Too Cute

Check out these cute little Turkey Pops! Found Here: http://bakerella.blogspot.com/2008/11/youll-want-to-gobble-these-right-up.html at Bakerella

Too Cute!

So the Christmas crafting is underway. I bought four plastic container, large and put each childs craft projects and supplies in them. Then at various times during the weekend, one child and I will hide away in my bedroom, pull out their tub and work on the gifts they are making their brothers and sister, grandparents, and Angela. We have sock moneys, treasure boxes, fleece scarves, to name a few, projects in the works.

I also have a few of my own..all the fabric is washed and ready to be cut, (Santa Pillowcases, new pjs,) and I have been crocheting and knitting.....it is beginning to feel a bit like Christmas...

A little rainy day ingenuity...

T-1 on Turkey Day. Kids all home, momma home, Angela home, no tv or computer as a consequences of transgressions form yesterday...and it is raining!

Ah oh!

How to avoid chaos and bickering...(I hope). We are playing "Army" Each of my little soldiers reports to momma for duty. They are given a mission. Once complete, they report back on for inspection and if the job is well done, a promotion to the next rank!

So far so good. Puppy poop cleaned from the back yard, laundry folded, little Thanksgiving bags decorated, rooms cleaned....

They are all now on "furlough" with Angela to the library, with more missions to run this afternoon.

We have had several promotions in rank, and things are looking good at home base. The commander (momma) is over to procure provisions for the celebration feast tomorrow.

Gobble, gobble, gobble! Have a Happy Turkey day!

We have so much to be thankful for!

Thankful...

I will rise up and call myself blessed. I feel badly about my two posts earlier today. I just did not have my head and my heart in the right place. I was even tempted to delete them...but I need to share the lows with the highs, some times.

God is faithful, good, has plans of goodness toward us and blessings. He is loving compassionate. Nothing that crosses our path, our life, is a suprize to him. He knows how we will act and react and He equips us with what we need to live a life pleasing to Him.

He hears us when we cry and answers before the words have left our lips. His ways are higher than ours, and He never gives up. He is trustworthy, all the time working, when we cannot see.

He is our shepherd, meeting our needs with what He knows best.

Blessings...

The professionals...

Nutritionalists: they study all the information, learn through their experience and others, focus on this area and become an expert with amazing knowledge, advice and lifestyle changes to impact your entire family.

Physical therapist, study and focus and learn how to help your body heal and improve both physically and mentally, through excercise and movement.

Therapist: study emotion and thinking and how to work through problems in practical ways and change a perspective to change your life.

Teachers: Train and focus on child learning techniques and have experience and practice to see what works, how a child learns, and to know what to teach next.

Financial planners/accountants: They focus on how to budget and spend wisely, and live within your means and invest in the future.

Vetranarians/Dog trainers: know just what your pet needs and when and how often and how to do it.

Organizers: Study and practice and find ways to have a place for everything and everything in its place.... less is more..and put it where it belongs.

Recreational Directors: Focus on how to have fun and bring enjoyment into your life, activities that are age and ability appropriate, and enjoyable for all

The list goes on......

What all these folks have is the focus of one area. By narrowing their focus, they have the time and ability to learn, practice and share much in their area of expertise. It comes easy for many of them, because it is what they love. Being so absorbed in their one area of expertise, they can sometimes not understand why someone else does not "get it" or have the desire (time) to put as much focus on that area.

I am a mom.

I need to be an expert in all these areas.

I am an expert in none of them.

----------------------------------

ok, that is my last whine today, I hope. I now plan to go spend some time with the one who is an expert and get destressed, rather than keep blogging about it.

Gotta get my coffee too.

A THINK retreat....

Our age is the age of information overload. Not just how much we need to juggle, understand and make wise decisions on each and every day, but the pace of our life is speeding up, and time to think through things is getting smaller and smaller. Add to that the availability of information, and so many things I wish I did not need to know..it is almost mentally crippling.

Too much to be aware of, concerned about, take action on...at times can cause me to be like the ostrich and just STOP and ignore it all, or be cotton-picking stressed out all the time.

I think in ages past, your information was what was provided by your family, your circle of acquaintenances, community contacts. Then the radio, tv, libraries, newspaper, increased the information pouring in. Now we are at the age of the internet. With more websites, blogs, urls than we could count.

With this mountain of information there is also the concern of discerning what is true, what is important, can I trust it? There is no information gatekeeper, anyone and everyone can put information out into the world and we take it in. We are trusting, and think, why would they lie? And sometimes, they may n ot be knowingly lieing, just sharing what they think is true.

So I sit here, wanting to move to the mountains in a cabin and unplug and live an ignorant life. Kinda....

Balance in all things. I keep thinking of the verse in Jeremiah (29:11). I know the thoughts I have toward you, says the Lord, thoughts for a hope and a future...(my paraphrasing).

He knows what is important, He knows what I need to focus on and what I need to let go of. He knows what is true, because He is the Truth.

So I sit here with all these things I feel like I need to think about, and have no time to think about, and it points me back to Him.

He is all I need.

-------------------------------
Things I think I need to think about:

-How to work with my kids on their interactions
-How to get my kids to eat healthy and still eat
-What is healthy
-How to be more healthy myself
-Is milk bad?
-How to help Mary Beth be ready for transition next year to Victory.
-Ways to not spend so much money
-How to get Bella potty trained ALL the time.
-Planning to get all my projects done by Christmas.
-Focus to get my credit cards paid off
-Where will I get enough money for my trip to Ethiopia
-What are all the appts I need to schedule and schedule them.
-How to weed out and reorg my closets, office, garage,
-How to set up chores for my kids.
-What fun activities can I plan for my kids over the next three months.
-What should Santa bring my kids for Christmas.
-What is God wanting me to learn, now..
-How can I help my children rely on God and His word more?
-How can I help them to treat each other with love and kindness?


My list goes on...

Lord, keep me focused on what is important, help me to let go of the rest. Help me to resist the "sky-is-falling" feeling toward trying to navigate in this present age. You planned for me to live and raise my children in this generation. Help us Lord...YOU are our truth, you are our balance, you are the one who knows where our focus should be.

Crabby Patties.....

So I read on this other blog where folks aways just share the good things, making others think their own life is really not working in comparison.

Lol. I don't think that is true here, but just in case...here is reality.

I am crabby this morning.

All weekend at least two of my kids were arguing. All weekend. Not always the same two, they would occasionally pass the baton from one to another, but at any given point, two of the three were fussing and fighting. Over what? Dolls, who went first, who was singing, who interrupted, what toy was touched by who, who asked for permission, who....

you get it.

The little cherubs went to sleep last night and picked right up with it this am.

My oldest had the shower door fall off the railing, screaming at the top of his lungs for an hour or two..(felt like it) he knows it is broken, but will limp through school today, does not want to miss the Thanksgiving feast at school. While I try to figure out which doctor, med center, emergency?? to take him to when I pick him up.

Oh, there is more...

I have this required training course I have to take at work, online..which sounds like it should be a cinch, right, but it keeps blocking me out and I can't complete it and no one in the technical help desk can figure it out, but my mgr keeps saying, please take this course, have you taken this course, must finish this course..etc etc.

let's see, so being in a grouchy mood, I decided to pop on over to starbucks to get a coffee before my 9 am meeting. On the way back, I see the flashing blue and red of a motorcyle cop..pulling me over. I had not fastened my seat belt. (I always fasten my seat belt, but not today!) So, the nice law enforcement person gave me a ticket to help in the spirit of promoting their Click-it or Ticket campaign.

Expensive cup of coffee.

So I just finished my meeting..and have to call and figure out doctor or med center for my son, cook something for his Thanksgiving Feast...and go improve my mood.

But then I realize, I need to take my own advice. I had told Nick this weekend, when he was squabbling with Anthony, and felt it was all Anthony's fault that such and such....

I told him. "Don't let anyone else steal your fun."

So ..self...don't let all the little circumstances steal your joy. I need Jesus not just in the big crises, not just when I am feeling warm and fuzzy, but in the prickly briar patch as well.

:)

And that is real life as I know it today.

A Sunday in November...

Suday afternoon, after church, Taddy was so excited to take us to Griffeth Quarry, a place he had gone on a Saturday with his dad, but the rest of us had never been there. So we did the drive-thru and drove on up. They boys had maps and took turns being navigators to each point of interest. It was a great afternoon in nature.... and seeing the wonders God has made.

A resilient boy...

I just love my little Tadpole! Anthony....

Last night we pulled out a tape measure to see how tall he was. (I wanted to know if Olivia was taller than him, since we figured out her height, see here: http://findingolivia.blogspot.com/2008/11/52-inches.html)

We discovered that Olivia is an inch and 1/2 TALLER than Tadpole!

(I was really focused and some concerned in my adoption to not displace Tadpole, as the second oldest and big brother to his sisters. So as I have been finding out little bits of additional information on Olivia, I have kept this concern in mind.)

When I shared that Olivia was an inch and 1/2 taller than him, Tadpole laughs and says "I am shorter thatn EVERYONE!" Grinning big, as if it was a badge of honor.

As the facts settled in a bit more with him, he started saying, this might be a little creepy. To have her taller than me. I really wanted to emphasize that an inch and 1/2 was not that much. So, I "stood" on my knees, and kneeling, "walked" up to him. Eyes slightly above his. We measured my height from my knees, and I am exactly Olivia's height. So I grinned and said, Hi Tadpole. I'm Olivia. And hugged him!

He grinned from ear to ear and laughed. Later we talked about not being sure what grade she was really in. And that for the remainder of this school year that she would be in a special ESL class that was made up of 1st through 3rd graders. So, at the end of the year, the teacher will let us know which grade she should go into next year. (My thoughts are that she is older than we think, older than Tadpole, perhaps...)

I told him, she may need to go into 3rd grade next fall, like you! Depending on how she does. He was very happy and excited about this prospect. Cool! , his words, to have his sister in his class! I am actually praying that WOULD happen. What a great bonding for her, what a great way for Tadpole to feel a special connection...and what a great learning tool for the class to learn about adoption and multi-racial families.

My little man is so resilient. I love him so.

Red Balloon...

This is a post by Amanda…Beth Moore’s daughter…and it really spoke to me…an awesome reminder…. But in a couple ways.

I will let you read it first…then share what hit me

Jackson's Red Banoon (from here: http://livingproofministries.blogspot.com/2008/11/jacksons-red-banoon.html)

Yesterday after church, Curtis, Jackson and I had a yummy lunch at Luby's Cafeteria with all the other church-going folks on this side of town. As we were leaving, Jackson was given a big red balloon on a string. It was his joy and his delight. Let me just say that his joy and delight are fragile things. Having seen this particular joy swept away in the wind too many times before, I tied the balloon onto his clothes to keep him from losing it.

Of course he had a fit about that. "My banoon, Mommy! My banoon! " He wanted all the control in his sweaty little hand! To my very great surprise, the balloon actually survived the trip home. It was still intact this morning and he enjoyed several more hours with it. He loved it so much. I cringed though, seeing my son get all of this happiness from something so fragile and temporary. It would only be a matter of time before it popped or sprung a leak out of nowhere. Then I'd have a sad, sad boy on my hands.

I think God must look at me in the same way when I'm trying to get my joy and happiness out of earthly things. I wonder if He thinks, "Oh, baby girl, that is so temporary. It's already got a leak in it - you just can't see it yet. Find your joy in me! I'm everlasting! My unfailing love it what your heart truly seeks."

So today I'll remember that my beautiful white house, compliments I may get because of this or that, my cute new maternity clothes, the holiday atmosphere that will soon surround us - all of these things I like and love so much - are about as safe for my heart to depend on as a simple latex balloon. These things add color and festivity to my life, but they are not sturdy enough to support my soul. There's only One who is, and He's more than willing to do it for me! He wants to!

Thank You, Lord!

What a man desires is unfailing love; better to be poor than a liar. (Proverbs 19:22)

I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope. My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning. O Israel, put your hope in the LORD, for with the LORD is unfailing love and with him is full redemption. (Psalm 130:5-7)

But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love. (Psalm 33:18)

In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. May your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD, even as we put our hope in you. (Psalm 33:21-22)

So it hit me in two ways…one of course is in the looking to “other things” (the red balloons) to satisfy and then wondering why it doesn’t last.

But the other was a line in her fourth paragraph about “these things add color and festivity to my life, but they are not sturdy enough….” That hit me is that God does bless me, allow me to have AND ENJOY that color and festivity. I often feel guilty for enjoying those silly, little things. I know I know. Sounds dumb. But really. I feel guilty, that I am not being spiritual. (and not that my goal in life is to “be spiritual” but it is to please God.)…and I think I am not pleasing God, or am being too trivial to find some “enjoy” in those little things….. so I enjoy guiltily.

But it hit me… I know where my REAL JOY is found…proven it over and over where it IS and where it is NOT. Being grounded in where my real joy is found, and I relax and smile with the “enjoy” blessings He puts in my life as well.

Jelly Telly

http://www.jellytelly.com/

Jelly Telly is

a Christian-based online TV channel designed by Phil Vischer, the maker of Veggie Tales, as alternative to Nick and the cartoon network.

You pay a monthly fee ($2.99 ) and your kids can watch videos and play games. enjoy. I think you can even register for a free month to try it. You can click HERE to see a short video of Phil's vision for this new project.

Suffering

Don't you just love that title? :) Ok, hang in here with me!

I was doing my Bible Study Homework (A Woman's Heart God's dwelling place) and on page 211 it asked this question:

What does it mean to you that Jesus hand the power to escape His cicumstances but chose to endure suffereing for our sake?

I thought "amazing love. Why does he love us so?"

Then went on to write some thoughts on this in my margin, then further in an email to my mom and I just want to share them here...because they keep grabbing me.

We look at our own "suffering" and are challenged to be able to reconcile God allowing it (maybe even handpicking it) with how much he loves us. It appears to us as counter-evidence of His love. If he loved us, why let us suffer?

What we don't get is what is really at stake! What it is that our "suffering" is making happen or bringing about in our lives and in those around us.

First, what it is bringing about in our experience in the future heaven which we comprehend so little of. If we could see it with Jesus' eyes we might be saying "Bring it on! More! More!", rather than "Take it away! Make it easy and pleasant."

Second, the work our suffering accomplishes here and now in us. In me it can lead to my fellowship with God deepened. It can impact those around us. It can quip me for something ahead I don't see. Maybe even stripping me of something, I did not realized needed stripped, so it will not drag me down later when I can't afford it.

Third, is what is at stake in the future earth. In the generation on my heels. My children. That my suffering sows something into their lives that is going to be the life/heart changer leading to their lives being lived out for God. Maybe even their very salvation.

So none of this "at stake" do we usually see at the time, but in faith, believing God and His word, we know that the suffering is purposefully dripping with his love and greater understanding. With trust in Him and with that whats-at-stake perspective, we can then truly "count it all joy."

Let's say God knew my devotion to Him would so greatly impact my children that if it was an ounce less than it is today, it would not be noticed by them and impact them. Let's say He knows how easily my heart is prone to wander. Knowing that He chose that I would live my life single from here on out. No earthly "Boaz" to come and rescue or distract.

In the past when I prayed for a "Boaz" or pursued such a "Boaz" on my own, God could say: "I could give this to you, dear child, but you will lose Tadpole's soul because of your distraction. Or it will turn Nick from a life of ministry to personal pleasure pursuits. Do you still want it?"

"No! No! A 1000 times, No!"

So we do not know in what way point A (our suffering) impacts point B. But God does.

In His great love for us and for those we love, He allowed, even planned for, His son to suffer. What was at stake was great enough, important enough, eternal enough, to allow this temporary suffering. And now, He allows us to join in "the fellowship of that suffering."

If we could but see the three-fold impact (future heaven, equipping now, and future earth), our joy would be a "skipping joy".

So we trust. Our suffereing does have this impact. Because we pray, we surrender, we say in unison with Jesus: "If it be, let this cup pass, but if not, then your will be done!

And we can rest that the suffering is only just to the amount he needs it to be. Not an ounce more. Coming to us through the fingers of our Father's love, we can say: "OK. Give me grace, give me wisdom. Show me what you want me to do if anything."

Then i thought about a very specific situation. And I ask:

What if this very circumstance, which i know is a suffering for someone else, and perceived as a suffering for me), is the very thing God intends to deepen and secure His spiritual work in my children? A life-changing, heart-changing, lifetime-remembered impact? A lifestyle, life choice, so counter to the Babylonian philosophies that surround us, that even seeps into us, that is stands our boldy in their minds, heart, soul, spirit? What if that is what is at stake?

What would we say then?

Coming Soon....

I am excited that we may do Beth Moore's Esther Bible study in January! :) Yum yum...I can't wait. Here is the blurb on Lifeway.com about it:

Esther: It’s Tough Being a Woman

This upcoming study explores God’s providence and the hope He offers women facing challenges in our society. Esther includes 10 video sessions and nine weeks of personal study. Beth Moore explains how God placed a young Jewish woman who fulfilled her destiny “for such a time as this” and saved the Jews living in a pagan culture from certain destruction. Esther, though a queen, lived as an outsider in a hostile environment. Her life offers an example for today’s woman who finds it difficult to live in someone else’s shadow, to see physical beauty take precedence over character, to face life-altering decisions, to move from self-preservation to brave determination, and to see mean-spirited people prevail. You will learn strong lessons of faith that will equip you to live a courageous life.

And here is a video promo!



Beth Moore's Esther, Web Promo from LifeWay on Vimeo.

I love God. I love His word. I love Beth.

Tonight is our last night of the Bible Study, A Women's Heart God's Dwelling place...and it has been awesome!

Got some old sweaters??

Isn't this just too cute?

The craftsperson who thought up this brilliance is here: http://lucykatecrafts.blogspot.com/

I am going to make some...girlie ones, momma ones...and boyish ones.

Too cute!

I will meet you at the table...

Tables.... are so inviting. We gather around them in the evening with our families, or on occasions with friends.

We eat there, play games, make something crafty, finish homework, chat and perhaps even work.

I heard a song this morning by Sara Groves ...Going Home.

And it just drew my spirit and my soul...

It reminded me of the book by Mark Buchanan Things Unseen, where he talks about our longing for something beyond here. That a craving for eternity is within us. At times we here whispers, a melody of this place. In her song, she says: "I'll meet you at the table."

Think. We are going to sit across the table with Jesus. And those we love who are in Him and gone on before and those who will come after us, will all pull up a chair. It will be the greatest feeling of "home" that we have ever experienced.

Below are the words to Sara's song...and a link to a youtube version of it. (The pictures on the youtube video are not hers. Someone picked pictures and put her song to it.)

Going Home by Sara Groves

I've been feeling kind of restless.
I've been feeling out of place.
I can hear a distant singing,
a song that I can't write,
but it echoes in what I'm always trying to say.

There's a feeling I can't capture.
It's always just a prayer away.
I want to know the ending,
things hoped for but not seen,
but I guess that's the point in hoping anyway. .

Going home,
I'll meet you at the table.
Going home,
I'll meet you in the air.
You are never too young to think about it.
Oh, I cannot wait to be home .

I'm confined by my senses
to really know what you are like.
You are more than I can fathom,
more than I can guess,
and more than I can see with human sight. .

But I have felt you with my spirit.
I have felt you fill this room.
This is just an invitation,
a sample of the whole,
and I cannot wait to be going home.

Going home,
I'll meet you at the table.
Going home,
I'll meet you in the air.
You are never too young to think about it.
Oh, I cannot wait to be home .

Face to face how can it be?
Face to face how can it be?
Face to face how can it be?

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=dHAZz6HqJ8U

What we made last night...

CUPCAKES!!! Yippee.... Look what we made last night. Cute pink and brown cupcakes....

Yummy too..just ask Tadpole.

We had a little dissapointment today.(see my adoption blog)..but life is still good and God is in charge.

So Cupcakes and resting in the assurance that God is in control...

In Honor of Julee

...who is not only an awesome woman, single mother, friend, teacher, child of God, but spells the end of her name with two eeeeeeeee's just like me...and TODAY catches up with me in being 51!!! Yes, now the WHOLE internet (eh,hmmm. the two folks that read my blog, that is) know our age!.

Happy Birthday, Julee dear! This cupcake is for you!!!!

In honor of Julee, I want to share a fantastic recipe...that I owe to her. It is not for cupcakes, it is for a delicious Italian-style sausage-stuffed french loaf. I have made it for years and it is always praised....but first the back story, that maybe Julee doesn't even know all of.

When we were in our late 20's Julee and I were roommates sharing an appt for a while, us and our kitty cats! When Julee moved out to her own apt, she accidently left behind a WONDERFUL cookbook, in fact one of my very favorite of all time cookbooks. The Silver Palate Cookbook by Julee (hey, I just noticed same spelling, different gal, hmmmm) Rosso and Sheila Lukan. I noticed the cookbook months later, or even maybe a year or two later, (not much of a cook in those days) after Julee had moved even farther away. Inside were her handwritten notes, some other recipes, her plans for an herb garden, as well as TONS of wonderful recipes. I must confess, I could not stand to part with it!

It felt like I had a little piece of her still. Sorry Julee, if you have been missing that cookbook these past 23 or so years... (sheepishly I confess) I have it. I loved this cookbook SO much, that I had to order the other one by the same authors, The Silver Palate Goodtimes Cookbook. In fact just last Christmas, or the one before, I ordered this cookbook for another dear friend, Rebecca, who loves to cook. I knew, a kindred spirit...she would love it too. (Julee, Perhaps I should have purchased YOU one! lol!! )

So the recipe: Sausage-Stuffed French Loaves, from the Silver Palate Goodtimes Cookbook.

A hearty sandwich that doubles as an hors d'oeuvre when thinnly sliced. Great hot or cold. A perfect picnic fare too.

2 fat long loaves of french bread.

8 ounces of bulk pork sausage

8 ounces of ground beef chuck

1 medium yellow onion diced

1 egg

1 tsp of Dijon style mustard

1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley

1/4 tsp of fennel seeds

Salt and Pepper to taste

2 tablespoons of unsalted butter

1 cloves of garlic crushed.

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F

2. Cut off the ends of the loaves and hollow out the loaves with your fingers. Process the bread in a food processor fitted with a steel blade to course crumbs. Reserve the bread ends.

3. Brown the sausage in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the beef and onion and cook until the beef is lightly brown.

4. Combine the bread crumbs, meat mixture, egg, mustard, parsley, fennel and salt and pepper to taste in a large bowl. Spoon the mixture into the bread shells. Attach the bread ends with small skewers.

5. Melt the butter over medium heat and stir in the garlic. Saute for 30 seconds, then brush the loaves with the garlic butter and wrap in seperate pieces of aluminum foil, leaving the foil open slightly at the top.

6. Bake until heated through, 15 to 20 minutes.

7. Cut into 1 inch slices for hors d'oeuvres or cut each loaf into four pieces for main course servings.



8 main-course portions or 36 appetizer portions.



A couple hints, usually 1 inch pieces are not enough for adults. Also, if you do not want to make two loaves, I still cook all the meat, and freeze half for a later date and make one loaf.



yummy yummy in your tummy.



Happy Birthday Julee!!!!!! The best is happening, right now!! All God's blessings to you and your precious daughters....you are investing in what counts...at work and at home.



big hug!!!!

Football and Taco Cassarole

We had the BEST night tonight. A close friend invited us to the Junior Varsity Football game at our local highschool. Her son plays and this was the last game of the year. I packed up all three kids, dressed in blue and red, pompoms in tow. and they all experienced their first football game.

We stayed for the Varsity game and it was awesome. ..... The band was just too cool, glitter on their uniforms, tall hats with feathers bobbing, smooth steps and cool music. It brought highschool all back to me, the fun part, and was so exciting to see my kids experience it for the first time. And the game was close...first one team ahead, then the other, back and forth until the last two minutes, the winning touch down..and then an interception. We were all on our feed going wild.

Blankets, corn dogs, popcorn, pompoms...little boys playing mock games on the side lines and Mary trying to imitate the cheerleaders.

Flat out fun!

Then at home, I had made a new recipe, a Taco Cassarole, before the game. We did not have time to eat before the game...so I heated up four bowls full and we sat around the table, gobbling it up and reviewing the wonderful night! AND..thay ALLLLLL loved the new recipe..which you know is a BIG WIN at my house.

So the Folsom Bulldogs won, and so did I. A great night.

Another silly cuteness...

Aren't these just the cutest things???

Found here: http://littlecottonrabbits.typepad.co.uk/

How creative people are! And who can resist pink and brown cupcakes?

Silly but cute...

What to do with Grandma's doilies....

posted from here: http://nabefabric.blogspot.com/

A new day has dawned...

Finally.... at last....I can say, my headache is gone!

A couple "good" things about my headaches:

They make me draw closer to God. When they hit me hard, I need a moment by moment conversation with Him just to make it through the day.

The second, is when I wake up, after a few days with a headache, to a day without one, I am almost giddy with joy!

Such a day is today!

...but let's talk about last night for a minute. Not to be a downer, but to share the wonderful aliveness and specific appropriateness of God's word.

Yesterday in the afternoon I had a meeting with the therapist we have been seeing regarding Mary...but this time it was with me and my two boys...to talk to them, get their thoughts ..etc.

Well, I did have my headache, so it was hard to be really there in the meeting, but even with that....I walked out of that meeting so utterly discouraged, overwhelmed, clueness and just dismal. Feeling like a failure as a mother. As if all I have done the past 10 years was nothing, powdered sugar melted in water and poured down the drain. (Yea, I was that down.)

And, understanding there was a problem, being warned how much worse it could get, through my headache fog, I could not quite grasp what was the issue and, more than that, what in the world I was suppose to do about it. I remember somewhere in the conversation hearing, "in six months you will be amazed how you can turn this around."

Ok, some hope there, but I still could not grasp what the full issue was and what to change, what to do...and gosh, my hands are full. Can't quit my job, be a full-time stay at home mom to handle this... is it hopeless. Should I have never embarked on this journey....

We made it through dinner...actually that was a highlight, no fussing and EVERYONE loved what I cooked for a change. Woooo-hoooo!

We read books, cuddled, and went to bed without issues...but my failure gnawing all the time on my heart and mind, along with my headache.

Finally, after trying to sleep and unable. I got back up, poured out my feelings of failure and hopelessness on God. Then I picked up my Bible Study homework book and decided to do one days homework. I am finishing up a study with ladies at my church, by Beth Moore, A Woman's Heart God's Dwelling place..week 10 day 1.

As I got ready to study, it is a study of the Old Testiment Tabernacle and how it applies to us today...I really did not think this days study could speak into what I was currently feeling, struggling with. But I prayed, anyway, God, somehow, miraculously, you see where I sit, so discouraged and so overwhelmed...please speak to me in what I am struggling with right now. I need some hope.

So with a hurt head, I proceeded. The study was good and I got to the last line...it was a good study, but not a super big aha...until the last line....there was a reference of Joshua 1:1-9.

And it really spoke to me..although it was God speaking to Joshua, as he took over the reigns of leadership from Moses, to lead God's people into the promise land...it is God speaking to me, to not be discouraged, as I take on leadership of my little family and lead us on our journey to God's promise land for us..both here and in eternity. And like God with Joshua, God will pour into me the wisdom I need to lead, so do not be discouraged. Take it a day at a time, and He will lead me. I finished the night, my head still hurting, but encouraged and trusting in God's leading.

I am God's Joshua for my family...

Joshua 1:1-9

After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, the LORD said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses' aide: 2 "Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites.

3 I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. 4 Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Great Sea [a] on the west.

5 No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.

6 "Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them.

7 Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go.

8 Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.

9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."

Amen! So be it, Abba.

Praise to Our God and King!

Yeshua, the Hebrew name for Jesus....means: Yahweh Saves! Yes, He does...through Jesus. And so often I walk around believing in God, praying, trusting, and forget the amazing power of His life to transform ours.

You must watch this video call cardboard testamonies. Have the kleenix ready and praise our God and King, Savior..rescuer, transformer, Jesus!

http://www.rhchurch.org/pages/cardboard-testimonies/

What would your cardboard say?

Pjs, Aphgans, Laptops and headaches..

I am on the third day of a headache.

:( frown

Yesterday I came home from work early, and barely made it to my bathroom to return my breakfast. Nothing seems to relief it.

I lead Bible Study class last night, barely, thank God for Beth and her video tapes. Had a meeting this am...via the phone and just hurt hurt hurt.

:(

Not a wonderful feeling....

But my babies gave me big hugs last night and this morning and little Mary put her head on my forehead and prayed for me.

Hope it passes soon.

FUD

Fear, uncertainty and doubt. FUD. Happens a lot in our lives. And if we look at circumstances or try to interpret or predict circumstances, we will just become more fuddier and fuddier and fuddier.

Of this we can be sure:

Our God delights in us. He loves us. He has plans and thoughts toward us that already take into the plan what ever we are fudding over. His plans are full of love and compassion. He does not want us afraid or worried. He longs for us to trust in Him.

We need to remind ourselves of that with the Word. I have a little notebook with pages slightly bigger than that of a business card. On it are verses that have spoken to me at various times. I carry it around in my purse, then sometimes I forget and misplace it and don't look at it for weeks on end.

Then FUD!

I pull it out again and refresh my soul and faith with God's word.

His word is the only cure for FUD.

Today...

Some days are just harder than others..... I was actually looking for a different picture, and came across these two...my two boys taken fall of 2002...look at those smiles. Such sweet little things. You would never have known we were packing to move into an apt because their daddy was leaving us.

So as I am having a tough morning today....I have a sinus headache, which always casts a shadow on my day, mood and perspective, I have two extra boys sleeping over and was torn between going into the office and fearful of leaving Angela alone with 5 wild children...the light saber wars were getting to me, so I opted to go in. She seemed perfectly ok with them.

In the office, the first email I read is from a dear friend talking about what she might do if we have another layoff at work. ...gulp...I don't want to go there in my mind...

I was so tired, headache, that I did not spend my time with you today Lord...in your word, and boy I need it.

I have a meeting in 2 minutes and I split a FULL Venti latte all over my desk...

So that is my today. ..

And yet, look at those sweet faces. I have these wonderful little human beings in my home that bring joy and chaos and love and life....to every minute...and one in Ethiopia just waiting to come home....

And my wonderful parents who I love to pieces and would do anything for! Dear dear girlfriends, that are there at a phone call..

My small sweet church, who steps in the gap for us...

ANd my wonderful Savior, Jesus, who does all for me...my Abba who hears each whispered sigh, catches each tear...

Today...I have a lot to be thankful for.

Darn Yarn

Ok, a problem is forming.... Before going to the grocery store today, I took Mary with me to Joann's and we left with 10 or 11 skeins of yarn!! hee hee.....

And look at this cute hat I just saw!!! It is for sale, but I want to try to figure out how to make it...for my neice Michelle, who is having twins...and maybe for my niece Katie...who has little Cole born earlier this year...

Just too cute! I bet even my BIG kids would like it...It is a bunny hat, but you could make it a bear or cat...or puppy hat....

I bought knitting needles today. I am going to branch out and not just crochet, but try my hand at knitting too...:)

What's in a name?

Baaaa. I am falling in love with yarn... seriously. with names like Wagtail, Misti Alpaca, Habu, Frog Tree, Hand Jive, Mango Moon,....and then all the lovely lovely colors.

I just want to buy skeins of yarn, wind them into balls and put them in baskets and bowls and sit them around my house. (I also want to live somewhere that is fall and winter all year long, so sweaters would be in!...Maybe I need to move to England, or Canada..or ?? where?)

Maybe crocheting and knitting will be my fall and winter thing, and scrapbooking my spring and summer...I don't know....