called to tell Rach and Lauren (who are in Vero with Dad) and they are watching our DVD of Zathura and are on the EXACT SAME scene (I mean exact!!!) that we are watching on regular TV...now, why do you think that is? SO Weird!
We were on a Lord of the Rings kick much like you were all on the Harry Potter kick a bit ago,
and Sloan was really wanting the set on disc. No way, says I. She had the tape of one and the DVD of two I think...but anyway we were having this LONG conversation about it when suddenly: knock, knock, knock. Our pastor from our old church is standing there with his daughter. They didn't come in. They just wanted to drop off, yep, the entire Lord of Rings set on DISC. They were getting off their own LOTR kick and thought they'd pass it on...Ha! God is in the details...
Yesterday we were looking for a movie to watch when we came across Zathura on TNT...we called to tell Rach and Lauren (who are in Vero with Dad) and they are watching our DVD of Zathura and are on the EXACT SAME scene (I mean exact!!!) that we are watching on regular TV...now, why do you think that is? SO Weird!
Co-inkadink? I think not....
I was thinking about the thumbprints that God leaves on all of our lives and was wondering how many these little things we forget as we travel through life...so I thought I'd share a few of my God stories...Coincidence? Not likely...
One time I was at church, Sloan was a baby and I was broke at the time...I had NO money. Actually I had 13 dollars. A ten and three ones right in my wallet. I was on my last diaper so after church I was going to get some. I had just enough money to get them. I needed exactly thirteen dollars. Diapers were twelve and change. But that day, the church let this guy speak...not a prophet but an exhorter I guess I would say...(thanks for making that word so real for me Cheryl)
He used to drive around town in this old beat up car with scriptures ALL and I do mean all- over it. Then there was a love offering for this man. Now I knew EXACTLY how much money I had which I had left in the car...and I knew I would not be giving any that day. But I couldn't shake the prompting to give it to this man. I wrestled and wrestled with the Lord, as we all do when He is telling us to do something seemingly impossible...but I just could NOT shake it off. It was a physical push. So fine, I mutter to myself...no diapers for the baby and off I go to the car to get my measly $13.00.
When I get out there and open my wallet, there was the thirteen dollars; a ten and three ones but next to it? ANOTHER thirteen dollars in the exact same denominations... A ten and three ones next to a ten and three ones. It stopped me COLD. I still ponder that day 15 years ago but I don't wonder what happened. I know what happened.
But probably my favorite and totally in-your-face God story happened many years later. Lauren was a baby and I was still attending the same church.
I was in my kitchen one day just walking across the room. I wasn't thinking about Him or anything else really when God, gulp-hold on to your drawers people...spoke to me. I mean, if it wasn't ACTUALLY audible, I would be surprised. And he said the most bizarre thing I had ever heard. B-I-Z-A-R-R-E.
He said, "You are going to wash Joanne's feet"
SCREEECH...............dead stop. "You are going to wash Joanne's feet".
Ironcially what I remember is NOT stopping dead in my tracks at the wonder of the Lord speaking to me so clearly but what I remember is immediately starting to argue. Lol
Oh NO I'M NOT,Lord. (literally) I am NOT going to do that. How am I going to do that? WHAT are you talking about???
Now, I had never washed anyone's feet before and no one had ever washed mine. And it was NEVER practiced in our church before, EVER.
So I go on to argue with Him... with him being a silent partner in that argument for the rest of the time, typical, lol- (Gosh,I can't wait to meet Him!)
when I hit upon the perfect answer. Ok, God, I will wash Joanne's feet...but just HOW exactly are you going to set that up? Because I AM NOT GOING TO. And I mean it. And He must have know that I meant it because....
the following Sunday at church I was sitting there and Joanne happened to be sitting directly in front of me. Joanne by the way, is the owner of our local Christian book store and we are great friends since I was a child and had gone to school with her daughter.
I am thinking nothing of the foot washing thing until my pastor actually utters these words..."Now, we have never done this before at Immanuel but I wanted to offer these buckets of water and cloths in case any of you feel led to wash anyone else's FEET.
I wish God had lighted me away at that moment I was so stunned at the truth of His reality... His coming down to earth and presenting Himself before me could not have made Him more real...I was struck down in awe. I couldn't breathe, I couldn't move, I couldn't speak. He had set it up. And there was no doubt, I was GOING to obey. And I did, Lol
Years later I re-told that story at her house at our good bye party and my pastor was there and evidently God was about that place that Sunday because He had worked about 3 other stories like that into that day that as well...He's funny that way...
Now I am not the foot washing type....you know, it just seems so Pentecostal! LOl But let me tell you what, if He EVER tells me to wash someone's feet again, He'll get no argument from me. I'll even set it up this time! Lol
Thanks Lord for being SO infinitely patient with me and for being so real in my life!
One time I was at church, Sloan was a baby and I was broke at the time...I had NO money. Actually I had 13 dollars. A ten and three ones right in my wallet. I was on my last diaper so after church I was going to get some. I had just enough money to get them. I needed exactly thirteen dollars. Diapers were twelve and change. But that day, the church let this guy speak...not a prophet but an exhorter I guess I would say...(thanks for making that word so real for me Cheryl)
He used to drive around town in this old beat up car with scriptures ALL and I do mean all- over it. Then there was a love offering for this man. Now I knew EXACTLY how much money I had which I had left in the car...and I knew I would not be giving any that day. But I couldn't shake the prompting to give it to this man. I wrestled and wrestled with the Lord, as we all do when He is telling us to do something seemingly impossible...but I just could NOT shake it off. It was a physical push. So fine, I mutter to myself...no diapers for the baby and off I go to the car to get my measly $13.00.
When I get out there and open my wallet, there was the thirteen dollars; a ten and three ones but next to it? ANOTHER thirteen dollars in the exact same denominations... A ten and three ones next to a ten and three ones. It stopped me COLD. I still ponder that day 15 years ago but I don't wonder what happened. I know what happened.
But probably my favorite and totally in-your-face God story happened many years later. Lauren was a baby and I was still attending the same church.
I was in my kitchen one day just walking across the room. I wasn't thinking about Him or anything else really when God, gulp-hold on to your drawers people...spoke to me. I mean, if it wasn't ACTUALLY audible, I would be surprised. And he said the most bizarre thing I had ever heard. B-I-Z-A-R-R-E.
He said, "You are going to wash Joanne's feet"
SCREEECH...............dead stop. "You are going to wash Joanne's feet".
Ironcially what I remember is NOT stopping dead in my tracks at the wonder of the Lord speaking to me so clearly but what I remember is immediately starting to argue. Lol
Oh NO I'M NOT,Lord. (literally) I am NOT going to do that. How am I going to do that? WHAT are you talking about???
Now, I had never washed anyone's feet before and no one had ever washed mine. And it was NEVER practiced in our church before, EVER.
So I go on to argue with Him... with him being a silent partner in that argument for the rest of the time, typical, lol- (Gosh,I can't wait to meet Him!)
when I hit upon the perfect answer. Ok, God, I will wash Joanne's feet...but just HOW exactly are you going to set that up? Because I AM NOT GOING TO. And I mean it. And He must have know that I meant it because....
the following Sunday at church I was sitting there and Joanne happened to be sitting directly in front of me. Joanne by the way, is the owner of our local Christian book store and we are great friends since I was a child and had gone to school with her daughter.
I am thinking nothing of the foot washing thing until my pastor actually utters these words..."Now, we have never done this before at Immanuel but I wanted to offer these buckets of water and cloths in case any of you feel led to wash anyone else's FEET.
I wish God had lighted me away at that moment I was so stunned at the truth of His reality... His coming down to earth and presenting Himself before me could not have made Him more real...I was struck down in awe. I couldn't breathe, I couldn't move, I couldn't speak. He had set it up. And there was no doubt, I was GOING to obey. And I did, Lol
Years later I re-told that story at her house at our good bye party and my pastor was there and evidently God was about that place that Sunday because He had worked about 3 other stories like that into that day that as well...He's funny that way...
Now I am not the foot washing type....you know, it just seems so Pentecostal! LOl But let me tell you what, if He EVER tells me to wash someone's feet again, He'll get no argument from me. I'll even set it up this time! Lol
Thanks Lord for being SO infinitely patient with me and for being so real in my life!
Sunday, April 13, 2008
more on integrity...
I have been meditating all day on this...wondering..wondering....
and I realize that why it works is that we have the perfect example to follow.
I mean, when in doubt...look to the PERFECT example. This helps the tougher circumstances slip right on into easy.
Are you right? Yep. But what would JESUS do?
Is it unfair? Yep. But what would JESUS do?
So not to coin the old WWJD....it is just that in circumstances that go beyond being right or wrong but into the LOVE category...it becomes easy because we can see that that is how JESUS would do it.
He was treated unfairly to the nth degree but handled it in a way that the world does not teach.
So you see, we have the perfect example in Jesus and so in that, we find we can give our tunic too....
Luke 6:29 If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic.
This is where it really gets good. When someone wrongs you, you can go the EXTRA mile it letting them know that you will still treat them with agape love.
and I realize that why it works is that we have the perfect example to follow.
I mean, when in doubt...look to the PERFECT example. This helps the tougher circumstances slip right on into easy.
Are you right? Yep. But what would JESUS do?
Is it unfair? Yep. But what would JESUS do?
So not to coin the old WWJD....it is just that in circumstances that go beyond being right or wrong but into the LOVE category...it becomes easy because we can see that that is how JESUS would do it.
He was treated unfairly to the nth degree but handled it in a way that the world does not teach.
So you see, we have the perfect example in Jesus and so in that, we find we can give our tunic too....
Luke 6:29 If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic.
This is where it really gets good. When someone wrongs you, you can go the EXTRA mile it letting them know that you will still treat them with agape love.
Integrity
Integrity is a funny thing. I mean, in terms of not all people having it.I don't UNDERSTAND it. Why or how people can do the things they do.
It has been a hard lesson over the last few months and I admit not realizing that I had it pretty good before in terms of people just "generally acting right".
But in business? Not so much.
Now that I am interacting in the "world" more again, it is all around me. People acting without integrity.
Recently, I had someone close in my business dealings act completely without integrity. Worse? I'm near 40 years old and I actually do not know what to do.
My amazingly wise DH comforts me. He always comes with the simple but true. He says:
There is nothing you can do. So of course I try to do EVERYTHING I can but now realize he is completely right. No matter WHAT I do, if a person has no integrity, whatever you do will have no bearing on what THEY do. Sigh
It is tough for me and I fear people who act without integrity.
They are unpredictable and can be scary.
I am at a bit of a loss as it seems at this point no matter what I do it won't matter. And I am reminded that one can appear to have a working belief system but when they want what they want, their belief system is amazingly expendable. Especially if it is some belief system that doesn't make it's foundation on Christ. Maybe they can do it because it's not the real deal. So when it ceases to serve their purpose their lofty ideals of being a "spiritual" person get put away until they need them again.
I am thankful that we, as Christians, are held to something better...higher...real.
That we do the right thing not out of obligation, but out of LOVE.
Not that we will always do the right thing but that love will always bring you back. To HIM.
When we do things out of obligation, when it gets hard we might not do it anymore.
But when it is done out of love, even when it IS hard we still do it. Love is King. Love trumps all. Even being right. That is a great comfort to me.
They will know we are Christians by our Love by our Love...
It has been a hard lesson over the last few months and I admit not realizing that I had it pretty good before in terms of people just "generally acting right".
But in business? Not so much.
Now that I am interacting in the "world" more again, it is all around me. People acting without integrity.
Recently, I had someone close in my business dealings act completely without integrity. Worse? I'm near 40 years old and I actually do not know what to do.
My amazingly wise DH comforts me. He always comes with the simple but true. He says:
There is nothing you can do. So of course I try to do EVERYTHING I can but now realize he is completely right. No matter WHAT I do, if a person has no integrity, whatever you do will have no bearing on what THEY do. Sigh
It is tough for me and I fear people who act without integrity.
They are unpredictable and can be scary.
I am at a bit of a loss as it seems at this point no matter what I do it won't matter. And I am reminded that one can appear to have a working belief system but when they want what they want, their belief system is amazingly expendable. Especially if it is some belief system that doesn't make it's foundation on Christ. Maybe they can do it because it's not the real deal. So when it ceases to serve their purpose their lofty ideals of being a "spiritual" person get put away until they need them again.
I am thankful that we, as Christians, are held to something better...higher...real.
That we do the right thing not out of obligation, but out of LOVE.
Not that we will always do the right thing but that love will always bring you back. To HIM.
When we do things out of obligation, when it gets hard we might not do it anymore.
But when it is done out of love, even when it IS hard we still do it. Love is King. Love trumps all. Even being right. That is a great comfort to me.
They will know we are Christians by our Love by our Love...
Saturday, April 12, 2008
poetry ga ga
Free
I'm so bloggy, so bloggy my head is not foggy-
the maggy is off on to layout you know
I get to undressty
and go off to resty
to bed or to Thai I am sure now to go!
Pad Thai and Fried Rice here I come!
Spanx? or Weight Watchers?....no brainer.
I'm so bloggy, so bloggy my head is not foggy-
the maggy is off on to layout you know
I get to undressty
and go off to resty
to bed or to Thai I am sure now to go!
Pad Thai and Fried Rice here I come!
Spanx? or Weight Watchers?....no brainer.
Reading Aloud
And speaking of reading aloud...
I have ALWAYS wanted to run a story time.
(Cheryl your kids were probably too old to ever take them to the one at the Children's Book store in Vero, it was GREAT!)
But because I have so much extra time, I really would love to do one maybe twice a month. 3-6 year olds...read a fun book, have a snack..
What do you all think? You think anyone would be interested in that?
I think it is my latent Children's Church, Sunday School, Farming out craziness coming out.
I have ALWAYS wanted to run a story time.
(Cheryl your kids were probably too old to ever take them to the one at the Children's Book store in Vero, it was GREAT!)
But because I have so much extra time, I really would love to do one maybe twice a month. 3-6 year olds...read a fun book, have a snack..
What do you all think? You think anyone would be interested in that?
I think it is my latent Children's Church, Sunday School, Farming out craziness coming out.
Stream of thought...
I keep sitting down to write my editor's thoughts...now called "Coffee with the Editor" Lol
and I keep getting distracted to blog so here I am.
We are back on our flight plan...well at least with chores! Oh, two days in and it is such a blessing! For me you think? Well sure, but really it is for the KIDS. They are acting so relieved and joyful...I realize I need to go ahead and do it with school too. Yuck. Those of you who REALLY know me know the truth that I am NOT a scheduler at all...but just that I KNOW what freedom scheduling can bring so I often revert back to it when things seem...oh I don't know, OUT OF CONTROL. Lol
And I am reminded that UNTIL the kids can consistently do what they need to do without schedules, that keeping them implemented is imperative.
See- some people go to either extreme- over tight schedules that never allow their children (or themselves) to learn how to be self disciplined and led by the spirit (sound like any Israelites you know that demanded a King?)
and others are the other way..."let freedom ring" until mold is growing out of their kid's ears...
but I think the KEY is that you TRAIN THEM UP the way they should go and then they will go forth. You do not SEND FORTH the ill equipped...why people don't get this is beyond me.
You can't be salt of the world before you are salt. But I digress...
So, we have the schedules making a comeback and why I dread making a school one I don't know. (I keep a very open school schedule when I use one. Just block out school time, that's it)Tif's post about bugs depressed me. Lisa's quilts make me nostalgic. Thank God M kicked us all out of her blog. Lol
Am I supposed to be this Mom or that Mom???? WHY does my skill set have to be about public relations and speaking in front of large audiences? WHY does it have to be (as Chewi said)exhortation (which I am really not complaining about...who doesn't like to persuade for the Truth?) but trust me, it doesn't always make for a large group of friends...
I guess I am just feeling sconey. Yep, that's my new word for when I am wishing to be back to the 75-blog-posts-earlier Mom. Sconey.
Make some you say? I can't. I fear they'll nearly make me cry and I have a meeting at the Central Florida Zoo...Lol
See? I used to just GO to the zoo but now I have to have a MEETING there. Life's not fair Simba. Gosh, am I whiney today!
So then I will be crying-scone making Mom trying to talk to a mucky muck about ad sales statistics and Lake County numbers and demographics.
Very confusing to my stay at home Mom sensibilities.
Maybe I should get a man in India...to free up some time for me. (Go ahead and explain in a comment Tif)
Anway ya'll mantis hatching, quilt making, modest dressing, zoo attending, Mom's- yesterday I, I...I...well I saw a rehearsal of Fiddler...met a Grammy award winning musician, got comp tickets to see "Firefall" and have dinner with the band (you are the woman that I always dreamed of" but really, who cares? I'd rather be home reading Dinosaur Roar to Kate. I Can REALLY read aloud well,lol) got PBS to hook up with us, and let another Mom take one of my kids to another Mom's house! (WOW did that feel weird...) But I survived it and so did she...and the Mom, well you can't beat her with a stick she's so great. (thanks so much Tif for letting me intrude...)
So as we wrap up issue number three...which was like starting from SCRATCH with a new layout designer...UGH. I realize I have NO idea where God means to take this thing but I am holding out for a good end or it just may be the end of me.
Shalom Brethren.
and I keep getting distracted to blog so here I am.
We are back on our flight plan...well at least with chores! Oh, two days in and it is such a blessing! For me you think? Well sure, but really it is for the KIDS. They are acting so relieved and joyful...I realize I need to go ahead and do it with school too. Yuck. Those of you who REALLY know me know the truth that I am NOT a scheduler at all...but just that I KNOW what freedom scheduling can bring so I often revert back to it when things seem...oh I don't know, OUT OF CONTROL. Lol
And I am reminded that UNTIL the kids can consistently do what they need to do without schedules, that keeping them implemented is imperative.
See- some people go to either extreme- over tight schedules that never allow their children (or themselves) to learn how to be self disciplined and led by the spirit (sound like any Israelites you know that demanded a King?)
and others are the other way..."let freedom ring" until mold is growing out of their kid's ears...
but I think the KEY is that you TRAIN THEM UP the way they should go and then they will go forth. You do not SEND FORTH the ill equipped...why people don't get this is beyond me.
You can't be salt of the world before you are salt. But I digress...
So, we have the schedules making a comeback and why I dread making a school one I don't know. (I keep a very open school schedule when I use one. Just block out school time, that's it)Tif's post about bugs depressed me. Lisa's quilts make me nostalgic. Thank God M kicked us all out of her blog. Lol
Am I supposed to be this Mom or that Mom???? WHY does my skill set have to be about public relations and speaking in front of large audiences? WHY does it have to be (as Chewi said)exhortation (which I am really not complaining about...who doesn't like to persuade for the Truth?) but trust me, it doesn't always make for a large group of friends...
I guess I am just feeling sconey. Yep, that's my new word for when I am wishing to be back to the 75-blog-posts-earlier Mom. Sconey.
Make some you say? I can't. I fear they'll nearly make me cry and I have a meeting at the Central Florida Zoo...Lol
See? I used to just GO to the zoo but now I have to have a MEETING there. Life's not fair Simba. Gosh, am I whiney today!
So then I will be crying-scone making Mom trying to talk to a mucky muck about ad sales statistics and Lake County numbers and demographics.
Very confusing to my stay at home Mom sensibilities.
Maybe I should get a man in India...to free up some time for me. (Go ahead and explain in a comment Tif)
Anway ya'll mantis hatching, quilt making, modest dressing, zoo attending, Mom's- yesterday I, I...I...well I saw a rehearsal of Fiddler...met a Grammy award winning musician, got comp tickets to see "Firefall" and have dinner with the band (you are the woman that I always dreamed of" but really, who cares? I'd rather be home reading Dinosaur Roar to Kate. I Can REALLY read aloud well,lol) got PBS to hook up with us, and let another Mom take one of my kids to another Mom's house! (WOW did that feel weird...) But I survived it and so did she...and the Mom, well you can't beat her with a stick she's so great. (thanks so much Tif for letting me intrude...)
So as we wrap up issue number three...which was like starting from SCRATCH with a new layout designer...UGH. I realize I have NO idea where God means to take this thing but I am holding out for a good end or it just may be the end of me.
Shalom Brethren.
Friday, April 11, 2008
Lauren's chore charts
Upstairs Foyer and Bathroom
Daily: Pick up foyer, dry swiffer, spray and wipe mirrors and sink in bath, swish toilet
Monday: Clean banister with magic eraser
Tuesday: Spray and clean toilet and sink
Wednesday: Wet swiffer bathroom and foyer
Thursday: Clean window in foyer
Friday: Clean game closet
Saturday: Clean outside of bedroom doors and hand molding, check all extra chores
Clean Front Porch
Daily: Pick up foyer, dry swiffer, spray and wipe mirrors and sink in bath, swish toilet
Monday: Clean banister with magic eraser
Tuesday: Spray and clean toilet and sink
Wednesday: Wet swiffer bathroom and foyer
Thursday: Clean window in foyer
Friday: Clean game closet
Saturday: Clean outside of bedroom doors and hand molding, check all extra chores
Clean Front Porch
Rachel's Chore Charts
Living Room
Daily: Clean mantle, straighten shelves, p/u and organize toys, spray and wipe tables, sweep AND dry swiffer.
Monday: Move furniture, sweep and dry swiffer underneath
Tuesday: Dust baseboards, windowsills and shades
Wednesday: Straighten movies and TV armoir
Thursday: move furniture, sweep and wet swiffer underneath
Friday: Wet swiffer living room
Saturday: Gor through baby toys..put away extras that don’t need to be there.
Foyer
Daily: Put away junk, shoes and spray and wipe tables, sweep and dry swiffer
Monday: wash inside windows on front door
Tuesday: wash outside windows on door
Wednesday: Straighten linen closet
Thursday: Dust baseboards, clean stairs
Friday: Wash stairwell walls with magic eraser
Saturday: Clean out linen closet and check all extra chores
Bathroom
Daily: Spray and wipe counters and mirrors, shake rugs, sweep corners and floor, straighten bathtub, swish out toilet
Monday: Clean out top cabinets
Tuesday: Clean out bottom cabinets
Wednesday: Clean toilet, tub and sink
Thursday: Clean drawers
Friday: Wash rugs
Saturday: Mop floors
Daily: Clean mantle, straighten shelves, p/u and organize toys, spray and wipe tables, sweep AND dry swiffer.
Monday: Move furniture, sweep and dry swiffer underneath
Tuesday: Dust baseboards, windowsills and shades
Wednesday: Straighten movies and TV armoir
Thursday: move furniture, sweep and wet swiffer underneath
Friday: Wet swiffer living room
Saturday: Gor through baby toys..put away extras that don’t need to be there.
Foyer
Daily: Put away junk, shoes and spray and wipe tables, sweep and dry swiffer
Monday: wash inside windows on front door
Tuesday: wash outside windows on door
Wednesday: Straighten linen closet
Thursday: Dust baseboards, clean stairs
Friday: Wash stairwell walls with magic eraser
Saturday: Clean out linen closet and check all extra chores
Bathroom
Daily: Spray and wipe counters and mirrors, shake rugs, sweep corners and floor, straighten bathtub, swish out toilet
Monday: Clean out top cabinets
Tuesday: Clean out bottom cabinets
Wednesday: Clean toilet, tub and sink
Thursday: Clean drawers
Friday: Wash rugs
Saturday: Mop floors
New Chore charts around this joint
Things as crazy as they've been will NEVER get better until I return to the old, say it with me now, FLIGHT PLAN! So new chore charts are first...here are mine. I will put them in a few posts as to not overwhem. They do their dailys every day and their extra on relative day.
Sloan has kitch/Dining room and office.
Dining Room
Daily: Spray and Wipe tables, pick up, straighten homeschooling shelves sweep carpet and floor and dry swiffer.
Monday: Wipe down baseboards and hand molding
Tuesday: Clean and organize HS shelves
Wednesday: Put away all extra stuff you see around edges
Thursday: Check all extra chores
Friday: See Mom
Saturday: Wet swiffer
Kitchen
Daily: Dishes, empty dishwasher in am, wipe counters, sweep, wet swiffer, run DW in pm empty garbage
Monday: Clean microwave, stove, toaster and coffee pot
Tuesday: Clean fridge inside, out and on top
Wednesday: Move everything from edges of counter, clean behind them and organize cabinets
Thursday: Clean window sill and Pass through, check extra chores
Friday: Clean back table and garbage can and area
Saturday: Scrub Floors
Office
Daily: Pick up room; be sure extra desk is clear top and bottom, push laundry through
Monday: Vacuum, straighten craft closet
Tuesday: Clean fan, wipe sills, empty garbage
Wednesday: Clean laundry room WELL
Thursday: Dust piano, wash windows, clean back step
Friday: Clean book shelves and top of filing cabinet
Saturday: Clean craft closet
Sloan has kitch/Dining room and office.
Dining Room
Daily: Spray and Wipe tables, pick up, straighten homeschooling shelves sweep carpet and floor and dry swiffer.
Monday: Wipe down baseboards and hand molding
Tuesday: Clean and organize HS shelves
Wednesday: Put away all extra stuff you see around edges
Thursday: Check all extra chores
Friday: See Mom
Saturday: Wet swiffer
Kitchen
Daily: Dishes, empty dishwasher in am, wipe counters, sweep, wet swiffer, run DW in pm empty garbage
Monday: Clean microwave, stove, toaster and coffee pot
Tuesday: Clean fridge inside, out and on top
Wednesday: Move everything from edges of counter, clean behind them and organize cabinets
Thursday: Clean window sill and Pass through, check extra chores
Friday: Clean back table and garbage can and area
Saturday: Scrub Floors
Office
Daily: Pick up room; be sure extra desk is clear top and bottom, push laundry through
Monday: Vacuum, straighten craft closet
Tuesday: Clean fan, wipe sills, empty garbage
Wednesday: Clean laundry room WELL
Thursday: Dust piano, wash windows, clean back step
Friday: Clean book shelves and top of filing cabinet
Saturday: Clean craft closet
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Bungee-Bungee-bungeebungeebungee!
This is Lauren and Rachel catchin' some air-at-the-fair.
(You may want to turn down your volume as my mother is screaming all the way through it.)
Monday, April 7, 2008
My Utmost for His Highest!
This might be one of the BEST devotionals I have ever read....a real admonishment for Christian's today...especially me! I love the refining fire of the Lord...as painful as it can be, I know it leads to a more mature Christian walk, life and testimony!
We all know people who do not accept God's Word as Truth period.
We also know of Truth that we KNOW to be true yet is still refused by a friend or loved one. There is also Truth that WE know to be Truth that our Christian friends yet still do not accept and yet still there is some Truth that we ourselves have not yet accepted but are still learning of and is being revealed to us...but how many of us can admit that even WE do not have understanding enough to even SPEAK yet!!! OWWWWWCH!
We should be very careful as Christians when we speak to be sure that the Word is developed in us fully or at least fully enough that we do not malign the Word of God...What we THINK to be True or what we FEEL to be True is not what is necessarily TRUE. May God watch the Words spoken from my lips today and tonight especially....as we begin our women's fellowship group...
April 7, 2008
Why We Lack Understanding
He commanded them that they should tell no one the things they had seen, till the Son of Man had risen from the dead —Mark 9:9
As the disciples were commanded, you should also say nothing until the Son of Man has risen in you— until the life of the risen Christ so dominates you that you truly understand what He taught while here on earth. When you grow and develop the right condition inwardly, the words Jesus spoke become so clear that you are amazed you did not grasp them before. In fact, you were not able to understand them before because you had not yet developed the proper spiritual condition to deal with them.
Our Lord doesn’t hide these things from us, but we are not prepared to receive them until we are in the right condition in our spiritual life. Jesus said, "I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now" ( John 16:12 ). We must have a oneness with His risen life before we are prepared to bear any particular truth from Him. Do we really know anything about the indwelling of the risen life of Jesus? The evidence that we do is that His Word is becoming understandable to us. God cannot reveal anything to us if we don’t have His Spirit. And our own unyielding and headstrong opinions will effectively prevent God from revealing anything to us. But our insensible thinking will end immediately once His resurrection life has its way with us.
". . . tell no one . . . ." But so many people do tell what they saw on the Mount of Transfiguration— their mountaintop experience. They have seen a vision and they testify to it, but there is no connection between what they say and how they live. Their lives don’t add up because the Son of Man has not yet risen in them. How long will it be before His resurrection life is formed and evident in you and in me?
We all know people who do not accept God's Word as Truth period.
We also know of Truth that we KNOW to be true yet is still refused by a friend or loved one. There is also Truth that WE know to be Truth that our Christian friends yet still do not accept and yet still there is some Truth that we ourselves have not yet accepted but are still learning of and is being revealed to us...but how many of us can admit that even WE do not have understanding enough to even SPEAK yet!!! OWWWWWCH!
We should be very careful as Christians when we speak to be sure that the Word is developed in us fully or at least fully enough that we do not malign the Word of God...What we THINK to be True or what we FEEL to be True is not what is necessarily TRUE. May God watch the Words spoken from my lips today and tonight especially....as we begin our women's fellowship group...
April 7, 2008
Why We Lack Understanding
He commanded them that they should tell no one the things they had seen, till the Son of Man had risen from the dead —Mark 9:9
As the disciples were commanded, you should also say nothing until the Son of Man has risen in you— until the life of the risen Christ so dominates you that you truly understand what He taught while here on earth. When you grow and develop the right condition inwardly, the words Jesus spoke become so clear that you are amazed you did not grasp them before. In fact, you were not able to understand them before because you had not yet developed the proper spiritual condition to deal with them.
Our Lord doesn’t hide these things from us, but we are not prepared to receive them until we are in the right condition in our spiritual life. Jesus said, "I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now" ( John 16:12 ). We must have a oneness with His risen life before we are prepared to bear any particular truth from Him. Do we really know anything about the indwelling of the risen life of Jesus? The evidence that we do is that His Word is becoming understandable to us. God cannot reveal anything to us if we don’t have His Spirit. And our own unyielding and headstrong opinions will effectively prevent God from revealing anything to us. But our insensible thinking will end immediately once His resurrection life has its way with us.
". . . tell no one . . . ." But so many people do tell what they saw on the Mount of Transfiguration— their mountaintop experience. They have seen a vision and they testify to it, but there is no connection between what they say and how they live. Their lives don’t add up because the Son of Man has not yet risen in them. How long will it be before His resurrection life is formed and evident in you and in me?
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Q: Why do these lizards look so happy?
A: Because the owners are leaving for a week while their house gets tented for you said it, TERMITES! Somehow, I, proud owner of the superlative: LEAST LIKELY to ever love a bug, am somehow not phased by this Sunday happening. Could be worse...they could be COCKROACHES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
or locusts or spiders or beetles or fire ants or...
Shalom Ya'll!!!
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Who can it be?
Thanks to Lake Family Magazine's new resident computer guru...Eric Anthony of EAG IT, my pictures are SAFE!
Rachel's now slightly beat up from being handled so much depiction of...who? First right answer wins a BRAND NEW CAR!!!!
(OR a gorgeous Limited Edition United States Quarter Map including a bonus of 5 commemorative state quarters)
Thanks Eric! (But you'll always be Smokeman to me!)
A little clarity...
Ok, so after a question or two privately about the previous post, instead of just DELETING it (which I did briefly)...Let me just qualify myself to death here for a sec. I surely do not want to offend anyone EVER though if I step on a toe or two for the Lord, so be it. As long as it is for the Lord...
The problem with blogging is of course, you become personally invested with the blog...everyone else's too! I have had a HARD time not commenting to death on say, Bonnie's blog (which she knows) so I finally deleted it and just do not read it anymore. Lol
So I know most of the readers here are CC goers so talking about church can be GOOD or bad or not understood by others who don't GO to CC!
So let me just say this, Guys, this is a CLOSED blog for a reason! I really, really (need? wow just got the Holy Spirit check on that one so I will say instead:) that I want to blog what I really truly feel. If it were an open blog I would feel more responsibility to not post some things because who knows who's reading it and I do believe there is SOME responsibility after all in what you write. Lol
So I just want to say that even though I attend church where our beliefs run differently, that does NOT mean that I do not support what they do. I wouldn't say DON'T take your kids to nursery, children's church, etc (duh, since mine are IN there!) and on the other side of it, I would also support if someone did not want to as well. But I would not encourage my own thoughts on this there since that would, I believe, not be in unity with the body. I hush it there but here is where I hopefully am able to expound on the "why's" of what we believe.
We have found a way to attend a church whose teaching we believe, is right for us. WE are the ones having difficulty figuring out the attending with a small child that we do not wish to have in a program. We surely do NOT judge anyone else for it and we truly, deeply appreciate the love and acceptance we have received there despite our differences.
If we can attend and not judge then we have to be able to attend and not BE judged. Isn't it funny that when someone does something differently we always think that the other one is saying we are doing it wrong? Not so!
And even if they do think you are doing it "wrong" the difference between differences in beliefs and judgement is that judgement is when someone says you are "bad" for doing it this way as opposed to saying,"I don't believe that".
I just don't want to have to quit blogging my core beliefs because we are mostly CC goers reading this...
It is actually the MOST non-judgemental church I think I've ever been to! Just wanting to clarify... Remember: You are the core people specifically chosen to be readers here...not because this blog is special, but because YOU are special to ME. I trust you to love me and not judge me because we are different.
Thoughts and comments welcome.
Clunn boot camp for kids open at the end of summer. Haha.
The problem with blogging is of course, you become personally invested with the blog...everyone else's too! I have had a HARD time not commenting to death on say, Bonnie's blog (which she knows) so I finally deleted it and just do not read it anymore. Lol
So I know most of the readers here are CC goers so talking about church can be GOOD or bad or not understood by others who don't GO to CC!
So let me just say this, Guys, this is a CLOSED blog for a reason! I really, really (need? wow just got the Holy Spirit check on that one so I will say instead:) that I want to blog what I really truly feel. If it were an open blog I would feel more responsibility to not post some things because who knows who's reading it and I do believe there is SOME responsibility after all in what you write. Lol
So I just want to say that even though I attend church where our beliefs run differently, that does NOT mean that I do not support what they do. I wouldn't say DON'T take your kids to nursery, children's church, etc (duh, since mine are IN there!) and on the other side of it, I would also support if someone did not want to as well. But I would not encourage my own thoughts on this there since that would, I believe, not be in unity with the body. I hush it there but here is where I hopefully am able to expound on the "why's" of what we believe.
We have found a way to attend a church whose teaching we believe, is right for us. WE are the ones having difficulty figuring out the attending with a small child that we do not wish to have in a program. We surely do NOT judge anyone else for it and we truly, deeply appreciate the love and acceptance we have received there despite our differences.
If we can attend and not judge then we have to be able to attend and not BE judged. Isn't it funny that when someone does something differently we always think that the other one is saying we are doing it wrong? Not so!
And even if they do think you are doing it "wrong" the difference between differences in beliefs and judgement is that judgement is when someone says you are "bad" for doing it this way as opposed to saying,"I don't believe that".
I just don't want to have to quit blogging my core beliefs because we are mostly CC goers reading this...
It is actually the MOST non-judgemental church I think I've ever been to! Just wanting to clarify... Remember: You are the core people specifically chosen to be readers here...not because this blog is special, but because YOU are special to ME. I trust you to love me and not judge me because we are different.
Thoughts and comments welcome.
Clunn boot camp for kids open at the end of summer. Haha.
Musings on Sloan
So...as much as I enjoyed the freedom of having Kate in the nursery...here is the dilemma according to how (our family)believes...Only speaking for US here....lol
Sloan LOVED working in the nursery..
She loved, loved, loved it. (immediate red flag)
"I think it is my gift!" (nope and yep all at once)
"I am GREAT with kids!" (Yes, of COURSE you are.)
So we had to have a long talk about this...and while I know these are different beliefs than others, this is just what we believe to be the Truth in our family.Of course she loved working in the nursery...she is a natural born MOTHER. Most women are because it is built in since before the foundation of the world. She is growing up and moving toward motherhood quicker than we all know. Caring for children is a natural satisfaction in women if they have not been warped by the world. It is her gift because women need that in order not to murder their little angels. But it is NOT a gift meant for skipping church to care for other's little ones. At the VERY least, not for a fifteen year old...it reminds me of something someone much wiser than me once said: Just because you do something well, does NOT mean you are supposed to do it".
WOW.
That is SO true. Our gifts can become our weaknesses if we use them wrongly. Check out Sampson for that one. Her ability to care for children is meant for HER children (and others of course in the course of different ministry applications) but NOT for a Sunday morning when she should be in the sermon. Sigh. I am not expressing well. Not that she shouldn't help. Not that we will forbid it. Just that it is SO IMPORTANT to not let her get confused with the idea that children's ministry is what she is feeling.
It is not.
It is her maternal instinct that she is feeling.
Setting a teen up in the busy-ness of church is a mistake we do not want to make. It is easy to serve your life away and miss Jesus the whole way through. Easy to get validation from doing a job well (all the while missing the refining power of the Word through your pastor's sermon) Easy to be a Martha when you should be a Mary. Easy to let ministry block your view of Jesus Christ.
From nursery to an office to your own children in daycare to: What happened to our generational training up of Christians???
Think it can't happen? Ha. We haven't come this far to throw it all away now.So we will continue to rotate and put Kate on super advanced training to get her in with us. But it may still be a year. I mean, I enjoyed serving in the nursery as well, a LOT actually, but I am old enough to know that my personal relationship with Christ needs to be all consuming. She is not there yet and is actively seeking many things in her life....a parent needs to be careful..guiding and giving and FORgiving...it may sound a little micro-managerial, especially if you BELIEVE in children's programs but cut us reformers some slack. We are just trying to raise up women (the best we can) who Glorify the Lord by being busy AT HOME so that the Word of got is not maligned (Titus 2), lovers of their HUSBANDS but who PUT JESUS FIRST in their lives. Women can be so easily derailed into service without substance.
So that was a scary little derailing of thought...I hope we caught it. We will continue to watch!
Sloan LOVED working in the nursery..
She loved, loved, loved it. (immediate red flag)
"I think it is my gift!" (nope and yep all at once)
"I am GREAT with kids!" (Yes, of COURSE you are.)
So we had to have a long talk about this...and while I know these are different beliefs than others, this is just what we believe to be the Truth in our family.Of course she loved working in the nursery...she is a natural born MOTHER. Most women are because it is built in since before the foundation of the world. She is growing up and moving toward motherhood quicker than we all know. Caring for children is a natural satisfaction in women if they have not been warped by the world. It is her gift because women need that in order not to murder their little angels. But it is NOT a gift meant for skipping church to care for other's little ones. At the VERY least, not for a fifteen year old...it reminds me of something someone much wiser than me once said: Just because you do something well, does NOT mean you are supposed to do it".
WOW.
That is SO true. Our gifts can become our weaknesses if we use them wrongly. Check out Sampson for that one. Her ability to care for children is meant for HER children (and others of course in the course of different ministry applications) but NOT for a Sunday morning when she should be in the sermon. Sigh. I am not expressing well. Not that she shouldn't help. Not that we will forbid it. Just that it is SO IMPORTANT to not let her get confused with the idea that children's ministry is what she is feeling.
It is not.
It is her maternal instinct that she is feeling.
Setting a teen up in the busy-ness of church is a mistake we do not want to make. It is easy to serve your life away and miss Jesus the whole way through. Easy to get validation from doing a job well (all the while missing the refining power of the Word through your pastor's sermon) Easy to be a Martha when you should be a Mary. Easy to let ministry block your view of Jesus Christ.
From nursery to an office to your own children in daycare to: What happened to our generational training up of Christians???
Think it can't happen? Ha. We haven't come this far to throw it all away now.So we will continue to rotate and put Kate on super advanced training to get her in with us. But it may still be a year. I mean, I enjoyed serving in the nursery as well, a LOT actually, but I am old enough to know that my personal relationship with Christ needs to be all consuming. She is not there yet and is actively seeking many things in her life....a parent needs to be careful..guiding and giving and FORgiving...it may sound a little micro-managerial, especially if you BELIEVE in children's programs but cut us reformers some slack. We are just trying to raise up women (the best we can) who Glorify the Lord by being busy AT HOME so that the Word of got is not maligned (Titus 2), lovers of their HUSBANDS but who PUT JESUS FIRST in their lives. Women can be so easily derailed into service without substance.
So that was a scary little derailing of thought...I hope we caught it. We will continue to watch!
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