March 7, 2016

It was 2:00 a.m., and I was wide awake.  It wasn't the dogs that woke me up.  It wasn't a train.  It wasn't even the noise that comes from the industrial plant near us.  It was completely silent.  I have no idea why I was wide awake, but I was.  Usually, when I wake up in the middle of the night like that, God puts someone on my heart to pray for.  So, I prayed for the people that came to my mind.  After praying, I still could not go back to sleep, so I pinned a few pins on Pinterest.  By then, I was getting heavy eyed, and finally fell back to sleep.

I woke up a few hours later, and did my First 5.  It was about the fellowship offering.  It was an offering of thanksgiving.  We, too, need to remember to give thanks for the sacrifice that Jesus made so that we might have peace with God. Peace with God is a precious thing, and not to be taken lightly.

School was pretty good.  Our schedule has changed a bit due to a fine arts competition that is coming up, so the students will have time to practice.  And even with the change, we were able to get things done and even read a little of our Josiah book. We are one day closer to them finishing their Library Research Reports!  Most of the students started on their final copy today.  In class the rest of the week we will work on the little technical things, and on Friday, they will turn them in.  Yay! I love it when they see the finished product and see how much they can accomplish one little step at a time.  It is exciting to them and to me. I got an unexpected text from a friend that really brightened my day.

After school I came home and rested for a few minutes before we began cooking dinner.  The Youngest Princess cut her foot on a toy while doing a flip in the toy room.  I had her go up and wash her foot so that I could put a band-aid on it.  Meanwhile, my friend text me, and I was trying to return her text.  The Oldest Princess was upstairs working on a school project.  The Young Prince was outside enjoying the beautiful day by playing a little basketball.

We ate dinner, and watched a television show.  I texted a few people who had been on my heart.  I also texted/teased back and forth with my brother off and on for a little while.

My Prince and I went to the church for our monthly prayer meeting.  It was a little discouraging to see how few people came, but as always, God's hand was in it all.  Marc and another man prayed together, and I was able to visit with, and share some of my personal burdens with one of our precious ladies.  Then we prayed together.  This month we were focusing on North American Missions, so we prayed for some of our North American Missionaries by name.  I love getting to read their stories and know more about their specific ministries, so that we can pray more specifically for their needs.  I love having the privilege to partner with them in prayer.  I got a phone call, but did not answer it, thinking I would call the friend back in a few minutes, after the prayer meeting was over.

Afterward, we talked with my sweet friend for a while.  It is amazing what people are going through when you just take a minute or two to listen to their stories.  I hate it that life is so hurried that we don't really have/take the time to get to know one another any more.  My Prince shared some encouragement, verses and some resources with her, and we prayed with her.  It was a special time of fellowship, and I am thankful to the Lord for orchestrating it.

My Prince and I made our daily run to DG a local store on our way home to pick up a few things we needed at the house and a couple of things the girls needed for upcoming school projects.  My phone battery was running low, so I thought I would make that return phone call while I could before my battery died.  When my friend answered, I could tell everything was not okay.  She went on to tell me that her life had changed drastically in one day.  My heart broke for her.  There was not much I could say except that I would be praying for her, and I would do anything I could to help her.  

We returned home, and loved on all our kids.  I started my blog and then realized it would be a longer one than usual, so I stopped, and we did our family devotions.  I Thessalonians 1:6-10.  We talked about how they received the Word, and turned from their idols and served the one true God.  And how their testimony was known to the believers in Macedonia and Achaia.  The Young Prince closed us in prayer, and then they quickly went their own ways to get some sleep.  We decided because of the late hour that we would skip the reading of Mandie tonight. I don't know that I would have made it through the chapter.  It was long day, full of many ministry opportunities.  Many times when I needed God's wisdom and mercy and grace.  I am thankful that He works in us and through us, in spite of ourselves.  He truly is a loving, longsuffering God.

Until tomorrow...

March 6, 2016

I woke up this morning, and came downstairs and did a little of my Exodus study (there is no First 5 on Sundays).  While I was sitting at the table, there was a bird in the tree in the front yard that was just singing its little heart out.  It brought a smile to my face, because I know that the bird was singing its praises to the Lord.  Then I thought of a song we used to sing to our kids when they were little.  It talks about the "birds upon the tree tops sing their song"  and goes on to say, "Why shouldn't I, why shouldn't you, praise Him too?"  I thought it was a perfect way to start a Sunday morning. Being challenged by the beautiful song of a bird to praise my Lord with all my heart.

I finished my study, and went back upstairs to get ready for church.  We woke up the kids and had them begin to get ready also.  It was a good morning, especially as Sunday mornings go.

In Sunday school, we finished our study on Ruth. It was very good, and it ends with the lineage of David, which of course is also the lineage of Christ. A small story in the big picture.  Our lives too, are a small story in the big picture.  Of course, we are not in the lineage of Christ, but hopefully we will be the reason that someone else will become members in the family of Christ. Maybe our small story is more important in the big picture of someone else's life than we will ever know.  How inspiring is that?  God uses ordinary people like you and me to make His plan happen.  May we always be willing to be useable in God's hands.

In church, My Prince preached from Titus 2:11-14.  Grace teaches what to look for - His coming v.13,
Grace teaches us who to look for - Our Savior v.13, and Grace teaches us how to live - Holy and Zealous v.14  We need to be willing to do whatever it takes to expand the Kingdom of God.  One question he posed was, "If you knew that Jesus would return in an hour, what would you do between now and then?"  What would you need to do to get right with God?  What would you need to do to get right with others?  Who would you call and tell the good news of God's love, so that they would be able to spend eternity in heaven?  Whatever is it you would feel the pressing need to do, we need to do, and live that way constantly, as if Jesus could return at any time. Because He can.  And we need to live with that in mind.

After church, the Youngest Princess asked if she could go home with a friend.  We told  her she could go.  The rest of us went to eat, and then home.  The Young Prince left to hang out with a friend.  He took clothes so he could go from the friend's house to his leadership team meeting at the church.  The Oldest Princess went upstairs to study, and I prepared for my Bible Drills class, worked on my Exodus study, and worked on more VBS decorations.

Then it was time for church.  Our small group class was good.  We shared our testimonies tonight.  Some of us for the very first time.  I love to hear the different way that God brings people to Himself. I love that we all come from different backgrounds and God brings us all together with our strengths and weakness to serve Him together.

Bible Drills went well.  It was our last class before our church drill next week.  I'm feeling a little pressure this year.  Usually I feel more confident with where we are in this point in the game.  But I know they will work hard and make me proud.  Even now, they have learned so much, and they are doing so well!

After church we came home, and ate snacks or dinner.  I worked on my blog.  The kids got ready for tomorrow.  And now, everyone is ready for family devotions, so I will go.

Until tomorrow...

March 5, 2016

This morning, those of us who were home, slept in.  It was glorious!  I slept until I woke up.  No alarm.  It was wonderful and refreshing.  Still I woke up before My Prince and The Oldest Princess.  I got up and spent some time doing my Exodus study.

The Youngest Prince texted and said that he was on his way home.  He came in and told me a little about his night camping out, and then he headed upstairs to get cleaned up.

My Prince got up and got ready to go and make a visit.  I got ready after he did.  When the Oldest Princess and I were both ready, we went shopping for things to use to make decorations for vacation Bible school.  Of course, we also had to do lunch while we were out.  We had a good time.  I love spending time with my children.  And I love when I get to have one on one time with them as well.  I know that time with the Oldest Princess is fleeting, so I enjoyed every second with her today.

When we got home, we went straight to work getting decorations made. Our VBS director is over the Association's VBS clinic, and she had asked the Oldest Princess and I to make several different types of decorations for her. The Oldest Princess worked on a school of CD fish, and I worked on some cardboard coral and a bloom of jellyfish.  I had to google that.  I did not know that a group of jellyfish was called a bloom.  It is said that you learn something new every day.  We watched a movie and ate cookies while we worked.

The Young Prince cut some grass, and then cleaned up and watched some of the movie with us.  My Prince did some laundry and rested.  He is usually up late on Saturday nights studying and praying and putting last minute touches on his sermons, so on Saturdays when he can rest, he does.  The Young Prince was really tired.  I don't think he slept much last night on his camp out, so he eventually went up stairs to take a nap.

The Youngest Princess spent the day with her friend that she spent the night with last night.  By all accounts, they had a blast.  She came home late in the afternoon.  She said she had a headache, so we gave her some medicine, and she crawled up in my lap and went to sleep.  None of us were starving, so My Prince went to a local restaurant and picked up dinner for those who were hungry.

The Young Prince woke up to watch a basketball game.  I texted with a friend for a while.  My Prince attempted to move the Youngest Princess to her bed.  She woke up and was ready to eat.  So she ate dinner and then laid on the couch for a few more minutes before she decided she was going to go on up to bed.  She told me we could read if she was still awake when I got finished blogging.

I have forgotten to mention it, but since last Tuesday, when we voted, and the Oldest Princess got to vote for the first time, and we made a big deal about it, she has been FULL of questions about politics and the political parties and the candidates.  She is a thinker that little one.  I wish I could say that I was as interested in things like that when I was her age, but I wasn't.  I probably didn't even know that there were political parties, much less what they were called.  I love that she always has questions and when you give her answers, she processes those answers and comes up with more questions.  It is exciting to me that she has a thirst for knowledge.

So, it was a pretty uneventful, restful day here at our house. It is very nice to have those every once in a while.  We were thankful that we were able to have one today.

Now I will get off of here, so we can do our family devotions and go to bed.

Until tomorrow...

March 4, 2016

It was a pretty normal morning, except My Prince had to leave by 7:00, which left us getting ready for the most part without him.  We did pretty good, and most of us got out of the door and to school on time.

When I got to school, one of my students had a little surprise for me.  It was a small hedgehog with lip gloss in it.  It is very cute!  I love it!

We had a lockdown drill this morning.  My kids did a great job!  They did exactly what they were supposed to do.

After that, it was business as usual.  We learned about Ezra.  We divided fractions.  We reviewed vocabulary.  We read one of my favorite stories.  We worked on our second drafts of our library research papers. We took our spelling test.  We took our history exam.  We read about and took notes on our circulatory system.  We practiced our penmanship.  I graded spelling tests and history exams.  And by then, it was time to go home.

The Oldest Princess left from school to go with some of her friends to a movie and dinner.  The Youngest Princess and I went home.  The Young Prince came home with hopes of plans of his own.  He wanted to go camping with some of his friends.  My Prince and I had plans to attend an appreciation dinner/concert at the church, and I needed him to watch the Youngest Princess.  When My Prince got home, he told me that we could take the Youngest Princess with us.  So, we told the Young Prince that he could go camping.  The Youngest Princess did not want to go to the dinner/concert with us.  So, I texted a friend of mine whose daughter is a friend of the Youngest Princess.  I asked if it would be okay if the Youngest Princess hung out with them, while we went to the dinner/concert.  She said yes, and that it would even be okay if she wanted to spend the night.  Of course, she wanted to spend the night.

I spent a little time doing my Exodus study, and then I got ready for the dinner/concert.  We took the Youngest Princess to our friends' house, and then we went to the church.

When we got there, one of my favorite people in the world asked me if I would mind helping to serve.  They were short a person, and she needed my help.  I told her of course I would help.  It was an honor to me that she asked my help.  I enjoyed serving in the line and getting to see people come through.  I enjoyed getting to help.  As long as I don't have to cook anything, we are all good.  If they start asking me to cook, we might be in trouble.

After serving, My Prince and I and several other friends of ours ate dinner.  After dinner, we went to the auditorium for the concert.  The singer was a lady I had grown up listening to.  Well, I grew up listening to her family, as she was a little younger than I.  It was good to see her and see what she has become.  It was a good concert.  And I may or may not have cried through a couple of her more touching songs.  One of the things I loved about her family's songs as I was growing up was that they sang about real life.  She has continued that tradition, and I am glad.

The Oldest Princess got home about the time the concert finished.  I told her to come to the church.  I wanted her to meet the singer.  We stood and talked for a long time after the concert, waiting for the singer to finish talking to everyone else and selling her CDs.

I enjoyed the fellowship of just standing around talking.  It was fun.  The singer came through and we were able to introduce her to the Oldest Princess.  She had to be on her way pretty quickly, because she was traveling by herself and needed to get going before it got too much later.

We left after she did.  At home, we watched a little television, while I worked on the blog.  Now that I am done, we will have our devotions and get some rest.

Until tomorrow...

March 3, 2016

The First 5 was about starting Leviticus, and how hard it can be to study a book like Leviticus.  But we can learn lessons from the attitudes that the Isrealites had, and how they responded to God, and God to them.

My class was full of busy little bees who worked hard and accomplished much.  As always, they make me proud.

My Prince kept the road busy back and forth to the hospital.  We have several church members that have had surgeries, or are in the hospital. So many people who need God's healing touch.

The Youngest Princess got her aerial in her tumbling class, and I caught it on video.

I did my Exodus study, and it was the story of the golden calf.  Every time I read it, I marvel at the Isrealites speed in turning from the God Who had done many miraculous things right before their eyes, to a god that they saw formed by man right before their eyes. I also never cease to be amazed at how much mercy God showed them. Thankfully, our God is a very merciful God.

As for the parts I left out. It has been a really tough day overall. Maybe even a game changing day as someone I know would say. It is a lot to process on my part, and I choose to be silent and take these things to the Lord in prayer.  Please pray with me if you will.

Until tomorrow...

March 2, 2016

*Usual morning, I will spare you the details.

*First 5 talked this morning about unbelief.  "No matter who you are and no matter how long you have been a Christian, unbelief brings unrest.  Unbelief is simply an unwillingness to trust God.  It can rob you of what God has planned for you."  "The path to rest comes through trusting God." "If we want to know God's rest, His peace, in every circumstance, we need to keep our hearts sensitive to His voice.  It all starts with listening, hearing, heeding, believing, and obeying His Word."- Krista Williams

*School was cool, and there are only 17 more days to Spring Break.  Happy Face.  Happy Dance. Only 17 more days!  Whoo hoo!  This part of the school year is always the longest and hardest for me.  But after Spring Break, everyone seems to have a pep in their step, and they are ready to finish strong.  I always love the last nine weeks.

*After school I came home and finished up my Exodus study for this week.  The Youngest Princess rotated between tumbling, practicing her flute, and practicing the piano.  The Oldest Princess and the Young Prince came in from play practice.  My Prince came in from the church.

*I finished a book I have been reading.  It was My Name is Mahtob.  Very interesting.  It broke my heart that she was made to yell "Death to America" every morning while she was in elementary school in Iran.  Her resilience was astounding.  Her forgiveness amazing. Very inspirational.

*The Oldest Princess worked on her invite for the Gray Ghost to her Junior/Senior Banquet.

*We ate dinner, and the oldest kids left for praise team practice.

*We too left for church a few minutes later.

*Our Exodus study was wonderful.  Not a ton of practical application in the directions for the tabernacle, but lots of history and symbolism.  My friend who led tonight brought us awesome color copied pictures to help us better understand the tabernacle and the priest's garments.  So many things pointing to and picturing Christ.  God had a grand plan from the very beginning.  And it is so cool that through His Word, we are able to watch as His plan unfolds.  It also gives me hope for the future.

*My strawberries that I ordered from my friend came in, and that made tonight even sweeter.  I will be dipping them in chocolate very soon. Then I got some precious love and attention from several of my little friends while I admired their coloring pages, and painted fingernails.  It was a great night all the way around!

*We did our weekly after church run to the store, and then came home.  The Young Prince told us that the Gray Ghost told the Oldest Princess yes, that he would go to her Jr./Sr. Banquet with her. But she had gone out to eat with him after church, so we had to wait until she got home to hear it from her.

*When the Oldest Princess did get home, she laughingly told us that there were three different families that she knew at the restaurant.  Once again, instant chaperones.  I love it! And of course, she told us that the Gray Ghost said yes.

*We sent the Youngest Princess to get ready for bed, and when she was done, we had family devotions.

*Now the Youngest Princess and I have a chapter to read.

*Until tomorrow...

March 1, 2016

Wow!  I can't believe it is already March!  Time seems to be flying by.

This morning - the usual.  Woke up, First 5 - about accountability.  I know that I am much more determined to think about what I am studying if I know that someone is going to be asking me what I learned from my study, than I am on the days when I am just rushing through to check off that I have read.

School was pretty normal.  My students for the most part did fantastic on their math test, and on their Science exam.  I love it when they all make good grades!  We were able to squeeze in one chapter of Josiah at the end of the day.  Tomorrow we will finish book 5, and might even start on book 6.  This may be the first class to finish all 7 books before the end of the school year.

The Youngest Princess and I went home and waited a few minutes for My Prince to get home from work, and for the Oldest Princess and the Young Prince to come in for play practice.  When everyone finally got home, My Prince, the Oldest Princess and I (and the Youngest Princess who rode along, because she usually gets a cookie out of the deal) went to vote.  It was the Oldest Princess's first time to vote, and she was pretty excited.  Every time I vote, I think of my mom and dad.  Neither of them ever voted (that I know of).  It always makes me sad that they would pass up such am important opportunity.  They loved their country, but did not vote.  I am thankful that we can pass on the importance of voting to our children, and I am proud of the Oldest Princess for going with us and voting today.

We came home and relaxed for a few minutes before we started dinner.  While we were relaxing, the Young Prince and the Youngest Princess were playing outside.  Something happened and they had an argument.  They both came in upset.  My Prince talked to the Young Prince, and I talked to the Youngest Princess.  It seems that the Young Prince was frustrated at himself, and she was bothering him by asking him repeatedly to do something for her.  She did not get the hint of when enough was enough (she has trouble with that sometimes), and he got angry with her.  I talked to her about knowing when enough is enough, and when to back off.  The Young Prince had gone upstairs, but I told My Prince that he needed to learn to not take out his frustrations on himself, out on his sister.  It wasn't very long until the Young Prince came downstairs and told me that he had heard what I had said, and that I was right.  He sincerely apologized to sister, and she apologized to him.  It was very sweet.  It is the stuff that makes a mom  proud!

Shortly thereafter, we started dinner.  My Prince grilled chicken, and I fixed the sides while helping the Youngest Princess study over her spelling words.

We ate, and then while we were all gathered at the table, we went ahead and had our family devotions before we all went our separate ways to study and prepare for tomorrow and bed.  We read Colossians 3:1-11.  Good stuff there, with a lot of practical application.  I notice that when I set my affection on things on the earth, I tend to be unthankful, and grumpy and sad.  But when my affections are set on those things which are above, I am much, much happier.  And every time I think about "putting on the new man", I think of Mrs. K, one of my youth pastor's wives, and  a lesson that she taught on that subject.  I love you, Mrs. K and thank you for teaching in such a way that your lesson has stuck with me for at least 20 years.

After dinner, we all cleaned up the kitchen.  Then the kids went off to study.  My Prince went to watch some of the early election results, and I started writing my blog.

The kids needed some clothes washed, so we started a load of laundry.  I sent the Youngest Princess to get her shower, and I am going to do a little studying about the tabernacle, while she gets ready for bed, and then we are going to read Mandie and get some sleep.

Until tomorrow...