Directions or GPS?

Why do men like GPS when they don’t like to stop and ask for directions?  It seems to me that this is the ultimate in direction giving/ receiving, having someone tell you turn by turn, street by street, how to arrive at your destination, and this stranger (often a woman), giving out the directions, can be quite bossy!  Why do men like this so much?  Well, not all men really do like GPS, my husband, Craig, doesn’t.  This may be because he likes maps so much.  But my dad, who is the most in control man I know loves GPS!

love in ANY launguage

The kids & I were watching Jon & Kate Plus 8 last night (not Craig’s favorite show, he was in the next room trying to get something scanned onto my computer for me) and I heard a phrase that I thought I only I had ever used.  For a matter of fact, I thought that I had coined the phrase (or at least it’s use in this specific type of situation).  It was at a moment in the show when Jon & Kate could not get one if the kids to obey.  Finally, while yelling & very much frustrated, Kate hollered “What language do I have to speak for you to hear me?”.

We all had a laugh at that moment (even Craig in the next room).  This is a phrase I have used often over the years.  Sometimes I have even followed up this phrase with something in the little Spanish I know (No, not Spanish curse words!).  But over time I came to reason that even the moms in Mexico, or any other language-speaking country, are having the same trouble Kate & I are having at getting our kids to listen!

I Survived the Jo-Bro. Concert!!!

Craig & I took our family plus 3 friends to the Jonas Brothers Concert on Friday Night.  Here are some photos for your viewing pleasures…

Lawn Seating

What a supportive father!

“They’re so cute!!!”

Kate, Aubrey, & Katelyn

Whitney & Aly

Having fun with the camera! Hey! We had 4 1/2 hours of time to fill!

Yep, Bubba came too.

And….here they are…THE BOYS! (shrill screams, crying, fainting, & etc.)

Fried Squirrel with Mushroom Gravy

Have no fear, this is actually a recipe for Portabello Mushrooms in Gravy

I am including a new recipe, though I doubt very seriously anyone tries it, but, please, if anyone should try it, let me know!

The reason for the recipe is due to a new arch enemy of mine & my husband. 

Where WE Live

I just read this scripture & had to share it.  It is about Moses & is in the Message translation of the bible:

Hebrews11: 24-28 By faith, Moses, when grown, refused the privileges of the Egyptian royal house. He chose a hard life with God’s people rather than an opportunistic soft life of sin with the oppressors. He valued suffering in the Messiah’s camp far greater than Egyptian wealth because he was looking ahead, anticipating the payoff. By an act of faith, he turned his heel on Egypt, indifferent to the king’s blind rage. He had his eye on the One no eye can see, and kept right on going.

How many of us, as Christians, have chosen an opportunistic soft life of sin with our oppressors?  Moses could have remained in the palace of the Egyptians where he would have been rich & famous!  Instead he had a vision that went beyond his life on this earth.  He desired riches far greater than what this earth had to offer.  For those of us who feel in bondage because of the riches & privileges that our oppressors have to offer, there is a better & more gratifying life…but it takes great faith.   For my Christian brothers & sisters who have already surrendered their desires & opportunities in order to receive a richer life in Jesus, keep at it!  Your reward is on it’s way!  This scripture was an encouragement to me today & I hope it will be for you, as well.  I encourage you to read about the other Christians who went before us, living a life of faith.  Read all of Hebrews 11.

For my Christian Siblings: A Post Worth Viewing

One of mine & Craig’s favorite ministers of all time is Charles Spurgeon.  He really does not mess around in his messages & goes right to the point of the matter.  I appreciate his frankness.  I need that.  His sermons really touch on the issues of today & remind me of what is most important:  Christ, my need for Him, & my calling in this world (to be light in the darkness).  The interesting thing about his sermons is that they were written for an entirely different generation & yet they are so relevant for today, because they point us to God’s word.  Charles Spurgeon lived from 1834-1892.  

Craig found a very telling sermon of his & posted it on his blog (I will include a link to his blog at the bottom).  The sermon speaks of struggles I have had as I have determined my best approach to reach those who don’t know Christ.  Really, though, as I look around I see that I am not the only one struggling in this issue.  I guess I could say  that the Church as a whole struggles with this at times and apparently has for some time as one can see in the sermon. Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against the church of today who, with many I know, are working tirelessly to reach the lost.  I do feel that God inspires worship just as he did 100 years ago (or more) & the same applies to song.  God is still inspiring gifted ministers & worship leaders to reach this generation.  It’s just that I feel that we need not worry about those around us (what they are doing) & focus on the Lord’s individual & personal calling for our lives. 

The Holy Spirit, who works in the heart, calling us to believe, is the Spirit of God.  Allow Him to use you, simply, as he calls you to touch the lives of others & don’t allow Satan to convince you that you need to look or act a certain way before anyone will take notice.  There are plenty of cool & interesting things to capture people’s attention today & we, as Christians, may not be able to compete on that level.  What we can offer, though, is pure love, truth, & hope for the future.  We can offer Christ.  Isn’t that what everyone really wants?  Allow God to use you, your gifts, your calling just as they are.  Don’t feel the need to be anything, or anyone else in your role as witness.  Imagine if each believer (or body of believers) didn’t worry about the trends around them (looking to others rather than God) but simply used what God gave them in the way He desires to use them to reach the world? 

I word of warning, this sermon may cause a bit of an “ouch” moment (it did for me) but no bother, no need to be critical or insulted, just ask the Holy Spirit what, if anything, He wants you to take from it.  Then, with much faith, obediently step out & follow Him.  People need the Lord.

Craig’s Blog & Spurgeon’s Sermon

A Look at a Home School Mom’s Schedule

So, we have been back to our schedule for almost 2 weeks now & all is going quite well.  I decided to give a look at our day…just because.  It is interesting to me to know what other home school families are doing.

Back to the Grind!

We are all back to the school year grind! My husband has been up at his school (he teaches in a local middle school) getting everything set for this coming week. This year he is the Math Subject Area Coordinator & it has taken a little extra on his part. Our son & I headed up to his school on Wednesday to help him get his room ready. I am not sure we were much help. He gave me the task of moving his student’s desks in place. I am no good at that. I spent quite a while working on it only to see more creative desk designs in some of the other teachers rooms! I noticed that the lady teachers really like to “nest” & make sure their rooms feel like home. The guys either don’t mess with it at all, slapping things up here & there, or their rooms tend to be very organized, almost military like.

The kids & I have also started back to our school, home school. This year I wasn’t on my game as usual where preparation is concerned. I think the fact that I didn’t go to any home school curriculum conferences played into that.  I have quickly pulled our curriculum together so we can get going. That is fine, though, because it has saved me from second guessing myself on my purchases.

Of course our home school is awesome right now. It is new & fresh, since we are at the beginning of our year. The kids are anxious each day to get started, but especially my son. I can’t hardly finish up my morning routine (7:15am) before he is saying that it is time for us to do our subjects together: Math, History, & Language. By the way, how do you teach a boy how to write a thoughtful paragraph? Something other than…”It helps oxygen in the blood”. That was his answer to “How does the Mineral, Iron, help our bodies. Please write the answer as a paragraph. Remember, a paragraph has at least 3 sentences & a sentence has a subject & a predicate, begins with an upper case letter, & ends with a punctuation mark.”   (I have to include all of this because every now & then these things are forgotten)  If anyone has an answer to this issue with writing & boys, please let me know.  That may be another blog for another day.

Anyhow, as of Monday, we are officially back to school.  I am exited about this year & the fresh start.  Don’t ask me in January how we are feeling.  Well, maybe that will be another blog as well.  “Fighting the Fog:  Are We Done Yet?”

Vacation

 

I finally have our family pictures downloaded to my computer & can include them in this blog.  On the 14th we went to Jekyll Island.  I have never been but thought it was an absolute treasure!  I didn’t really have high expectations since I had never heard anyone say anything about it one way or the other but I really liked it.  For a matter of fact the kids requested to go every summer. 

 

Kate doesn’t look so pleased but, really, this may be because this was taken at the end of the vacation &

A Little Bit of This & a Little Bit of That

Isn’t there a song with that title?  This post is a mishmash of things…