I am loving the holiday season! Family, friends, food, and decorations! I can feel all the excitement in the air. We just made applesauce ornaments that we will put on our tree and give as gifts. With all the excitement building, I don't want my family to miss the meaning of Christmas. I have made it a point that we sit and talk about Christmas each day. Also, we are planning a birthday party for Jesus.
What are your plans to keep Christmas focused on Christ?
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Monday, November 29, 2010
My plan...
My plan was to have four children, four boys in fact, named Luke, Tanner, Jeff, and Lee. God had other plans…….
My husband and I sat in the doctor’s office hearing these words, “I’m so sorry, you cannot have children. If there is anything I can do for you…..” his voice trailing off. There was nothing he could do. No surgery, no fix….I thought “It must be difficult for him to have to tell young couples this news”. I smiled and tried to reassure him that it was ok. I knew God was in control and suddenly memories of a 16 year old girl came rushing back to me. I could hear her saying she was going to adopt a child who needed a home instead of having her own because there were so many children in this world who needed a family. That 16 year old girl was me!
Adoption is not an easy or quick process. Two years later our son was placed in our arms when he was five days old. I knew he was my child before I even saw him. In the next 5 years, we had 4 other opportunities to adopt. But for various reasons, none of them worked out. Our son turns 21 years old this month and continues to be such a blessing to our entire family. He is right where he belongs and where God intended him to be. God tells us in His word that he knows us before we are born… “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you…” Jeremiah 1:5 It doesn’t matter how God brought him to us, only that he is our son, a gift given to us by God. “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” James 1:17
As I look back on these 21 years, I can see that it is good that our son is an only child. He needed that one on one attention and I needed to be a mother of only one child. It’s funny how you can’t see God’s plan while you are “in it”, but as time passes you can see how God weaves things in, out, and through your life to create just what is suppose to be. If we could only rest in Him and trust in Him life would be so much easier for us day by day! “If God clothes the grass of the field, ….will He not much more clothe you? Do not worry then……… for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. “ Matthew 6:30-32
We are not all meant to adopt. God has a plan for each of us. Just remember, when you meet a mom who has adopted her child, that she feels the same about her child as a mother who gave birth. Whether children are adopted or birthed, we love them the same…. We take care of them when they are sick, pray for them, love them, cry over them, share their joys and their sorrows, hurt deeply when they hurt, rejoice in their successes, protect them, guide them, worry about them, and are always there for them. It makes no difference how they were given to us. Once placed in our care, whether in the womb or in our arms, they are our child.
Here’s a thought for the day….We are all ‘adopted’ children of God! “For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love He predestined us to be adopted as His sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will --to the praise of His glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.” Ephesians 1:3-6
My husband and I sat in the doctor’s office hearing these words, “I’m so sorry, you cannot have children. If there is anything I can do for you…..” his voice trailing off. There was nothing he could do. No surgery, no fix….I thought “It must be difficult for him to have to tell young couples this news”. I smiled and tried to reassure him that it was ok. I knew God was in control and suddenly memories of a 16 year old girl came rushing back to me. I could hear her saying she was going to adopt a child who needed a home instead of having her own because there were so many children in this world who needed a family. That 16 year old girl was me!
Adoption is not an easy or quick process. Two years later our son was placed in our arms when he was five days old. I knew he was my child before I even saw him. In the next 5 years, we had 4 other opportunities to adopt. But for various reasons, none of them worked out. Our son turns 21 years old this month and continues to be such a blessing to our entire family. He is right where he belongs and where God intended him to be. God tells us in His word that he knows us before we are born… “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you…” Jeremiah 1:5 It doesn’t matter how God brought him to us, only that he is our son, a gift given to us by God. “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” James 1:17
As I look back on these 21 years, I can see that it is good that our son is an only child. He needed that one on one attention and I needed to be a mother of only one child. It’s funny how you can’t see God’s plan while you are “in it”, but as time passes you can see how God weaves things in, out, and through your life to create just what is suppose to be. If we could only rest in Him and trust in Him life would be so much easier for us day by day! “If God clothes the grass of the field, ….will He not much more clothe you? Do not worry then……… for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. “ Matthew 6:30-32
We are not all meant to adopt. God has a plan for each of us. Just remember, when you meet a mom who has adopted her child, that she feels the same about her child as a mother who gave birth. Whether children are adopted or birthed, we love them the same…. We take care of them when they are sick, pray for them, love them, cry over them, share their joys and their sorrows, hurt deeply when they hurt, rejoice in their successes, protect them, guide them, worry about them, and are always there for them. It makes no difference how they were given to us. Once placed in our care, whether in the womb or in our arms, they are our child.
Here’s a thought for the day….We are all ‘adopted’ children of God! “For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love He predestined us to be adopted as His sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will --to the praise of His glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.” Ephesians 1:3-6
~This post was written by a guest blogger. She wanted to share her story in honor of November being adoption month.
Friday, November 26, 2010
Thankful...
Thankful for precious people...
As our family sat around the table for our Thanksgiving feast, we observed our tradition of sharing the blessings for which we are thankful. At the top of our lists this year were two new people in our family, one, a courageous 28 year old soldier across the ocean in Afghanistan who married our daughter in June, and the other, a darling month old baby sleeping soundly in the next room who is the first child of our son and his wife. Aaron and Liam have added so much to our lives and truly remind me again that it is the people in our lives, not the things, that bring us joy.
I'm particularly grateful for another important person in my life, my "baby" sister, Jessica Schaeffer, a missionary nurse at the Women and Children's Hospital in Koutiala, Mali, West Africa. She works harder than anyone I know as the director of nursing in a bustling facility that is saving the lives of countless mothers and babies who in the past have died from ailments and illnesses that only needed proper medical care. Today is Jessica's birthday and though none of her family will be there to help her celebrate, we will all be celebrating her and recalling what joy she brought to our family as an unexpected blessing to her parents and eight older siblings. Rather than becoming a spoiled little girl with all the attention and love she received, she has become one of those selfless people who dedicates her skills, time and energy to helping others and bringing light to their lives. Although Jessica looks to me as an older sister who has wisdom and experience, I look to her as a constant inspiration and hero, someone who realizes that no task is too small or too great when helping others; that ultimately, all that we do for people is for our Heavenly Father, who created us and gives us the health and energy to be and do each day.
As I think of Jessica today, I will give thanks for her and all of the precious people in my life and I will embrace once again the tasks which God has given me. Those tasks do not often bring visible reward or fanfare, but there is a deep joy and peace in serving those God has put in my life.
Philippians 1:6 "I thank my God every time I remember you."
~ Joy Herman
As our family sat around the table for our Thanksgiving feast, we observed our tradition of sharing the blessings for which we are thankful. At the top of our lists this year were two new people in our family, one, a courageous 28 year old soldier across the ocean in Afghanistan who married our daughter in June, and the other, a darling month old baby sleeping soundly in the next room who is the first child of our son and his wife. Aaron and Liam have added so much to our lives and truly remind me again that it is the people in our lives, not the things, that bring us joy.
I'm particularly grateful for another important person in my life, my "baby" sister, Jessica Schaeffer, a missionary nurse at the Women and Children's Hospital in Koutiala, Mali, West Africa. She works harder than anyone I know as the director of nursing in a bustling facility that is saving the lives of countless mothers and babies who in the past have died from ailments and illnesses that only needed proper medical care. Today is Jessica's birthday and though none of her family will be there to help her celebrate, we will all be celebrating her and recalling what joy she brought to our family as an unexpected blessing to her parents and eight older siblings. Rather than becoming a spoiled little girl with all the attention and love she received, she has become one of those selfless people who dedicates her skills, time and energy to helping others and bringing light to their lives. Although Jessica looks to me as an older sister who has wisdom and experience, I look to her as a constant inspiration and hero, someone who realizes that no task is too small or too great when helping others; that ultimately, all that we do for people is for our Heavenly Father, who created us and gives us the health and energy to be and do each day.
As I think of Jessica today, I will give thanks for her and all of the precious people in my life and I will embrace once again the tasks which God has given me. Those tasks do not often bring visible reward or fanfare, but there is a deep joy and peace in serving those God has put in my life.
Philippians 1:6 "I thank my God every time I remember you."
~ Joy Herman
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Count Your Blessings
We get cranky when we don't get what we want. We getting frustrated and whiney and unpleasant and pouty because we have forgotten what God hath done, what He has given. I can get overwhelmed by the asking, the saying "No" and the tirade to follow.
So we count. I start with the chorus. . .
Count your blessings
Name them one by one
She replies with a blessing.
We sing
Count your blessings
Name them one by one
I reply with a blessing.
We sing.
We alternate naming them one by one.
The tirade ends.
If you want to hear the song, here it is. Though I remember it sounding so much better in a little church on a hill in WV.
So we count. I start with the chorus. . .
Count your blessings
Name them one by one
She replies with a blessing.
We sing
Count your blessings
Name them one by one
I reply with a blessing.
We sing.
We alternate naming them one by one.
The tirade ends.
If you want to hear the song, here it is. Though I remember it sounding so much better in a little church on a hill in WV.
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Homemade Snow Globe
Snow Globes
The shimmering magic of snowfall is always transfixing, whether it's outside your window or inside this classic toy. Homemade globes let you create a wintry scene straight out of your own imagination.
Almost any jar works for this project: Baby-food, pimiento, and olive jars are good choices. Look for plastic or ceramic figurines (metal ones are prone to rust) at flea markets and hobby or model-railroad shops. Synthetic evergreen tips are available at many floral-supply stores.
If the jar lids are not in seasonal colors already, paint them with oil-based enamel paint. Sand the inside of the lid until the surface is rough. With clear-drying epoxy, adhere the figurine to the inside of the lid, and let the epoxy dry.
Fill the jar almost to the top with distilled water; add a pinch of glitter and a dash of glycerin (available at drugstores) to keep the glitter from falling too quickly. Don't add too much, or the glitter will stick to the bottom of the jar when it's flipped. Screw on the lid tightly, being careful not to dislodge the figurine. Turn the jar over and back again --and let it snow.
http://www.marthastwewart.com/
The shimmering magic of snowfall is always transfixing, whether it's outside your window or inside this classic toy. Homemade globes let you create a wintry scene straight out of your own imagination.
Almost any jar works for this project: Baby-food, pimiento, and olive jars are good choices. Look for plastic or ceramic figurines (metal ones are prone to rust) at flea markets and hobby or model-railroad shops. Synthetic evergreen tips are available at many floral-supply stores.
If the jar lids are not in seasonal colors already, paint them with oil-based enamel paint. Sand the inside of the lid until the surface is rough. With clear-drying epoxy, adhere the figurine to the inside of the lid, and let the epoxy dry.
Fill the jar almost to the top with distilled water; add a pinch of glitter and a dash of glycerin (available at drugstores) to keep the glitter from falling too quickly. Don't add too much, or the glitter will stick to the bottom of the jar when it's flipped. Screw on the lid tightly, being careful not to dislodge the figurine. Turn the jar over and back again --and let it snow.
http://www.marthastwewart.com/
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Question Tuesday!
With Thanksgiving coming up, I'm wondering if we can think about some positives! What are your favorite things about yourself? What is it that God has given you (meaning you you as a person- whether it's something visual or personality or what have you, not things, please!) that you're thankful for?
Monday, November 22, 2010
Resting in Him today...
This past week, well I am now calling it "Genovese Germfest," (Sounds fun, huh?! Don't you want to stop by?! We've got colds, we've got flu, we've got congestion, we've got irritability, we've got diarrhea, we've got fever, seems we've got it all!) has been an exhausting one. Most of our vendors here have packed up and gone away. However, congestion still lingers and diarrhea who had left on Thursday evening, decided to come back this morning with a vengeance bringing along with him, sore throat and tummy ache.
You know when you are busy or distracted with something, that is when your children know they can take advantage of you?! You have your hands in pizza dough, the phone is ringing, you have water boiling on the stove, someone is knocking on the door and your child...your child knows this is the perfect time to ask to play with a sharpie! In your distracted state you say, yes. We all know what happens next.
Doesn't satan look for those same moments? I found a flea in my house on Thursday, right after Ethan had perked up and I was putting him in the shower. I HATE fleas in my house. We had to bug bomb on Friday. Did I feel like doing that after no sleep for 24 hours, nope.
It doesn't take satan long to discourage us. Sometimes we do it ourselves, we don't even need his nudges. My laundry is piled sky high, I have much dust and clutter. Brenna has had a cold for over a week. Alex and I are fighting colds. Then you add to it the everyday normal stresses of just being a mom, wife and person. It starts to make you feel, well just bummed.
Turning to Him takes the bummed away. Sometimes it's not as simple as saying a prayer. Somtimes it's saying multiple prayers, and then saying them again. Sometimes it's being quiet to listen to what He is telling you to do and doing it. Sometimes it's just resting in Him.
Sometimes for me, it's music. Music that reminds me of His love and mercy. That He allows satan to bug me to remind me that I need Him. That He is my All in All. That He takes my life and makes it beautiful. No matter what it looks like to others or feels like to me.
This song is what I have been listening to and I wanted to share...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OR7VOKQ0xJY
Yep...Ethan is sick again...this post has taken much longer than any of you know to write ~smile~ (in between rushing to the bathroom and rubbing a hurting tummy) I am now closing down for the day...resting in Him and snuggling with my little boy. The laundry can wait, so can the dust...
You know when you are busy or distracted with something, that is when your children know they can take advantage of you?! You have your hands in pizza dough, the phone is ringing, you have water boiling on the stove, someone is knocking on the door and your child...your child knows this is the perfect time to ask to play with a sharpie! In your distracted state you say, yes. We all know what happens next.
Doesn't satan look for those same moments? I found a flea in my house on Thursday, right after Ethan had perked up and I was putting him in the shower. I HATE fleas in my house. We had to bug bomb on Friday. Did I feel like doing that after no sleep for 24 hours, nope.
It doesn't take satan long to discourage us. Sometimes we do it ourselves, we don't even need his nudges. My laundry is piled sky high, I have much dust and clutter. Brenna has had a cold for over a week. Alex and I are fighting colds. Then you add to it the everyday normal stresses of just being a mom, wife and person. It starts to make you feel, well just bummed.
Turning to Him takes the bummed away. Sometimes it's not as simple as saying a prayer. Somtimes it's saying multiple prayers, and then saying them again. Sometimes it's being quiet to listen to what He is telling you to do and doing it. Sometimes it's just resting in Him.
Sometimes for me, it's music. Music that reminds me of His love and mercy. That He allows satan to bug me to remind me that I need Him. That He is my All in All. That He takes my life and makes it beautiful. No matter what it looks like to others or feels like to me.
This song is what I have been listening to and I wanted to share...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OR7VOKQ0xJY
Yep...Ethan is sick again...this post has taken much longer than any of you know to write ~smile~ (in between rushing to the bathroom and rubbing a hurting tummy) I am now closing down for the day...resting in Him and snuggling with my little boy. The laundry can wait, so can the dust...
Friday, November 19, 2010
Something to be thankful for...
Thankful: Hard Times
I remember cradling my first child in my arms. She was a beautiful petite baby girl, already complete with her daddy’s brown eyes and her mother’s strong opinions. I remember dreaming what her life would hold, how she would grow, who she would become. Would she be artistic or analytical? Shy and reserved or colorful and flamboyant?
Would she become the first woman President or live a quiet life tucked away in the country?
But for all my dreams for her, they never once included her going through hard times.
In the ensuing six years, that naiveté has been swept away. I’ve realized that like every other soul on this earth, my precious, vulnerable baby girl will have her share of hard times. Whether it’s that first rejection by “mean girls” on the playground or the ultimate realization that some of her dreams will never come true, her little soul is destined to sorrow.
As a mother, my every instinct is to protect her from this. But as a human being, I know I cannot; for I cannot protect her from the very things from which I cannot even protect
myself. Hard times come to all of us.
And at the risk of sounding like a sadist, I confess that slowly, I’m learning to be thankful for that. To be thankful for hard times. Thankful, because they remind me of what’s really important – my husband, my children, food on the table, clothes on our backs. Thankful, because they make me appreciate and enjoy the easy times. Thankful, because they force me to grow up and think less about myself and more about others.
I’ve come to realize that, unlike my short-sighted dreams for my daughter, my heavenly Father’s dreams for me were big enough to include hard times, times that He would ultimately use to shape and mold me into the image of Jesus Christ.
And that’s something to be thankful for.
~Written by Hannah Anderson
I remember cradling my first child in my arms. She was a beautiful petite baby girl, already complete with her daddy’s brown eyes and her mother’s strong opinions. I remember dreaming what her life would hold, how she would grow, who she would become. Would she be artistic or analytical? Shy and reserved or colorful and flamboyant?
Would she become the first woman President or live a quiet life tucked away in the country?
But for all my dreams for her, they never once included her going through hard times.
In the ensuing six years, that naiveté has been swept away. I’ve realized that like every other soul on this earth, my precious, vulnerable baby girl will have her share of hard times. Whether it’s that first rejection by “mean girls” on the playground or the ultimate realization that some of her dreams will never come true, her little soul is destined to sorrow.
As a mother, my every instinct is to protect her from this. But as a human being, I know I cannot; for I cannot protect her from the very things from which I cannot even protect
myself. Hard times come to all of us.
And at the risk of sounding like a sadist, I confess that slowly, I’m learning to be thankful for that. To be thankful for hard times. Thankful, because they remind me of what’s really important – my husband, my children, food on the table, clothes on our backs. Thankful, because they make me appreciate and enjoy the easy times. Thankful, because they force me to grow up and think less about myself and more about others.
I’ve come to realize that, unlike my short-sighted dreams for my daughter, my heavenly Father’s dreams for me were big enough to include hard times, times that He would ultimately use to shape and mold me into the image of Jesus Christ.
And that’s something to be thankful for.
~Written by Hannah Anderson
Thursday, November 18, 2010
This moment...
I am sitting at my laptop this very moment.
This very moment happens to be the time that November 17, 2010 turns into November 18, 2010. It is midnight. Sleep is not in my immediate future. I don't want it. I don't need it...yet. I am running on "mommy fuel." Why?
Well, also at this very moment, to my right, is a little boy very sick with stomach flu.
This very moment, up in my bed, is a little girl who fell asleep watching Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
The past two years I have gone back and forth with having a desire for more children and not having a desire for more children. At this moment (smile) I am thankful that there are only two.
I am not sure how I could care for my sick little boy (who is finally sleeping peacefully) and my worried, embarrassed, nervous little girl who needs to be away from her brother, but close enough to make sure he is okay.
Even though I hate when my children are sick, for some reason these are the moments I feel more like a mommy than any other.
Not exactly what I planned on sharing with all of you this early Thursday morning, but these are mommy and me moments non-the-less. I get so much more cuddle time, and more one on one time when they are sick. Again, I am not glad I am getting these “extras” this way, but I am reminded to be thankful for them. When my children are sick I am reminded of how fast time goes and how un-important the small things are. I hate that sometimes it takes sickness to do that.
I am looking at this little fevered face praying for it and loving it so much more than I did yesterday. I check on my beautiful, tenderhearted girl and am amazed by her. Wow, am I blessed!
I look over at my husband asleep on the recliner. I am extra thankful for him today. He offered to make dinner (and did it!), cleaned up the kitchen, bathed Brenna, and has clean up detail when Ethan…well, you know. He did all of these things so that Ethan has his mommy at his side.
I am thankful for Jodi who has volunteered to work for me later on today so that I didn’t have to leave my son.
This very moment happens to be the time that November 17, 2010 turns into November 18, 2010. It is midnight. Sleep is not in my immediate future. I don't want it. I don't need it...yet. I am running on "mommy fuel." Why?
Well, also at this very moment, to my right, is a little boy very sick with stomach flu.
This very moment, up in my bed, is a little girl who fell asleep watching Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
The past two years I have gone back and forth with having a desire for more children and not having a desire for more children. At this moment (smile) I am thankful that there are only two.
I am not sure how I could care for my sick little boy (who is finally sleeping peacefully) and my worried, embarrassed, nervous little girl who needs to be away from her brother, but close enough to make sure he is okay.
Even though I hate when my children are sick, for some reason these are the moments I feel more like a mommy than any other.
Not exactly what I planned on sharing with all of you this early Thursday morning, but these are mommy and me moments non-the-less. I get so much more cuddle time, and more one on one time when they are sick. Again, I am not glad I am getting these “extras” this way, but I am reminded to be thankful for them. When my children are sick I am reminded of how fast time goes and how un-important the small things are. I hate that sometimes it takes sickness to do that.
I am looking at this little fevered face praying for it and loving it so much more than I did yesterday. I check on my beautiful, tenderhearted girl and am amazed by her. Wow, am I blessed!
I look over at my husband asleep on the recliner. I am extra thankful for him today. He offered to make dinner (and did it!), cleaned up the kitchen, bathed Brenna, and has clean up detail when Ethan…well, you know. He did all of these things so that Ethan has his mommy at his side.
I am thankful for Jodi who has volunteered to work for me later on today so that I didn’t have to leave my son.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Candy Cane Ornament
I LOVE this craft idea that I stumbled onto on FamilyFun.com!
I cannot wait to make these with (or without my kids!) and add them into my basket of homemade gifts this year!!
You will need:
2 skeins of DMC Pearl Cotton, one red and one white
Scissors
Red pipe cleaners
½" to 5/8" ribbon
Directions:
1. Open a skein of cotton and snip the loop at each end so you have two bunches; repeat with the other skein. Then take one red bunch and one white bunch and tie them together into a single knot around the end of a pipe cleaner.
2. To make the stripes, twist the two colors around the pipe cleaner and knot the ends together around the other end. Trim the cotton at both ends and trim the pipe cleaner if need be.
3. Bend into a candy cane shape and adorn with a ribbon bow.
Tips:
These canes were created with fine DMC Pearl Cotton, but younger kids may have an easier time with chenille yarn or cord.
DMC Pear Cotton…is also known as cross stitch thread!
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Boys in Carts
Yesterday we went grocery shopping. There are many reasons I do not like grocery shopping, but probably the main reason is my "Toothless Wonder." He wiggles and wobbles. He drops the toys, the food, the drink out of the cart. He shimmies right out of the belt no matter how much I tighten it. He pulls his sister's hair and shouts for attention. His presence makes grocery shopping hard!
So my question on this Tuesday. . .
So my question on this Tuesday. . .
How do you keep your children and yourself happy while grocery shopping?
I feel the need to add that I do remove the items pitched from the cart from his possession only to then encourage the shimmying! It seems that each consequence I apply creates a new problem. Ideas please.
Monday, November 15, 2010
He knows and that is enough for me!
Last week my daughter, son, daughter-in-law and I took baby Liam to Cleveland to meet his great grandparents. Liam is their first great grandchild so it was a momentous occasion. Holding this precious little bundle in his arms inspired my dad to reminisce about the arrivals of his and my mom's nine children and the craziness of life during those times. We laughed together over his anecdotes and I know John and Bethany, the new parents, felt reassured that they will survive the adjustment phase they are in right now. Memories of my own early motherhood experiences came flooding back to me and I found myself wishing I had known a little more back then! How often I found myself perplexed - desperately wanting to do the right thing, but not always being able to discern what the right thing was. My parents had instilled in me a habit of asking God for help in any situation, no matter how small. Praying about night feedings, whether to use a pacifier, when to potty train, how to handle my darling whose favorite word was "mine"...all of these moments were worthy of taking a moment to ask God to give me wisdom. James 1:5 has become one of my all time favorite parenting verses and I still need it daily!
"If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him."
I love this verse! It's okay for me to be needy! God doesn't mind and He welcomes my questions. He never says, "I would have thought you could figure this one out." or "Haven't you learned this by now?" It's really as simple as coming to God with my problem and opening my heart and mind to what He may show me. I've stopped wishing that God would write the answer in the sky for me because I've found that if I really quiet my heart and listen for His answer, it always comes to me! Sometimes the answer comes through my husband or a friend; other times it comes through the Bible or a book on parenting. My own children have sometimes had the answer for me - if I'm humble enough to receive it! As time passes, I'm becoming more comfortable with not having all the answers. I'm becoming more patient in waiting on God to show me the answer. Perhaps most importantly, I'm getting to know the God who is all wise. Nothing ever takes Him by surprise or confuses Him. His wisdom is infinite so I can rest in that knowledge through all of my days. As I start a new week, who knows what is ahead for me? My wise God knows and that's enough for me!
~Joy Herman
"If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him."
I love this verse! It's okay for me to be needy! God doesn't mind and He welcomes my questions. He never says, "I would have thought you could figure this one out." or "Haven't you learned this by now?" It's really as simple as coming to God with my problem and opening my heart and mind to what He may show me. I've stopped wishing that God would write the answer in the sky for me because I've found that if I really quiet my heart and listen for His answer, it always comes to me! Sometimes the answer comes through my husband or a friend; other times it comes through the Bible or a book on parenting. My own children have sometimes had the answer for me - if I'm humble enough to receive it! As time passes, I'm becoming more comfortable with not having all the answers. I'm becoming more patient in waiting on God to show me the answer. Perhaps most importantly, I'm getting to know the God who is all wise. Nothing ever takes Him by surprise or confuses Him. His wisdom is infinite so I can rest in that knowledge through all of my days. As I start a new week, who knows what is ahead for me? My wise God knows and that's enough for me!
~Joy Herman
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Family Movie Night
Family Movie Night
Wednesday
November 17
at The State Theater
Doors open at 5:30 movie begins at 6pm
Movie: Veggie Tales "The Wonderful Wizard of Ha's!"
Admission is FREE
Wednesday
November 17
at The State Theater
Doors open at 5:30 movie begins at 6pm
Movie: Veggie Tales "The Wonderful Wizard of Ha's!"
Admission is FREE
(All children must be accompanied by an adult!)
Friday, November 12, 2010
Thankful!
These past few weeks, my husband and I have been sorting through stuff in our basement. I have truly saved every note, card and letter (and bill and bank statement) I've ever received, which makes for some intense sorting. I have felt the whole gambit of emotions: annoyed (why did I keep all of my bills from my first apartment?), amused (wow, did we pass some stupid notes folded in odd, football shapes in junior high!) disgusted (ewwww...why did I save the foot from my frog dissection in high school?). But most importantly, throwing all of these things away has given me a great chance to see what has happened in my life in the past 20 years. Many people have been born or died, many have married or divorced, many have grown up and many were at one time very prominent in my life but have gone our own ways since. Letters from my in-laws when we lost our baby, notes about our wedding, a newspaper clipping from a great weekend in Washington DC, letters from my aunt with whom I was so close. It's been both happy and sad.
When I saved these memories, I promised myself that I'd go through them and toss them by the time I was 40. And as I approach that milestone next summer, I'm doing as I said. But over the years that I saved them, I knew that I would have these very experiences. In 1994, as I tossed the baby baptism announcement about my niece into a box, I knew that someday I'd look on that and smile. That niece is 16 now, and I did! There is so much that the younger me knew the older me would cherish.
And so I realize today how thankful I am for the chance to see how cheap my bills were in my first apartment, I'm thankful to chuckle at junior high "problems", and even my frog's foot! I am thankful to the me who has persevered in saving, to my husband for moving these momentos 3 times in our time together, and to everyone who wrote to me over the years. The memories have been priceless!
Thank you, Lord, for building my life as you have. You planned me long ago, and I am grateful for the memories I have. Sometimes it's been hard to know where I'm going or why, but it is neat to look back and see it woven together.
"You have searched me, LORD, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, LORD, know it completely. You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain." Psalm 139:1-6
When I saved these memories, I promised myself that I'd go through them and toss them by the time I was 40. And as I approach that milestone next summer, I'm doing as I said. But over the years that I saved them, I knew that I would have these very experiences. In 1994, as I tossed the baby baptism announcement about my niece into a box, I knew that someday I'd look on that and smile. That niece is 16 now, and I did! There is so much that the younger me knew the older me would cherish.
And so I realize today how thankful I am for the chance to see how cheap my bills were in my first apartment, I'm thankful to chuckle at junior high "problems", and even my frog's foot! I am thankful to the me who has persevered in saving, to my husband for moving these momentos 3 times in our time together, and to everyone who wrote to me over the years. The memories have been priceless!
Thank you, Lord, for building my life as you have. You planned me long ago, and I am grateful for the memories I have. Sometimes it's been hard to know where I'm going or why, but it is neat to look back and see it woven together.
"You have searched me, LORD, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, LORD, know it completely. You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain." Psalm 139:1-6
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Dinner table game...
At dinner last night we tried to play a game with the kids.
I am not sure the proper name of this game, but I know that all of us have played it before.
This is how it went...
I whispered "Gilbert is a silly black kitty" in Ethan's ear, then Ethan was suppose to whisper "Gilbert is a silly black kitty" in Brenna's ear and then Brenna do the same to Alex. The point of the game is to see if the message gets to the last person without any changes.
At first I didn't think that it would be much fun because we only have four people and one of them being four himself, well...
The first two rounds were good. Messages were delivered correctly. Then Alex started the third round and tried to get "the hippopotamus likes to where purple in the dark" through two sets of little ears. He had to tell Brenna twice, which I'm not sure is aloud in the "official" rule book. He then tried to get around something about a bat hanging upside down eating jello pudding? I cannot remember this morning what I heard about the hippo, or the bat, but what I do remember is lots and lots and lots of laughter!
I love moments when we make time for each other. I love moments when the TV is OFF. Cell phones are OFF. Computers are OFF. The only sounds I hear are the sounds of family.
I am not sure the proper name of this game, but I know that all of us have played it before.
This is how it went...
I whispered "Gilbert is a silly black kitty" in Ethan's ear, then Ethan was suppose to whisper "Gilbert is a silly black kitty" in Brenna's ear and then Brenna do the same to Alex. The point of the game is to see if the message gets to the last person without any changes.
At first I didn't think that it would be much fun because we only have four people and one of them being four himself, well...
The first two rounds were good. Messages were delivered correctly. Then Alex started the third round and tried to get "the hippopotamus likes to where purple in the dark" through two sets of little ears. He had to tell Brenna twice, which I'm not sure is aloud in the "official" rule book. He then tried to get around something about a bat hanging upside down eating jello pudding? I cannot remember this morning what I heard about the hippo, or the bat, but what I do remember is lots and lots and lots of laughter!
I love moments when we make time for each other. I love moments when the TV is OFF. Cell phones are OFF. Computers are OFF. The only sounds I hear are the sounds of family.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Non-food recipe!
This is another GREAT idea for an in-expensive handmade gift!
Candy Cane Bath Salts
Candy Cane Bath Salts
1 cup of Epsom Salt (or you can use 3/4 cup of Epsom Salt and mix it with 1/4 cup of sea salt)
4 drops of peppermint essential oil
2 drops of red food coloring
optional: 2 drops of glycerin
You will also need: bowls, spoons, a funnel and glass jars
This recipe makes 1 cup of bath salts, so you may have to double, or triple it to fill the jar (s) you want to use.
Divide the Epsom Salt into two bowls. Add two drops of peppermint and two drops of glycerin (if using) into each bowl. Add two drops of red food coloring into one bowl, stirring to evenly distribute the color.
Begin alternating layers of red and white bath salts in a clear glass jar, using a funnel. Use the back of a spoon to tamp down salts and add more layers if need be. Tamping the salts also keeps the salt from shifting before it's used. Fill jar to the very top (to also ensure no shifting of the salt) and then place on the lid.
Get creative with the decorating of your jar! You could paint a design on the jar or cover the top with a pretty cloth tied with a ribbon. Attach a candy cane! Perhaps give a decorative bar of soap and a washcloth with the jar!
Don't forget to add a tag with directions: 1/3 cup of salts into a warm bath!
4 drops of peppermint essential oil
2 drops of red food coloring
optional: 2 drops of glycerin
You will also need: bowls, spoons, a funnel and glass jars
This recipe makes 1 cup of bath salts, so you may have to double, or triple it to fill the jar (s) you want to use.
Divide the Epsom Salt into two bowls. Add two drops of peppermint and two drops of glycerin (if using) into each bowl. Add two drops of red food coloring into one bowl, stirring to evenly distribute the color.
Begin alternating layers of red and white bath salts in a clear glass jar, using a funnel. Use the back of a spoon to tamp down salts and add more layers if need be. Tamping the salts also keeps the salt from shifting before it's used. Fill jar to the very top (to also ensure no shifting of the salt) and then place on the lid.
Get creative with the decorating of your jar! You could paint a design on the jar or cover the top with a pretty cloth tied with a ribbon. Attach a candy cane! Perhaps give a decorative bar of soap and a washcloth with the jar!
Don't forget to add a tag with directions: 1/3 cup of salts into a warm bath!
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Reflections
Isn't it amazing to see reflections of ourselves in our children? Well, sometimes.
This week's question...
What part of your personality do you see in your child(ren)?
This week's question...
What part of your personality do you see in your child(ren)?
Monday, November 8, 2010
Unconditional
Love never fails
1 Corinthians 13:8
 |
| When I Am Kind |
|
| When My Heart Is Ugly |
God will never love you more than He does right now, nor will He ever love you less.
For by grace you have been saved through faith;
and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;
not as a result of works, that no one should boast.
Ephesians 2:8-9
|
| When I Speak Kindly |
|
| When I Yell at Little Ones |
There is nothing you can do to get God to love you more than He already does, nor is there anything you can do that will cause Him to love you less.
Look the level in the jars doesn't change! It is like His love.
I don't need to take advantage of it by staying on the right, but when I creep over there He still loves me!
Sometimes I need to be reminded.
Friday, November 5, 2010
Veterans, we thank you!
A forest of clouds pass over the cresent moon struggling to light my darkness. The radio fails to distract my thoughts as I wander through a quaint neighborhood alone.
The sweat finds its way onto my brow from beneath my USMC headband. I ponder another life far from what I know and realize finally that the age of 29 years 11 months and 15 days is precisely when time and change demand that I open my hands and release my longsuffering ambition to be a bona fide United States marine.
One year later, teetering on the precipice of age 31, I've less than a week until I fulfill my dream for one day by running the Marine Corps marathon on October 31, 2010.
Still I contemplate whether I could actually achieve so high a goal – to serve my country and live for the welfare of others. My body still allows me to run outlandish distances but feels noticably more tired and beaten than she did in earlier times and places. Nevertheless, physcially I’m confident, willing and certainly able for the task if it were set before me. And the sacrifice – the sacrifice of my freedom for others is one I desire – even long to make – but that sacrifice touches not the one I’m unwilling to make for the corps. No, no, there is a bigger price at stake in exchange for the prize here – one I’m unwilling to pay.
My writing is interrupted by three tiny voices needing help down the stairs. “How ironic,” I think to myself. They need help using the potty and they are hungry. They want me to watch a cartoon about farm animals with them so I sit and type in between the E-I-E-I-O’s. I am their whole life.
Several years ago I presented myself to a marine recruiter. As he began asking all the preliminary questions he said, "Why do you want to be a marine?" I thought for a minute and replied with wide eyes and a less than jaded 25 year old passion, "Because it's best the job I could have. It's the highest calling I can think of aside from following Christ. It means something to be a marine and I want my life to matter."
The recruiter looked down and paused from his hurried questioning. I remember seeing tears in his otherwise dark and distant eyes when he looked up and seemed to be abruptly finished with his inquiries.
You see, when you’ve decided to pour out your life for someone else, it’s a commitment you simply cannot renege on. I guess the Lord chooses who our lives will be given to – not us. My sacrifice – my freedom to choose what I will – what I desire – has been removed from all ambitions out of love for my Savior, my husband, my children and my mother. His sacrifice, along with every other service man and woman in this country is given for the greater good of each and every one of us. Their ambitions and what they desire have been removed by their love and sacrifice for all of their brothers and sisters in America. What a gift! What amazing people must our soldiers and sailors be! They have sacrificed what I am not willing to sacrifice and much more than that. The tie that binds us together is the same, though. The weight of our sacrifice lifts off the second we realize how blessed we are to have something or someone we love enough to sacrifice for.
Thank you soldiers and sailors for considering me and sacrificing for me. Thank you for my protection, my freedom, and my country. You are they who make this country worth sacrificing for. You do not sacrifice in vain. We who watch your courage desire to live as you do with all heart, no fear and constant sacrifice. You lead by example everyday of your lives.
So, am I the best example of sacrificial giving? Certainly not. Am I true to the core and “ever faithful"? Most definetely! I am striving to become more like those who've considered others to be of more importance than themselves. When my freedom is sacrificed for others, even in small ways, I have succeeded. Semper Fi.
"This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. 14 You are My friends if you do whatever I command you." ~John 15:12-14
~Written by Lori Rodeheaver. Lori is the mother of three preschoolers and attends our Cherry Tree MOPS group!
The sweat finds its way onto my brow from beneath my USMC headband. I ponder another life far from what I know and realize finally that the age of 29 years 11 months and 15 days is precisely when time and change demand that I open my hands and release my longsuffering ambition to be a bona fide United States marine.
One year later, teetering on the precipice of age 31, I've less than a week until I fulfill my dream for one day by running the Marine Corps marathon on October 31, 2010.
Still I contemplate whether I could actually achieve so high a goal – to serve my country and live for the welfare of others. My body still allows me to run outlandish distances but feels noticably more tired and beaten than she did in earlier times and places. Nevertheless, physcially I’m confident, willing and certainly able for the task if it were set before me. And the sacrifice – the sacrifice of my freedom for others is one I desire – even long to make – but that sacrifice touches not the one I’m unwilling to make for the corps. No, no, there is a bigger price at stake in exchange for the prize here – one I’m unwilling to pay.
My writing is interrupted by three tiny voices needing help down the stairs. “How ironic,” I think to myself. They need help using the potty and they are hungry. They want me to watch a cartoon about farm animals with them so I sit and type in between the E-I-E-I-O’s. I am their whole life.
Several years ago I presented myself to a marine recruiter. As he began asking all the preliminary questions he said, "Why do you want to be a marine?" I thought for a minute and replied with wide eyes and a less than jaded 25 year old passion, "Because it's best the job I could have. It's the highest calling I can think of aside from following Christ. It means something to be a marine and I want my life to matter."
The recruiter looked down and paused from his hurried questioning. I remember seeing tears in his otherwise dark and distant eyes when he looked up and seemed to be abruptly finished with his inquiries.
You see, when you’ve decided to pour out your life for someone else, it’s a commitment you simply cannot renege on. I guess the Lord chooses who our lives will be given to – not us. My sacrifice – my freedom to choose what I will – what I desire – has been removed from all ambitions out of love for my Savior, my husband, my children and my mother. His sacrifice, along with every other service man and woman in this country is given for the greater good of each and every one of us. Their ambitions and what they desire have been removed by their love and sacrifice for all of their brothers and sisters in America. What a gift! What amazing people must our soldiers and sailors be! They have sacrificed what I am not willing to sacrifice and much more than that. The tie that binds us together is the same, though. The weight of our sacrifice lifts off the second we realize how blessed we are to have something or someone we love enough to sacrifice for.
Thank you soldiers and sailors for considering me and sacrificing for me. Thank you for my protection, my freedom, and my country. You are they who make this country worth sacrificing for. You do not sacrifice in vain. We who watch your courage desire to live as you do with all heart, no fear and constant sacrifice. You lead by example everyday of your lives.
So, am I the best example of sacrificial giving? Certainly not. Am I true to the core and “ever faithful"? Most definetely! I am striving to become more like those who've considered others to be of more importance than themselves. When my freedom is sacrificed for others, even in small ways, I have succeeded. Semper Fi.
"This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. 14 You are My friends if you do whatever I command you." ~John 15:12-14
~Written by Lori Rodeheaver. Lori is the mother of three preschoolers and attends our Cherry Tree MOPS group!
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Collections
I love to be outside, just being. Abigail likes to be outside to play or to ride a bike or to do something that requires being outside. It is just a difference in our personalities. I want to nurture her desire to be out-of-doors to be out-of-doors, to see the Creator in His creation, one of the ways He reveals Himself to us. But how?
So I started reading, Charlotte Mason (who I wish I was) advocates hours outside, just being outside. (She also advocates lots of unstructured time without Mother participating in the activities of her children but being mindful of them.) Now I can't quite manage that, though I am trying to work toward it, but even then on the days we spend outside Abigail will tromp by a flower, walk over the ants and completely miss the changing leaves and sky without some kind of guidance. For some exposure isn't enough to draw them in.
So then I started reading about nature tables and other ways to mark time with nature, and hit upon something I could use. Now we go for a walk or to work in the garden and I give the girl a purpose: find something. It requires her to see the world around her, to think about and interact with this thing we call Creation and to think about the One whose work it is.
Our nature table is the top of a dresser filled with art supplies. Somehow it just feels right that we place the work of the Master Artist atop the tools of our works of creation. We fill baby food jars with seeds and leaves and dirt. We put leaves and plants and figurines in pie plates cracked from the dishwasher (who would have thought they weren't dishwasher safe). We stack gourds in pottery class creations and walnuts shedding hulls in fine china found many years ago at an auction.
Perhaps in Simon I will find one who easily sees the Creator and is satisfied to watch His work without needing a purpose of his own to fulfill in order to venture outside, but for Abigail right now this works. This marking time in collecting His work.
Do you have a way of getting your children to engage outside? Do you have a way of keeping their collections?
So I started reading, Charlotte Mason (who I wish I was) advocates hours outside, just being outside. (She also advocates lots of unstructured time without Mother participating in the activities of her children but being mindful of them.) Now I can't quite manage that, though I am trying to work toward it, but even then on the days we spend outside Abigail will tromp by a flower, walk over the ants and completely miss the changing leaves and sky without some kind of guidance. For some exposure isn't enough to draw them in.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Recipe Gift Idea
This month we are going to help you try and get more organized at home, therefore helping you be more prepared for the busy Holiday season that is right in front of us!
We are going to feature this month on the blog, recipes that can be used as Christmas gifts!
Why not save some money and give a gift that is truly from your hearts and made with your own hands!
OLD TIME HARD CANDIES
2 cups white Karo Syrup
Add a food coloring to match the chosen flavor (yellow for lemon, red/orange for orange, red for cinnamon, green for mint).
Carefully pour mixture into a well buttered or oiled pan. Allow to cool long enough so that the candy may be scored into small pieces by running a buttered knife through without the mixture running together.
Caution: Sugar mixtures are VERY hot and will cause severe burns. Have a bowl of ice water close by, just in case.
We are going to feature this month on the blog, recipes that can be used as Christmas gifts!
Why not save some money and give a gift that is truly from your hearts and made with your own hands!
OLD TIME HARD CANDIES
2 cups white Karo Syrup
2 cups sugar
1 tsp. flavoring oil
6 drops food coloring (to match chosen flavor)
In a heavy saucepan with deep sides, combine Karo syrup and sugar. Boil to hard crack stage (300-310°F on a candy thermometer).
Remove pan from heat and add flavoring oil (orange oil, lemon oil, cinnamon oil, peppermint or spearmint oil, etc).
Add a food coloring to match the chosen flavor (yellow for lemon, red/orange for orange, red for cinnamon, green for mint).
Carefully pour mixture into a well buttered or oiled pan. Allow to cool long enough so that the candy may be scored into small pieces by running a buttered knife through without the mixture running together.
When candy has cooled completely, break the scored sections into pieces. Store in a cool dry place in an airtight container.
Caution: Sugar mixtures are VERY hot and will cause severe burns. Have a bowl of ice water close by, just in case.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Question Tuesday!
I'm starting to really dislike the words "Bucket List"... it seems like ever since the movie came out, you hear it everywhere! People are using that in place of the age old question "What are some things you'd like to accomplish before you die?" because it's faster to say, of course, but it's just so trendy...and so, I won't use the term BL here (although I kind of just did...) and just ask "What are some things you'd like to accomplish before you die?"
Monday, November 1, 2010
In a conversation with some family members recently I said, “we are not necessarily done having children.”
My father-in-law was shocked. “You’re not?” After a significant pause he added, “you know the more children you have, the more chances there are that something will happen to one of them.”
Did you ever have one of those moments where you feel like someone just hit the “slow motion” button? Then you want to grab the remote from them and hit “rewind” so that you can replay what you just heart to be sure that you heard it? Yep, I had me one of those moments.
I had no idea what to say to him. All I could get out at that moment was, “God is in control of my life.”
I feel much sadness for my husband’s father. He is completely consumed by fear.
His statement isn’t exactly false. Yes, something could happen to one of my children. Have I thought about that? Sure. As easy as it could be for me to let that particular worry consume me, I don’t let it. How? I give it to Him. My trust is in Him.
Having Him certainly does not give you a “get out of a stressful life free” card. There is still worry. There is still sadness. There is still loss. There is still hurt. There is still pain. There is still sin. There is still sorrow. There is still fear. But there is forgiveness, there is peace. A peace, that truly surpasses all understanding, especially the understanding of those who do not know Him.
"And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." ~Philippians 4:7
I often remind myself that my children, technically, do not even belong to me. They are just under my care. They belong to Him, they are His. He just chose me to be their mother. I am so glad that He did.
I do not know what the future holds for me or my family. I only know that He is in control. I have to trust fully and completely in Him. Not always an easy task. So many times I fight with Him for that control and do you know what I usually get if He allows me to win a fight? Fear.
Time goes by so fast. Do we really want to spend every moment fearing what the next will bring? What a waste!
God calls us to give Him all of our fears and worry. I certainly don’t want them. Why does He? Because he loves us.
I found a couple of fun quotes about fear:
"FEAR is an acronym in the English language for "False Evidence Appearing Real”
“98% of the things we worry about, probably will never happen.”
“98% of the things we worry about, probably will never happen.”
I also wanted to share some truth about fear:
“Fear not tomorrow, God is already there.”
“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” ~Psalm 23:4
“For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.” ~Isaiah 41:13
“The Lord is my light and my salvation--whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life--of whom shall I be afraid?” ~Psalm 27:1
"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” ~John 14:27
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