Wordless Wednesday-- April 28th

These were taken early this morning. Spring snow. 

 Head on over to 5minutesformom to join in the fun. 

Menu Plan Monday ~ April 26th

I'm going to be totally honest here and say right off the bat that I am feeling icky. I'm assuming it is allergies and not a cold, since it came right away during church. I started sneezing and sneezing and sneezing and sneezing, yes four sneezes in a row. Then my ears felt like they were filling up and my got watery. The rest, as they say (whoever "they"are) is history!! ;o) Without further ado, here is the menu for the week:


Tonight~ Whatever anyone found. I think some people had cereal, someone else had eggs, another had a turkey sandwich, and I seem to remember seeing someone with yogurt. 


Tuesday~ Home made turkey soup  ( hubby cooked a turkey on Saturday )


Weds. ~ Home made macaroni and cheese with broccoli


Thurs. ~ Open faced turkey sandwiches, mashed potatoes, and peas


Friday ~ Home made pizza or maybe ordered pizza, depending how I feel. ;o)


Saturday ~ Cheese burgers, tater tots, and salad


That's it for the week. All the other meals are get what you can while mom is recuperating. ;o) 

Simple Womans Day Book~~ April 21, 2010

Outside your window....the sun is shining, the birds are singing, and the buds are starting to grow on the trees.

I'm thankful that...Shannon is off her meds and is doing much better!! :o)

From the kitchen... honestly this week has been a terrible "kitchen week". The fridge and cupboards are pretty bare, I will be going grocery shopping tonight.

I'm wearing.... plaid pajama bottoms and a brown hoodie.

I'm creating...a Bible study to share with womens ministry.

I'm reading...The Guardian by Nicholas Sparks

I'm hoping...that I can get my sons plane ticket home very soon, so I don't have to pay a arm and a leg.

I'm hearing....the furnace run and the dog doing whatever it does to itself.

Around the house.... getting ready for the day.

One of my favorite things.... listening to music.

A few plans for the rest of the week....cleaning, home school planning, watching dds softball games, writing the Bible study, exercising, and whatever else life brings. 

Wordless Wednesday

Go here to join the Wordless Wednesday fun!! 

Come Out of the Cave

This crazy looking guy is Michael Fernandez and he was the guest speaker at the Northern New England Youth Convention. He was a-m-a-z-i-n-g!! Here are some notes I took the first night:

Come Out of the Cave

Judges 6

The Israelites had a habit of disobeying the Lord, we can know that because in verse one it says: "Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord..." That word "again" denotes a pattern and for them that pattern was disobedience. Due to their disobedience God gave them over to the Midianites, a powerful but also very opressive people. The Israelites so feared the Midianites that they went and hid in caves, clefts, and strongholds. Do you know what a cave is? It is a dark, cold place that really doesn't allow much growth. Strongholds are things that bind us and clefts keep us seperated from what we need.

The Israelites were always under the thumb of the Midianites, every year they took their livestock and crops. They could never get ahead and come out of the bondage.

Finally, the Israelites became desperate and called to the Lord for help. How many times do we have to get desperate before we call on the Lord? How long do we have to be held up in a cave, before we will come forward?

Now get this, when they called upon the Lord he answered them. He heard their desperate cries and sent a prophet who reminded them what God has done. How many times do we need to be reminded about all that God has done? When we are in caves we often forget all that He has done and we become blinded to the light.

Then the Lord appeared to Gideon, who according to him was the lowest of the low. The Lord called him a Mighty Warrior. He called Gideon out of the cave to save Israel. Gideon tested God several times to make sure that what he was hearing him right. He could not believe that God wanted to use him, the least of these.

God used Gideon to tear down his fathers alters to Baal. The Israelites, while in this land started to worship their god. God will not share his glory with another.

Gideon did as God said and the next morning the men wanted Gideon to get punished. His father told them that if Baal was in fact a god he could handle it himself. How could they argue with that?

Gideon, this little nothing was a rebel for God.

Many times we see a rebel as being something bad, but in fact the definition of a rebel is:

Someone who defies the current condition of order.

Gideon defied the current condition of order, he listened to God and came out of the cave. He did what God asked and because of that, the people were set free.

Today is your chance to come out of your cave.

Be a rebel for God.

c

Tackle It Tuesday~~ April 19, 2010

Todays tackle will be finishing the cleaning of the chicken coop and getting it ready for two calfs, which we are getting tomorrow.

***Update****

The coop was actually much cleaner then I thought, I had cleaned it about a month ago and no chickens have been in it. Instead, me and the kids cleaned the backyard and under the porch. :o)

What are you tackling today? Head on over to 5minutesformom and join in the fun! :o)

Gratitude

The Lord has been showing me to take notice of the little things that He does for me each and every day. I'm going to write the list here so that way I can look back and reflect on what God has done in my life. You know those days when life seems to be totally and completely overwhelming? On days like those I want to be able to remember how faithful God is. This post will be ongoing, and hopefully have no end. :o)

I'm thankful for:

1.) Gods salvation.
2.) Gods forgiveness.
3.) Gods love.
4.) That I was able to attend the 2010 youth convention.
5.) I woke up this morning in a nice comfy warm bed.
6.) I fell asleep with my amazing husband.
7.) The cold rain that is helping the leaves to grow.
8.) I got to talk to my oldest sister last night, it was wonderful.
9.) Though my kids are not perfect, they are all the best of friends.
10.) A nice hot cuppa' coffee.
11.) My mother left an amazing legacy for me and my family.
12.) The yummy orange I had this morning.
13.) A series that my son actually is loving to read!! :o)
14.) Best friends who stay up late to listen when they would rather be sleeping.
15.) For a reliable vehicle that gets us where we need, have, and want to go. ;o)
16.) Amazing churches that have showed me the love of Christ, like I have never experienced before.
17.) I have a story to tell. It may be a hard story, but heart is ready to have God expose it and use it for His glory.
18.) My son is feeling better today, he had a bit of a cold yesterday.
19.) It is a beautiful day outside today.
20.) My husband who works tirelessly for his family.
21.) The 12 new baby chicks.
22.) Two new calves.
23.) The sound of the piano playing.
24.) The sound of a father and son having a good time playing video games. 

The Next Generation

The past few days have been filled with fun, listening to Gods Word, watching in awe as He touched the lives of the next generation, and being humbled before the Lord. I was blessed to be able to attend the 2010 Nothern New England Assembly of God Youth Convention. The speaker was Michael Fernandez and he was amazing!! The Word of God just flew from his mouth and it touched many of the 600+ teens. I am going to try to share the highlights of his messages on here over the next couple of weeks and hopefully it will bless someone.

This younger generation is filled with amazing kids that are on fire and ready to serve the Lord. The older generation really needs to mentor them and then let them do what God has called them too. It is not about 'us' but about serving God. If we lose a "position" then so be it!! God is not about positions, but He is about saving people from the very depths of sin. Let us reach out to the younger generation, for they are the ones who will continue the Call.

Wordless Wednesday~~ April 14th

( To join in the fun head on over to, http://www.5minutesformom.com/20144/wordless-wednesday-take-a-bite-out-of-life/ )

Yokes of Bondage

"Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."  Matthew 11:29-39

These are the words of Jesus, he says to take His yoke upon you. A yoke is something that binds two things together and where one goes the other one goes. Wearing a yoke could be burdensome, especially if the one your yoked to steers you in the wrong direction or makes life more difficult by constantly pulling you in another way.  Jesus said that His yoke is easy and His burden is light. If Jesus said that, then why do we make things more difficult by yoking each other with burdens that we we were never meant to carry?  I have seen in life how many of us have a great idea that works that really works for our family, but then we start expecting other families to do the same thing. There are numerous examples I will give, but for sanitys  times sake, I will only post a few.

Homeschooling~~ I am an avid fan of homeschooling, and have done so for 14+ years. None of my children went to public school, with the exception of our first attending a half year of pre-school. It works for my family, however I know it does not work for ALL families. I don't always agree with peoples reasons for not homeschooling, but it is not my place to force someone to homeschool their children. It is their family and their decision. I also do not believe that homeschooling is a mandate in scripture. Yes, I can see great points in scripture that would lead one to homeschool but it is not a violation of scripture to  not send your children to public school.

Dresses Only~~ This is one that I honestly do not understand. I understand dressing modestly, and not causing a brother to stumble. In my opinion a woman can be very modest in jeans and t-shirt and can very immodest in a skirt or dress. What did God say when David was to be annointed King? He said He does not look at the outside like man does, but rather He looks at the heart. A person can have an appearance of godliness and yet have a very ugly heart that breaks the very heart of God.

How We Keep Our Home~~ This one have range of things from homesteading to couponing and much more. Too many times we put the bondage of "our way is the right way" on the women in our lives. We may cut coupons, save money, and reap the benefits and then we start to expect others to do the same thing. Maybe we  make our own laundry soap and know how fulfilling it is, but then we get a little pride in us and don't understand why others cannot take the time to make their own soap. Homemade meals are wonderful things and many of us spend a great deal of time preparing menus and making healthy meals. If another mom doesn't do that, we may look down on her for not "providing" for her family.

Goodness, there are so many other examples out there that can pit one against another. It is not how it is supossed to be. We are to love our neighbors as ourselves and take care of what God has given us. To me that means not worrying if Susie doesn't homeschool, bake bread, or wear a skirt. It means taking care of my family and then genuinly loving those that God places in my life. If a haggard mom is having a hard time with a child at the supermarket, I should not judge her and scoff. Instead I should offer kind words of encouragement to her. Do not put a heavy yoke on that was never intended to be there! Do not expect those around you to act just like you and if they don't then figure they are not suitable. No! Jesus died so that ALL might have life and have life ABUNDANTLY! When we put heavy yokes on each other we are not doing any great service, in fact we could be damaging what God is doing their lives. Remember His yoke is easy and His buden is light, lets give each other the grace and mercy that each of us would want.

Tackle It Tuesday -- April 13th

Yesterday was Menu Plan Monday and today is tackle it Tuesday.  Yes, I am in the bloggy field getting to know other bloggers and it is fun and exciting!! :o) My tackle project for today is to get ready for the youth convention.

Need To Do:
                          * Laundry
                          * Pack A Bag or Something Similar
                          * Make a list of munchies that we want to bring
                          * Clean out my van, since it is one the vehicles going
                          * Prepare by heart by praying and seeking the Word
                          * Get to ready to have 3 fun filled days with 600+ teens!! :o)

What are you going to tackle today, big or small it doesn't matter. Head on over to 5minutesformom and join in the fun!! :o)

Menu Plan Monday ~ April 12th

I seem to be hit and miss when it comes to participating in Menu Plan Monday. It's not that I don't plan a menu, but many times I forget to post it. This weeks menu is very sketchy, because me and the kids are heading out to the youth convention and hubby will be on his own. Though I would love to say that I prepare meals for him ahead of time and put them in the fridge, it is not the case. If the truth be told, he is a much better cook then I am and is more then capable of preparing his meals. The clean up, well that's a whole 'nother thing. This weeks menu will be for Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday.

Monday~ Kielbasa, rice, broccoli
Tuesday~ Creamy Corn Chowder with Ham
Wednesday~ Baked Ziti, Salad, and Garlic Bread
Saturday~ Cheese Burgers and Home Made French Fries

Its an easy week. :o) I look forward to reading other peoples menus and getting some new and fresh ideas. Join in the fun by clicking on the link above and posting your own menu. :o)

Prayers For Emma

Emma is a little girl who really needs our prayers. I have two buttons on the sidebar that link directly to her moms site. One is the "Pray for Emma" button and the other is "Especially Heather". I have been following Heathers blog for several years now and believe me when I tell you this family has been through more then most of us will ever go through. In the midst of all their struggles Heather always turns things around so her readers can see the glory of God. I know the family is sad, weary, on edge, and I'm sure very tired. There are few ways to let this family know you are thinking about them:
      
                   1.) Head on over to Heathers blog and leave a comment. Many times just one nice comment can make the day a little bit easier to get through.

                   2.) Go here and pick up a button for Emma to post on your blog or website.

                   3.) Head on over here and join in the card basket for Emma and her family. It is free to do just use this code GCHEATHERAPR13 at check out. For the address you can put it any address, it will not capture it because this is a card basket.

                   4.) Pray, pray, and pray some more. This family really needs to be lifted up to the Father on a continual basis. You can never have enough prayer.

                   5.) Spread the word on Facebook and Twitter, the more people that know the more will be praying.

It does not matter if you know this family in real life or not, I only know Heather through her blog. It will not take very long to do one or all of those things, please join in and let this family know they are cared for.

Simple Woman's Daybook 4-9-10

Outside Your Window...its very dark, but I'm pretty sure it's raining out.

I'm thankful that.... I get to go to the youth convention again this year. They are always a lot of fun and very inspirational.

From the kitchen...I made 2 quiches for supper. One was ham and cheese and the other was broccoli and cheese.

I'm wearing... pajama bottoms, black t-shirt, and a grey zippy

I'm creating... not much going on the creating department as of late.

I'm reading...well, I just finished Rainmaker by John Grisham. I'm still plowing through the aspergers books that I have. It is very interesting reading.

I'm hoping... that my daughter finds a job, so she can get the money she needs for Masters Commission.

I'm hearing...hubby just coughed from the bedroom. He is half asleep in there.

Around the house...it is pretty quiet around the house right now. The kids are all at youth group and hubby is sleeping/coughing. LOL

One of my favorite things... the smell of rain.

Plans for the rest of the week.... not really sure. I think tomorrow I'm going to clean the downstairs and start on our bedroom. The rest of the house is in decent shape, but those two areas tend to get neglected.

Kittens!! :o) ~ I'm Loving It Friday!

I'm lovin' these kittens, they are so adorable!

All piled up comfy together.

Gotta love the mommas face.

Precious!! :o)

Look how big the paw looks, next to the kitten.

Content, happy momma!! :o)

Our cat, Luvmuphin, had 4 kittens one week ago. She is a young momma cat, but is doing great taking care of her babies.

This is also a part of "I'm Loving It, Friday!" You can join in the fun here.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid

My 14 year old son is not an avid reader. As a matter of fact getting him to read anything beyond the normal school stuff (and even then it can be tough) is like pulling teeth. Me and his dad sat down with this boy who would rather play video games then read and told him that he needed to start reading books. It came down to this, no reading no video games period. This boy of mine then went online and researched some books that he would like to read and he stumbled across this book, Diary of a Wimpy Kid. We were in heaven when our son came to us and told us he found a book he wanted to read. My husband checked it out online and thought it looked suitable for our son. The very next day he came home from work with a copy in hand and passed it over to the boy. Life around here has been very different the past few days. Instead of having to drag him from video games, his nose is stuck in this book!! Mind you his reading skills are behind, due to some difficulties that are not his fault. This book is technically for 9-12 year old and he is older then that but he is reading it. He likes to read it out loud, so I sit as patiently as I can while he reads it to me. I help with any hard words, but he is reading the majority of the book himself. This book is in a diary or journal format and is written from the point of view of a middle school boy named Greg. Greg gets into lots of mischief and is not always the "ideal kid", but he is fun always up to something. That "something" may not always be good, but honestly it reminds of a typical boy. On each page their is a little comic that adds to flavor of the story. I highly recommend this book for your boy readers. Keep in mind it is a secular book, so if that bothers you then refrain from getting it. This is a series and there is a journal that can go along with it as well as an upcoming motion picture. Well, I'm off to read some more! :o)

Four Years Ago

It is hard to believe that four years has gone by since my mother went to be with the Lord. Four years. Wow!! I remember the day she lost her battle with lymphoma and entered into Glory just like it was yesterday, but that is not what I want to focus on today. Today I want to focus on the woman that she was. My mothers name was Irene, and she was the strongest person I have ever met in my life. Her passion was gardening, and I don't mean a small back of the yard garden, but 3 huge plots of land along with a stand for selling what was harvested. My mom had a zeal for life that was contagious. She loved her family very much, and I am so blessed to be able to say that she was really one of my very best friends. We used to talk on the phone just about every day, I really miss those talks now. She was an avid Democrat and I am a "dyed in the wool Republican", as she used to say. The talks some times got heated, but we never got angry with each other it was just how it was. Gosh, I miss those talks so much. My mother was also a terribly fast and impatient driver. I remember the time we went to Boston and my mother drove my car. The very first thing she checked for was to make sure the horn worked and yes she did use it, a lot. ;o) Whenever she came up to visit it was like a tornado had blown through. She would come in with bags of stuff, clean my house, take walks with the kids, we would go shopping, and of course plant something. Then a couple days later, she would leave. It was so fast, but such great visits. She did come up and stay with me after each new baby was born, and that was really nice. Instead of zipping in and zipping out, she would actually stop and take time to mellow out. I was so blessed to have her come and help during those times, they are wonderful memories for me. Then I remember when she was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma, I knew it wasn't good but I also knew if anyone could fight she could. She was healthy, aside from the nasty cancer and strong. My mother fought a good fight for 3 years, but in the end the cancer beat her. I know she is in heaven and I know that I will see her again, but I miss her oh so very much. I think of all things she missed that she would of been so proud of, but I also know that God's timing is not mine. He is in control, He knows when each of us will be born and when we will die and I have to rest in that fact. I may not like His timing, but I know He has it all under control. Today take the time to hug on your loved ones and thank God for those who are already gone. I know that's what I will be doing.