Be sure not to miss LFM Fun Fest next August. :)

This is what you get for having friends...

So my good friend MATT whose more prudent wife said NO to this kitty rescue, decided that we, the Clunns were the right choice. These I'm afraid, rescue or not, are NOT staying. They sure are cute though. But EIGHT kitties is out of control. Ya think?
He FOUND these poor little guys..too young to have left der muddah. They are scarfing kittie formula and eating kittie chow and playing like all get out so we think they will make it. But still, is there something inherently WRONG with Family A, who knows Family B love kitties and already has too many, BRINGS MORE kitties to said Family B??? (who also has 4 daughters filled with too much love and compassion for any normal human being) Me thinks YES. WRONG WRONG WRONG!!! Thanks Matt!

And his name is....

Jesse James.





Because he looks like a real tough guy, dontcha think?

Bedtime Prayer for the Kids!

Whitey-Kins

SPEAKING of Whitey, he came home last night as a big fat SURPRISE. He comes home every 4-5 months now and I am of course, hoping he makes it home one more time when we are about to leave for the new house. He stays home about 3 days and is then off again. Very bizarre.

I am preparing their hearts for the possible and hoping for the miracle.

Our newest addition...

Because, you know, we're insane.

Kitty is currently un-named. Choices seem to be keeping in line with Frodo and Samwise (Sammy) Everyone loves Gimily but Lauren, the one in "charge" of said kitty.

So if we are not careful and we wait too long like to name him like we did with Whitey, then his name could end up like poor, cracker Whitey. If only we were African American, then "Whitey" would have actually been funny.

Dear M and I used to laugh since her black kitty is named Tar Baby. I kid you not. Whitey and Tar baby: best friends. Much reminsicent of the many differences she and I had in beliefs but somehow found deep friendship anyway.

Anyway, we found him while innocently enough going to Walmart with all 4 daughters (strike one) while poor, barefoot, kid holds shivering kitties (strike two) in front of door trying to give them away for FREE. (and we're out)

Admittedly, they have been excellently cared for, no fleas, very clean and well socialized...just what we homeschoolers strive for in our kids.

No worries, though, we can take care of that easily enough. Soon enough he'll be scrounging for scraps, be flea ridden and dirty and completely anti-social...just like us homeschoolers. :)

The Bust of His Life

I don't know why I have a problem with the fuzz. I don't think I have this deep seeded resentment toward authority. I guess it's just because I know enough of them to know the personality type is really scary. Not including you C, of course.

But anyway, you have to admit this is funny.

The Bust of His Life.

Hear: "I'll have to confiscate the contents of your truck, sir."

Skateboarding and Karate

Call it a mid-life crisis but yes, today, I went skateboarding including trying a half pike and took a beginners Karate class.

I am sooooo sore but it was fun and I was better at skateboarding than Karate! Wow!

I guess my few times I went skiing when I was much younger and did really well for a beginner proved out because skate boarding felt similar to me and I liked the back and forth movement.

I almost fell a couple of times but thankfully didn't.

Karate was harder than I thought. Such basic moves..but if you are not "right on", it doesn't work out for you.

I guess if you had to throw a punch, your timing better be right on or else it won't get you much!

Anyway, it was fun trying these two new activities and I see a LOT more of it in my future...even if WAS only on the Wii Fit!

Clermont Clermont Everywhere

Well, I leave for Clermont in an hour. It is their monthly chamber breakfast and we expect it to be something else as we started distribution there last month with our Sept issue. Our October issue focused on Clermont, specifically on their 125th anniversary and has gotten some rave reviews. Response has just been HUGE there with our 'different' publication and I must admit, I am hoping for some good words this morning.

When I come home, I am taking the entire weekend off. Ok, not really but I will pretend to.

But Dave Ramsey Said....

I am EXCITED, no, beyond excited, FIRED UP
for this Dave Ramsey class. I imagine by the time I finish, I'll be trying to shop it over to CC. I would LOVE to teach it. EVERY man, woman and child should be taught this. The girls are all pumped up as we have really taken the time to teach what we have learned. Scary that our parents did not train us financially. Whatever you do, don't make the same mistake!

Compound interest will blow your older kids' minds!

Dave surely is a dynamic speaker and like many things that I have learned, it is just more about your attitude, self-discipline, and how hard you focus your efforts that will pay off in the end.

It's exciting to live now like no one else, so later, we can LIVE like no one else!

If you understand that, then already get the idea.

More "change"

Obama Reaffirms Promises to Gays...

President Barack Obama restated his campaign pledge to allow homosexual men and women to serve openly in the military...

...Obama also called on Congress to repeal the Defense Of Marriage Act, which limits how state, local and federal bodies can recognize partnerships and determine benefits. He also called for a law to extend benefits to domestic partners...

...He expressed strong support for the HRC agenda of ending discrimination against gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender people...

..."We have never had a stronger ally in the White House. Never," Joe Solmonese, the group's president, said at the dinner before the president spoke... (HRC Group: Human Rights Campaign)

http://news.aol.com/article/president-barack-obama-addresses-human/712688?icid=mainmaindl1link4http%3A%2F%2Fnews.aol.com%2Farticle%2Fpresident-barack-obama-addresses-human%2F712688

Now, I am not highly political, which may surprise you. Most reformers are about real political change but we are not to that place on reformation road yet. Just not well educated in politics to know enough. But it easy enough to just CARE about it and see the wrong in some things. Like the above.
I am not big on the gay issue, but it is still wrong and I know it. It's just not my personal passion to come up against. It's sin like you and I commit everyday. Theirs is no different than ours. This is an issue that has served us well in teaching the girls to hate the sin, love the sinner. Believe it or not, when we had the devil run cable in our home still, lol, we loved Ellen and I was able to teach them that it was OK and RIGHT to love her and think she was great all the while seeing her sin and acknowledging it. (It is never flaunted or discussed on her show, ever that we have seen or I would not have let them watch it) They felt more SORRY for her than anything else. I think we must embrace the sinner more. Just because we hide ours better doesn't mean we are any better.

But the dissolution of marriage by giving rights to domestic partners? That is a no-no we all should be concerned about.Marriage is my second passion right up behind proper parenting. I am on a proper parenting freak out right now after I took the girls to the Splash Park AGAINST my better judgement where a mean 11 year old boy actually hit Kate in the face and told her to get of his way. What winners those parents must be. Yeah, "Don't tell me what kind of Christian ( or even just person!) you are, I can see perfectly well what kind you are by your kids." I have got to find out who said that, it is so powerful. Talk about digressing, sheesh. Sorry.

But anyway, I find it hard to get on the political train when I know that:
~God has placed the authorities,
~we are not meant to, nor have we been promised,
~ and biblically we are not going to have peace or get "better". At least not at this point in the juncture. (Like praying for peace in Jerusalem, just bad theology!)

We are on the way down and out from the earth and for the Christian, UP to heaven and God has not given me the job to try to change the political world which is likely where the end time prophecies will take place, my job is love, nurture, and educate my family.

And the proverbial chips? Well, so be it.

Not like my mother...

I can remember long ago...when I was still a child, thinking that I would be able to one day do things differently than my mother and father. Not in a rebellious way (I wasn't a rebellious child but knew myself and my own mind even then) but just knowing that I would be able to make my own family's decisions.
I was glad that I would be able to do things differently. Most of the really important ones are of course, life changing-eternity and victorious living changing but some of them, and the ones I am speaking of here, are just every day, run of the mill things. Kinda like that last sentence.

Here are some things that we do differently.

If you don't like it, you don't have to eat it. (this being said with kids that love veggies so I am not talking about the "Ewwwwww, I don't wanna eat it" spoiled kid thing. I'm talking if you do not like peas, lima beans, brussel sprouts, you do not have to eat them. Lauren does not like rice. Sloan does not like eggs. If I make a meal they do not like, (generally spicy ones) then you may have a PB&J.
Yep, I am glad that I have the authority to say, it's ok, you don't have to eat it.

At our house you can also enjoy as long a shower as you would like, a long phone call, pierced ears before 16 and a turn in Mom's bed. There must be others, but you get the picture.

Nirvana Grocery Shopping

I shopped at Publix today. Publix is to Walmart what Target is to...Walmart.

I'm a WalMart girl through and through for the savings.

But You can't get THESE at Walmart.



Well, actually you can. That's how I discovered them. But now they don't carry the flavor that I like. Jalapeno. Let me tell you what, these are the best almonds EVER CREATED. And if you mix them in pop corn? Well now you've gone to a whole new level of pleasure.

Anyway, it was a nice experience at Publix I must admit. When I unwrapped and smelled the pork roast I bought, I wasn't even fearful. That's funny I know. You never know quite what you'll get elsewhere, but I trust Publix for the most part. Golly, the bakery. That place is like sin city. PLUS Publix has Friendship cottage cheese with pineapple and NICE staff. TWO people asked me if I needed help. Weird.

Sorry, I won't be converting any time soon. I mean, I don't understand the waste of money. This line people say about saving money there since they don't impulse by on other items that Walmart carries seems flimsy at best. Like it's the store's fault that they can't keep their impulses to themselves. That equals bad consumer not bad store. But I digress. Walmart prices are unbeatable and I just can't spend that much money when I know I can save.

BUT it was nice. I give you Publixers credit for that. And I get to go occasionally so I can get my yummy nuts. Yummy nuts. That's a fun combo of words. Say it. Yummy Nuts. See?

And some things, well, just aren't so bad.

Who needs Halloween? This is Sca-a-a-ry!

OSLO (Oct. 9) -- President Barack Obama won the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize on Friday for "his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples," the Norwegian Nobel Committee said, citing his outreach to the Muslim world and attempts to curb nuclear proliferation.

The stunning choice made Obama the third sitting U.S. president to win the Nobel Peace Prize and shocked Nobel observers because Obama took office less than two weeks before the Feb. 1 nomination deadline. Obama's name had been mentioned in speculation before the award but many Nobel watchers believed it was too early to award the president.

"Only very rarely has a person to the same extent as Obama captured the world's attention and given its people hope for a better future," the committee said. "His diplomacy is founded in the concept that those who are to lead the world must do so on the basis of values and attitudes that are shared by the majority of the world's population."

The committee said it attached special importance to Obama's vision of, and work for, a world without nuclear weapons.

"Obama has as president created a new climate in international politics. Multilateral diplomacy has regained a central position, with emphasis on the role that the United Nations and other international institutions can play," the committee said.

Theodore Roosevelt won the award in 1906 and Woodrow Wilson won in 1919. Former President Jimmy Carter won the award in 2002, while former Vice President Al Gore shared the 2007 prize with the U.N. panel on climate change.

The Nobel committee received a record 205 nominations for this year's prize.
In his 1895 will, Alfred Nobel stipulated that the peace prize should go "to the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between the nations and the abolition or reduction of standing armies and the formation and spreading of peace congresses."
Unlike the other Nobel Prizes, which are awarded by Swedish institutions, he said the peace prize should be given out by a five-member committee elected by the Norwegian Parliament. Sweden and Norway were united under the same crown at the time of Nobel's death.
The committee has taken a wide interpretation of Nobel's guidelines, expanding the prize beyond peace mediation to include efforts to combat poverty, disease and climate change.
—
Associated Press Writer Ian MacDougall contributed to this report.

The Frugal Gourmet

Jeff took the kids to the new house so I could work but they had too good a time! They walked around the 80 acre forest, much to my chagrin!! But they explored, saw bear tracks and the neighbors bull mastiff...lol. Had fun and Kate went too and she had a great time the whole way through! (she is one not to like grass or sand or ants so the girls were shocked)

Well since we are on the budget, well, we haven't actually MADE the budget yet but I know we are going to so I made due with what I had in the house instead of shopping and spending money! Yay for me! Took Chicken breasts and made baked garlic and basil chicken...sliced a few tomatoes and my last two bluebell cheese rounds and doused them with Italian dressing/salt & pepper for a good ride in the fridge before eating...butter noodles with garlic, parmesean and the diced ends of the tomatoes thrown in gave color (and no waste!) and butter biscuits from Save-a-Lot. (last minute run I couldn't resist but cheap and they consider a real treat)

Looked good to a hungry crowd and they ate EVERY bite. LOL

Stream of Thought

We are taking a 14 week Dave Ramsey class and it is changing our family's life. At this very minute, I am printing my credit report as homework. We will be making a cash flow plan and let me tell you, I am HOOKED. The kids are totally changing and we can already see the blessing in what they are learning. More regular posts on this to come.

We stayed up until 1:00 AM last night chatting with friends about all things God, reformed living, revolutionary thinking, the Muslim uprising, kids, debt, the mainstream church (yeah, you really gotta talk about that!) and any number of other things. So wonderful.

Yes, we are actually this late behind in OCT issue but it has prompted some great changes in how we roll. We are currently looking for a managing partner or some such thing. Couple of ideas.

Looks like we will be moving in about 4 months. One more Christmas. Everyone is anxious to go now and we are spending more and more time there.

Kate and I are taking Sunday mornings off for awhile to continue training at home so you will be seeing more of Jeff and the girls, than of me. We had such a wonderful time Sunday reading about creation, discussing what God made, talking about Adam and Eve and praying and of course, coloring, swinging and making chicken salad for lunch. This is going to be a sweet time and I did not know what a great thing it would be.

Thanks to the best reviewer in the world, our own Amy A. I have a new writing curriculum and FINALLY a basic root word program. That has launched my excitement back into homeschooling.

I did not do my evals in August and am acting like "it will just go away"....denial. It is such a killer.

My Utmost for His Highest

As I take some serious beatings lately and admittedly try to hide in the gutter instead of the light, I am thankful, so thankful for Oswald Chambers. If you are taking some beatings financially, emotionally, physically or spiritually, take heart dear saint. He knows us, sees our plight and loves us through to the end. This made me want to take my beatings while still living in the light and reflection of His vision for me. I'm going to make it!!!

Read on! Read on!

October 4, 2009

The Vision and The Reality

. . . to those who are . . . called to be saints . . . —1 Corinthians 1:2


Thank God for being able to see all that you have not yet been. You have had the vision, but you are not yet to the reality of it by any means. It is when we are in the valley, where we prove whether we will be the choice ones, that most of us turn back. We are not quite prepared for the bumps and bruises that must come if we are going to be turned into the shape of the vision. We have seen what we are not, and what God wants us to be, but are we willing to be battered into the shape of the vision to be used by God? The beatings will always come in the most common, everyday ways and through common, everyday people.
There are times when we do know what God’s purpose is; whether we will let the vision be turned into actual character depends on us, not on God. If we prefer to relax on the mountaintop and live in the memory of the vision, then we will be of no real use in the ordinary things of which human life is made. We have to learn to live in reliance upon what we saw in the vision, not simply live in ecstatic delight and conscious reflection upon God. This means living the realities of our lives in the light of the vision until the truth of the vision is actually realized in us. Every bit of our training is in that direction. Learn to thank God for making His demands known.
Our little "I am" always sulks and pouts when God says do. Let your little "I am" be shriveled up in God’s wrath and indignation--"I AM WHO I AM . . . has sent me to you" ( Exodus 3:14 ). He must dominate. Isn’t it piercing to realize that God not only knows where we live, but also knows the gutters into which we crawl! He will hunt us down as fast as a flash of lightning. No human being knows human beings as God does.