Little Girl Sing Song

"I am a girl...
I have shoes and a little bag.
I am a girl.
I am a princess.
I have a tape, no one can touch it.
I have a pretty bag.
I have a purse.
I am a pretty girl."

She has been going around the house all morning making up her own little song. So sweet.

Go Nuts!

Lugnuts!
As our worship leader from Ireland put it "Only in America would you find a purple dinosaur. God bless America!" That purple dinosaur would be our local minor league baseball teams mascot; Big Lug.

Today we went to the game. We arrived with black skies above. We found our seats and it began to rain. We went under cover and it began to downpour. It rained and poured for a long time. Then it slowed down. While we waited we got cool balloons from the clowns. DD got a butterfly and DS got a helmet, a belt and two swords. He thought that was GREAT! So the boys had some sword fights to waste the time away. The start time came and went. Game delayed. An animal show kept our attention for the remaining wait. A turantula, sloth, hedgehog, alligator and some jack rabbit like thing. The man told all about the animals as he displayed them. Cool. Not cool, the fact that he kept mentioning how they could kill you. As he stood 3 feet away. Yikes.

Then it was game time. The rain stopped, the clouds cleared! We had a blast. We sang, danced, cheered and made utter fools of ourselves. Ha! It was a great game. It was tied 1-1 at the start of the ninth inning. Then the opponents scored 2 making it 3-1 at the bottom of the ninth. With two outs the Lugnuts went on to score three consecutive runs, WINNING THE GAME! WooHoo!

Since today was kids day DS got to run the bases at the close of the game. Good times.

As we went to leave the ballpark the kids spied the fountain. Since it was a warm day and we had nothing else planned I let them play in it. It is a ground fountain made for the purpose of playing in it. They were hilarious. They both stood right on top of the main fountain and got completely soaked! It was very funny.
Thanks for letting me share my day with you!
Go Nuts! Lugnuts!

VBS

VBS is over. It was a fun serving with the three year olds. They are a sweet bunch of kids. I must say the aim improved! Here is a group picture of the kids I worked with all week.

We had some great youth helpers.

Everyday we did a craft project. Below are all the projects we did this week. A snow picture, a polar bear, a kayak paddle, a fish on a pole and a ice berg treasure box.


WooHoo....it will be nice to get back into our normal routine. DD was getting a little tired of sharing her mommy. Today she wanted to go to the bathroom all the time, finally I realized it was the only time she had me all to herself. Oh well. Good times.

The Song of Moses

I have always loved singing. In my house we love to sing. We often use songs to help the kids learn something. Like the days of the week or their names. Today I found in the bible where God told Moses to sing them a song and that they were to remember it. The Lord taught by song. How cool! Deuteronomy 32 is entitled The Song of Moses. Go Read it!
Oh, praise the greatness of our God!
He is the Rock, his works are perfect
Remember the days of old
The LORD alone led him
He(Jershrun) abandoned the God who made him and rejected the Rock his Savior.
The LORD saw this and rejected them
for they are a perverse generation, children who are unfaithful.
I(the Lord) will heap calamities upon them
They are a nation without sense, there is no discernment in them.
The LORD will judge his people and have compassion on his servants
He will say: " Now where are their gods, the rock they took refuge in?
Let them(false gods) rise up to help you!
See now that I myself am He!
There is no god besides me.
Above I gave you some highlights. Believe me there is more.

If you read the whole thing you will find it is not a fluff song. It has some harsh words in it.
Rejected, calamities, pestilence, plague, famine, poison, sword, vegence, devours, slain and atonement! Those are some that stuck out to me. Harsh! Why is it today we fluff God? We talk about the nice stuff. Love, grace, peace, hope.... He is all these things, that is for sure! Why is it we never really talk about the fear of the Lord? Why is it that we fear things that we should not...cancer, death, airplanes, nations, poverty? And do not fear the one thing that God TOLD us to fear...himself? The fear of the Lord! Why is it absent today?

I think if I were to sum up what God is teaching me this month it would be this. Fear nothing but me.

America please, turn from your wickedness and return to the Lord. Fear him alone.

Conversation at the Y

With an unknown 6 year old girl
Her: Can I see your ring?
Me: Yes
Her: Who gave it to you?
Me: My husband
Her: Is he cute?
Me: Yes
Her: Do you know Dezzi?
Me: No
Her: He is a cool skater dude and he is sooooo cute.
Then she swam away.

I think I was 8 before I really thought a boy was soooo cute....and I don't think I was into rings until this year. lol

Prayer Request...Dog

I have a friend that is sensitive to the spirits leading. This morning she called and asked what I needed prayer for, she felt like the Lord had laid it on her heart to call and ask. I rattled off three things immediately, because I was indeed needing some prayer.

One of the issues is my dog. I am done with it. So done. It has destroyed more than I could even list here on this blog. She chews, digs and is more aggressive with the kids than I am comfortable. So is stubborn and does not follow even the simplest of commands. The kids say they love her but spend more of the day getting away from her than anything else. I am set to get rid of her. Soon. Hubby is agreeance. Little girl agrees. Dear son, goes back and forth. One minute he wants her to stay the next he wants her to go. It is hard to make it final. So today I have decided he has to spend the entire day with her. If she goes out, he goes out. If he is in, she comes in. He is not to put her in the crate or abandon her in any way. I think by the end of the day we should have a decision made. Please pray for us to make the right decision.

If we keep her she needs to go through some EXTENSIVE training. I mean EXTENSIVE training. I am afraid that her habitis in this house are so bad she will be unresponsive in this enviroment. I do believe she could be traine, by someone with the heart for dogs and the ability to spend long periods of time in training. We shall see...

Update:
We are going to give it a week. During this week we are going to give it 100% to this dog. She will be under the CONSTANT supervision of either my son or myself. We will attempt to get her to respond to commands. We will watch over her with eagle eyes allowing NO chewing, NO digging and NO untolerable behaviors PERIOD. If we are sleeping she will be crated, if we are awake and home she will be with us. If we see noticable results at the end of the week, we will keep her.

Today I actually got her to drop the ball. Remarkable! So maybe there is hope.

Gas Rant

When I first started driving gas was 97 cents a gallon. 97 cents! I remember clearly I could fill my tank for $12. When it went to over a dollar it was irritating. When it went to $2 it was enraging. Then last year it went for a weekend to over $3 and we thought surely not. Over the last year we have seen it fluxuate from $2 to $3.60 in our area. When does it end? Right now I find myself grateful when it is under $3. A year ago if it had been $2.97 I would have been mad. Today I am grateful? With this gradual incline how long until it is $4 or perhaps even $5? What is happening to Americans disposable incomes?....Going to the gas tank?

Makes me want to go ride my bike.

Todays Highs and Lows

High
I went to Kohl's clothes shopping. I got 9 shirts for me, a shirt for my husband and 5 shirts for DS and a pair of shorts. I added up all the tags for their original price and it totaled $238...yikes. But fear not everything was on clearence...so I really paid $75...woohoo.

Low
I got pee'd on by a three year old boy!

The Joys of Three Year Olds

For awhile little girl was going through some seperation anxiety at church. I would drop her off and she would cry unconsalably until they called for me to come back. There was something about THAT particualr room that caused fear within her. A few Sundays ago I was called out, they had taken her to another room, once in that room she stopped crying. The lady said, she was a completely different child the moment they stepped into that room. The Lord showed me it was a spiritual issue and that I was to pray with her. So with the other one there with me in agreement I took DD's hands and began to pray over her. She returned with me to service. During the close of the service the Lord showed me specific steps to do to help DD in overcoming the fear and having victory over it. I stepped back from my position working with older kids and began immediately working in the three year old room. The Lord showed me to not return her to the other room. So for the past three Sundays she comes with me to the adult service then for the second hour I go to her classroom and work with the three year olds.

For VBS this week I am also with the three year olds. They are such a joy! I am loving being with this age group. They are so curious. They have a free spirit, to sing and dance. They speak the truth. Rice can be soup and play dough a puppet. They are no longer babies but not quite big kids either. They are in the middle of great discoveries. Discovering God, themselves, how the world around them works. Animal crackers and water are the greatest. Each with a distinct personality. It is funny how the boys love to roar, play with cars and show off how strong they are. The girls love the kitchen, playing with babies and house. Both the boys and girls love exploring.

I love kids! I am thankful for this time getting to know DD's friends and see another glimpse of her world. Now if only we could get all the little boys to aim. That would be awesome!

Here is the picture of my blunder...see below for details. The white paint is from the Jimmy. It buffed out...praise the Lord! All forgiven...

VBS today. Need to go pray and spend time in the Word. Will return later.

Did you see the verse on the sidebar. How fitting for my life this month. I went to read the whole chapter. Check it out Psalm 112

Free Sale, Fish, Flip Flops and Forgiveness

Free Sale
This morning we set up again. The best moments were the first and last "customers" of the day. The first one there was a gentleman. He went carefully from table to table. Looking over everything. He kept saying, "Isn't this something." Smiling. Then he stopped at the craft table. A guy at a craft table. I was standing nearby and we started chatting. Very nice guy. He asked a little more about why we were doing it. Then he said I believe the Lord brought me here. He had found the day before a statue of Mary. Her hand was broke off and he had told the Lord he wanted to fix it. He said this was yesterday. Then today he is at our free sale and there on the table is a bottle of plaster of paris. He had specifically thought he would like to use plaster of paris to fix it but he had none. How cool is that. He said this was a divine appointment. We talked more about how God can use anything, anywhere. How He can orchestrate the tiniest details.
The day was a slow trickle of people. There had been no ad in the paper for today as it was a last minute addition yesterday. So people came in one by one. People still blessed. Oh I think I forgot to mention, there were two loads of stuff dropped off for todays addition. So there was new stuff, lots of cool stuff. Two people came back from yesterday, and blessed again.
At noon we begin to put away the items. The last lady came in the midst of putting stuff up. We welcomed her and told her we would take things down around her but feel free to take whatever she liked. She went straight for the books. She mused over the fact that everything was free. That it had been free all weekend. We went about taking down. She stayed right there at the books. She said, these are GOOD books. I laughed. After everything else was put away, I came next to her. We started talking. She wanted to know the WHOLE story. The why behind the blessing. So I told her. All of it. She smiled as I talked about God calling me to obedience. The room to room purging of my home. The blessings of God. Then she told me, it is amazing I am even here. I believe God brought me here. She was from a city two hours away. She had been out driving. And she ended up at OUR SALE! She had just taken her bar exam for becoming a counselor. She was beginning her own practice this fall. Her hope was to have a personal library she could loan out to her clients. And she found so many treasures in that book pile. She was so happy. Grateful. And aware of how God can work out the smallest detail. She too used the word divine appointment. How cool is that? Very!
Needless to say, we will be doing this again. So people, go through your homes. Set things aside. You too can be apart of the blessing. Details will come soon.

Fish
The hubbies went fishing today. They brought back a bounty. DH and his friend skinned all of them but two. Those he brought to Sherry and I, to do ourselves. We got to do hands on fish skinning 101. One skill off the survival skills list below now accomplished. WooHoo. Bring it on baby!

Flip Flops
Today I found out first hand why one should NOT drive with flip flops. While driving home I was following my hubby. He was on the motorcycle and I was behind. DS pointed to something out the window and I turned to look. As I did so my foot slipped off the brake and my vehicle began to move forward. This normally would not be a big deal except for the fact that my hubby was in front of me. Remember on the motorcycle. My flip flop got stuck on the brake. I could not stop. Not immediately anyway. Not before rear ending into my hubby on his bike. OH NO!! He jolted forward. Recovered without a problem, shook his head and drove off. He didn't pull over. He continued on his way home. So for the next several minutes I prayed. I felt horrible. And I prayed some more. The first thing off my lips when we returned home was "Please forgive me!"

Forgiveness
I have to say my husband handled this amazingly well. Normally he would get irate. Have a burst of anger. No not today. He was calm. He looked at the damage without a word. Inside he simply said, "Don't think that wasn't a big deal." I explained. He listened. Then he said "Your punishment is to post what happened on the blog." For all to see. Including pictures. So there it is folks. I screwed up. And my hubby forgave me. Now here's the pictures:
(I tried five times. Blogger pictures is not cooperating...will try again later.)

So free sale, fish, flip flops and forgiveness, now you know THE REST OF THE STORY!

So Blessed!!!

So blessed I can't contain it...So blessed I got to give it away... Those words are the chorus of a praise song that comes to me every now and then. And it is so true today!
The free sale was amazing. We started setting up at 8am and it was exactly like my vision. tables lining the long drive. Filled to overflowing. Thousands of dollars worth of stuff. Good stuff. Not those "fruit sales" where everything is old like plastic fruit. It was practical, useful, still in good condition kind of stuff. Our first customers were there at 8:45. It took until 9:30 to have it mostly set up, even then we had so much, we had boxes under the tables awaiting a spot on the tables. We had 18 tables, a circular clothes rack, a blanket of toys, 3 racks for shoes and misc items and many free standing items. Lots of stuff people.
So the stage was set and the fun began. Now I think I mentioned earlier that I was excited. I truly was excited. I could hardly contain myself. As people approached I would greet them, saying something like this:
"Welcome! Everything you see is free, so if there is something you want or need, fell free to take it. There are bags and boxes by the house."
Now we did not publish this as a free sale. There were not even signs at the road that said free. Only when they stepped foot on to the driveway did they get word of it. And the responses were classic. "Really?" "Really!" Laughter. "Oh my goodness." "Why I have never heard of such a thing." "So what's the catch?" "So everything is free but it's $20 for a bag...hahaha" "What are you talking about?" "Why are you doing this?" Some people even jumped back there were so shocked. If I had a camara to capture the expressions, you would have loved it. Complete shock, disbelief, wonder, excitement, sheer joy...we saw them all. And I loved it. Every minute of it.
I know that people were blessed. You could see it on their faces. I am thinking of three old ladies as they meandered through the things that just glowed. They were so tickled, they giggled as they went table to table, talking about how wonderful it was. As they got ready to leave they thanked us and said what a blessing it was. Some of the treasures were for their grand children, so I replied "Now you get to go bless your grand babies." People passing on the blessing. We saw a lot of this.
A neighbor who found treasures for a new baby being adopted form China this week. She told us the story of the adoption and how much it would be appreciated.
One lady was a pastors wife, she asked why we were doing it and we said to be a blessing. She smiled and asked. "You guys are Christians aren't you?" We talked a bit and she went about shopping. As she made her way back around she came near and told me about an international family. The husband and wife are both going to college full time. They have three kids and expecting their fourth. She began to cry as she talked about how these things would bless them. She said "You will be blessed! This family will pray for you and your families will be blessed! Thank you!!" She collected herself and continued at the last few tables. Her emotion still evident. We talked some more and before she got ready to leave she gave me a big hug.
A big teddy bear of a guy came, he was deeply touched. As he got ready to leave he came to me with sincerity and said "Thank you, really I mean it. Thank you!" I vividly remember the expression on his face. I felt such a love for him.
With some we played with their children so the mother could look around. One little boy was so sweet. We talked about choo choo's, and cars. He would throw me a ball and laugh. When it came time to go he didn't want to leave. So sweet. His sister was quietly playing with a wind-up penguin, giggling as it wobbled. She insisted on giving us 15 cents for a note pad and the penguin. Too cute.
Then there was the devine appointment with the hairdresser. A lady came into the drive and was greeted with the normal greeting. Then my sister recognized her. It was her favorite hair dresser. She had not seen her in a long time and had missed her. As they talked it came out that she was still cutting hair and willing to do so from home. Numbers were exchanged. And my sister was oh so happy. She said "That was an appointment from God!"
It seemed like there was something for everyone. Very few walked away empty handed. I believe everyone walked away blessed! Including me!

We still had some left over at the end of the day and people decided to bring new stuff tonight so we will continue on tomorrow. So stay tuned for stories from the free sale part 2.

Prayer Request- Free Sale

I am so excited! Today is the day of the free sale...woohoo. Please pray for many to be blessed and for everything to go smoothly. That those needing prayer would have a boldness to ask for it. For our kids to be protected as they are in others care. For words of wisdom and encouragement. That Christs love would be evident as people come.

ABC Meme

A If you were an ANIMAL, what would you be? Thinking...perhaps a dog. They have things pretty good. Fed, loved, play outside, laze around when it's hot.
B BOOKS: What’s on your reading list? The Bible, You All May Prophecy
C COMPULSIVE about anything? Don't think so. WOAH...had to come back and edit...compulsive? checking my email. Sad but currently true.
D DREAMS - Do you … remember your dreams? keep a dream journal? I remember first thing in the morning. Sometimes I write them down in my journal, not always.
E EATING - what’s your usual snack? yogurt, popcorn and Sunchips.
F A Few of your FAVORITE Things – My family, my biblestudy, pictures of my kiddos.
G GIGGLES! What (or who) makes you laugh? Do you have a good sense of humor? My kids make me laugh. My hubby (most of the time) My sense of humor is somewhat guarded. I do not like coarse joking.
H major HOT Button: Deception
I I am ______________ a child of the most high God, loved by Him, a mother, a wife, a teacher, a friend, kind, faithful.
J ??? Not one...let's make one up...What makes you jump? Parachutes, my dad, loud noises...such as a backfiring lawn tractor at the gas station yesterday. I thought the guy next to me was going to hit the ground with his hands up. lol
K Also KNOWN As… Aliases? Screen names? Momteacherfriend, Sarah, Sassafras, mom
L I LOVE … My Husband, My kids, my friends, most everyone around me. my blogger friends. What God is doing in my life.
M How do you feel about MEETING people? Do it all the time? Rarely? Love meeting new people. Hello I sought out a blogging friend on my last travels. Do it as often as I can.
N What’s the story of your NAME? were you named after anyone? Do you go by a nickname? My dad wanted my name to be Heather my mom wanted to be Sarah. She won but gave me the middle name my dad liked. Sarah means Princess.
O OBSERVANT - What’s around you right now? What do you see? Computer, Home Phone, DD, box of crackers, clutter
P Who are the special PEOPLE in your life? My bible study! Both old and new. If I have studied God's word with you, you are very special to me.
Q Any Little QUIRKs About Yourself: I sleep on the right side of the bed. I prefer going barefoot. I can be competetive...God is tempering that.
R What do you like to do for RECREATION?Camping, hiking, anything nature, biking, swimming.
S Do You SING in the Shower? In the car? For your friends? I sing anytime, anywhere. For anyone. Mostly to my Lord. Daily
T What’s at the Top of your TO DO list?: Finish this post, finish sorting things in my room, get stuff over to the free sale.
U Any UNUSUAL Experiences: As in supernatural??? All the time! Life with the Holy Spirit is an adventure.
V VEGAS,Vienna,Venice,Vladivostok… How far have you traveled? What’s your favorite City? Mexico, Florida, Texas are among farthest travels. I love Ludington State Park.
W WINTER, Spring, Summer, Fall… What’s your favorite season? What makes it special? Spring. New life. love it...promised hope. Things that were dead are alive again.
X EXes - Things You Don’t Do Anymore (but did, once (would you, again?)) Swear, hate, drink, sleep in(haha) I would sleep in but not the others
Y Any secret/deep YEARNINGS? Hmmm...secret...deep...to follow Christ wholelly and completely. To travel to Australlia.
Z ZERO to ZENITH - Where are you in your life? Still growing? On an upward (or downward) curve? Just skating along? Growing upward...pressing toward the prize of Christ Jesus my Lord.

Survival Skills

Last night in small group we got around to a very interesting subject. Survival skills. How would we fair in a wilderness like situation? As Americans we are so ignorant of basic life skills these days. For one, some think they will actually die without a cell phone. Now most of us would not sign up for Survivor willingly, a million dollars or not. Some of us would. All of us could desperately use a little survivor class 101. I am not taking about camping with every luxury. I am talking about how would you do if you were in the woods with let' say a flint, a knife, a rope, a shovel and a gallon of water? Would you have the slightest clue how to make it out alive? Lets take a little skills inventory, shall we.
Do you have knowledge of the following? Have you ever done it?
Make a fire from flint
Water purification by boiling
Make a shelter
Plant indentification- edible
Skin wild game
Prepare wild game
Fishing- alternative methods
Elimination pits
Care for clothing
Trash elemination
Animal education
Knot tying
How did you do?
I have basic knowledge of most of it. Ever done it, not really. I do have a book that tells you everything you would need to know. Is a book true experience? No.
As we talked it was interesting the different skills and knowledge in the room, how it came together and complemented each other. One knew edible plants, another shelter making, another animal skinning and prep, ect... sounds like the body of Christ coming together to me.

So I think I am going to conscientiously work at the above skills. Perhaps even give this survival thing a try. Anyone want to join me?

Homeschool Questions

I received an email from a friend, this post is my response.

I have a question. My son is only 10 months old, but I know I need to teach him things. Now I do not know if I am going to homeschool or not...something I am considering. However, I know that regardless I will (and am) be teaching him things even now, letters, numbers etc.

Her questions in bold print.

1)What age do I expect what things of my child prior to school age?
Each and every child is different. You know your child better than anyone else in this world. As a general guide I would say 2 and under read, read and read. In natural conversation use adjectives to discribe things. "Can you bring me the red ball?" "Your food is hot." We are going upstairs." Natural conversation is huge at this age. They learn colors, opposites, textures, shapes and basic language just from talking. Reading adds comprehesion. What mommy is saying matches what is happening in this picture. Those black things on the page must mean somthing too. Also lots of singing songs. Songs are amazing. I have made each of my kids names into a song and they learned how to spell it early on. As well as the ABC song, they have learned names of letters.
3-5 are capable of workbooks. Simple ones that emphasis the basics. colors, shapes, letter recognition, numbers, writing skills. Not to be pushed but kids usually love to do them.
2)When do I expect him to count, and say alphabet and stuff?
If you count with him, he will count before age 3. DD counts to 13 and sings ABC's. She is 2 1/2. Thanks to Little Einsteins she can count down from 5 to 1. Some boys are a little later, do not compare your child with those around you. Every child is on his or her own time table. You can encourage your child in areas of weakness but that does not mean they will grasp it before little Susie down the street.
3) Any suggestions on crafts or ideas for such young children?
Make hands on things available. Playdough, crayons, puzzles, rice to pour, these are easy things to add to a day. Paint on occasion. Freedom is necessary for this age. Do not expect them to do things the exact way you think it should be done. Everything is exploration and important, whether the end result looks like anything or not.
4) What homeschool materials do you use?
Personal library, public library, art supplies, puzzles, workbook.
Last year I used Saxon Math with DS. It was as much for me as it was him. It helped me to get organized. It was very hands on with manipulatives. (counting bears, pattern blocks, geo board...) This year I was given a complete curriculum by a friend. I will be sitting down next week and making our fall plan. One thing I know I will be using for sure is 100 Easy Lessons to Read. We started it last year a little too soon. He is so ready to do it now. He asks when we are going to start.
5) What made you choose it?
It is something the Lord showed me in my prayer time our first year of marriage. I knew 3 homeschooling families at the time. At this time we had no children, yet as we discussed it, it became certain that this is what we would do. My husband grew up next to a homeschooling family. I praise God for this. He saw homeschooling in action. It dispeled every myth one could think of. These kids are very social, smart, active in the community..... The oldest graduated this years and his accomplishments are astounding. He flourished at home. He had a PERFECT score on his writing for his ACT. Early on I did my research. I went to homeschool conferences, checked out support systems. So my reason is simply, God directed, we are obeying. Must say there are many added benefits along the way.
6) What does it consist of (for instance lots of reading, or minimal reading etc)
I have had different seasons. There are times we have read constantly. There have been days we have not even opened a book. Kids love stories. They love time with you. Reading is a win-win. Under 3 child directed table time. When they are done, they are done. 3-5 simple tasks can be performed. A workbook page can be discussed, colored and completed. Most of the teaching is truly being a part of the family and in the home. They are learning all the time.

I will close saying this, you are your child's first teacher. Whether you homeschool or not, be an active part of your children's lives. Read to them, play with them, talk to them. They are ever learing, when they play with blocks it more than entertainment. When they put pieces into a puzzle it is learning. Splashing water in the pool, a visit to the zoo, a walk in the park...allowing different experiences enriches their lives.

Addition: http://babyparenting.about.com/cs/activities/a/playdough.htm This site has many recipes for play dough. The kool-aid one is my favorite as it adds color and scent. There are also additional links on the page for activities to do with young children.

Steps

I was praying this morning, "Lord show me what steps to take right now." There is so much brewing in my head. Things that I know will come. Things I know I need to do. But I DO NOT want to get ahead of Him. Hence the prayer. What is He calling me to do RIGHT NOW? What steps am I to be taking this very day? The answer... I feel like I am suppose to continue with fervor in the 90 days through the bible. There is an urgency to it. Step 1 complete each days reading. So how am I doing in that? I have read Genesis 1 through Numbers 8 in 10 days. I had two days where I did half readings. God continues to amaze me with what He is showing me. Step 2 is to continue purging my home. He does expect me to get through my whole home before the free sale. This means I have to keep at it. I have the bathroom, bedroom and shed to complete as well as fine tuning some of the others. Step 3 pray continuosly. Be in prayer. Take a few minutes here and there to connect and pray. An hour at a time is not realistic right now. So I am doing a few minutes here and there. Training the kids, that mom is going to pray for a few minutes. Spend a few minutes and then return. This time will grow. Some of my time will be in my room with the door shut. Other moments are as I put away the dishes or am going through things. The key...is for me to pray. Obedience in all things, one step at a time. That's where I am at.

Opening the Time Vault

Peeking into the Abyss it looked dreadfully scary. The walls are lined with storage shelving, filled and overflowing. When things no longer fit on the shelves they began to line the floor. As more time passed things were randomly and haphazardly thrown in to be out of the way elsewere. So clutter galore. Broken glass. Broken plastic. Stuffy smelling. Scary. Yet it needed to be done so I started one box at a time. This has been my day. Going through boxes, boxes and more boxes. Much has been thrown away. I have reminised. Times past. Some memories nearly forgotten. Pictures that made me laugh. A few letters that made me cry. Cards of romance that wooed me in my courtship with my man. Old prayer lists. Journals. Junk, junk and more junk. Some things I thought were lost forever. Smiles. Laughs. Sighs of exhaustion. Sighs realizing more to be done. Things to be sorted and given away. It must be done. Thankful for unexpected treaure found today.

A Call to Pray

Have you noticed that things are moving in the world? Wars and rumors of war. Nuclear threats. Shifts in the eco system. Hurricanes and Tsunamis. Gas prices. So much is happening each and every day in this world. What does it mean? What does the bible say? What does God say is happening? What are we to do about it?

I believe God has called all His people to seek his face in prayer. He longs to have deep relationships with each of His people. He longs for us to spend time with Him. I believe He will reveal to us, as we ask in prayer. So brothers and sisters will you please pray. Perhaps even fast about the future of America. Pray that God reveal to you His plan in regards to America and her future. Ask for dreams and visions. Ask to hear His voice. Ask him to confirm to you that which you are suppose to do. It is one thing to listen to all that man has to say, but don't take it all for face value. Go and hear it from Him. He will speak. Listen. Develop that daily prayer time. For that is what will save you in the days ahead.

Psalm 91
1He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
2I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.
3Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.
4He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
5Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;
6Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.
7A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.
8Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.
9Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;
10There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.
11For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.
12They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.
13Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.
14Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.
15He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.
16With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.

Reread verse 1, 9, 14 and 15. It is time spent in the secret place that you learn to know His name. It is there that relationship is established so that he will deliver you in trouble.
Those wishing to discuss further, email me at momteacherfriend@gmail.com

Please pray!

Purging

I mentioned a week ago that I would be doing another free sale with a friend of mine. Little did I know what God really has planned, but pieces are falling into place. He has called me to purge. And I mean purge things from our home. If we have not used it in a year...bye bye. If it does not have a specific purpose for the near future...bye bye. If it is excess...bye bye. If it is causing me to compromise to the ways of this world...BYE BYE. Gone. And suprisingly I am very ok with this. I have already taken over 2 loads, and I mean loads of things. As in filled to the brim with only room to breathe. Tubs, boxes, bags, toys... I originally thought the free sale would be tomorrow but after some further discussion it will now be next friday. It seems we need to go room by room of our houses and this will take the extra week. At the beginning of the week I went through the kids rooms. Yesterday was the kitchen. Still to come the living room, bathroom, my bedroom, the basement, the abyss (my pet name for our scary storage room) the laundry room and the shed. I am not the only one that is feeling the need to do this. This is going to be one AMAZING free sale. Yes everything will still be free. The Lord showed me that the driveway will be lined with tables and that there will thousands of dollars worth of items. Yet His work is worth far more than that. Including the work going on in my life. This very necessary purging.

Proverbs 11:24One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.

Matthew 10:8Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.

Blessings in a Trial

Vox from Built on the Rock asked this question-
What can you share about blessings you’ve received through trials?
Here is my response, feel free to leave your own response.

I was pregnant with what would be our second child. I was camping with my small group when I began to have some spotting. The midwife suggested I go get it checked out. So thinking it was nothing I went alone to the hospital. I remember laying there for the ultrasound..marvaling at life. A small form was on the screen. The technician went about taking measurements , but he was quiet. When I asked if he had found the heartbeat he said. “Not yet…just a moment I will be right back.” Moments later a doctor returned with the technician. Together they took another look. Then the words fell….”I am sorry but there is no heartbeat.” They took me back to my room and the tears fell. I called my hubby who was still home 2 hours away. I called the members from my small group and they began to pray. Then I found myself alone. But then all at once I wasn’t alone at all. God was with me. I felt his presence surround me. And I felt him say can you trust me in this…can you praise my name in your pain? And with tears streaming down my face I responded yes and sang out…Praise God for whom all blessings flow. Praise Him all creatures here below. Praise Him above Ye heavenly Host. Praise Father Son and Holy Ghost Amen. The next few hours were tough. I was discharged from the hospital and went back to the campground. When I arrived my husband had just gotten there. He admits to going faster than the speed limit but won’t fully disclose to how fast he had gone to be with me. He arrived none to soon. As we hugged. My water broke and the miscarriage began. I went to the bathroom and there was blood everywhere! We quickly rushed back to the hospital. I was immediately given a room. I remember asking the doctor if I was still at risk for hemmoraging and he looked at me and said, ‘Honey YOU ARE hemmoraging!” Hubby said the doctor would be needing a new pair of shoes. He was standing in a puddle of blood. Through a course of 6 paps in one day they got the baby out and I did not need further surgery. God had protected me. He kept me safe. I spent the night in a hotel and the following day returned home. That night had been my first night away from my firstborn. And he had done great in the care of my friends. That week I was incredibly weak. I had lost a lot of blood. So I gave my weakness to Jesus. Jesus reminds us that we do not have to carry our burdens alone. “Come to me all you who are loaded down with heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”Friends yet again surrounded. One friend watched my boy by day so I could rest and regain my strength. Others brought ice cream and sprinkles. Still others kind words and encouragement. Looking back; what could have been a dark time was really a time filled with light and hope. And thankfulness for the little blessing I did have in my son.Sure Satan tried to use the miscarriage to bring back past guilt and shame. But God would not stand for it. Through his Word he showed me His truth. I am His child, made in His likeness. Forgiven and surrounded in perfect PEACE.While I lost the baby to miscarriage. I was pregant again 5 months later. Today my little girl is 2 and a half. A blessing indeed.
Through that trial the blessings I recieved were many.I know I can praise Him in my pain.I know he has given me a support system.He holds my hand.He comforts.He made me thankful for all that I had.He protected. I nearly needed a blood transfusion.I learned to listen to His voice and what He has to say to me over that of the enemy.And yes ice cream and sprinkles are a blessing! Especially when they come from the hands of my friends!!

The Cry of My Garden

Over at Owlhaven there is a post on the most beautiful garden in America. It is her very own. So I went out to take a look at mine and I am sure I heard it crying. It was very, very sad. Weeds so thick it was hard to find the "real" plants. So I took some picture and sent them to Mary at Owlhaven. She sent back some encouragement that it was not to late for my plants. So feeling some conviction I went out to fight for my garden. After one hour of striaght work I am please with what I accomplished. The garden is feeling much better now. It made me promise to come back again tomorrow.

BEFORE:


AFTER: Squash and watermelon. The plant closest to you I thought I had lost them all. What a surprise to find one still alive.

DS helped dig up the mean deep rooted weeds.

BEFORE:


AFTER: My tomoato plants. Still some work to be done there.


Here is the before of my green pepper plant. Tomorrow I will make her happy.


While I was working the kids played in the pool.

Super Nanny

I watched Super Nanny last night. Gasp. Kids that hit and swear. Anger and rage. Wowzers. This is not my household yet something struck a cord. Over time boundries have been moved back. Something needs to happen. Today will be a day of diligent observation and follow through. So off of the computer for me.

For the rest of the ring story read the comments below.

The Ring

Here is the ring the Lord gave me. It is a gold band with an inset of 8 diamond looking things (not sure if it is real or cubic)


Yesterday I left for church before my hubby. He rode the motorcycle. When I saw him he was bald. Later DS asked if he could cut his hair to look like daddies. We said yes. So daddy went to work shaving it off.

Little girl came out a few minutes later.
"Daddy make me sad!"
"Why did daddy make you sad?"
"He said no cut my hair."
"Mommy agrees sweety."
"Why him not cut my hair?"
"It is beautiful like it is. So long, so pretty!"
"Me want hair cut like DS and daddy!"

Needless to say I hid the clippers.

Do You Smell the Roses?

I nearly forgot to post about this and the Lord reminded me this morning. Friday night at Vision's the worship time was over and I found myself talking with a gentleman. He shared with me his testimony, where he has been and the work God is doing in his life. I then shared with him my testimony. He asked questions, some I could answer, others I could not. So I called over another gentleman. After further discussion we decided to pray for him. We went to a private place, with no one else around. There were 4 of us in the room. My friend began to interceed for the man. Incredible! At the conclusion of the prayer, the other man that had been with us, praying and interceeding as well. Looked at the man we had prayed for and asked him "Do you smell the roses?" Now, that's a funny question to ask. I smiled. Then it hit me, the overwhemling and beautiful scent of ROSES! Now mind you there is no one else in the room. The scent had not been there prior. No one sprayed any room deodorizers. Yet there was indeed an undeniable scent of roses. So I asked my friend about it. He said that years ago he was in classes when the instructer would ask, do you smell the roses? His instructer would do this from time to time and my friend and another guy would joke about it. Then one day when the instructer asked, do you smell the roses, it hit them; the scent of bouqets of roses. He said I believe the Lord smells like roses! After Friday night, I agree. For the presence of the Lord was there and that place smelled like Roses! Sweet beautiful roses!

No Boys, Just Girls

These are the words of my little girl yesterday. We dropped her brother off for a sleepover and we were off to the mall. No boys, just girls. So we decided to do girly stuff. Now for you to understand better you need to understand that I was actually afraid to have a girl. I considered myself a tomboy of sorts. I like to climb, I am not afraid of dirt or bugs, I don't carry a purse and hair and makeup have never been a priority to me. So I give birth to a girl. I had girlfriends that told me they would do her hair, that comforted me. Now this little girl is growing and embracing the fact that she is a girl. And she loves it. She loves having her nails painted. She loves having her hair done up. She loves dresses and feeling oh so pretty. She cares for her babies and carries around a purse. YIKES! Not to mention she is fond of the color pink. How did this happen, that a girl of mine would be so.....girly? Perhaps it has been that God has been doing a work in me. He has been speaking to me about feminity. I am a woman. And slowly I am beginning to act like it and maybe even look like one. And you know what...I am totally ok with this. A few months ago God placed a ring on my finger and told me I was beautiful. I have not taken the ring off. It reminds me that I am a woman and to my Lord I am beautiful.
So back to my date with my little girl. The mall. First stop the gumball machine. Not that girly but this is her date so a gumball it is. We split it and continue on. Limited Too... she has her mind set on some new nail polish. I took the display down off the high shelf and set it on the floor so we could have a look at them. So many colors. She chooses an orangish pink and a light blue. She took her purchase up to the counter and set them down. The lady behind the registered smiled. It was pretty cute. With new polish in the bag, we walked out of the store, plopped down on the nearest bench and painted those nails right then and there. My nails got a new look too.
With nails dried we got a root beer. Then strolled down to Old Navy. i found a cute outfit on sale. Still more than I normally pay for clothing but it was oh so adorable and DD picked it out. So new outfit. Somehow we managed to pass by Claires and Children's Place and found ourselves at Mrs Fields. We picked out our cookies. By this point she was beginning to tire. I carried her back to the car. This was her date and she was ready to go home. Well she wanted to swim still but she was done shopping. Which was fine with me. On the way home we sang songs and laughed. A mile from home she fell asleep. Thank You!!! I put her in her bed. Got cozy in mine and began to read the bible. I stopped half way through and took a nap. How sweet this was..it has been awhile since I had an afternoon nap. I woke up and finished the reading.
Little girl woke up from her nap, happy and refreshed. And anxious. She was ready to swim. We packed our bag and headed off to the Y. Where we got to use the ladies locker room. A first for DD as we usually use the family one. No boys, just girls. We had the pool to ourselves. This never happens. It was so much fun. DD decided to try out a swim belt. Going into the "deep pool" she was kicking and kicking. Another little swimmer. In no time she will be all over in the water.
After swimming we decided it was time to eat. Her choice..tacos. Perfect. We went to Famous Taco. I love Famous Taco! We had our fill of chips and salsa and shared a combo meal. Tostado, taco and beef burrito. Yummy!
A perfect end to a perfect date. No boys, just girls!

Free Sale #2

For those of you that are in my area, I am having another free sale. If you would like to contribute something, please let me know. All items will be free! I am excited about getting rid of useful clutter but even more so I am excited about blessing some people.

90 days

I have been thinking. And after some thought I have decided to do an agressive read of the Word. I came across this site yesterday.
http://www.biblein90days.com/files/NIV%20Reading%20Plan.pdf
It is a bible reading plan to go through the bible in 90 days. I am starting today. I will read it in NIV. I have to wonder if this is preperation for better understanding in the KJV. I am curious as to how long it will take me to get through it each day. I figure 20 minutes or so. Each read is 12 pages. So next to decided is will I read EVERY day? or week days? Either way I should finish sometime in October.

Doing a little dance

My girlfriend's blog onejourneyintime is back. Her surrogacy is underway. Read all about it. Leave her a comment to let her know you stopped in.

See You Later

As much as I would love to stay a bit and chat. My house is crying out for attention. See you later.

The Biggest Loser

14 weeks ago my hubby entered into a weight loss challenge at his work. The picture below is him at 214lbs.


Today was the conclusion of the challenge. He now weighs 183lbs.


For a total loss of 31lbs. WOOHOO!!!
Not to mention he took first place. His will power over the past view months has truly amazed me. He has stuck to his plan. Ate healthy. Excersized. Refrained from late night snacks. And he made his original goal.
So here's to my hubby...congrats babe, I love you!

Up, Up and Away

About a year and a half ago, DS found out that our friend was a pilot. Ever since he has wanted to fly. He woke up this morning with smiling eyes and asked "Is today the day I get to go for an airplane ride?" Today was the day indeed. Kellie and her husband invited us out for the day, along with other members of our small group. I will let the pictures relay the day.

5pm we arrive at the hanger. The kids explore the plane. Can we say....excited?


The first to go up was Kevin, his son(age 4) and Kellie's daughter(2). With Kellie's husband as the pilot.


Here they are shortly after their landing. The guys come around for the scoop.


Next up was my boy(5) and his cousin(5). They got to wear these cool headphones!


Here is DD waving goodbye to her brother, cousin, daddy and Kellie's husband.


We have lift off.


Isn't that a good looking plane?


DS running over to tell about his adventure. He loved it...every minute of it.


Next up was DD(2), myself , my brother-in-law and of course...the pilot.
DD waving out to daddy and her brother.


Here is a cool view of the tail of the plane. Look beyond it and you can see the runway.


The view from the sky is amazing. Everything looks so much smaller from above. It's good to get a different perspective of the world.


This gives you an idea of the cockpit. This is our approach to the runway. The head to the left is Kellie's husband...fantastic pilot. He explained everything that he was doing and made sure everyone felt safe.


While I was in the air, DS got to go up in a six passenger plane. Without mom or dad. He was pretty proud of himself.

Everyone made it safely back. For some it was their first time flying period. Others their first time in a small airplane. For me it was my first time landing in a small airplane. The last time I decided to jump out...

Thanks guys for a wonderful evening...we will remember it always.

Exploring a Gravel Pit

With the embarrassment left behind, banana pudding in hand and a bag full of clothes we headed out for an afternoon of fun. The pond is an old gravel pit owned by my dad's cousin. We were the first to arrive. We helped get everything set up, my kiddos went exploring. I love watching them in new enviroments. And this place is full of them. Sand. Wildflowers. A rocky penninsula(formerly an island but the water level is down.) A sand hill. And water!!!

We swam, fished, slid down the sand hill. We ate, laughed and enjoyed one another's company. I had a "crowning" moment in scrabble; yet my uncle won the game overall. DS caught a 10" bass. He struggled to reel it in, but he did it all by himself.
As the sunset the fire was ablazing. Hot stuff man, I tried to roast a marshmellow on a small fork...not recommended.

There was a small exhibit of fireworks..the legal kind. All with family. Perfect. Now if I could only find out what happened to my siblings and why they were not there??

My dad's cousin sent on some pics...THANKS!

EmBaRaSsEd!

Just before we pulled out of the driveway my son remembered his $3 and asked if he could get it so he could buy something at the store. He went in to retrieve it. Money in hand we were off. Looking at the gas gauge it was getting low so I went to the gas station and put $15 in the tank. Then we went to the store. I had a very basic list. Things to get us through until Wednesday. When I had left the house I had grabbed $15 for the groceries. When I got gas I "knew" there was $20 in my wallet so I used the $15 for the gas. Embarrassment #1 we put our stuff up on the conveyor belt only to realize my wallet was in the car. OK not that big of a deal, I take the stuff off, wait as the lady in front of me finishes her purchase then I set the cart aside to get my wallet. I get the wallet and go back to check out. Now mind you my son has been scouring the candy in the checkout and has made his choice of purchases. Candy, gum and more gum. I get the cash from my wallet...uh oh...$12. This is going to be close. The total button is pressed and with it brings the result. $13.16...yikes. I had some change in my pocket so I was lacking a dollar. Oh dear son..."mommy needs to borrow a dollar from you. PLEASE give mommy a dollar. (Trying to pry it from his death grip) DS I will pay you back AS SOON as we get home. That means you will have to put one thing back. PLEASE LET MOMMY HAVE A DOLLAR!! OK I guess we will need to take the bananas off of the total (Cashier gives me a pitiful look of don't make me) DS this is so embarrasing, I am feeling frustrated." A woman behind us offers to buy the boy his gum. He still resists. All he can see is his candy and the fact that this is "his money." In the end just before I burst into tears the dear woman hands me a dollar and tells me "not to worry about it." I thank her. DS makes his purchase, he was given $.51 in change. I ask him to please give this to the woman who gave me the dollar and he makes a humph sounds and clenches that as well. I look at the woman, I am sure I looked pitiful...and I thank her again. As we leave the store I tell DS I am disappointed. He tells me I can have the change. I add it to my nickels and a dime I had in hand. The "nice" lady was leaving the store and I handed it to her. She didn't want to accept it. I told her please take it, that "it would clear my conscience." She smiled and said she had children and she understood. It didn't diminish the fact that I was mortified, embarrassed and not to mention dissappointed. He is not always this stingy; he normally has a giving heart. Which leads me to think, why was he so today? Was it becase he had the desired stuff in his hands? Was it because his reward was so close he could taste it? Did he not see my desperation? Did he care? Was it even fair to ask that of him? I am not sure...

The moment is over. I can crawl out of my hole. The day continues on...

And the Winner Is...

Diane with a guess of $5.25. The actual total was $6.25
Here's what we paid...



All clothing was $.25..woohoo
So 13 articles of clothing =$3.25
Retro shoes=$.50
Old Navy Flip Flops=$.50
camping chair=$1.00
stuffed animals @ .25 each =$.50
small snow globe= $.25
embrodiered fan= $.25
Grand total= $6.25

Thanks for playing!

*Updated*Mood: LIVID

I have mentioned previously that I feel God has laid on my heart to read the King James version of the bible. As these pieces come together I am amazed at what is going on in the NIV and other modern translations. I received a call today directing me to a couple sites.
1. Did you know that current translations actually omit whole verses! Don't believe me, go to your NIV and look for Acts 8:37. Did you find it? I am sure it went right from 36 to 38 as it did in my NIV. Want to know what verse 37 actually says?
37And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

2. This is not the only instance. There are over 600 words ommited. That is a BIG DEAL! Many times it is the name of Christ or a reference to the Spirit. Although not limited to those. Go check it out here. The strike throughs are words that you will not find in your NIV but you will in your KJV.
http://av1611.com/kjbp/charts/themagicmarker.html

3.http://www.lesgarrett.com/ Find more info here.

Can you see why I am livid?

**Lest you think I am on a rampage against the NIV let me clarify. I know that the Word of God will not return void and the NIV is the word of God. I know He used it for the last 11 years in my walk with Him. His word is alive and active. I believe it to be so. It frustrates me that these verses are omitted, I believe it takes away from the whole picture. I think that it may be a step in desensitizing the word. Newer versions are making more and more deviations from the origanl text. Including generalizations of gender and such.

Please read your bibles. Be it the KJV, NIV or American Standard...whatever. Hide it in your heart. Memorize it. Meditate on it day and night.

My friend (wink) sent me this site.. http://www.leaderu.com/orgs/probe/docs/kjvdebat.html
I liked the closing statement of this article...
But whichever version you choose, be very sure of your arguments before insisting that others use it, too. It seems to me that, with all the difficulties we face in our often hostile culture, we should not erect walls between Christians on the basis of Bible versions. We are not taking God's Word lightly here. We are simply calling for a more well-reasoned discussion and for the rule of love to govern the debate.

Released to Dance

A few months ago I was given a prophecy, I need to go back and listen to the exact words that were given but the basic jist was that I would dance for the Lord. That my worship would set people free and heal. There was more but the coolest thing happened last night. I was released to dance. In the midst of worship I felt the Lord say dance Sarah, dance for me. So I began to dance. Now I have to say the timing took me back. On Thursday I bashed my pinky toe, hard! I dropped instantly to the floor and cried out in pain. Moments later it was dripping blood. Walking around in my shoes Thursday I was a hobbling mess. Friday, I resolved to wear flip flops so the pressure would not be on my pinky toe. Then there I was in worship and he tells me to dance. As I danced you might expect that I felt the pain in my little toe; but I didn't. There was no pain. At one point during this time there was a man in front of me, on his knees. As I danced I felt the Lord direct me to say something to him. I knelt down next to him and spoke the words to him. He did not see my face, he was bowed before the Lord. I stood up and continued in worship. I could tell that God was moving; all around in fact. The time of worship ended, the lights came back up. I went outside to catch my breath for a moment and to cool down. The night sky was a dark blue, stars peppered the sky and a small cresent moon shone brightly. God your amazing. I went back inside to retrieve my bible, as I did the man came up to me. He said where you the one that spoke those words to me. I told him I was. With a radiant smile he said that it was completely of the Lord, that God had done some very cool things in his life at that moment and thanked me for my obedience. How very cool! We sat down and chatted for 20 minutes or so. It was not a coincidence that God used me to touch this man, as we spoke it was evident to me that I was the very one that should be speaking to him. God could have used anyone there, yet He used me. What a blessing. Today I am feeling so very thankful for the dance.

By the way, I am not a dancer. I took one class of 5th grade Jazz. I was probably the most ungraceful girl in the class. When I was in gymnastics in high school, I struggled through the floor routine and the dance parts of it. Yet in my weakness God calls me out and asks me to dance.