I See What You're Saying! YAY!

Okay, here it is. For all the world to see. Or at least the three of you that will stop by today.

Enjoy!



Yup. I'll be here all day.

But go see some more fun over at Second Cup of Coffee. You won't regret it.

Calling All Prayer Warriors - Urgent!

Would you please stop right now and pray for this precious two year old little boy named Noah? He has what's called a Mito disease (that's short for a long word I can't spell...mitochondrial???) Anyway, it's in his genetics. Most children with this disease do not live very long, but there have been a few who have, from my understanding.

Among all his "normal" issues he faces with this disease, he now has a terrible bacterial infection that they can't seem to kill with high-powered antibiotics. They will know more tomorrow, but this infection has got to get under control...and quickly.

I've been reading Kate and Jeff's blog called Our Quiverfull for over a year. I didn't realize that it was even a "blog" when I started it. I came across this family through their homeschool website (they used to sell curriculum) and I just thought it was part of their site.

Anyway, they are a beautiful Christian family who have been holding on very tightly to the Lord through this whole ordeal. Kate has always made it a point to post their "thankful" list once the scary parts have passed, and that has always been such an inspiration for me. But this sounds like one of the scarier moments for them yet.

One important note: I encourage you to go to their blog at the link above. If you do, when you see the "TPN" mentioned, just know that that is Noah's lifeline...literally. He cannot receive nutrients by eating. At all. So he is totally dependent upon this TPN line, and he can only receive a certain number of them in his lifetime! So they are doing everything they possibly can to save this central line he currently has.

I'm sorry for the sad post, but this little boy and his sweet family need the Bride of Christ to lift them up! I'm sure they have many people praying for them already, but how much more fragrant would it be in the Throne Room to have prayers coming from all over the world!

Thanks for reading...and praying.

Your, eh, My Autumn Test Results

Your Autumn Test Results

You are a playful, spirited person. You have a limitless imagination and amazing creative talents. When you are happiest, you are calm. You appreciate tradition and family. You enjoy feeling cozy. You prefer change to come slowly. You need a long transition period when your life changes. You find love to be the most comforting thing in the world. You feel at peace when you're with your loved ones. Your ideal day is active and full. You like to keep busy with your favorite things, and you appreciate a routine. You are very impatient. You spend more time waiting for something than actually enjoying it.

The Autumn Test

I found this test over at Dena's Green Acres. I do llllooooooovvvveee autumn something fierce, so I just had to try this. I have to say, most of this is pretty much dead on! Well, this makes me sound a little more playful than I probably am. At least now that I'm older than 12. Back then, yeah, I was pretty playful! :-)

How about you? Do you like autumn, too?

Fireproof Movie -- Let's Show 'Em!

Several weeks ago, I posted about my opportunity to get a sneak preview of the movie Fireproof. If you didn't read that post, please go back and read my review (no spoilers, I promise).

I wanted to post a quick reminder that the movie opens today, Friday the 26th in theaters everywhere.

I mentioned in that post that there is a high importance for God's people to show our support of this movie in the first week it's out. If a movie doesn't do well in its first week, it will be taken out of the theaters.

Let's show Hollywood that the public wants to support movies with wholesome messages, clean storytelling, and *gasp* even Godly influence!

Treats and Traits Thursday -- First Edition!

My dear sister, Rachele (aka Chel - An Abiding Branch), has started a new carnival called Treats & Traits Thursday.


The idea is, in Chel's words, "Blog and say that the Lord is good! Tell us all why He delights your soul and what one of His names means to you." Seriously, His attributes are as endless as His Word! There's plenty to choose from.

If you're not sure where to start, just hop on over to her blog (you can click on her link above or on the picture at the top) and she's got a short list you can choose from. This can and will be a wonderful exercise for any who will attempt it!

Okay, on to my post...

The Name I've chosen for this first Treats & Traits post is "Jehovah-Jireh," which means "the Lord will provide." I have also seen it translated to mean, "the Lord sees and will see to it."

I just love that. For one thing, sometimes I get the image in my head that my God hears me like I hear my kids sometimes...and that He responds in some of the same way. "Oh alRIGHT already!" But He never responds like that.

He sees what we need, and He makes provision for it. He always proves He's making provision before I know about it, too. It's always in retrospect that I can say, "Oooohhhh, I see what You were doing the whole entire time I was whining!"

When will I learn my Lord will always provide?

The credibility of His Name depends on it! He's not going to jeopardize the powerful Name of Jehovah-Jireh by letting little ol' me down. Or you. We might think our need is too small a thing for Him to pay attention to, but the truth is...His Name is on the line.


And as long as we are walking in obedience, He promises He will take care of our needs. (Notice here that I'm not using the word "want." He doesn't promise that we get everything we want, because it's not always what we need.) I'm just sayin'.

But He has done this for us countless upon countless times. He has never, ever, ever left us to hang out to dry. Even today He made a provision for several things all in one act. One act of kindness, mercy, and holy provision.

Because of the arrangement we received today, there are now literally 8 things that have been weighing on me for some time that can now happen. Because of what He provided yesterday. Eight. He saw it, and He provided for it all.

And I never saw it coming.

He's so good! And He sees everything we need. Sometimes He doesn't answer in the way we are expecting, which is why many times we aren't expecting Him to answer.

But He is good and faithful to His Name. Jehovah-Jireh. Oh how I love it so.

What about you? What's a Name and attribute of our God that speaks to you? Post about it and link back to Rachele's blog.

High Fallutin Edumacation

Today in school, Mini me wrote a poem.

We've been using the poem/song "America" in his language lessons for the last week. Today we learned about rhyming scheme and meter, and part of his lesson was to make his own list of rhyming words using the same scheme. Then see if he could make up sentences using the same meter (syllable count) as "America."

So, at the risk of being carted off for providing a lousy education for my kid, I thought I would share his pithy poem with some of my closest friends: you.

(Read as if singing the song, you know, "My country 'tis of thee....")

Hello, can you see me?

I like to drink sweet tea.

Do you like beef?

Star Wars has got a Luke,

He makes me want to puke.
Darth Vader wants to duke...

wants to be chief.

Ta da!!

No amount of tax dollars can pay for that.

Labor of Love

Colossians 3:23-24 states, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”

This verse is the inspiration for today’s question.

How would your life look differently if you embraced and believed fully what the verse in Colossians states? If the truth above is something you already believe and actively live out, how does this truth make a difference in your life?

Well, where do I start with that one?

I think the most dramatic change would be no more grumbling or complaining at the humdrum, ordinary, daily tasks.

cooking breakfast

dishes

laundry

cooking lunch

dishes

more laundry

cooking dinner

dishes

finish laundry

Every day. I know, it's insane. It's like Chinese water torture...the perpetual wheel of boredom. Constantly. dripping. Maddening. dripping. Deranged. dripping....

Nothing like a little drama to spice things up.

Well, it's not that bad. But come on, it does get a little on the monotonous side, doesn't it? It's during those times, when I start to question, "What am I doing here? Shouldn't I be doing something with a little more punch? A little more impact?" that I am reminded that God knows what He's called me to.

He knows what He's equipped me for. And He knows the reward He's set aside for me. Yes, some are eternal rewards that one glorious Day I'll get to lay down at His feet. But some are meant for this life...like watching these precious boys grow into God-honoring young men. Watching them develop their skills, academically, spiritually, and physically. Watching them develop their relationships with each other, their family and friends, and their God.

Like watching my husband grow into the man he's called to be, and knowing that I get to participate by providing a warm, loving, atmosphere in our home. I get to decide (by my attitude) if we have a chaotic mess or a safe haven of comfort and peace for him to come home to. Either of these extremes contribute greatly to his attitude about life.

Talk about impact.

I think it's all about perspective. Am I going to have the perspective that the mundane repetitions I perform are as pointless and insignificant as they are commonplace? Or am I going to choose to believe that they are instruments in the Hands of a faithful God, who will use every load of laundry and every homemade meal to grow every individual soul in this family to be his (and her) best?

If I believe that He will really do that, then I will choose to work as unto Him. There is no greater reward than to please my Creator.

Marshmallows for Teeth -- Works for Me Wednesday

Well this week's Works for Me Wednesday was an "accidental" discovery, but hey, it worked for me!

Do you know what this is?

Mini me came in the kitchen one day during school and asked me for some vinegar and an egg.

Excuse me?

Vinegar is something my 10 year old cannot stand...ever since he was in first grade and developed the frequent habit of putting his fingernail in between his back teeth. I never discovered the big attraction to this habit, but I told him if he didn't quit putting his fingers in his mouth, I would dip them in vinegar.

Then I let him smell the cap from the bottle.

It worked. That one was a freebie. But do keep reading....

Anyway, this was a very odd request from him; a very odd request indeed.

"My health book says I need to soak an egg in vinegar to show me what happens to my teeth when I don't brush them."

Really? Because I never thought of an egg in association with my teeth. Humph.

Do you know any children (or maybe even an adult or two?) who just do not like to brush their teeth regularly? Maybe they just don't get the point, since they're just going to eat and dirty them up again. These same kids tend to not "get" the point of making up their beds, too. You know the ones.

Well, this experiment is sure to cure them of their ills.

We soaked the egg in straight vinegar for about 6 hours. I think the boys thought that the shell was going to totally dissolve and the inside would be oozing out into the vinegar, only to cause some kind of freakish reaction and bubble over onto the counter.

No such occurrence.

As a matter of fact, the only change that seemed to be happening to our egg was that every so often, little bubbles would form on the outside of the shell (see illustration) and then it would spontaneously flip over.

I haven't studied the level of physics that explain that phenomenon.

Anyway.

After about 6 hours, I finally decided to take the egg out of the glass and throw it away, since we didn't see a meltdown of all meltdowns.

That's when I discovered the beauty of this experiment: the outer shell of the egg felt like tomato skin!

I called the boys in and showed them this:

Do you see my finger pressing into the eggshell? This is a raw egg, ya'll!


It turns out that the vinegar (acid) continuously weakens the hard outer part of the shell (like the enamel on our teeth) and eventually eats it right off!


My son then proceeded to tell me that he learned that when we don't brush our teeth, the sugar and plaque (bacteria) produce acid (it's an excrement...eeewwwww), which then wears the hard enamel off our teeth...and weakens them just like this egg!


My Mini me and Brown Eyes were both in agreement after seeing the fate of this chicken egg: We're not complaining about brushing our teeth anymore!


What's more, even after I took the egg out of the vinegar, I let it set out over night and the acid continued it's work decomposing the outer shell of the egg.



Eeeewwwww.....






They've not complained since our experiment. Therefore, it's safe to say it worked for me!

God Bless the USA

As important as the current political events are, I usually refrain from political posts. But this is just too true and poignant to not promote it.


Dear Mr. Obama



Remember the same is true spiritually: without the Sacrifice and loss of Life, there could be no real freedom.

Have a great Sonday!

More Than You Ever Wanted to Know About Me - From A-Z

Tagged!


I've been tagged by my delightful friend Edie at Rich Gifts. With this I greatly rejoice, because it's my first time to be tagged! I feel like a first grader on the playground during the first two months of school. I got tagged~yay! How fun.


Okay, on with the good stuff...I'm supposed to share an alphabet story by answering questions from A-Z about me. Here goes.


Attached or Single? Attached. Blissfully attached. :-)


Best Friend? Heavenly: Jesus; Earthly: I have two...my hubby & Chel (Abiding Branch).


Cake or Pie? Warm chocolate cinnamon sheet cake...mmmmmmm.


Day of Choice? The day we can afford to hire a textile manager (a laundry slave).


Essential Item? Coffee pot. This is essential even for my kids, because the coffee pot makes their momma tolerable.


Flavour of Ice Cream? Mocha Almond Fudge (Edie's fave too! I just know we were made from the same pile of dirt!)


Gummy Bears or Worms? Blech.


Hometown? A little city on the South Texas coast. One which is about to get slammed by a hurricane in a day or so. Ah, the memories.


Indulgences? Pedicures and long, hot, uninterrupted baths. Both of these are extremely rare, especially since we only have one bathroom. Yes, you should pity me.


January or July? September.....oh, okay, July. In any place on earth except South Texas. Then it's January because we have more 80 degree weather days in January there.


Kids? No more, thank you. I already have 3 good ones.


Last Movie I saw in a Theater? Fireproof, which is one of the best movies I've seen in a long time! (click the link for my review). However, technically that wasn't in a "theater;" it was in our church. So the real answer is Mama Mia with a friend. An adult friend. Let me specify even further: an adult female friend. Which is how that needs to be done if you're gonna do it. :-)


Middle Name? You probably won't believe me if I tell you what it was. Shall I try you? Antoinette. Yes, it is.


Number of Siblings? Nada enchilada. No natural siblings. Spiritually is a different story...I have MILLIONS! Including you hopefully!


Oranges or Apples? Apples. Especially in the fall. Baked in a fresh cobbler or pie. Or dumplings. Ooooohhhhh, why did I have to think about that?


Phobia or Fear? Fear...that I am going to ruin my kids.


Quote? "Watch your thoughts; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your actions; they become habits. Watch your habits; they become your character. Watch your character; it becomes your destiny." Frank Outlaw


Reason to Smile? Hearing my kids read on their own and laugh really hard. OH, and payday.


Season? Autumn...I love the trees that change here. I didn't grow up with a real fall season, so I really appreciate it now.


Tag five more: Chel at Abiding Branch, Jodie at Dark Between the Stars, Meg at Life at Lonesome Pine, Elle at Fingerprints on My Window, and Mama Belle at Bayou Belles and Their Beau. Let me know if you guys post this, because I want to read your answers!


Unknown Fact About Me? What the middle name wasn't enough? Well, let's see...I was a bit of a tom-boy as a kid. I mean, don't get me wrong, I played with Barbie and I liked playing dress up in my mom's dresses and shoes. But I also used to build tree houses with my neighborhood friends in an empty, very overgrown lot next door to my friend's house. Actually, to call it a treehouse doesn't really provided the correct image: picture a three bedroom, two bath, with an over-sized family room built within a cluster of mesquite trees. Complete with walls built from the branches we cut down out of the trees with Jenny's dad's tree trimmers.


I told you, more than you ever wanted to know.


Vegeterian or Oppressor of Animals? How come a vegetarian isn't called an oppressor of vegetation?


Worst Habit? Procrastination. I get so easily distracted and end up with too many things...um, what was I saying?


Xrays or Ultrasounds? Let's see, x-rays imply something is broken; ultrasounds imply pregnancy. Rock and a hard spot.


Your favourite Food? This is way too broad of a question. There is a favorite in every food group, every ethnic group, and every meal group. I suppose I will just answer with the one thing I can't seem to find living in Georgia: good Tex-Mex.

The kind with chili gravy on the enchiladas, yellow cheddar cheese, red chili-powder-infused grease dripping from the tacos, and fresh, homemade flour tortillas. Top all that off with a bowl of bright red fresh tomatoes, chopped onion, snipped cilantro, and a squeeze of lime for the renown Texas Pico de Gallo. Oh, man.


Zodiac? I don't pay attention to that stuff anymore. However, we are studying Astronomy this year, and did you know that many believe that the Gospel is actually the story that the constellations tell? Little sidebar here, but it's no "coincidence" that I was reading this just a few hours ago.


In the Apologia elementary level astronomy book called, "Exploring Creation with Astronomy," by Jeannie Fulbright, she says, "The constellations have symbols that God uses in the Bible; the lion (Jesus is called the lion of Judah), a virgin (Jesus was born of a virgin), a serpent (Satan is portrayed in the Bible as a serpent), a king, and many others. Many believe that Orion points to Christ, the Conqueror."


Obviously, it was God Himself who placed the stars in the sky in a particular order. Genesis 1:14-15 tells us, "Then God said, 'Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night, and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years, and let them be for lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light on earth.' And it was so."


It's no wonder our calendar and our clocks are set by the sun, moon, and stars! Cool, huh? That was a freebie. ;-)

Um, Hey There...Remember Me?

Well, hello!!


Wow, I can't believe it's been like...a week...since I posted anything.


Well, I just wanted to tell you both how much I appreciate you hanging around. And although I am now WAY behind on the Believing God study, I really do still want to post about it after I finish each lesson. So week 6 will be coming out really soon.


Forgive me for seemingly falling off the face of the earth. I really didn't. I have SO missed reading and commenting on so many blogs out there! But our homeschool started Monday, and it took a lot of last-minute planning to pull off teaching two kids. Oh, I sound like I'm kidding about that, but really I'm not.


And since I'm quite sure I have lost all the readers I may have once had, I will now go ahead and post the subjects that we are doing this year. That way, I'm sure to keep the number of boredom seizures to a minimum.


Mini me, 5th grade

Bible and Worldview - Building on the Rock

Arithmetic 5

Learning Language Arts Through Literature

Mystery of History (Renaissance and Reformation period)

Astronomy

Greek and Latin Roots

Library Trek (learning to do research)

Reading various classic literature with book reports

Sequential Spelling

How Great Thou Art (drawing)



Brown eyes, 2nd grade

Bible and Worldview - Building on the Rock

Letters and Sounds 2

Language 2

Arithmetic 2

Various A Beka 2nd grade readers

Mystery of History (Renaissance and Reformation period)

Astronomy

Wonders of the World (world cultures with geography)

Handwriting (cursive)

Spelling 2

How Great Thou Art (drawing)


Okay, that's it. I'm done. That wasn't so bad, was it? Maybe you'll come back some time and see if there's anything more riveting. That is, if you have recovered by then. Be sure and bring your seizure medicine next time.


By the way, I sure did miss you. And even Blogger too.