Caffine, Anyone?

We do not like nor drink coffee.  Our sweet tea and hot teas are decaffeinated.  I consume only 1-2 colas per month.  We NEVER consume energy drinks, especially after learning that a close friend of Grandpa's survived a type of stroke directly linked to the consumption of energy drinks.

Although I do not like to indulge in caffeinated beverages, after updating my calendar this morning I can certainly understand why so many Americans simply can not make it through the day without their morning pot of coffee and afternoon 20oz. cola or large mugs of coffee. 

Mid March marks the beginning of our busy spring season.  Yesterday marked a considerable amount of time spent updating the household calendar.  It is quickly being filled with baseball & softball practices/games, 4-H meetings/events, music practice/completions, garden prep/planning, church activities/commitments AND driver's ed classes every weekday evening for the next 10 weeks.

Not only will I most likely find myself joining the majority of other Americans by consuming more caffeine loaded colas than I should, I also expect that blogging will be moved way down toward the bottom of the priority list.  I will check in and update when and if our schedule allows.  Most importantly, I will try to remember to carry a camera and snap some photos so that when I do find a few free moments in our schedule, I will be able to share our activities with you all.

Blessings to you and yours.

Easy Thank You Notes for Kids

EJ's mustache thank you note

I am one of those parents who require her children to send thank you notes.  For young children thank you notes can seem overwhelming.  To help reduce the stress of thank you notes for our children, I came up with a simple postcard format.

I use the Microsoft Publisher program to create the postcards.  We can print 4 postcards per 8 1/2" x 11" sheet of card stock.  On side one of the postcard we like to put a photo (usually a funny one) of the child along with the "thank you" words.  I've also added horizontal lines to the postcard which helps younger children have neat handwriting.  On side two of the post card I type the child's name and return address in the upper left corner (not shown for privacy) and leave the middle section blank where we write in the recipient's address.

Since going to the postcard format, our children seem to be able to endure the task of writing thank you notes.  Since it is less expensive to mail postcards, we also save on postage.

Do you enjoy receiving thank you notes?  Does your family send them?

Back in the Saddle

They are home .. It's been less than 24 hours, am I already tired?  I am so happy the Lord protected my family and brought them home safely.  The children had so much fun.  I hope to soon go through the photos and find a few to share with you.

 I awoke to what looked like the aftermath of a tornado that had steamrolled through our house.  I already miss the clean and the quiet.  Maybe being home alone for such a length wasn't the best idea?

Unfortunately, I'm the one of those who struggle with clutter, and sometimes noise.  It is very clear that I never think our home is clean enough.  Even while home alone, I thought it could have been much cleaner.  I resisted the urges to clean, clean & clean because I knew taking the opportunity to get much needed rest was more important.

Most of the bags have been unpacked and items put away.  The gifts have been opened and all the wrappings disposed of.  Our home is almost back to a pre-vacation state of tolerance.

My big priority for tomorrow is to get thank you notes written - OG and EJ's favorite task (hee, hee).  This will be their language arts / writing assignment.  I also plan to ease them back into the school routine by assigning a math lesson and indulging in some oral reading.  Even at the ages of 14 & 11 they still like having others read aloud to them.  I LOVE that they have not yet outgrown this activity.

Well, my cocoa cup is empty signaling that it is time for me to drift off to dream land.  I pray you have very sweet dreams tonight.

Home Alone - Day 11

Well, today was it.  My last day at home alone.  Mr.B and the littles should arrive in about 3 hours, therefore, I am preparing my last uninterrupted aroma therapy bath.  I am not sure I will be able to enjoy this bath because Mr.B INSISTS on driving in despite poor road conditions.  OG phoned me from their last rest stop asking me to convince him to get a hotel room because the ice, snow and cars off in the bar ditches have her scared.  As always, when returning from a trip, Mr.B seems to loose all common sense and control of himself and becomes overtaken by some weird force compelling him to get home as fast as possible, regardless of speed limits or travel conditions.  I HATE traveling home with him - I am terrified the entire time we are in the vehicle.  All I can do is pray for a safe arrival home.

I spent a portion of my day preparing for my family's arrival.  All their Christmas gifts are neatly arranged near the hearth.  I also cooked myself a very traditional southern New Year's Day supper of black eyed peas, fried cabbage & cornbread - YUM!  It was excellent.  I wish my family had been here to share it with me.  There are plenty of leftovers for tomorrow.

The big boys and I wished each other a Happy New Year via telephone this afternoon.  I was so very happy to hear that AB and BT's Christmas boxes were both finally delivered late yesterday.  Both boys, seemed very happy with their homemade gifts.  All three boys also received their gift from their Aunt C and, as always, were thrilled that she remembered them.

I have sincerely enjoyed the past 11 days of relaxation and reflection.  I think I am now ready to begin a new year.

Home Alone - Day 10

I enjoyed not having a set amount of time to blog.  Since I'm the only one home, I was able to take as much or as little time as desired.  I only had to be aware of getting the evening chores done before dark.

For this New Years Eve I tried a new chicken dip recipe I found at the Mennonite Girls Can Cook blog and watched 5 hours of Pride & Prejudice mini-series -- WooHoo!  I'm a wild one aren't I?  The  dip was so good it was the only thing I ate after breakfast all day -  I ended up eating the entire dish for lunch, snack & supper!  I'll probably be hating myself next week because of the 100 pounds it will put on me.  Man! this stuff is delish.  If you'd like to try it the recipe is here: ( http://www.mennonitegirlscancook.ca/2012/12/hot-chicken-ranch-dip.html ).

While watching the mini-series, something I never get a chance to do uninterrupted  I also worked on my little crochet project.  I'm should be able to finish it off within a couple hours.

I hope your New Years Eve was safe and pleasant.  I pray your new year will be filled with love, laughter, kindness and prosperity.

Happy New Year!

Home Alone - Day 9

I am so bad!  I am late with another daily home alone post ... what are we all to do with me?

Day nine was not quite as restful as days 7 & 8.  I left Piper, EJ's puppy, in her puppy playpen in the basement while attending church.  When I arrived home she had figured out how to escape her playpen (I assume she climbed onto the top of her pet crate and jumped over the enclosure).  She had made quite a mess in the  stairwell, mudroom and kitchen.  I scolded her, put her outside and spent about an hour cleaning up after her.  I've also removed her pet crate from the puppy playpen and placed her dogie bed directly on the concrete floor.  We'll see how long it takes her to figure out how to escape now that she doesn't have anything to climb upon.

I am very frustrated with the U.S.Postal service.   The packages I mailed the big boys for Christmas have arrived late or not at all.  We also have a monthly bill that, after 4 weeks, has not been delivered.  JP finally received his gift box - BUT AB and BT have not received theirs.  I spent an entire year making BT's homemade gift, it is not something easily replaced.  I have a very foreboding feeling that both AB and BT's gifts were stolen after being left on door steps.  As inconvenient as it is for the boys, it appears that I will have to require signatures for any future deliveries.  Please don't leave comments about using UPS as an alternative shipping method - Their track record with me is even worse than the U.S. Postal system.  I simply can not understand why I have had so many issues with packages & mail that I send since moving to eastern Montana - regardless of the shipping company I choose.  The common denominator is that all the packages and mail I've had issues with were sent from our local town.  I have not had any issues with items sent from our neighboring town.

My ankle has improved greatly - thank you for your prayers.  The swelling is considerably reduced and I am walking well without much pain.

I recently received a few anonymous questions in the comments section of my article on Biblical Submission. Although I responded in the appropriate comments section I thought I'd also take a few moments to respond in a post.

The questions posted were:
"Do you ever.miss your freedom? I know since.it is voluntary, its not.really slavery (as you mentioned). Do you miss having choices on what the direction of your own life will go? Does your.husband order you to do anything stupid (not illegal, just.not.sensible)? Do you have.any boundaries, such as what.orders.you will not.obey?"

These questions were left in the comment section of Biblical Submission - Part 1.  I hope the inquirer took time to read parts 2-4 in their entirety.  I hope he/she will come to understand that Biblical submission and abuse are NOT synonymous terms.  Biblical Submission is about submitting one's will to God's plan and design for marriage. Many years ago when I realized that most of the conflict in my marriage was a direct result of my lack of respect and honor toward my husband, I also realized that the ONLY way I could ever Biblically submit to Mr.B was by learning to submit to God and His plan for marriage.  

So, question 1. Do I miss my freedom?  
Since I live in a no-fault divorce state, it would be quite easy to leave my marriage if I chose to do so.  Biblical submission does not encompass a husband controlling his wife's comings and goings.  It is about respecting one's husband as the leader of the family.  Biblical submission is about fostering a husband's trust in his wife.  Mr.B is 100% confident in me.  He trusts me because I've NEVER given reason not to.  He is fully confident that only death will separate me from our family.  Thus, there is no reason for me to "miss my freedom" OR for Mr.B to ever be concerned regarding my comings and goings.  Biblical submission relates to my integrity as a person and my consideration towards others.

Question 2.  Do you miss having choices on what the direction of your own life will go?  
I laughed out loud when I read this question.  Why?  Because I've been a mother for almost 29 years.  Mr. B does not nor has he ever controlled my life choices.  Reality check:  if I wanted a different life than the one I have, I should have made different choices 30 years ago.  When I chose to have a family, I chose to always put their needs before my own wants, desires and goals.  When one chooses to have a family, whether that family is just a husband & wife or whether 10 or more children are added to the mix, the husband & wife should be mature enough and responsible enough to put their own selfish and childish desires aside for the needs of the other family members.  If the husband and/or wife are not willing to do so, then they are in great need of repentance before the Lord. This aspect of biblical submission is not about a husband authoritatively directing his wife's life choices. It is about the husband and wife putting the needs of the family before their own wants.  (note:  needs and wants are not synonymous terms)

Questions 3 & 4.  Does your husband ever order you to do anything stupid (not illegal, just not sensible)?  "Do you have any boundaries, such as what orders you will not obey?"
Biblical submission does NOT encompass a husband aggressively reigning over his wife, commanding her here and there.  Biblical submission is about learning to work together as a team.  In our family, Mr.B is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO).  I am the Chief Operating Officer(COO) and, because I am so detailed oriented, I am also the Accountant.  As the CEO, Mr.B, generally sees the big picture.  He sees what direction he'd like our family to go.  As the COO, I am in charge of all the little details to help get us there.  If  a challenge arises that I do not know how to handle OR if my efforts are not achieving the desired results, Mr.B and I work together on finding a solution.  I respect Mr.B, and because I am ALWAYS honest with him, he respects me.  I have no need of worrying about what I will or will not obey because Mr.B is a respectful person who does not order me to do anything, much less something immoral, un-biblical or illegal.  I am Mr.B's closest confidant, best friend and co-captain.  We are a team and without each other our entire family fails.

I sincerely pray that the worldly misconceptions of biblical submission that the women's liberation movement brought us, will be shattered.  Biblical submission is most simply defined as, recognizing that the husband and wife are a team.  The husband is the captain and the wife is the 1st mate.  A well organized ship does not run smoothly with two captains nor with two 1st mates.  Biblical submission allows the husband to take the helm as captain with his wife steadily by his side as 1st mate resulting in smooth sailing for the entire family.

Well that concludes my posts for day 9 on being home alone.  Mr.B and the children are planning to arrive home tomorrow or Wednesday, depending upon road conditions.  Sadly, I will most likely not be able to post daily as my time will be directed toward the cares of my family.  Although I have thoroughly enjoyed these past  10 days of indulging myself, I am looking forward to the return of those I love most.  I only have a few short years left with OG and EJ before they head out to make their own ways like their older brothers.  Then Mr.B and I will be left with nothing to do but annoy each other between visits from grandchildren.

Happy New Year!

Home Alone - Day 8

Nothing exciting to report.  Since my ankle is swollen I've been trying to stay off my feet as much as possible and chores have been slow.  I spent most of my time today working on a crochet project.  I hope to have it finished by Monday evening.

This week has given me an opportunity to realize how much laundry my family dirties and how much food they eat.  Eight days alone and I've had only one load of laundry, one dishwasher load of dishes and cooked only two meals - I have plenty of leftovers.  If my family were home I'd have washed at least 2 loads of laundry every day and I generally spend at least 5 hours per day in the kitchen cooking meals that result in few leftovers.

Today was Mr.B's 2nd cousin's very formal wedding.  From all accounts it was GORGEOUS!  OG very much enjoyed dressing up and attending this fancy event.  Mr.B bought EJ new boots, a new belt and a new sports coat. It is reported that he looked very dapper.  I am eager to see the photos when they all return home.

I have abundantly enjoyed the quiet.  I am sort of dreading all the noise that will return with my family.  Yeah, call me weird - as much as I love my family (this home alone adventure is proving that they encompass my WHOLE life), I do not miss the noise that accompanies them.

Till tomorrow ...

Home Alone - Day 7

I am late publishing Day 7's post.  On the way into my office last night, I severely twisted my ankle.  I heard a loud pop and then came the excruciating pain.  At first I was almost certain I had broken my ankle.  However, after 4 Advil (2 taken immediately after the incident & 2 taken before bed) and a good night's sleep, I believe I've only sprained it.  Morning chores have been slow as I've limped around in 6" deep snow  hauling feed sacks and water buckets.

So, how was day 7?  Aside from injuring my ankle, very restful and mostly peaceful.  I say mostly peaceful because during my phone conversations with my family, EJ attempted to engage me in an argument.  The second time within two days.  We are not even in the same house and he's not having to obey or even try to get along with me yet, he decides to pull his regular antics.  This upset me considerably.  I was hoping that time away from mom would cause his heart to grow fonder.  No, there is not one single indication that he's missed me.  EJ has, thus far, been my most difficult child for his age.  He isn't a "bad" kid, he just likes to ignore me and argues about EVERY instruction I give him.   He is obedient and gets along well with Mr.B.  Other people compliment me on his behavior and helpful attitude.  He, for the most part, gets along pretty well with others - just not his mama. On the other hand, OG started crying saying she misses me and Mr.B is thinking about packing up and leaving for home tomorrow, two days early.  I don't do drama or changed plans very well.  I like consistency.

Well, I'm off to prepare myself some breakfast.  I'll post about Day 8 this evening, so "tune back in".

Home Alone - Day 6

It's been 5 days since I last washed laundry - I still don't have a full washer load.  Leftovers from two meals cooked before my family left and one take-out meal have fed me all week.  Although I drink a large glass of milk with breakfast every morning, I still have more than 1/2 a gallon.

It has been snowing, off & on, for the past three days.  It is beautiful outside.  Everything I view is like looking at a winter scene on a Christmas card - gorgeous.  (no photos - OG took our camera on vacation)

Since EJ's been gone, I've been in charge of training his puppy, Piper.  She is beginning to catch on.  She comes when I call her name.  It also seems she is beginning to understand the word, "outside".  I hope EJ is consistent when he returns home so Piper continues on this positive trend.  It is obvious she, and Sam our older dog, miss OG and him.

My day was another excessively lazy one.  Do I feel guilty?  Not at all.  All the chores are done and the house is clean.  Since I'm the only one here, it stays that way.  I have come to realize that I need the rest.  I anticipated having trouble sleeping at night due to a significantly slower pace of life and much less work. On the contrary, I've slept very well at night even with a little catnap during the day.  A sure sign of exhaustion.

Speaking of sleep, I'm going to turn in.  Praying you all sleep well this evening.

Home Alone - Day 5

Today was truly a LAZY day.  I began the morning visiting via telephone with Mr.B and then with Mrs.A.  Thus, I had a late start with the morning chores.  Thankfully the animals did not seem to notice that I was running late with feed and water.  Aside from deep cleaning the master bath, I've done nothing productive today.  The evening is being finished with a hot aroma therapy bath filled with a generous portion of eucalyptus spearmint stress relief bath soak
During my home alone time I have discovered that during winter months here in the freezing north, I am need of a set of flannel sheets.  Every night I've climbed into bed the sheets have been freezing cold!  Maybe I will be gifted with a set for Valentine's Day or Mother's Day.
I very much enjoyed this lazy, quiet day.

Home Alone - Day 4

Christmas Day.  I received FOUR separate invitations to Christmas dinner.  My personal desire was to decline all of the them, however, the 1st person to invite me was one of our community's senior citizens.  Her children and grandchildren, save one never married daughter, live out of state & do not travel to eastern Montana during winter months.  Ms.SP seemed so desperate to have another person spend the day with her and her daughter, I couldn't bring myself to refuse her invitation.  I took a couple dozen eggs for a hostess gift and a pumpkin pie as contribution to the meal.  When my family left to travel south, I had envisioned spending a very quiet day lounging on the sofa watching cheesy Christmas movies & eating bowls of popcorn.  Ms.SP seemed truly delighted to have me as a guest today and after all was said and done, I am very glad I accepted her invite.

All my lounging plans were not put aside.  I was home by 3:30, an entire hour before dark.  I finished up the farm chores, put on my most comfy clothes & wool socks, popped a bowl of popcorn and enjoyed two Christmas movies that Mr.B and the rest of my family would NEVER watch with me - LOL!

Although my day did not go as originally envisioned, I feel so abundantly blessed by our community.  These families and individuals conveyed a sincerity in their invitations that I've never felt before.  I sincerely feel like they really wanted me to join them - it does not seem their invitations were extended merely out of pity (which is a good thing because I was not saddened, in any way, about the prospect of being alone today - I have been blessed with the gift of rest, something I am in great need of).  That communication of sincerity has turned out to be a most precious gift and has abundantly blessed me.

My plans for the remaining days alone include a resolve to stay at home, reflect on the Word of God, meditate upon the Lord and enjoy the opportunity to bask in rest and relaxation.  I am now off to indulge in a cup of hot cocoa before retiring for the evening.

Blessings and, again, Merry Christmas!

Home Alone - Day 3

Well, here I sit with my cup of hot cocoa at the close of another day at home alone.  Won't you pour yourself a cup of hot tea, cocoa or whatever you enjoy most and join me?

Today was full of surprising gifts.  We received a box of gifts from my dear BFF sister in Texas.  She has the most incredible knack for sending the most thoughtful gifts.  The obvious time and effort she puts forth means so much to me.  I am touched that someone could and/or would love me so much as to be so thoughtful.

 I also had an unexpected visit from our neighbors.  I was not expecting to see them drive up this afternoon.  Yes, my next door neighbors DROVE to our house.  As ridiculous as that may sound to most, you all must remember that my next door neighbor is 1 1/2 miles away.  Since our temperature was 1 degree Fahrenheit @ 2:30 this afternoon, I think a drive in a warm vehicle was practical.  Mr. W and his two beautiful children blessed us with a Christmas gift AND some bison!  I decided to wait until my family returns home to open the gift and I am confident Mr.B will be very grateful for the bison.  EJ & OG will be disappointed they missed a visit from their friends.

This evening I attended my 1st ever candlelight Christmas service.  In all the years I've been a Christian, family obligations have kept me from attending a candlelight service.  The singing was angelic.  The message was delivered with compassion and love.  BUT, my favorite portion of the evening was the closing when the candles were lit. As I stood in the dark watching each person light his/her candle the symbolism of the witness of Jesus Christ was so poignant.  We all stand in the darkness of sin separated from God.  Because of the gift of Jesus Christ we each have the opportunity to be reconciled with God.  But how do we receive that gift?   The Christian stands in the light of God and his/her world is illuminated (a person stands with a lighted candle).  The Christian tells us of the gift of Jesus Christ, we then must choose to accept the gift (light our candle) or reject it.  When we accept the gift we then witness to another person and he/she has the opportunity to accept (light his/her candle) or reject.  As the message is spread and accepted one person at a time is pulled out of the darkness of sin and into the light of God.  As we went around the church lighting candles, I noticed that one man's lit candle was extinguished.  To me this represented a fall from our Christian walk.  However, when his candle went out, his neighbor turned to him and offered to help him re-light his candle. He accepted the offer and was once again illuminated with light.  When we fail and succumb to sin's temptations, we have the opportunity to repent and be reconciled, once again, to God.  Oh! how I wish I were eloquent enough in my writing to effectively convey the message of how the lighting of the candles ministered to my heart.  What a beautiful gift the Lord gave me this Christmas!

I pray you and your loved ones experience something special and moving in your hearts this Christmas.

MERRY CHRISTMAS & GOD BLESS

Home Alone - Day 2

This morning was a cold one!  When I left for church the temp was only 5 degrees & it was snowing.  I think our high temperature today was only around 9 degrees.

So, what did I do today?

Morning chores & got ready for church un-rushed and void of the usual Sunday morning chaos.
Arrived on time for a lovely Christmas service at church.
Read all the wonderful Christmas cards our church family blessed us with today.
Took cardboard boxes to the recycling center in our neighboring town.
Picked up Chinese take-out from the new Chinese Restaurant in our neighboring town.
Talked with Mr. B and the littles via telephone. They are having a terrific time!
Scrubbed puppy urine off the basement floor (fortunately its unfinished concrete).
Received a scrumptious gift basket from Mr.B's family that included a touching card wishing I were there this year.
Bundled up then shoveled and swept snow from the walkway & deck.
Enjoyed a cup of hot cranberry apple tea & a chocolate covered graham cracker (from above mentioned gift basket) while blogging.  So glad to be back blogging, I've missed it.
Enjoyed a second evening of candle light - this time I added candle light to the kitchen and master on-suite.
Finished a quiet and relaxing day by watching Masterpiece Classic's "Downton Abby" in my pj's cuddled up in a blanket on the sofa.  No one interrupted me while watching the program, how refreshing!

Home Alone - Day 1

That's right!  I'm home alone.  My family has gone south for the Christmas holiday & left me to tend the farm.       So, what shall I do all by myself for 10 -14 days?  I have no idea - I've never been home alone.  I have been a mom for 28 1/2 years and have never been home alone for more than a few hours.  So, I suppose I'll blog about the experience & you can either pity or envy me.  Shh, I'm secretly, hoping you will turn green with envy.
The B family left at 5:30 AM this morning.  Aside from the given of feeding and tending the animals, my day was filled with the following:

Tidied up the basement.
Tidied up the children's bedrooms.
13 loads of laundry - 6 loads was bedding.
Deep cleaning and rearranging the mudroom.
Enjoyed a cup of hot cocoa while watching an old Harrison Ford movie, "Presumed Innocent"
Enjoyed lighted candles in the mudroom and living room. (EJ is so rambunctious I dare not light candles when he's home.)
Talked with my BFF, Mrs.A, on the telephone.

Tune in tomorrow to see what Day 2 brings ...

A Lovely Week ...

Despite the worrisome news regarding the purchase of our new home, (and the prospect of loosing quite a bit of money that has been pre-paid for various fees, inspections, etc. - you know 1 1/2 yr. ago we lost a bit on a previous home purchase when we discovered the owners had an IRS lean on the property and were not legally capable of selling at that time .... GRRRR!) I think it is important to acknowledge the lovely blessings the Lord has poured upon me this week.

My first blessing came when we decided to let OG & EJ attend vacation Bible school at the church we've been attending while in our temporary home.  OG & EJ have been involved in church their entire lives, but this week's VBS was first for them.  It just seems as if we've always had something else scheduled or planned when VBS time rolled around, thus negating their involvement.  VBS actually provided several blessings for our family - God really knows how to get a 2 for 1 out of His blessings! 

Since OG is now 12 and about to enter 7th grade, (did I just type 7th grade?  I ask, yet again, where have the years gone?) she had the privilege of working as a helper.  She LOVED it !!  AAANND, I enjoyed all the nice compliments and positive feedback she received - it has been a terrific boost to her self perception.  Being so far away from her friends in S.E. Texas, and still apprehensive about making friends here because we are planning to move very soon,  this opportunity has been wonderful for her. 

VBS provided EJ with a very constructive and active routine.  He is the "poster child" of little boys and the busier we can keep him the better every one's day.  There were far more boys in his age group than girls.  Another blessing.  For some reason, we are the parents of 4 boys and 1 little girl, yet the majority of our friends and acquaintances have always had daughters OR if they do have boys there seems to always be a HUGE age gap in their ages.  EJ had such a terrific time playing, learning, crafting, singing & dancing with lots of other boys his age.  It was such a joy to see how excited he was to attend VBS.

I was blessed by a unique situation through VBS.  I did not volunteer.  I did not attend.  I dropped OG & EJ off @ 8:30 am and picked them up at 12:20 pm everyday.  Since Mr.B and my dad were at work, I then came home to quiet.  The living room box was not blaring non-stop bla, bla, bla.  No one knocked on the door while I was in the bath.  I didn't have to stop in the midst of painting my toenails to get fetch anything.  I opened a box of zingers and didn't have to share my little cupcake!  I made lunches and no one said, "What are you making?  Oh, I don't like that."  I got to meditate on the Lord without anyone interrupting ... Until this week, I've never had daytime hours that did not belong to others.  Prior to becoming a stay at home mom, my mornings were spent rushing the boys off to pubic school and me racing into work.  When I left the workforce and came home full-time, I had a newborn, a toddler and a Jr. high homeschooler.  VBS provided me with a blissful break.  I am so thankful the Lord gave me this gift, this memory is one I am sure I will cherish for quite some time.

The crescendo of blessings this week culminated in meeting a fellow blogger - in person!!!!  Mrs. SP and her beautiful children met us at one of our local parks yesterday.  I had an incredibly wonderful visit with her!  I am so excited about getting to know this sweet sister in Christ better.  Long story short,  I began reading her blog, Oh, I guess a little more than a year ago??, and through reading a few of her post, I began wondering if she lived close to where Mr.B and I had been trying to move.  I inquired, she e-mailed and Yes! she did.  So, since we are now moved to the area, earlier this week she and I made plans to meet each other in person.  She was friendly and welcoming and her children were precious and lovely.  I look forward to seeing her and her family again, very soon.

Regardless of how our housing situation turns out, I must remember and focus on the abundant blessings the Lord has showered upon me this week.  He reminded me of how much He loves me.  He reminded me of how important I am to Him.  I am so grateful He chose this particular week to shower me with love.  (insert:  deep breath and sigh).

Waste Not Want Not Wednesday

(clipart/photo is courtesy of vkme over at www.photobook.com)

The official countdown to Christmas has begun ... only 25 days!

So, today's Waste Not Want Not topic will be effective use of time during this very busy season.

It may be 25 days until Christmas, but I've only got 22 days left to get ready!! All my guys, Mr. B, the big boys and Grandpa, will begin a parade of incoming flights on the 23rd. Our family's personal taxi service, ME, will pick the first up the morning of the 23rd and pick the last up the evening of the 24th. They will be flying in from all over the U.S., some from the west coast, some from the east coast and some in between. They all will be home for a minimum of EIGHT DAYS !!! (Whoo! Hoo! - you all should be jealous - I'm getting at least 8 whole days with the most wonder fellas I know!!!) That means the littles and I have a lot of prep work to finish before the 23rd.

This single most important tool I can utilize in managing the next 22 days effectively is to WRITE out a plan. Yeah, for the past couple weeks I've been mulling ideas over in my head, but today is the day I will write out EVERYTHING I need and want to complete before everyone begins arriving.

After getting all my "to do's" down on paper, I will then prioritize all those tasks. What do I need to do vs. what would I like to do. For instance, the greatest gift I can bless my boys with are their personal favorite home cooked, from scratch meals. Therefore, I MUST have my meal plans, kitchen prep work and shopping for those meals completed before they arrive - otherwise, I will end up spending ALL my time isolated in the kitchen resulting in no time with my family. I have to finish some gift shopping (only 3 to go - all the rest was completed while in my p.j.'s, via a wonderful little tool called the internet) and have a few homemade gifts to finish up. I also want the house to be tidy and organized before they arrive. When you are expecting to go from only 3 to 8 overnight, things need to be in good order so the new arrivals will have a place to stash their luggage and personal belongings during the visit. And of course, I'd like to put up a few Christmas decorations, which means a trip to storage (we've already packed all our seasonal belongings and put them in storage in preparation for our move). There are a few others, but I think you get where I'm going with this.

I have three weeks to complete my prep work. So, I will yet again prioritize my list into three weeks and assign myself various tasks that need to be completed each day. I will divide my weeks into 5 days. This will allow us to maintain our Sabbath and give us 1 extra work day for "make-up" work each week, just in case something goes awry.

I know that for many "making a list & checking it twice" is not your idea of holiday cheer. But I promise the hour or two I spend writing out this plan will keep me focused during the next three weeks enabling me to utilize my time effectively. When my boys arrive on the 23rd, I will have everything I need to complete and most of what I want to complete finished. My family will come home to a wife/mother/daughter who did her "homework" resulting in a joyous, relaxing time of fellowship and togetherness.

So, get off the computer. Get your note pad, pencil and calendar and start planning for your family's big get together. I pray you and your family have a BLESSED Christmas season!

Taking a Stand

Today, all scripture references are quoted from the NIV Bible.

Today, I have decided to write about a topic that has been heavy on my heart for a while. Within my extended family, it is a controversial and divisive topic.

In the Apostle Paul's first letter to the Church of Corinth sexual immorality had been brought to his attention. Causing him the need to address that sexual sin within the church is not to be permitted. In chapter 5, verses 1-8, we find a man who had taken his father's wife and to Paul's chagrin, the church of Corinth had been accepting to this - even the unsaved, Gentiles, didn't engage in this particular practice of sexual sin. Paul admonishes the church of Corinth for glorifying such an act. (1 Cor. 5:1-2: It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and such sexual immorality as is not even named among the Gentiles - that a man has his father's wife! And you are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that the he who has done this deed might be taken away from among you." 1 Cor. 5:6-7; Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.")

In Chapter 5, verses 9-13, Paul instructs the church that God judges the unsaved, whereas the church judges the brethren. Paul instructs the church to turn away and not even eat with fellow brethren who are engaged in sexual immorality, covetous, idolatry, revelry, drunkenness or extortion. Please note again, Paul leaves the judging of the un-saved to God, and instructs the church is to continue its witnessing to the unsaved world. It is clear from this passage that we are not to condone or glorify sexual sin among brethren. (1 Cor. 9-13; I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people. Yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler , or a drunkard, or an extortioner - not even to eat with such a person. For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside? But those who are outside God judges. Therefore, put away from yourselves the evil person.")

As we continue reading down to Chapter 6, verses 9-11, we find Paul warning us not to be deceived. He emphatically stresses that the unrighteous will not inherit the Kingdom of God. Paul also reminds us that we were once the unrighteous but through Salvation in Jesus Christ we have been sanctified and justified. (1 Cor. 6:9-11; Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards or revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the Kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.)

It is with a heavy heart that I report that there are MANY unsaved in our family. Although heavily exposed to the Word of God and Christianity, the majority on both sides of our families have intentionally rejected salvation through Jesus Christ. We have found that most of the unsaved in our family have bought stock in the lie that being a nice, successful and "good" person is enough. However, we all know that the Word of God tell us, "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."- Romans 3:23. I am sure there are many others out there who find themselves surrounded with unsaved family members.

Today, I am not addressing sin among fellow brethren. I want to address how do we, as Christians, interact with unsaved family members who actively engage in sexual immorality? (I've met many who refuse any association with unsaved family who engage in sexual immorality; causing a great devide.) According to 1 Cor. 9-10, we are to continue an interaction with the unsaved so that we can maintain a witness to them. We personally have many unsaved in our family who are guilty of marital relations outside of marriage and even some who have justified adultery. We also have family who have found themselves dating others who have family members in same sex relationships.

Does 1Cor. 5:9-10 indicate that I am to allow the unsaved to bring sexual immorality into my home? 1 Cor. 6:18 says, "Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man commits is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body". In order to maintain a righteous witness to the unsaved, I think it is very important that I say, "No". Unsaved family members are and continue to be welcomed guests into our home. We love them and pray for them. Most are very nice people and we enjoy hosting them. However, they are NOT permitted to engage in immoral behaviours while in our home. We do not allow unmarried couples to share a bedroom. Contrary to what they think or assume, I do not judge our unsaved family members, that's God's job. However, as a Christian, and as a parent, I must maintain a Biblical standard in my home.

Unfortunately, I often find myself in the situation of unsaved family members avoiding fellowship in our home. Most of our family lives out of state, those who live in state live hundreds of miles away. When they visit it is expected that they will stay for several days. Unfortunately, we find many don't visit because we do not allow them to share a bed/bedroom with their unmarried friend. We've had friends of family members who didn't want to meet us because they assumed we would be mean and judgemental regarding the sexual immorality they, or even their own extended family members, are involved in. On occasion, we've experienced this with our grown sons' friends. Sometimes when our sons have shared our Christian convictions some of their friends make a decision to not meet us. (I wonder if my sons shared this information with a negative tone? ) Again, I want to stress that although I take a stance regarding Biblical standards, I am not rude or mean to the unsaved who come into my home. To do so, would not be very "Christian" of me. It is my Christian duty to demonstrate the love of Christ to not only fellow brethern, but also to the unsaved.

I find this topic to not only to be one of Christian standards, but also one of common courtesy. Most smokers are considerate and do not become offended when non-smoking friends and family do not allow smoking in their homes. The smokers simply abstain from smoking inside the homes and cars of non-smokers. Why, then, have I experienced the unsaved becoming terribly offended when we Christians expect them to abstain from sexual immorality while in our homes? I've been accused of negatively judging them. I maintain that my judgements aren't necessary, God is very well capable of that. But, I am responsible for maintaining an environment of Biblical standards in my home. I am responsible for any and all sinful behaviours that I allow into my home home which could have an un-Biblical influence on our children. I can not completely and fully shield my children from sin. It is everywhere. We can not even drive down the road without seeing an inappropriate billboard or walk into a grocery store without seeing someone who needs more clothing. Just because our society is accepting of and drowning in sin, does not mean I must allow it into the sanctuary our home. I certainly can not send a message to our children that sin is acceptable. If I fail to teach them that sin has severe consequences, then how are they supposed to recognize their own need for salvation?

I pray that our unsaved family members will come to understand that we too were at one time separated from God by our own sins. I pray that they will come to understand that our firm stance regarding the issue of guarding our home against sexual immorality is not a judgement directed at them, but is a standard that we must maintain as a witness to, not only our children but, them. I pray they will, soon, accept the gift of Salvation through Jesus Christ and turn away from their sin.

An Announcment ...

On Sunday, August 29, 2010, our daughter, OG, was graduated and "Crowned" as an "Honor Star" from the Missionnettes Stars Program.

"For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding: That ye may walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing; being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; Strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; Giving thanks unto the Father which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light." Colossians 1:9-12 (KJV)

We are proud of her accomplishments and look forward to her continued growth in the Lord.

Aren't They Handsome?

Yeah, I know, I know - I'm biased. But I think these young men are so handsome, I just had to share this photo with y'all. Man, I love these guys!
(left-right, BT, JP, AB)

Brothers

The boys, AB, BT & JP had an OUTSTANDING time in New York City this week. They enjoyed the Statue of Liberty, a Broadway Play and everything in between. They ate everywhere from the hot dog vendors on the street to the best Italian restaurant in Little Italy. They rode on buses, subways and in taxis.
Words will never express the joy in my heart in seeing these guys not only being brothers but becoming friends as well.
During supper this evening JP commented, "New York was great but, man, there's no food like southern food. This is really good mom." Now, I ask you ... how's that for boy who knows how to please his southern mama?