LIVE A LIFE OF NO REGRETS!!

Do You Believe in Miracles?

2012-02-10T13:15:00.000-05:00

It's interesting to hear views on miracles. Some Christians believe that miracles are a rare occurrence and they mostly only occurred in the New Testament era. Others believe they are always available to us but we lack faith and it's always our fault if things don't happen that we pray for. Personally, I believe miracles still happen, but that it's dangerous to believe we can control God. Years ago, I listened to some teachings that took the scriptures of having faith (like Matthew 17:20 and others) and believed 100% that if I prayed for a miracle in faith that, of course, it would happen. Deceived, I earnestly prayed as if God was obligated to listen to me because I followed this formula. When I began miscarrying a baby that we had prayed years for, I prayed and believed I was going to be 100% healed and this baby that we longed for was going to be born. When I lost this precious baby, my faith was rocky. I was worried I was one of those believers in Matthew 7:21-23 that just thought I was saved. I knew that I at least has mustard seed size faith and was shaken to the core. What those teachings miss are two big things -- God's sovereignty and mystery. I went back to the Word and dug into the Word to assure myself I wasn't lost, that I was definitely one of His children. I preached to myself the Word and assured my spirit of who I was and whom I belonged to. I still believe that when we pray with faith that God can heal, but now I believe that because He's sovereign He chooses when to say yes and when to say no to our prayers. I also believe that I can't normally figure out the why's and when's because there is also mystery involved. Isaiah 55:8-9 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. How do I suppose my little brain is going to understand the mind of a God big enough to create the world out of nothing? Where do we get our arrogance from? I am still believing God can 100% heal me of this cancer. I'm praying when they scan me to see how well the radiation and the chemo did before surgery that the mass will be entirely gone and surgery won't be necessary. But if He says no, will I will choose to praise Him anyway? Yes!!

Philipians 4:11-13 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

A Few Miracles that our Family Has Experienced

1)   Salvation!
2)   All 8 of our children's births....always a miracle! (5 others didn't make it to birth.)
3)   Praise was born and died for 13 minutes.   She was not supposed to walk or talk.   She was supposed to be learning challenged. She's perfectly healthy nearly 13 years later.
4)   Praise had her sonogram before her surgery to place a shunt in her brain for her hydrocephalus.   When they did the scan, there was no longer a problem and surgery was canceled.
5) Praise was off her seizure medication by 6 months.
6) Nicholas was shot in the eye with a bb gun at 2 years old.   He had no sight in his eye at the first hospital he was checked at.   They sent us to MCG to see a specialist right away. Driving from the hospital in Millen to Augusta we called for prayer.   When he was checked at MCG, his sight was 100%.   The only side effect is that his blue eye was green for one year.
7) When Michael was a baby, he fell into an orchestra pit. We believe an angel caught him because although he fell at least 8 feet he didn't even have a bruise on his body.
8) John Russell also didn't have a healthy birth beginning.   He was lifeless and purple. 18 years later we are still thanking the Lord.

These are just a few, very few, of the many things God has done in our family. Do I believe in miracles? Absolutely.

Luke 1:37 For with God, nothing shall be impossible.

Thankful to be Suffering?

2012-02-08T20:55:00.000-05:00

Sat with a dear friend who visited today, we discussed cancer, struggles, life, and the Lord.    There's nothing like getting with a sister in Christ and encouraging one another in the goodness of our Lord.   Even if you are in pain, your spirit-man sours, your joy overflows and you become so thankful that the Lord shows you in so many ways that He knows where you are and reminds you that He will never leave you nor forsake you.

My friend had an incredibly difficult 2011.   I saved a paragraph from the book I finished to share with her when she came.   It was such an encouragement to me and felt like it would be great for her to hear as well.   What I shared follows from the book "When God Weeps", by Tada and Estes:

       God uses suffering to purge sins from our lives, strengthen our commitment to Him, force us to depend on grace, bind us together with other believers, produce discernment, foster sensitivity, discipline our minds, spend our time wisely, stretch our hope, cause us to know Christ better, make us long for truth, lead us to repentance of sin, teach us to give thanks in times of sorrow, increase faith, and strengthen character. It's a beautiful image.

And it's so true.   I've always reflected on life but seldom have I had a chance to STOP for any period of time to really assess what's important and what's not. This cancer has made me pause and ponder. It's also made me thankful for this "pause".     I've never felt the love of the Lord through His body EVER before at the level I have now.     Let me clarify that I've never been a neglected child of the Lord, but this is definitely a new level of love that I've been shown since December.

When we've been blessed with a new baby, we'd have a short pause in the routine to rest, recuperate, and enjoy life but having to stop due to pain and illness is definitely a place I've never been before. I'm unsure if I'll ever go back to the speed of life I was at before. I've always felt like my priorities were to the Lord, my husband, children, and home, but I did a lot things (really good things) that interfered with taking care of these things with excellence. Not for a second am I seeking perfection but just keeping my priorities straight and I may need to say no to more things, even really good things. What that is going to look like, I'm unsure but it's going to be good for my family.

I Thessalonians 5:18 In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Thank you Lord for teaching me so much in this short season.

Growing Weary

2012-02-02T18:55:00.000-05:00

I'm laying on the couch with the door open while the spring like breeze blows in through the screen door listening to three boys play basketball, while two girls and Christopher paint pictures, and my eldest son paints the dining room. It's spring in February this year in Georgia. My power bill loves it but I sure hope we get enough cold that the bugs don't overrun us in the "real" spring and summer. I'm half way through my treatments and had a definitely weary in well doing type of day a few days ago. At the end of the day laying in bed with the hubby, I shared with him that I was just tired of not feeling good. It gets really old. Not knowing the hormones were kicking in (if you catch my drift) with the regular just not feeling myself I must admit I was pretty pitiful. Of course when I got a wonderful cyclical surprise in the morning, I thanked him for being sweet and tender but I was going to be alright. These few months of not feeling well have definitely given me a new empathy for folks with chronic pains and illnesses. If I'm struggling, I still preach to myself truths from the Scriptures. When I'm too weary, I have a fabulous husband, family, and friends who continually remind me what a short journey I am on, how far I've already gone, and that the Lord is with me. But what if I was looking at a lifetime of pain, illness, and lethargy. Although I can only imagine how hard that would be, I have had a small taste of that world. The things I would have to purpose to do to fight growing weary in well doing:

1) Find joy where I am. (Today it is the spring like weather, a birthday for my baby turning three, giggles over cake, the fresh breeze blowing in, a morning with my Mom who chauffeured me to appointments, a husband who is employed in this tough economy, a grown daughter who calls and checks in on her mama despite her busy life, and children at home who don't even complain about picking up my slack)

2) Share how I'm feeling so those who love me could encourage me when I'm struggling. (I'm not good at this one. I usually don't share struggles until I'm on the other side of them.)

3) Seek the Lord. (He is faithful!)

Deuteronomy 4:29 But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you

will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul.
Psalm 9:10 Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, LORD, have

never forsaken those who seek you.

Also, it's taught me things on how to be a friend to others going through illness. I want to definitely purpose to be an encouragement and available to others the way I've been blessed these past few months.

Specific prayer needs:

My white blood count is still low and needs to go up. My iron is still low. I went nearly two weeks without any pain medication and was really excited but this week I've begun having quite a bit of pain. I'm sensitive to everything they've used thus far to cover my port each week and scratch in my sleep to the point of bleeding.

Please continue to pray for Sam Simms who is battling non-Hodgkins lymphoma. I was at his birth 17 years ago! Pray also for his parents. It's much easier to go through this yourself than watch a child suffer. Thanking the Lord for his life, praying for his complete healing and hoping for a now kind of miracle.

Pray also for Drew Ansley. Another long time friend has a 24 year old son who was in a bad fall and has been in a coma for over a month now. However, God has been working in his body along the way performing miracles. They need his kidneys to "wake up" next.

Thanks so much prayer warriors!

Prayer for Our Children

2012-01-29T11:33:00.000-05:00

Father, hear us, we are praying,
Hear the words our hearts are saying,
We are praying for our children.

Keep them from the powers of evil,
From the secret, hidden peril.
Father, hear us for our children.

From the whirlpool that would suck them,
From the treacherous quicksand, pluck them,
Father, hear us for our children.

From the worldling's hollow gladness,
From the sting of faithless sadness,
Father, Father, keep our children.

Through life's troubled waters steer them,
Through life's bitter battle, cheer them,
Father, Father, be thou near them.

Read the language of our longing.
Read the wordless pleading thronging,
Holy Father, for our children.

And wherever they may bide,
Lead them home eventide.

~Amy Carmichael

Day of Radiation

2012-01-27T20:45:00.000-05:00

I couldn't tell you if all folks who go for radiation treatment's appointments look like mine but I thought I'd share what mine looks like. I'm sure they vary depending on the cancer, the person, and the doctor. I've learned that everyone's chemo treatments are different as well from the types of medicines they are given, the way it is administered, how often it's ministered, how long they are treated, and I'm sure there are even more variables than I am aware of because this is all so new to me.

I arrive at the radiation center every day Monday through Friday for my 7:45 appointment. The waiting room is extremely clean and neat but doesn't have that "hospital smell." The staff are friendly and greet me and everyone else that comes in like a friend when you sign in at the check-in on their very modern computerized check in screen. You have a seat but never for long. There are only a few other folks usually this early and they vary in their appearance. You have the folks that are friendly, most are quiet and reserved, and a few appear very sad. Some mornings very young children are wheeled in for their appointments. You hear your name called over the loud speaker to come to the treatment area. When you come to your first appointment, they assign you a specific room and that's the room you go to each time. When I hear my name, I head to treatment room 4, the purple room, where I am greeted by 2 more friendly staff members. Then I climb on the table and sit up on my knees, pull my pants below my "cheeks", and lay forward on this specialized table that has a small hole for your belly to go into. Then you must lay like dead weight while they shift you around until the small freckle sized tattoos they gave you the first day line up exactly. The table moves up close to an amazing machine. It has two arms on the sides that are square and a large round contraption on top. When they all begin moving, it sounds at first like a space ship is landing and then goes into more of a low whirring noise. You cannot help but be amazed at the technology as you watch it's precise movements and the massiveness of the machine. When they've taken a few x-rays to be sure you are lined up on both sides, the machine zaps you on one side for a few seconds, the other side for a few seconds and then your back side for a few seconds. During the process, you'll hear the technicians change some kind of plates between the zaps. Then the table pulls out. I immediately pull my pants up while I await for the table to still and lower. They grab my chemo bag off my back and hand it to me after I get off the table. We say our good byes and I head out the door. The whole process takes around 15 minutes. I've tried to get my husband to put good morning on my cheeks for when I have to moon the workers each morning and he just won't cooperate. I figured if they had to look at behinds all day that mine could at least be funny. They died laughing when I told them how I wanted to surprise them. I would've been the first. I'm still working on the husband. So all week I've showed my behind but I promise to try to behave this weekend.

Prayer requests: my white blood cell counts are low, please pray they go up.

Praise reports: I haven't had to prepare a meal since my first week of treatments. My family has been totally spoiled. We haven't had to stress about the multiple co-pays either due to the generous deposits to our emergency checking account. I was able to share the Lord at my chemo appointment which I'll share in another post. I also have only taken pain medicine to sleep one night this week and I haven't had to take the medicine for vomiting at all. So except for the poison that is dripping in me 7 days a week and my insides getting daily fried, I'm doing pretty well.

Thanks to everyone for the amazing support and mostly for the prayers!

Path of What If's

2012-01-24T20:34:00.000-05:00

A few days ago, my curly haired two year old boy came up to me very thoughtful. He looked at the hose coming out of my port in my chest to my chemo bag and said, "Mom, me don't want you to die." Trying not to be floored by his comment, I replied "Me either buddy. Why don't we pray." He sat in my lap and we prayed that the Lord would heal me. He said amen, jumped off the couch and went on his merry way playing on the floor in front of the couch I was laying on. I was floored because we never discussed with any of the children that I could die. I couldn't even imagine how my two year old would have a concept of death. When my children have asked specific questions, we gave honest specific answers. When they asked could you die? I said yes but it's 90% curable these days and our days are in His hands and I believe the Lord has many more days for me yet. Otherwise, we're believing this is just a short, hard journey on the road we are on.

The one thing I haven't done on this journey is go down the road of what if's.

*What if I die?
*What if my organs are damaged from the chemo or radiation?
*What if the bills get too high?
I've been down that "what if" trail before and all it does for me to produce fear and make me think I'm prepared with a default plan.   For example, my husband is late coming home from work
*What if he had an accident and died?   I then prepare mental steps of how I'll have to handle things.
*What if someone in the family loses a job?
*What if someone gets seriously ill?
*What if there is an affair?
*What if my children walk the wrong road in life?
*What if....what if....what if....You get the picture.   We can work up scenarios in our mind, get stressed about them, and they never happen.   I'm not saying don't be prepared in life.   Save money when you can. Set goals. Stock your pantry. Have life insurance. What I am saying, is I need to trust the Lord for my DAILY bread.   Matthew 6:34 says, "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble."   After my radiation appointment and a few errands this morning, today I concentrated on resting and getting well, spending time talking to my family, thanking the Lord for another day, and praying without ceasing.   When I think about the poison going in my body, pray the Lord will heal me quick and protect me from the dangers and let it go.   Going through this cancer has opened my eyes even more to the brevity of life and the folly of worry.

I Peter 1:2-4 reminds us all flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls.

Job 14:2 He springs up like a flower and withers away; like a fleeting shadow, he does not endure.

Psalm 39:6 Man is a mere phantom as he goes to and fro: He bustles about, but only in vain; he heaps up wealth, not knowing who will get it.

Yet at the same time we must keep in mind:

Matthew 6:30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? and

Matthew 6:27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?

Again, I preach to myself that worrying about the what if's does NOTHING! It cannot change that I have cancer. It cannot do anything but cause stress. Stress is not healthy so that does not assist me in any way. However, I can cast all my cares upon Him and live each day to the fullest attempting to live that life of no regrets (although there will always be some).

Ecclesiastes 5:18-20

Behold that which I have seen: it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labor that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it is his portion. Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labor; this is the gift of God. For he shall not much remember the days of his life; because God answereth him in the joy of his heart.

Oh, I'm Healthy Alright :)

2012-01-19T19:55:00.000-05:00

One of the funniest comments I've received from a couple of different doctors at different times was when I've been told "You are really healthy, you know, except for the cancer."   Today was the beginning of week two of chemo and I was told that my iron is still too low but higher than last week.    My blood pressure was back to normal 110/60 instead of the higher for me 124/87.   It was the weight I couldn't believe.   Despite the sickness and lack of eating, I gained FOUR WHOPPING POUNDS! Thanks for the prayers to be healthy guys but trust me my weight doesn't need to get any "healthier", .

I'm still reading "When God Weeps" when I'm sitting at the oncologist's office. It is a fantastic book on suffering that I didn't think I needed to read but am so glad that I decided to. The following is a great paragraph from the chapter on "Heaven's Dirty Laundry."

"Eden's lost innocence opened sluice gates of sorrow beyond telling. It will take heaven to dry it all up---to provide the total picture that will ease our hearts for ever.

Why do we doubt? At bottom, we're uncomfortable with these truths, because we're sinful. By nature we all wish God were a few notches lower---a diety lofty enough to help in our trials but not so....uncomfortable."

Ouch! This chapter told us how faith is hard and even in the Psalms it tells us how God hides.   Proverbs 25:2 says "It is the glory of God to conceal a matter." "He plays his hand close to the vest; he never shows all his cards."   This is so true.   We want a BIG GOD but sometimes our finite minds want to totally understand an infinite, all-powerful God.    We think we know what's best and cannot believe He would allow anything different. We make a God of our own imagination and don't get to know the God of the Bible.

This chapter ended with a quote from one of my favorite books "The Lion, the Witch, and The Wardrobe" by C.S. Lewis. If you don't know the story, the lion represents Jesus.

"Is---is he a man?" asked Lucy
"Aslan a man! said Mr. Beaver sternly. "Certainly not. I tell you he is king of the wood and the son of the great Emporer -Beyond-the-Sea.   Don't you know who is the King of the Beasts?   Aslan is the lion---the Lion, the great Lion."
"Ohh!" said Susan.   "I thought he was a man. Is he---quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion."
"That you will, dearie, and no mistake," said Mrs. Beaver, "if there's anyone who can appear before Aslan without their knees knocking, they're either braver than most or else just silly."
"Then he isn't safe?" said Lucy.
"Safe?" said Mr Beaver. "Don't you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? 'Course he isn't safe. But He's good. He's the King I tell you."

Don't you just love this picture of Christ!   Of course He's not predictable, safe, or tame.   We won't always understand His ways and know why things happen. But we can trust and know that He's good. Our God is good!

Okay I'm Done Being Sick!!

2012-01-17T23:15:00.000-05:00

Well, I told my husband yesterday that I was done.   I've been sick long enough.   Laying around, having everybody else do so much for me, staying home 24/7 except for the daily doctor visits have had their time but that time is over.   Doing for others is something I enjoy.   Having folks do for me is nice but much harder.   I awoke today ready to be healed and better and found I felt the same.   Therefore, I decided I needed to see the positive in all this down time.

1) Having time to read.
2)   Making things habits again that we got out of: family Bible reading, memorization work, and bed times (well, almost on the last one)
3)   Time to sort through things to decide if they are keep, store for the next season, or good will.
4)   Kiddos are helping Dad do much needed home repairs because he is home more.

I believe I'm going to look back at this season and see all the blessings the Lord provided me with. Although it's not easy feeling awful, I'll never forget all the love He has poured out on me and my family through family, friends and so many in the body of Christ that I haven't even met before. Big God! Little cancer.

Day of Rest

2012-01-15T20:08:00.000-05:00

Sing

O give thanks unto the LORD; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people.

Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him: talk ye of all his wondrous works.
Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD.
Seek the LORD, and his strength: seek his face evermore.
Remember his marvellous works that he hath done; his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth;
(Psalm 105:1-5)

Remember

I will remember the works of the LORD: surely I will remember thy wonders of old. (Psalm 77:11)

Rest

O Christian men and women, you, also, miss much of your rest! You have too much of fretfulness, too much of care, too much that is servile. The land does not keep her Sabbaths as she should, neither does your soul rest as it might! And as for jubilees, how very scarce they are! If Christians lived near to God and enjoyed the peace which Jesus gives, they might keep Jubilee every year and Sabbath every day! The Lord grant that we may have power to enjoy His rest and that it may never be said of us, “They could not enter in because of unbelief.” Brothers and Sisters, the Lord, as if to show us that He would have us rest, has been pleased to speak of resting, Himself! It is inconceivable that He should be fatigued! It were profanity to suppose that He who faints not, neither is weary, and of whose understanding there is no searching, can ever be in a condition to need rest! And yet He did rest, for when He had finished all the works of His hands in the six days of creation, the Lord, “rested on the seventh day and sanctified it.” When afterwards that rest was broken because His works were marred, we find Him further on smelling a
“sweet savor of rest” in the sacrifice which was offered unto Him by Noah, whose very name was rest.
These two facts are highly instructive and teach us that God rests in a perfect work and that when that work is marred the Lord rests in a perfect Sacrifice, even in the Lord Jesus Christ! He has a rest there and He speaks of our “entering His rest” as it is written, “they shall not enter into My rest.” There is a rest of God, then, and there remains a rest unto the people of God. And of that rest, not in its highest development in Heaven, but in its present enjoyment on earth, we are about to speak. “Rest in the Lord.” (Charles Spurgeon)

Preach to Yourself Some More

2012-01-14T17:49:00.000-05:00

Spent most of last evening sick as a dog. Got out of bed really, really late for me (like 10:00)!! Ate a handful of chex cereal trying to decide if I was going to toss my cookies again or not. My daughter Cindy, my grandchildren and my friend Cindy came by. Three children went to play frisbee golf at Patriot's park while John Russell's friend (a.k.a. as another brother to the little guys) Phillip visited. I ate baked ziti for lunch (thanks Jennifer) and then took a zofran quickly after in hopes I won't get ill today. I'm super tired and have a gross taste in my mouth but NOT hugging a commode so life is good.

Blessings to be thankful today: my husband has work, my children have been helpful, children, grandchildren, friends, family, warm fire to sit by while I type and play Words with Friends, and a faithful God.

What am I preaching to myself today? The Spiritual Blessings in Ephesians

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

Amen and Amen!

Preach to Yourself!

2012-01-13T19:09:00.000-05:00

I was pondering whether to keep this daily blog of our cancer story because it sounds like "me, me, me, it's all about me." However, today I received encouraging e-mails and a phone call that it was helping other people with their family's walk with sickness. Therefore, write I will. I was excited that last night was my first night without taking pain medicine to sleep in months and that I haven't gotten sick from the chemo. Today started out really well. Although it was really cold and windy, it was a beautiful morning. My husband and I went to get my radiation, grabbed a few things at Wal Mart that we needed at home, and I was done before he even paid. Exhaustion hit and I went to the car. By noon pain returned again and doggone it if I didn't start getting nauseous around 1 or 2:00 p.m. Rested and played computer games in the bed with the hubby while older children finished up school, my oldest son and 2nd daughter painted the bathroom, and the others cleaned their rooms and then played wii. At around 6 p.m., I began throwing up. Now, although I have had plenty of experience throwing up because I did so with nine of my pregnancies, it's still awful. There's no sugar coating vomiting whether it's cleaning up after your children or if it's you running to the commode yourself. It's just terrible. When life feels really stinky with things I'm facing, I always have a few choices. First: I can feel sorry for myself. Throw myself a pity party. I'm sure my family and close friends would join me for a bit but then everybody gets tired of it including the party thrower. So, option number one will not work for me. Secondly: Become a martyr by not throwing a loud pity party but instead choose to feel sorry for myself in silence but tell everybody else it's not so bad while excusing myself to run to the bathroom carrying my chemo bag and puke. Thirdly: Preach to myself. Preaching to myself I can be honest about how I feel but speak God's Word into the situation.

Pastor Wade Trimmer (tridm.org) taught us well about preaching to ourselves (and others). One example is when I'm feeling sorry for myself in any way I can go to the Word and remind myself that I am one of God's SPECIALS! Because I have received Jesus as my Savior, I can remind myself that I am Sovereignly chosen, Positionally holy, Experientially changed, Completely accepted, Incredibly secure, Avowedly valuable, I've been Legally cleared, and even if I don't feel like it, I am being Securely managed. When I'm not feeling so sick, I'll pull out my notes with all the scriptures to back these claims.

One of the first e-mails I received was from Pastor Wade reminding me to preach to myself during this trial. He wrote “Stop listening to all the temporal reports, especially what your own self is probably saying and start preaching to yourself. No prattling, murmuring or mumbling speech is to be allowed. With the boldness of a convinced believer, take hold of yourself and preach! Proclaim good news, glad tidings of great joy. (By the way, this is not positive thinking or "word of faith" theology or magic. This is preaching the gospel of Christ to yourself.)"

Then he gave me some great specifics that I have preached to myself along the way that I will share from his letter below.

Tell yourself that you are loved by God, that Christ has died in your stead, that the Holy Spirit lives in you, consecrating you to God and guaranteeing your salvation. Tell yourself that you will celebrate all that Father God’s precious Son is: who He is to you, and for you, over you, and within you, through you, and before and upon you. Before all Heaven proclaim: Christ is supreme, sovereign, superior, sufficient and totally satisfying – and He is mine and I am His!

Inform yourself that Jesus is your defense attorney, that he pleads his blood in response to every charge brought against you. Tell your sickness that not only do you have a defense attorney, but Jesus is your Great Physician and because of that its days are numbered. And even if it should—God forbid—last till your dying breath, it will thus be vanquished for all eternity while you escape to perfect health and everlasting joy. Thumb your nose at it and declare it won't win. Christ won, so Christ will. You will outlast your sickness, because Christ, who is your life, is in you as the hope of glory, and He will outlast it. Tell yourself that you may be in a deep pit, but Christ is deeper still!

Then Pray: Father, I come boldly before Your throne of grace to obtain help and strength for healing in my body. Father, You said that You desire above all things that we would prosper and be in good health. You instructed us not to forget the benefits, which You have given us as children of God. For You said that You would forgive us of our sins and iniquities, and You would heal us of all our sickness and diseases (Ps 103:3-5). Therefore, as a child of the Most High God, I receive the blessings and benefits of my healing.

Father, You warned us that the righteous would have many afflictions, but You promised to deliver us from them all (Ps 34:9). So Father, I thank You for delivering me from this physical affliction.

Father, I thank You that You have given us authority to speak to our circumstances. Therefore, by the authority of the name of my Lord Jesus Christ, I speak unto my mountain, which is this sickness, and I command it to be removed, uprooted, and cast into the sea. And even as Jesus spoke to the fig tree and told it to die, and it died, I speak to this sickness, and I command it to die at the very root, and not to spring up again.

By the authority of the name of Jesus Christ, I command every cell, every molecule, every organ, and every part of my body to operate and perform the way that God made them to perform. I reverse the curse of sickness, and I receive the blessing of healing in my body.

Father, Your word tells us that You are the God that heals us of all of our sickness and diseases. You said that You would take sickness and disease away from us, and You promised to fulfill the number of our days, which is seventy years, and then some. I thank You Father, for taking away this infirmity from my body. And even as You have begun a good work in my life, I am confident that You will perform and complete it; for Your word tells us that with long life You will satisfy us and show us the salvation of the Lord. So I thank You Father, for healing me of this sickness, and also for blessing me with a long and healthy life.

Father, I thank You that my prayers avail much in victory. For You said, “...the effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” Father, as I have prayed this prayer, I thank You that Your word shall not return unto You void, but it will accomplish that which You send it to perform. I therefore, release my faith by the word of God which I have prayed. And again I confess, that “WITH THE STRIPES OF JESUS CHRIST, I AM HEALED!” In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray and receive my healing, AMEN.

I can't help get so excited about the Lord and who He is after I've preached to myself. Even though I'm tired, I'm hurting, and I feel I could throw up again within this very hour, my spirit is full of His peace and joy. What battle are you fighting today? What struggles are you facing? God's Holy Word has answers for you and I hope that you will search it like you would search for a guaranteed great treasure. Find out what God says about those struggles, those battles, about you, about Him, and preach to yourself the good news of Jesus!!

Good night!

Got my Designer Bag and showed my Behind all in the Same Day

2012-01-12T21:10:00.000-05:00

Today was day two radiation and day one chemotherapy. Thankfully, the radiation didn't leave me burning inside for as long as it did yesterday. Every time I go for radiation I get to lay stomach down on the table and bare my behind. Fortunately, it looks like I'll only be mooning the staff for about 15 minutes a visit. If I hadn't had eight children before now, I think I'd be mortified.

The oncologist visit today consisted of getting a chemo "purse" that attaches to the port in my chest. I'll be wearing it continuously until my times up. Thus far I haven't got sick and hoping that continues. Thanks for all the prayers.

If you want to be challenged in your thinking of God, read "When God Weeps" by Joni Eareckson Tada and Steve Estes. My friend Audrey had a friend give it to her to give to me when I found out I got cancer. I didn't feel like I needed it as I hadn't struggled with the Lord that I had cancer. He is God and I am not. However, although I'm only a few chapters in, I realize I trust His sovereignty and mystery but have still been very challenged in my thinking. When finished reading this book, I may post some thoughts on this great read.

First Day of Radiation

2012-01-11T21:35:00.000-05:00

It seems almost surreal that I have cancer. The few hours a day I feel "normal" we school, clean, read, etc. like every other year. However, in the last few months I've become a napper. I've never liked napping except when I was in the nonfunctional tired stage of pregnancy and even then felt like I wasted time. I guess I'm sleeping so much because I've become anemic, because I don't sleep well at night due to the pain, or lately from rolling onto the port they put in for the chemo. I've had 12 appointments in the past few weeks and beginning today will have one appointment four days a week and two appointments one day a week. Of course, that doesn't include children's six month dental cleanings coming up or Praise's blood work to be sure her thyroid levels are where they should be. I'm so thankful for the friends and family who get my children to co-op and the park for tennis on Tuesdays and church on Wednesday evenings so their schedule stays pretty much the same.

The great news of this week is that my mammogram results are in and breast cancer isn't another issue. That was the original concern after my first appointment due to some fibroid cysts found during my appointment. Today was my first radiation treatment. I was surprised to find out how tired I was afterwards and that it felt like my insides were on fire. Came home and went to bed. Woke up, ate dinner, and played cards with the family. The meals that have been provided for our family has been such a blessing. The prayers have sustained me and I have had more energy since folks have been praying for me than I had before I was diagnosed. The Lord has given my family and I such peace that it's hard to put into words. Asking why has not been something I wrestle with because I know we live in a fallen world. Of course, I'd love for this not to be an issue in our family or for anyone else. Then again I also wish we didn't have human trafficking, abortion, homeless people, hunger, etc. It sure makes you long for the new heaven and the new earth. “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”(Rev. 21:3-4) But I'm not ready yet. I'm hoping to raise my children, see them get married, having more grandchildren and grow old with my high school sweetheart. Until the Lord tells me otherwise, I'm believing He is able to heal me in a moment or even through medical means. Thanking the Lord for all the good things He's provided since becoming ill and for being closer than a brother.

3 Appointments and Good News

2012-01-05T20:00:00.000-05:00

Today was "meet the radiation oncologist", mammogram, and see the primary care physician so all hoops are jumped in order to be sure insurance is covering everything they should.   The good news at the oncologist was that the cancer looks like it's contained in the colon.   The treatment should be 5 1/2 weeks 5 days a week instead of 8 weeks 5 days a week.   Woo hoo.   The mammogram results should be next week. Tomorrow morning I have minor day surgery to get the port placed in for the chemotherapy.

Thanks for all the prayers and for all the folks who have blessed my family with meals this week.

Things I'm thankful so far this year:
    1) Amazing support from friends and family.
    2) Refrigerator given to us to replace our 'frige that was dying.
    3) Counter tops that were built by my husband before our big shock of having cancer have been installed this week and I ruthlessly cleaned out and reorganized (even though it took me two days).
     4) New home for the home school consignment shop so my living room is already half empty.
    5)   Our home has been full of "the peace that passeth all understanding" and my children have not become fearful or overly stressed by all the news of cancer and all the extra appointments that we have had. Thank you Jesus!

Oh No She Didn't.......Oh Yes I Did!!

2012-01-04T18:41:00.001-05:00

Just a little background for those who don't know me well. I don't like to make excuses for anything. (O.k. maybe I'd like to but my pride won't allow it.) When pregnant with Cindy, we climbed Stone Mountain around 8+ months because I didn't want to use the "pregnant card." When I was pulled over by the police for yielding instead of making a complete stop, I couldn't bring myself to use the "don't you work with my husband card." If I get behind on chores or school, I don't want to use the "well duh I have 8 children card" because I feel God wouldn't give me more than He will enable me to manage.

BUT, the other night when we had the house fire, I pulled a card. My cabinets and counter tops were emptied onto the dining room floor because my husband installed the counter tops before he went to work and my 16 year old was caulking the corners. My living room was covered in boxes from the home school consignment book store that was being packed up, and I was in my room in the bed with the younger children because I was so stinking tired. When I surveyed the mess that the firemen had to see as they climbed into my attic to be sure there was not any way our home would catch back on fire after they left, I looked at the fire man holding the ladder and apologized for the mess that I was in bed early with the children because (deep breath and sad countenance) I have cancer. He apologized and by pulling my C card I realized children services wouldn't be at my door in a few hours due to the disaster of my home and allowing the older boys do fireworks unsupervised. Soooo there is my true confession. Now my husband may tell you that I pull it nightly when I ask him to scratch my back but don't you listen to him.

No doctors two months ago....Seven doctors today

2012-01-03T19:24:00.000-05:00

It is easier to write when it's not all about yourself.   I've been staring at this screen for the last ten minutes trying to decide what to write about. Since I last wrote, I'm still continually overwhelmed with the body of Christ sending me notes of encouragement and letting me know they are praying.   Honestly, it's pretty humbling. Being so much easier to give than receive has never felt more true.   The Lord has provided so much encouragement and peace I forget I'm sick until I get overly tired.   And I haven't been nearly as tired since the body of Christ has lifted me up in prayer.   My food schedule that was set up at takethemameal.com is already filled up through February excepting ONE day!     I'm repeatedly surprised at the love shown to us.    I am probably not much different than most folks reading this blog.    A Christian very aware of her shortcomings, faults, struggles that I'm amazed by His mercy and grace towards me in any given moment on any day that this outpouring of love has made me cry when even the word cancer has not.

Today a mammogram was set up for Thursday to be sure it's only fibroid cysts in my breasts.   That is a common occurrence in my family but we are making sure.   I've definitely done lots of preventative in that area with 13 pregnancies and 14 years of nursing babies. Of course, I would have thought I had done enough to prevent colon cancer too.   Whole grains, fresh fruit and vegetables, lots of salads each week, etc. are common in our diet.   Go figure.   I meet radiologist Thursday and then will be seeing him 5 days a week.   I have minor surgery Friday to get a port put in to make the chemo easier.   Then I will only have to visit the oncologist 1 day a week for chemo.   He believes we will only need to go 5 1/2 weeks instead of 8. My body will rest for a few weeks then surgery.   I'm praying when they check me I won't even need the surgery.   The doctor said I may not even lose my hair (although I wasn't even worried about that.) I have a large packet to read over tonight to prepare me for the weeks ahead.

Would still appreciate prayers for healing, medical expenses covered, peace for my mom, husband, and the children, school to be done well despite circumstances, and for opportunities to share the joy and hope of the Lord with each visit we make to the doctor.   While you are praying, pray my daughter Cindy does well on her college exam tomorrow. The semester is just beginning but this exam on her first day back is detrimental towards her staying in the nursing program. Pray also that my son John Russell has an extraordinary experience with the Lord while he's at the Passion Conference in Atlanta this week along with the other high school seniors and college age students. Pray for Nancy who has taken over teaching my Challenge II classes in co-op that she will not be overwhelmed and sense the equipping of the Lord for this task that has been thrown upon her. Thanking the Lord for you all.

New Year's Plans

2012-01-02T09:15:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year! I was pondering why we get so excited about a new year that we make extravagant resolutions and plans that we hope to improve ourselves by year after year. Surprisingly, my somewhat negative attitude towards New Year's Resolutions aside, when reviewing previous years I realized that despite not making "the goal" in the year I had made them and "arriving" at some destination of my imagination, I've come a long way. When I began wanting to eat healthier 25 years ago, new recipes were found. Now I do most of my cooking without a recipe and naturally add onions, garlic, olive oil, coconut oil to recipes that I can to improve it's health benefits. I began buying whole grain breads. Now I bake whole grain breads from fresh ground wheat. I don't juice every day but my family juices a lot when fresh/frozen fruits and vegetables are available. We may not go to the gym daily but we look for ways to be active even if it means walking or riding bikes around the neighborhood, parking way out at the store, taking stairs instead of elevators, etc. My garden will never make the cover of a magazine but it supplies a lot of great veggies during the summer months. Now lest you think I'm bragging, I can also tell you many goals I did not accomplish this past year like finishing painting the interior of our home, keeping clutter totally under control, paying off taxes early, and visiting family more.

Here we are the first week of January and despite myself, I'm excited to be at the starting gates ready to run.    May we run the race well this year and not grow weary in well doing.

Here are some of my goals/plans.

1) Family Bible Reading continued and more consistent. We stay on track on school days but vary on others.
2)   Bible Memory.   Have a list of things for us to memorize this year.
3) Nutrition. Goals spread throughout the year like remember to drink your green tea, juice daily with Barley max, etc. Would love to only make our bread and not purchase but not knowing what chemo/radiation is going to be like this year it's a goal I'll be flexible on.
4) Exercise. Do something daily.
5) Personal Bible Study: Beginning with the New Inductive Bible study on the Pentatuch
6) Home schooling:   Staying on track in our Challenge courses and Foundations Work.   Reading more great books.
7) Home. Finish decluttering and house repairs (painting, trim work, etc.)
8) Lord willing, kick this cancer to the curb and be "normal" again.

What are some of your aspirations this coming year, 2012!

When it Rains, It Pours

2012-01-01T22:12:00.001-05:00

In the last two weeks, I have found out I have cancer and my life will be radically changing for the next 6 months barring a miracle. After this great news, our refrigerator begins a quick death. Today on the way to church our "Service Engine Soon" light comes on and stays on. Then tonight, because things haven't been stressful enough on my poor husband, my boys had done their very few legal fireworks because they fell asleep too early last night. When finished, one of my sons put the firework trash next to the trash can. I'm in bed already because I am super tired this evening and another son runs in to say "Mom, the house is on fire!". I run out and the huge green trash can is burnt to the ground the eaves on that side of the house is peeled back and the wood is burnt or gone. The fire men show up and need to get into the attic to be sure it is totally out and have no chance of it relighting. To say I had a great reaction to this ONE MORE THING would be a lie. Immediately, I am overwhelmed and burdened feeling like I am in a huge spiritual battle and growing very weary.

About the point of having a total meltdown, I am reminded that 1) The Lord is with me and will not leave me during my physical battle. 2) Once I admitted my need for a refrigerator, the Lord provided me one through another Christian family. 3) When I went to O'Reilly's after church today, they believe it's just a spark plug that needs to be fixed on the truck. 4) A similar incident happened up north with fireplace ashes set next to trash can and five people were killed in that fire. Praise God our house is nothing compared to the lives that live within it.

Psalm 42:5-6

Why are you cast down, O my soul,
and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my salvation and my God.

The cure for this emotional setback is to praise Jesus. Praise Him for being my provider. Praise Him for being my healer. Praise Him for He is Wonderful, Counselor, Prince of Peace, Mighty God!! Let everything within me praise His holy name.

Exciting New Adventure

2011-12-31T10:11:00.000-05:00

I awoke this morning with a sense of excitement. I realized I have been sent on a mission field. I am to give the Hope of Jesus where the fear of death is commonplace. Last year I had no doctors. Heck, last month I had no doctor. Today I have 4, a gynecologist, a gastroenterologist, an oncologist, and a surgeon. That's four new offices with lots of nurses. I will be going 5 days a week for 8 weeks to chemo/radiation treatments and will have opportunities to speak to lots of people. As a busy home schooling Mom of 8, I thought my big mission trips would come when the children are grown. I could become a Betty Fountain, an older saint at our last church, who spent her last years going back to forth to Honduras ministering to others. While they were in high school, my oldest daughter went to Honduras and my oldest son went to Brazil. I hope each of my children get a taste of mission work before they leave home that spurs a lifetime interest of investment. It's why we spent years of Tuesday mornings at our church's food pantry ministry. I want our family to have a lifestyle of ministering to others. But in the here and now, I was too busy in my family ministry to invest much time elsewhere.

I will still be excited if God does a great miracle of healing in my body. However, I sense a greater purpose in this trial than God being glorified in my healing right away. Perhaps this time, it will be God glorified in my suffering. I remember Pastor Wade sharing this as one of his life verses: "I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead." Philippians 3:8-11 I always thought phew, not for me. I do count everything loss for the excellence of knowing Christ BUT do not sign me up for that suffering part. No thank you!

But now, I'm super excited about the opportunities before me. (Remind me that when I'm sick and losing hair.) So watch out Satan, what you meant for evil, God meant for good.

Beeeeeeeeep Beeeeeeeeep

2011-12-30T06:46:00.001-05:00

This is a test. For the next few hours, this blog will conduct a test of the Miracle Broadcast System. This is only a test

Beeeeeeeeep Beeeeeeeeep

This is a test of the Miracle Broadcast System. The broadcasters of miracles in voluntary cooperation with your prayers and the Holy Spirit have developed this system to keep you informed in the event of a miracle.

If this had been the actual miracle, the Attention Signal you just heard would have been followed by official hallelujahs, amens and Praise Jesus'. All meals, transportation, planned on our behalf (unless you feel led....or if it's Mexican) will be suspended.

This blog serves the praying saints on my behalf. This concludes this test of the Miracle Broadcast System.

Biopsy Results Are In

2011-12-29T16:04:00.001-05:00

So, I decide to see if the grandbabies can meet us at the indoor McDonald's playground knowing I won't be able to meet them out much after the chemo/radiation begins (at least not anywhere where germs are rampant as they tend to be in the winter.)

Gastro doctor called while in the madness of the playground so I stepped outside.
"Hi Michelle. Dr. Curtis is out of town. I'm his partner and calling to tell you your results. I know he probably told you what the chances were."

Me: "Yes, he told me 99.9% he thought it was cancer. But I'm sure you called to tell me that it was the .1% not."

Doctor: "Well, that was hopeful (cheerful voice) and I wish it was true but no, I'm afraid you do have cancer........."

What a hard job that most be. To be the doctor who has to tell folks that they have cancer. Hoping I made his one call a little easier today by a little humor. I know this didn't catch God by surprise so no need to fear. Appreciate all the prayers and show of support. Pray tomorrow that they find 1) I'm totally healed and the cancer has miraculously disappeared and/or 2) it's only in my colon.

Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD. Psalm 31:24

Visit with Surgeon

2011-12-27T16:48:00.001-05:00

Today my husband and I went to the surgeon. Good news is that I should make beach weight this summer. Bad news is I will because 8 weeks of radiation/chemotherapy is on the agenda. The mass was confirmed by this doctor that it is large. After being completely violated in details that I won't go into on this blog, he was happy to find the mass was much higher than thought so I shouldn't lose all my colon, probably only 1/3 and 2/3 of my rectum They don't want to do surgery until they have shrunk the mass. After those 8 weeks, my body rests for 8 weeks then I have the surgery to remove the mass and give me a temporary bag. After 6-8 weeks of recovery, if I don't have to go through more chemo. they will put me back together again and I'll be almost as good as new. However, no matter how much weight I lose, he let me know my stomach muscles are complete separated from having so many children so unless I had stomach surgery I won't be having a six pack on the beach again this summer. (Yep, that's been a real concern, lol.) That's all the details as of yet. Thank you so much for all the notes of concern and I cannot tell you how much your prayers mean to myself and my family during this time. Much love, Michelle

Top 6 Countdodwn of What I may Hear from the Doctor Today

2011-12-27T07:45:00.000-05:00

I head to the doctor to hear how serious things are and how we are going to proceed with this mass they found in me. Bu my goofy sense of humor came up with at 3:30 this morning a top 6 countdown of what I may hear from the doctor today.
6) You can't blame your weight on this mass.
5) When your husband said you were full of it, well, you were.
4) This surgery is going to be a royal pain in your behind.
3) You are at least "healthy" enough weight wise that you won't get too thin no matter what treatment we decide.
2) You can use this as an excuse of why you cannot go to your friend's child's birthday party on a rainy Saturday in Chuckie Cheese. and last but not least
1) You cannot make a sad countenance every time you are losing a game just so you'll be felt sorry for and they will let you win.

Ahh, laughter is good medicine. Even made Rusty smile this morning as we head out in the cold, rain that would seem to be the perfect setting for dark news but.....Christ.

We Wish You a Mary Christmas

2011-12-25T13:10:00.000-05:00

What a wonderful weekend! We began our Christmas celebration at my daughter Cindy's house with all the Rutherfords, my sister's family (the Colstons), my mother & stepfather (a.k.a. Nana and Grandy Randy), Aunt Fran, Uncle Mike and Aunt Joan all came together. We ate a feast of horsdevours followed by the sneaky Santa game with all the children. It always brings rolls of laughter. We then traded gifts with the families we wouldn't see on Christmas.

We spent the night at my daughter's home and put our gifts under the tree as soon a we got the very excited little one's to sleep. We read all the sweet notes that I had received concerning my illness. We were overwhelmed with kindness and then we ended with giggles watching silly videos. Hit the sack totally exhausted but awoke ~3 am with a frightening voice in my head telling me what awful news I was going o hear Tuesday and that there would be no hope for me. My mind began to go places I had not allowed it to visit since hearing I had a mass Tuesday. Fortunately for the great preaching I had heard under Pastor Wade Trimmer, his FEAR acronym came right to mind. I preached to myself that fear was False Evidence Appearing Real. Purposely choosing against allowing my mind to wander the rabbit trail of what if's and hopelessness I choose instead to pray and worship the Lord. His peace surrounded me and I slept soundly the rest of the night and even awoke earlier than I had in months!!

O come let us adore Him
O come let us adore Him
O come let us adore Him
Christ the Lord.

After making our family's grits casserole (recipe I believe is on my menu blog), we sat and slowly opened gifts. With a large family such as ours, it takes quite a bit of time because we make sure every gift is seen, every one thanked, and savor each moment. The wee ones still being in "training mode" had a little bit harder time but relatively quickly got the hang of it. Then many went into nap mode while the mama's went into organizing and followed quickly by relaxing mode. There are 16 people present and it's as peaceful as could be on this rainy, Christmas day. At some point today, when the family is awake and attentive we'll read the His birth story in Luke and hopefully sing some carols together.

For He alone is worthy
For He alone is worthy
For He alone is worthy
Christ the Lord.

We will have lasagne together around three. Our family will gather from my daughter's family's home and unload at the house. We will then go visit my mother's home as my brother will have arrived today. Everyone has been so kind to me and I've not had to really fulfill my normal mom's roles. My appetizer last night was even taken over by the women in the kitchen who ordered me to go sit. The only thing I've personally prepared was the breakfast casserole.

We give you all the glory

We give you all the glory
Christ the Lord.

"Like Mary, the mother of Jesus, I pray that you will make plans to have a “Mary” Christmas” by experiencing His entering into you, growing within you, happening through you, and impacting the world around you. May you not miss the Christ of Christmas and may you have a never ending “Mary” Christmas!" ~Wade Trimmer tridm.org

Merry Christmas Adam

2011-12-23T21:28:00.000-05:00

You know, Adam came before Eve and tomorrow is Christmas Eve. Have spent the day with my 4 youngest at my daughter's house. We baked, we sat and laughed at youtube videos, we baked, I napped, we baked, we played jeopardy (and got spanked by her husband), now we need to clean but we are playing scrabble first.

Michael wanted to make a Happy Birthday Jesus cake and decided upon a peanut butter cake. We made a french vanilla cake and flavored it with peanut butter. After we baked the cake, we made peanut butter frosting with butter, peanut butter, powdered sugar and milk. Michael frosted the cake and then cut up little peanut butter cups all over the top. He did a great job.

Praise, Michael & Cindy also made cute little pretzel snacks with m and m's and chocolate chips. They also made peanut butter, sugar, and chocolate chip cookies. We baked many small loaves of bread. We'll have to finish the rest of the baking tomorrow because if you stuck a fork in me now you'd find that I'm done. Thanking the Lord for all the sweet notes of prayer I received today. Good night.

I Don't Get the Slacker Mom Award, phew!!

2011-12-22T23:47:00.000-05:00

I have been feeling lousy for few months. Most people don't know the intricate details of our big family but my husband has always provided well but it requires he works... a lot. I don't complain (anymore, lol) because I realize it's how I'm able to be home and home school the children. But that also means I get little sleep....6 hours the norm until a few months ago. To pinpoint exactly when things weren't right is not easy. I started out being early to our home school co-op on Tuesday's the first few months then I could barely get there when it began. I began taking naps with my 2 year old (which I've never done unless I was pregnant and sick because it seemed such a waste of time.) I fell asleep every night right after dinner. My house began falling apart although the kiddos helped a lot; I just didn't have it in me to make them do more when I was becoming such a sluggard. My thoughts were 1) I am truly lazy and a slob! Why am I not doing more or 2) maybe I'm depressed but I cannot figure out about what for the life of me. Therefore, when I finally took the time to go to the doctor, my iron was low, my blood pressure in normal range but high for me, cholesterol slightly high (did I mention I quit cooking and eating...this was not a surprise), but they couldn't find my uterus or ovaries until they did an ultrasound on the outside of my belly and they were high. They sent me home with prenatal vitamins to get my iron levels up and I told my children we were expecting again... the littles were all woo hoos.....the olders were like "mom, aren't you too old?" I told them the truth, afterwards. (I totally had them fooled because they know I'd always LOVE to have another baby.) I agree with Mother Teresa when she said, "How can there be too many children? That is like saying there are too many flowers."

A colonoscopy and mammogram ordered next. (When did I get so old? The ladies I met last week thought I was 25 and now I'm having old folk's appointments!) Well, everything changed after the colonoscopy when they told my husband and I that I had a large mass that needed to be removed immediately and were 99.9% sure it was colon/rectal cancer. I advised them this was not the Christmas gift I wanted and could they please take it back. Not understanding my goofy humor, they said they were so sorry. We told the family and allowed them to tell others to pray. The Lord is actually given me such a peace that I'm handling this news much better than my family. (However, if it was one of my family members, I don't know if I'd be doing as well either.) Humor has always been a part of our family and it helps in stressful times. Proverbs 17:22 tells us a joyful heart is good medicine and I believe it. When my mother checked in with me this morning, she asked if I knew how they were going to remove the mass. I replied, "I don't know mom, but I have a feeling it's going to be a royal pain in the butt!!" and laughed and laughed and laughed.

"It's a Wonderful Life" has always been one of my favorite Christmas movies. I've never been a pessimist as Jimmy Stewart's character plays. However, I can relate to the surprise he felt when the whole town came to bless him in his darkest hours. I have been overwhelmed with notes of encouragement, love and prayer. There is already a blessing found in this situation I am facing. Relationships are being restored. Things seem pretty petty in the light of cancer. I believe this outpouring of love from the church is already at work healing the seeds of cynicism that were planted in the hearts of some of my family members. Although they still loved the Lord, they lost trust in the church body. Praying this restores them to see that the Lord is still in the church. Why He chose us to begin with is a mystery to me. We are a mess! But for some reason, He chooses to use the messy and ugly (like us) to bless the world with His love and grace. What a Savior!

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood

and sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

and looked down one as far as I could

to where it bent in the undergrowth;

I've always loved this Robert Frost poem. This new adventure that has been thrust upon me is not the path I would have chosen. As a sweet friend told me when she faced breast cancer, she wouldn't have chosen it either but told the Lord she'd walk it with Him if that's the path He placed her on. I too choose to walk in the way He leads. I hope, of course, that just as He healed my Praise from death, seizures, and macrocephalus, that He will choose to take this from me as well. He's a big God! I know my path could change in a blink. However, as Daniel and his friends told the king, I KNOW HE can, but if not...I still choose to praise Him. Good grief...where else could I go? Once you have tasted and seen that the Lord is good nothing else can satisfy!!

My brother and sister got the "Monk" gene that makes their homes neat as pins and I got the "happy go lucky wish I could be as neat gene". I will never have a gorgeous all together home like my siblings (whom I'm so proud of), but it was a big relief to find out I wasn't going to get the 2011 Slacker Mom Award, I wasn't depressed nor crazy (although my family may say the jury is still out on that claim), I was just ill. Time to heal up. Will be doing a super healthy diet such as "The Hallelujah Diet" or "The Gerson Diet" that I watched in "A Beautiful Truth" last year beginning Monday. Don't know how much exercise will happen as it takes all my strength just to get a "little" done each day but may walk with the kiddos when the energy hits. I'm not going to function as if it's over. I've got my fighting gloves on and until the Lord tells me different He is going to see us through this. I've got too many little ones to not put up a big fight. (Remind me of this if I get weary!) I'm going to continue to try to live each day without regrets and press in to the Lord, my source of strength. Lastly, I will choose to thank the Lord in all things (I Thess 5:18) even this dark and scary journey that I am choosing to see as a new adventure with the Lord. It seems fitting to end with the last stanza of Robert Frost's poem.

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence;

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

Merry Christmas 2011

2011-12-14T19:33:00.001-05:00

2011 Tordoff Holiday Letter

Greetings to the saints, faithful friends and family. I've always loved how Paul began his letters. Wishing my salutations to you could be so eloquent and inspiring, I chose to begin this letter with a snippet from Colossians 1: ⁹And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, ¹⁰so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. ¹¹ May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, ¹² giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. ¹³He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, ¹⁴ in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

2011 has raced by. Even though I am fighting the speed of each week with all my might by cutting out extras to enjoy each day, it still marches on rather quickly. Our family has been blessed with another year of living life. Though there are many days that we struggle to keep the house in order, the laundry under control, the sock basket full, the dishwasher empty, the garden weeded, school work completed... we press on. Of course, my fantasy world would have me managing all my duties with excellence, always complete with plenty of time to study, draw, write, sew, bake, etc. Reality smacks back and sometimes rather hard. Having a choice of pondering the "if only's" or "keep on keeping on", I choose the latter and try to give thanks for all those duties. Thank you Lord that when we hang out laundry we have the ability to enjoy nature for a few fleeting moments that I would otherwise not have taken time for. Thank you for this mountain of clothes to launder because you blessed my womb with a household of children fit for your kingdom and clothed them all. Thank you for these dishes piled in my sink for you have provided my family with food. Mostly this year, I thank the Lord for choosing a mess like me who struggles to balance life well and for constantly teaching me to find my identity in Him and not all my shortcomings (phew, that's BIG!).

John Russell is officially a MAN this year. He is 18 and graduated. He has been doing lots of odd work (from detailing cars, being the "geek squad" for a small company, and cleaning evictions) while saving up for personal training and nutrition courses. He continues to enjoy working out, and hanging out with friends and family. His dream would to one day own a Cross Fit gym.

Nicholas, 16 and a junior in high school this year, has been working hard on his Classical Conversations Challenge II courses. His favorite subject this year has been Biology. He still enjoys running (like John Russell) or biking. He is now leaning towards being a linguist when he finishes his high school courses. When we finish Latin II, he wants to begin Spanish, then Arabic. He's more ambitious than I!

Timothy, 14, has had no more dramatic breaks to report this year, phew! He has had no problems since his arm was repaired in surgery the year before. He is working hard on his Challenge B courses. His favorite subject this year is Science. He continues to play tennis along with Praise, Michael and his cousins Clayton and Grace Anne.

Praise, 12, is in her last year of foundations in Classical Conversations. Her favorite subject is art. She and Timothy still cook a lot and she still dreams of owning a bakery with Grace Anne. If we can not find her, she is usually hiding with a book. She plays around at the piano so lessons are on the agenda and she enjoys tennis with the others.

Michael, 10, has probably grown the most this year. His favorite subject is Geography. He loves to camp outside with his brothers (unless he gets too cold), ride bikes, to swim, and play tennis. He has made new friends through church and Classical Conversations this year.

Emily, 6, is in first grade and reading. Strange to think I only have one more child to teach how to read. Her favorite subject is math or as she calls it "numbers". She loves playing at tennis :D, being outside with her siblings, and swimming in the summer.

Christopher, 2, is 98% potty trained hence my last year of diapers. Happy for the savings but will miss the baby years. He loves being with his nephew Jackson and making us laugh. He woke up a few days ago and said he wanted to watch "Cake Boss." He calls John Russell when he's gone and tells him to "come home" and "be careful". He's still yummy to squeeze and smooch on.

Cindy's family is busy but doing great. Brandon keeps busy with work and holding down the fort while Cindy is in school. Cindy is excelling in nursing school. Rylie began Christian school at Augusta Christian and loves it. Jackson, all boy, is a happy, smiley 3 year old.

Our family still enjoys lots of laughter. I wish I wrote down all the funny things they say and do each day that keeps us in stitches and helps us struggle through life together with smiles on our faces. I pray you had a wonderful year filled with laughter and joy despite any tears and heartache. I pray you know the preeminence of Christ as found in Colossians 1 and know that ¹⁵ He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. ¹⁶For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. ¹⁷And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. ¹⁸And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. ¹⁹For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, ²⁰and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. I pray that (Col 2) ⁶ therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, ⁷ rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

Love to all. Be sure to keep in touch!

Merry Christmas to All

from the Tordoff Troop and

Blessings for a Wonderful New Year

Spirt of Thanksgiving

2011-11-16T16:39:00.000-05:00

Almighty God,
Father of all mercies,
we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks
for all your goodness and loving-kindness
to us and to all whom you have made.

We bless you
for our creation, preservation,
and all the blessings of this life;
but above all for your immeasurable love
in the redemption of the world
by our Lord Jesus Christ;
for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory.

And, we pray,
give us such an awareness of your mercies,
that with truly thankful hearts
we may show forth your praise,
not only with our lips, but in our lives,
by giving up ourselves to your service,
and by walking before you
in holiness and righteousness all our days;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit,
be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen.
Book of Common Prayer/Book of Divine Worship

Quote from "A Tale of Two Cities" by Charles Dickins

2011-11-08T01:21:00.000-05:00

It was the best of times,

it was the worst of times,

it was the age of wisdom,

it was the age of foolishness,

it was the epoch of belief,

it was the epoch of incredulity,

it was the season of Light,

it was the season of Darkness,

it was the spring of hope,

it was the winter of despair,

we had everything before us,

we had nothing before us,

we were all going direct to Heaven,

we were all going direct the other way

--in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ecclesiastes 1:9

The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be;

and that which is done is that which shall be done:

and there is no new thing under the sun.

Jesus to His Mother by J.R.. Miller

2011-10-24T10:39:00.000-04:00

It was on the cross that Jesus paid his last tribute of love and honor to his mother. The nails were in his hands and feet and he hung there in agony. He was dying in deepest shame. The obloquy of the world was pouring its blackest tides upon his head. In the throng below,, his eye fell on a little group of loving friends, and among them he saw his mother. Full as his heart was of its own anguish, it was not too full to give thought to her. She would have no protector now. The storms would beat in merciless fury upon her unsheltered head. Besides the bitterness of her bereavement there must be the shame she must endure on his account, the shame of being the mother of one who died on a cross. His heart felt all this, and there, in the midst of his own agony, he made provision for her, preparing a home and shelter for her. Amid the dark scenes of the cross his example shines like star in the bosom of the blackest clouds saying to us, "Honor they father and they mother."

Gleanings from 'The Hiding Place" Corrie Ten Boom

2011-10-20T21:11:00.000-04:00

"Sometimes I would slip the Bible from its little sack with

hands that shook, so mysterious had it become to me.

It was new; it had just been written.

I marveled sometimes that the ink was dry.

I had believed the Bible always, but reading it now

had nothing to do with belief.

It was simply a description of the way things were--

of hell and heaven,

of how men act and how God acts.

I had read a thousand times the story of Jesus' arrest --

how soldiers had slapped him,

laughed at Him,

flogged Him.

Now such happenings had faces and voices."

~Corrie Ten Boom

"The Hiding Place"

If you asked my family, they would tell you I am not an "emotional" mama. I never have been. They have seen me cry in church services where the Holy Spirit was moving more than the day to day moments of life. Now my heart cries over many things...the injustices in the world, the desire for salvation to come to all my family and that they walk close to Him each day, the overwhelming awe for the mercy I receive each moment from a loving Father who knows my many faults and shortcomings yet still loves me, and more. Even though I've read her story before, you cannot help but cry when you read "The Hiding Place".

Your heart breaks that anyone could ignore such brutal inhumanity such as was inflicted in Europe by the Nazis. Yet my heart wonders how many injustices I miss or am immune to each day while trying to get my daily list done and am about my own business.

Encouragement in our God, who keeps you in His arms, is found when you read the many miracles experienced in the dark, brutally cold, crowded, flea-infested prison. It's hard to complain about cobwebs and piles of laundry when you know how really blessed and free you are. But you can live in a prison of your own design, if you walk in fear and miss the blessings He pours out each day for you.

If you want a quick read that will truly build your faith in our amazing God, who provides and cares for your every need, who is with you in the darkest of times, who has purposes and designs for your life this is the book for you. Be sure to have tissues handy for the tears of heartache and the tears of thankfulness.

So much to do....so little time

2011-10-19T15:57:00.000-04:00

Outside the trees are blowing sporadically in the grey sky while sprinkles of rain drops come down off and on throughout the afternoon. Inside our home is warmth and coziness with most of it's members around the dining room table. Two children are working on origami while two others are practicing their music. Two other children are looking and sorting through the rock collection. All the while I am answering e-mails, reading Pride and Prejudice for my co-op class, planning school and work for the week as beefy-vegetable and cabbage soup is permeating the air around us. There is a floor to be mopped, clothes to be folded, and bathrooms to be scrubbed but for now I will enjoy these moments of togetherness that pass by so quickly.

I Peter 1:24
²⁴For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: ²⁵But the word of the Lord endureth for ever.

Whom do you want to get noticed?

2011-10-17T14:17:00.000-04:00

"When Jesus entered Jerusalem many people spread their clothing and palm branches on the street to honor the Lord.
"Jesus was riding, as the prophets foretold, on a donkey. In this was the feet of Jesus did not touch the street adorned with clothes and branches, but instead the donkey walked right over them.

"It would have been very stupid of the donkey if she had imagined that she was very important. It was not for her that the people threw their clothes on the streets."

Stupid are those who spread the good news of Jesus and expect to receive glory themselves. The glory should go to Jesus.

Excerpted from, "He Cares for You" by Corrie Ten Boom.

One door closes....and another opens

2011-10-10T21:02:00.000-04:00

I've managed a warehouse for a missionary for about the last 5 years. It's been a great blessing for our family to work together. However, the business is closing this month. It wasn't a total surprise as just a few years ago we were shipping sometimes 500 books a week and now we were shipping maybe 20. It was a great provision from the Lord when we needed it. As I was praying about what our new season would look like and knowing finances were going to be difficult if my husband didn't get cabinet jobs, I was sure of God's provision again. In a very short time, we were given the opportunity of taking over the home school consignment store in the Augusta area. Although it has made October very difficult with closing down a warehouse and starting a new business at the same time, (not to mention home schooling, teaching high school classes in our co-op...and would you believe my family still wanted to eat and wear clean clothes!!) it's been exciting too. I began a face book group "Big Happy Family Books" and will try to list books as they come in the store to keep folks abreast of what is available. Although these are very uncertain times in our economy, I'm optimistic about our new direction. Hoping to do a better job posting on this blog, along with my cooking and saving money blogs since we will be home more. Thank you Lord for your provision!

School is In

2011-09-08T17:03:00.000-04:00

As stretched as I get teaching so many different levels of school in one day, I cannot imagine missing out on seeing my 1st grader practicing her reading on me each day, my baby "schooling" with the others as they practice their Classical Conversations history sentences, math facts, English rules, Latin words, science facts, and timeline cards. With my first two graduated, I've gone back to teaching at CC. It's been difficult to learn Latin II and "relearning" Advanced Math in order to teach it; however, it's also been great to be able to work alongside my son and model life-long learning habits.

I've been blessed with a great class of students at co-op who get as excited as I do when we are looking under the microscope at pond water that we stored with egg yolk and see all kinds of creatures that we get to draw and label in our lab journals. We ewww and ahhhh together when we admire fascinating art like the mirror in Van Eyck's Giovanni Arnolfini and His Bride. It's only been four weeks of classes but already we have been discussing great British Literature that we've read at home between classes. We all enjoyed Beowulf, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, and Canterbury Tales. Paradise Lost was not a favorite of many although it still made for great Socratic discussion. They are to read Pilgrim's Progress this week and I hope it will become one of their favorites! We do Logic together in class and are working through Francis Shaeffer's How Shall We Then Live book and watching the video series along with the book State of the Arts.

Son # 3 is in another Challenge class that is also learning Logic, Math, Latin I, and Current Events & Debate. They have been reading great books like The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe and Little Britches. They have been studying Kepler and Newton in science which has made for interesting conversation and discoveries.

The rest of my guys are learning about the human body in science to coincide with their cycle 3 work in CC. It's quite a bit of juggling and we don't always accomplish all I'd like but it's still a joy to watch your children grown in wisdom and knowledge. Especially, when you see them making the connection in all learning to the One who created them and the wonderful creation that surrounds us. To find His Truth hidden in every subject is one of the most exciting things of all. Had I sent my guys to school, I wouldn't have taken the time to learn all I've learned over the past 20+ years of homeschooling, Did I cover it all and get it all right? Absolutely not. But for what I did, I give Him the glory and pray He'll continue to grow and teach my children marvelous truths long after I've graduated them, continue to write His Word on their hearts, and continue to overwhelm them with His love and beauty.

Until,
Michelle

A Cup of Tea

2011-08-16T21:08:00.000-04:00

Never lose an opportunity of seeing anything that is beautiful for beauty is God's handwriting--a wayside sacrament. Welcome it in every fair face, in every fair sky, in every fair flower, and thank God for it as a cup of blessing.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Read "Everything I Know I Learned Over Tea" tonight to relax after a day of teaching at co-op. It's a great quick read and encourages to take time for family, for friends, for even yourself in this hurried world. Always enjoying a tea party with family, I am going to try this little tradition as part of our 3:00 snack each day. A little time out in the busyness of school, chores, homemaking, etc. to reflect on the blessings of the day, the needs of my children, or even to dig into the Word to refill from a day of "pouring out". May we each take time each day with or without tea to reflect on the goodness and the greatness of our wonderful Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Until,

Michelle

What Are You Passionate About?

2011-08-04T17:43:00.000-04:00

Today is my birthday and the first thing on my list of to do's was to go to Dr. Dan Dickinson's funeral today. He was hit by a car while riding his bike to work and was survived by his beautiful wife and 4 young adult children. My eldest daughter went with me as she was in youth group with his older children and was grieved by their loss. There were very few dry eyes in the large church we were in. I'm unsure if you can have a "favorite" part of a funeral, but if so, I loved hearing his best friends talk. The theme throughout every story was that he had a passion for life. He did everything with with great passion whether it was enjoying family, eating, bike riding, working, studying or reading the Word. The common thread in all he did was his unashamed love for the Gospel and sharing it with the world. They spoke of his overwhelming generosity with his time and resources to spread the Gospel. Their stories were funny, serious, and encouraging and yet, you knew the great loss to the family of such a great husband and father. Always wanting to learn and grow myself, there were many life lessons learned by his short but powerful life. As one of his friends said, he lived more in 57 years than most folks do if they lived to be 100!

First of all, he put God and family first. He was disciplined in every area of his life. If he gained weight because of his love for food, he went back to Weight Watchers to get it off. He got up at 4 to study because he began work at a hospital with many young doctors and he wanted to stay sharp and knowledgeable. From five to six, he studied his Word and had his quiet time. Then he rode his bike to work because he was training for a big race later this year. He kept his Christian childhood friends and they kept each other growing in the Lord, accountable and had a Jonathon/David type relationship. He made regular time for medical missions using his personal vacation time to invest in others. He was a true friend to others and made an impact for Christ. My prayers go out to His family that the Lord will comfort them and that his children will grab his gusto for life, passion for Christ, and climb even greater mountains for the Lord.

When Queens Ride By

2011-07-27T16:00:00.000-04:00

I read this story a few years ago in one of Joe Wheeler's books "Mom In My Heart.". I loved it and thought it would make good reading for any wife. I hope it blesses you the way it blessed me.

To read it: click here

Isaac Watts Song on Salvation

2011-07-15T22:42:00.000-04:00

The Invitation of the Gospel

Let every mortal ear attend,
And every heart rejoice,
The trumpet of the gospel sounds
With an inviting voice.

Ho, all ye hungry starving souls,
That feed upon the wind,
And vainly strive with earthly toys
To fill an empty mind,

Eternal wisdom has prepar'd
A soul reviving feast,
And bids your longing appetites
The rich provision taste.

Ho, ye that pant for living streams,
And pine away and die,
Here you may quench your raging thirst
With springs that never dry.

Rivers of love and mercy here
In a rich ocean join;
Salvation in abundance flows,
Like floods of milk and wine.

Ye perishing and naked poor,
Who work with mighty pain
To weave a garment of your own
That will not hide your sin,

Come naked, and adorn your souls
In robes prepar'd by God,
Wrought by the labours of his Son,
And dy'd in his own blood.

Dear God, the treasures of thy love
Are everlasting mines,
Deep as our helpless miseries are,
And boundless as our sins.

The happy gates of gospel grace
Stand open night and day,
Lord, we are come to seek supplies,
And drive our wants away.

Quotes for Moms

2011-06-06T13:57:00.000-04:00

What you do in your house is worth as much as if you did it up in heaven for our Lord God. We should accustom ourselves to think of our position and work as sacred and well-pleasing to God, not on account of the position and work, but on account of the word and faith from which the obedience and the work flow.

-Martin Luther

No ordinary work done by a man is either as hard or as responsible as the work of a woman who is bringing up a family of small children; for upon her time and strength demands are made not only every hour of the day but often every hour of the night. She may have to get up night after night to take care of a sick child, and yet must by day continue to do all her household duties well; and if the family means are scant she must usually enjoy even her rare holidays taking her whole brood of children with her. The birth pangs make all men the debtors of all women. Above all our sympathy and regard are due to the struggling wives among those whom Abraham Lincoln called the plain people, and whom he so loved and trusted; for the lives of these women are often led on the lonely heights of quiet, self-sacrificing heroism.

-Teddy Roosevelt, 1905

"I learned more about Christianity

from my mother

than from all the theologians
in England."

- John Wesley

I remember my mother's prayers and they have always followed me. They have clung to me all my life. ~Abraham Lincoln

Our Family Beach Vacation 2011

2011-05-28T12:58:00.000-04:00

The Family (minus Wesley, Cindy, Brandon, Rylie and Jackson)

We did our beach trip a few weeks earlier this year due to our expanding gardens. It was a great, relaxing trip although it wasn't quite the same without Wesley and Cindy's family. Probably my favorite moments were our daily walks, the games, and just enjoying watching the family eat, work, play and laugh together. Yep, we even work on vacation....household chores can't escape a crowd this large anywhere. Dishes still needed to be washed, clothes laundered, and floors vacuumed to keep the sand out.

Muscle Men

Every year since the boys were babies, they pose at least once showing off their muscles. The toddler got in on the act this year. We've played bocce ball, volleyball, football, and frisbee every year at the beach. This year the boys, sometimes girls, played a lot of beach soccer. A few swollen feet, bruised shins and ankles but no breaks as in previous trips with the skim board.

All boy's game

The brothers

Even Christopher gets a good kick in!

In the picture below my son is pointing at the sign behind the plane. It says judgment day. Can you believe the world was "ending" the same day we were out on the beach? Thank the Lord we knew the Word says in Matthew 24:36, "But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only."

The girls stroll along with us on our daily, long, beach walks. These are great moments of bonding, talking about life, and enjoying God's great creation.

All and all another wonderful week and we are so thankful to our friend Suzanne. We had such a great time when visiting with her that we can't wait to see her again soon.

Lazy, sunny days, ahhhhhhhhh

Life is good

The end of the island and the end of this page.

Letters from My Grandma

2011-05-24T12:11:00.000-04:00

Growing up, our family didn't live close to family as my father was military. One thing we could count on regularly from family was letters from my Grandma. I ran across a sweet handwritten note in my desk this morning that my grandmother wrote me when I was graduating high school. Thought it was funny that I ran across this note as I've written so many graduation notes myself this week and my first son is also graduating high school. She lived to be 93 years old and I would have loved for her to seen more of my children. When I read this note this morning, it reminded me how much I missed her, her sweet and faithful notes, and her prayers. Love and miss ya Grandma Williams!

The outside of her card was a little girl blowing daffodils with "happy" writing above her that says, "God love and you and bless you!"

Inside:

My Dear One,

You did not say where you are going to college or what you are preparing for so you see, you have your "Gramma" wondering!

Wherever you go, whatever tries to "sell" you on the "new morality" - don't believe a word of it.

It is the same old morality that has not changed -- for God gave the directions and "He changeth not."

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lea not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways, acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy paths (Prov.3:5-6).

Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever you do, do all to the glory of God. I Cor 10:31

(Then she underscored the verse in the card: "The Lord is thy keeper". Psalm 121:5)

Take these two verses as a guide to your life and always begin your day for God's guidance in your prayers and you will never have to look back in regret for God is faithful and He will keep you safe.

I love each one of you very much. Take this $10 and choose your own graduation gift. Use it as you need to.

Much love,
Grandmother

Maternal Influence by J.S. Law

2011-05-06T20:38:00.000-04:00

Behold the tenderest sight on earth--the mother giving the first bent to the mind that is immortal. O! What lessons of heavenly wisdom may come down through her lips and find their way to a heart not yet in contact with the world! Here may she seize on the first indications of intellect, and consecrate it to God. How may the eye of a mother, beaming with affectionate regard, direct the little dependent being to the Savior! A warm-hearted and prudent mother will exert almost an unlimited influence over her children the first six or eight years of their life; a period, above all others, when the heart is susceptible to deep and lasting impressions.

Solomon frequently adverts, with great tenderness, to the pious counsels of a mother. Timothy was instructed, when a child, by his mother and grandmother. There are few men eminent for science and religion, who have not expressed deep-felt gratitude for the example, counsels, and prayers of a pious mother. And it would be difficult to find an instance in which children have been brought up in the fear of God, and the love of the savior, where the mother has showed no marked solicitude to cherish a life of piety in her family. OH, A MOTHER'S LOVE! It conquers all. it is identified in the mind of a child with its first knowledge of God. She is contemplated with God. Next to divine efficiency, her influence is all-pervading and most powerful. ~Mother's Magazine

Baking With Your Children

2011-05-06T18:33:00.001-04:00

Our family spends a lot of time in the kitchen. We don't eat cereal except on very rare occasions. We rarely eat sandwiches unless it's on homemade bread. We try not to eat out much. Therefore, we are cooking and baking quite a bit. I love it. I love that all my guys thus far will be able to cook for themselves if they are bachelors for a period and that my daughters will provide nutritious meals with confidence for their families. I love that they "care" about what they eat. They already had a lot of teaching from me but "Food Inc" definitely helped even more.

Tonight for dinner we had Mexican Lasagne. I began cutting the onions and my 2 year old wanted to stir my chopper to cut them fine. Meanwhile, I began cutting green peppers. My 11 year old daughter decided to get out the pans while the onions, peppers and beef were cooking. She began layering the flour tortillas and putting a layer of refried beans atop of the tortillas. My 18 year old is breezing through and I have him reach the chili and taco seasonings for me. He moves on to what he is doing when my 13 year old son happens to walk through, washes his hands, and decides to help. He puts salsa on the beans, adds the seasoned meat mixture. My daughter covers with shredded cheese and they begin again. If you want this recipe, I have it available here. Many hands definitely make the work lighter. My 16 year old soon gets out the special cheese I bought for the tortilla chips. My 6 year old daughter helps with plates and forks. Before we know it, we are sitting around the table praying for our country on this National Day of Prayer and then enjoying one another's company. I am thankful to Jesus for this day and the many blessings that surround our table.

Psalm 128:3b ... thy children like olive plants round about thy table.

~Michelle

One Room School House Field Trip

2011-04-30T15:33:00.000-04:00

Breezy, sunny, 70's spring weather was ours today for the taking. We dressed up for an adventure to a 1910 one room school house.

The children were first given an idea of life in the early 1900's. One of my favorite stories of this day was of an 104 year old woman who was interviewed recently and was asked what her favorite invention was since she has lived through such an exciting era. Her reply was wire windows, also known as, screens. Life in Georgia before air conditioning had to be hot. However, thoughts of life before air conditioning with no screens on windows can only be imagined as "unbearable". Those pesky mosquitoes as night would be torturers of rest. Flies circling and landing on your food at all hours of the day would be an agonizing nuisance indeed!

Loved hearing the children recite the pledge, "America", and pray before the day began. The day went quickly as the children learned the history of the one room school house and were able to participate in a spelling bee, recitations of Bible or poetry that you have memorized, and practicing copy work with their quill pens.

Another highlight for our family was the picnic lunch in tin cans with tin cups, our homemade bread buttered and sugared wrapped in brown paper bag, and a fresh apple outside in 70's spring weather with the steady high pitched hum of cicadas in the background. Happy day!!

A Prayer in Spring

Robert Frost

Oh, give us pleasure in the flowers to-day;
And give us not to think so far away
As the uncertain harvest; keep us here
All simply in the springing of the year.

Oh, give us pleasure in the orchard white,
Like nothing else by day, like ghosts by night;
And make us happy in the happy bees,
The swarm dilating round the perfect trees.

And make us happy in the darting bird
That suddenly above the bees is heard,
The meteor that thrusts in with needle bill,
And off a blossom in mid air stands still.

For this is love and nothing else is love,
The which it is reserved for God above
To sanctify to what far ends He will,
But which it only needs that we fulfil.

Our Resurrection Celebration

2011-04-26T14:40:00.000-04:00

My sister , Sandi, and her friend, Cecilia, have been tossing around an idea for a new get together tradition for a while now. We had our first trial run at our gathering to celebrate this Resurrection Day. It was a great success. The idea is for each family to bring it's own "table." You bring a table for your family and decorate it with sheets, tablecloths or a quilt. Also, to simplify, each family should keep a box or a basket for these gatherings to store your picnic table settings. I brought a yellow flowered quilt. Everyone decorates your family's table however you desire. Our family brought a long table and a small children's table. We used cloth place mats on our quilt and tucked silverware in the pockets of the place mats. Mason jars were our drinking cups. Decorated two jars with honey suckle we picked on the way into my sister's lovely home. The tables were all set under the trees. Although the day was warm, the combination of shade and breeze was perfect for a family and friends picnic. When it's time to eat, you can sit with whomever you desire at any table but leave the silverware and dishes at the chair you dined at when you finish. When everyone finishes, you rinse your family's plates off and tuck back into your family's picnic basket. We had a separate table for the food that everyone brought. Each family also brought tea or lemonade to share. It was so much fun.

Came home, threw my quilt in the washer with place mats. The dishes, silverware, and jars thrown into the dishwasher. When all was done, I restocked my family's basket for our next gathering. Put my turkey carcass in a large pot for making stock. Now after reflecting on my family's wonderful day, it's time to reflect upon my marvelous Savior.

Jesus HAS RISEN from the dead, PTL! Matthew 28:7; Mark 16:6; Luke 24:6.
God raised Jesus from the dead. Romans 10:9.
There were many eyewitnesses who saw Jesus after he was raised from the dead. Matthew 28:9-10, 16-17; Mark 16:9, 12-14; Luke 24:15-43; John 20:11-16, 19-20, 26-29; 21:1-14; Acts 1:3-8; 1 Corinthians 15:5-8.
Jesus said that those who believe He has risen from the dead without seeing Him (like me!!) are blessed. John 20:29.

Ready-to-halt, poor Fearing, and thou, Mrs. Despondency, and Much-afraid, go often there [the empty tomb]; let it be your favourite haunt, there build a tabernacle, there abide. And often say to your heart, when you are in distress and sorrow, "Come, see the place where the Lord lay." ~Spurgeon

Christ, the Lord, is risen today, Alleluia!
Sons of men and angels say, Alleluia!
Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia!
Sing, ye heavens, and earth, reply, Alleluia!

Love's redeeming work is done, Alleluia!
Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia!
Lo! the Sun's eclipse is over, Alleluia!
Lo! He sets in blood no more, Alleluia!

Vain the stone, the watch, the seal, Alleluia!
Christ hath burst the gates of hell, Alleluia!
Death in vain forbids His rise, Alleluia!
Christ hath opened Paradise, Alleluia!

Lives again our glorious King, Alleluia!
Where, O death, is now thy sting? Alleluia!
Once He died our souls to save, Alleluia!
Where thy victory, O grave? Alleluia!

Soar we now where Christ hath led, Alleluia!
Following our exalted Head, Alleluia!
Made like Him, like Him we rise, Alleluia!
Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia!

Hail, the Lord of earth and heaven, Alleluia!
Praise to Thee by both be given, Alleluia!
Thee we greet triumphant now, Alleluia!
Hail, the resurrection day, Alleluia!

King of glory, Soul of bliss, Alleluia!
Everlasting life is this, Alleluia!
Thee to know, Thy power to prove, Alleluia!
Thus to sing and thus to love, Alleluia!

Hymns of praise then let us sing, Alleluia!
Unto Christ, our heavenly King, Alleluia!
Who endured the cross and grave, Alleluia!
Sinners to redeem and save. Alleluia!

But the pains that He endured, Alleluia!
Our salvation have procured, Alleluia!
Now above the sky He's King, Alleluia!
Where the angels ever sing. Alleluia!

Jesus Christ is risen today, Alleluia!
Our triumphant holy day, Alleluia!
Who did once upon the cross, Alleluia!
Suffer to redeem our loss. Alleluia!
~Charles Wesley

Prayer

2011-04-25T21:25:00.000-04:00

Prayer is the soul's sincere desire,
Unuttered or expressed;
The motion of a hidden fire
That trembles in the breast.

Prayer is the simplest form of speech
That infant lips can try;
Prayer, the sublimest strains that reach
The Majesty on high.

Prayer is the contrite sinner's voice,
Returning from his ways;
While angels in their songs rejoice
And cry, "Behold, he prays!"

O Thou, by whom we come to God,
This life, the truth, the way.
The path of prayer Thyself has trod:
Lord, teach us how to pray!

~James Montgomery 1771-1854

This Month's Family Story - Duncan's War

2011-04-01T09:45:00.000-04:00

We have begun reading a new story for our family reading time. We had bought it for the children for Christmas from Vision Forum. Thus far, we have really enjoyed it. Below is the write up from Vision Forum:

Set on the moors of Scotland, Duncan’s War transports the reader into a seventeenth century landscape inhabited by evil, danger, courage, and faith. Young Duncan M’Kethe finds himself caught in the web of Sir James Turner, the former Covenanter turned military leader of the persecutors. Duncan is torn by his hatred of Turner’s Dragoons, who have treated his friends cruelly, and his father’s instructions to love them. Duncan must be true to Jesus Christ while attempting to rescue his father from enemy hands.

The worship leaders in our last church had beautiful Scottish accents so I "hear" their voices as the father and mother speak throughout the book. My children have informed me I need to give it up that I don't imitate a Scottish accent well, but I can't help but try as I read it. :D

Our family loves studying history; therefore, a great historical fiction book is always a great find. If you think you may like it check it out at Vision Forum on my link to the right.

A Mother's Holy Calling

2011-03-30T18:26:00.000-04:00

Oh, Mothers of young children, I bow before you in reverence. Your work is most holy. You are fashioning the destinies of immortal souls. The powers folded up in the little ones that you hushed to sleep in your bosoms last night, are powers that shall exist forever. You are preparing them for their immortal destiny and influence. Be faithful. Take up your sacred burden reverently. Be sure that your life is sweet and clean.--JR Miller

Creation Debate in Homeschooling

2011-03-28T19:29:00.002-04:00

I've spent the last hour reading about a huge debate in home schooling circles and was surprised to read how big a controversy this is becoming in our community. Spending time with our children sharing this information would be a teachable moment to see how they would interpret the differing views being presented.

It seems that many were offended that Dr Ken Ham would share how dangerous he thought another speaker (teaching at the same conference) would be teaching on creation. They were so offended that he has been uninvited to other conferences. To get the story from AIG's point of view go here. I'm going to listen to this broadcast when the kiddos go to bed to find out more. I also read a write up in Christianity today and basically have just ended up saddened that these matters weren't handled biblically with one another before a full internet explosion of information was thrown out.

If one believes dangerous information is being taught, one should be able to discuss your concerns freely without being "banned" from future events. Christians should be able to debate differing opinions. I also read Dr. Wile's blog and felt he truly was trying to debate in love although I disagreed with his opinion of the situation between Dr. Enns and Dr. Ham.

What to do with all this information? Pray. Pray the home school community can continue to be quite diverse but stand together for our freedom to home school our children. Pray that this debate doesn't draw lines in our Christian homeschooling communities. As Augustine says, “In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, charity." Pray that our freedom of speech isn't suppressed on the basis of Christian love because sometimes the most loving thing we can do is speak the truth!

Our Busy Spring Days

2011-03-22T20:04:00.000-04:00

I love spring. I have to struggle to do school because I want to be outside as much as the children. In fact we find a million excuses to go out...time to hang out the clothes, picnic lunch, read, P.E. in the garden...the list is endless.

Spring also reminds me of new life as the bulbs start pushing through in the garden. Pretty flower heads are peeking out everywhere. The jasmine is blooming on the fence and the wind carries it's delicious smell throughout the yard. All these thoughts of new life remind me that for the first time in over 18 years I wasn't pregnant when a baby was 2 year's old and that's kinda sad. I wonder if I'll ever get used to the fact that my baby season is over. Don't get me wrong; I LOVE the grand babies too. As sick as I got and as bad as the deliveries could be, I really love being pregnant. I love new baby stretches. I love nursing and carrying my baby around everywhere. I just love everything about the blessings of children. I love seeing them grow and their personalities develop. I love seeing how God works in their lives. It's the hardest job in the world but I have loved it! As I go through the "attic clothes" to switch out from winter to summer, it's a new thing to get rid of the youngest boy's and girl's clothes. I believe that going through infertility for over 5 years and losing 5 babies has made me appreciate the blessings of life even more. As heavy as my heart is, I'm purposing not to despair but rejoice over the 8 blessings I have and enjoy the season I'm in. My plate is so full with many responsibilities now that I'm far from bored. Praying the season will allow me to spend more time in prayer and in His Word since I'm not pregnant or nursing for the first time in many, many years and that does excite me.

Thank you again Lord for the many, many, many blessings You have given me. Thank You for this new season and may Your Spirit breathe fresh and anew in my family's home just as the sweet smell of jasmine blows. ~Amen

A Letter From St. Patrick

2011-03-21T19:33:00.001-04:00

Letter To Coroticus
I, Patrick, a sinner, unlearned, resident in Ireland, declare myself to be a bishop. Most assuredly I believe that what I am I have received from God. And so I live among barbarians, a stranger and exile for the love of God. He is witness that this is so. Not that I wished my mouth to utter anything so hard and harsh; but I am forced by the zeal for God; and the truth of Christ has wrung it from me, out of love for my neighbors and sons for whom I gave up my country and parents and my life to the point of death. If I be worthy, I live for my God to teach the heathen, even though some may despise me.

With my own hand I have written and composed these words, to be given, delivered, and sent to the soldiers of Coroticus; I do not say, to my fellow citizens, or to fellow citizens of the holy Romans, but to fellow citizens of the demons, because of their evil works. Like our enemies, they live in death, allies of the Scots and the apostate Picts. Dripping with blood, they welter in the blood of innocent Christians, whom I have begotten into the number for God and confirmed in Christ!

The day after the newly baptized, anointed with chrism, in white garments (had been slain) — the fragrance was still on their foreheads when they were butchered and slaughtered with the sword by the above-mentioned people — I sent a letter with a holy presbyter whom I had taught from his childhood, clerics accompanying him, asking them to let us have some of the booty, and of the baptized they had made captives. They only jeered at them . Hence I do not know what to lament more: those who have been slain, or those whom they have taken captive, or those whom the devil has mightily ensnared. Together with him they will be slaves in Hell in an eternal punishment; for who commits sin is a slave and will be called a son of the devil.

Wherefore let every God-fearing man know that they are enemies of me and of Christ my God, for whom I am an ambassador. Parricide! fratricide! ravening wolves that "eat the people of the Lord as they eat bread!" As is said, "the wicked, O Lord, have destroyed Thy law," which but recently He had excellently and kindly planted in Ireland, and which had established itself by the grace of God.

I make no false claim. I share in the work of those whom He called and predestinated to preach the Gospel amidst grave persecutions unto the end of the earth, even if the enemy shows his jealousy through the tyranny of Coroticus, a man who has no respect for God nor for His priests whom He chose, giving them the highest, divine, and sublime power, that whom "they should bind upon earth should be bound also in Heaven."

Wherefore, then, I plead with you earnestly, ye holy and humble of heart, it is not permissible to court the favor of such people, nor to take food or drink with them, nor even to accept their alms, until they make reparation to God in hardships, through penance, with shedding of tears, and set free the baptized servants of God and handmaids of Christ, for whom He died and was crucified.

"The Most High disapproves the gifts of the wicked ...He that offers sacrifice of the goods of the poor, is as one that sacrifices the son in the presence of his lather. The riches, it is written, which he has gathered unjustly, shall be vomited up from his belly; the angel of death drags him away, by the fury of dragons he shall be tormented, the viper's tongue shall kill him, unquenchable fire devours him." And so — "woe to those who fill themselves with what is not their own;" or, "What does it profit a man that he gains the whole world, and suffers the loss of his own soul?

It would be too tedious to discuss and set forth everything in detail, to gather from the whole Law testimonies against such greed. Avarice is a deadly sin. "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's s goods." "Thou shalt not kill." A murderer cannot be with Christ. "Whosoever hates his brother is accounted a murderer." Or, "he that loves not his brother abides in death." How much more guilty is he that has stained his hands with blood of the sons of God whom He has of late purchased in the utmost part of the earth through the call of our littleness!

Did I come to Ireland without God, or according to the flesh? Who compelled me? I am bound by the Spirit not to see any of my kinsfolk. Is it of my own doing that I have holy mercy on the people who once took me captive and made away with the servants and maids of my father's house? I was freeborn according to the flesh. I am the son of a decurion. But I sold my noble rank I am neither ashamed nor sorry for the good of others. Thus I am a servant in Christ to a foreign nation for the unspeakable glory of life everlasting which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

And if my own people do not know me, a prophet has no honor in his own country. Perhaps we are not of the same fold and have not one and the same God as father, as is written: "He that is not with me, is against me, and he that gathers not with me, scatters." It is not right that one destroys, another builds up. I seek not the things that are mine.

It is not my grace, but God who has given this solicitude into my heart, to be one of His hunters or fishers whom God once foretold would come in the last days.

I am hated. What shall I do, Lord? I am most despised. Look, Thy sheep around me are tom to pieces and driven away, and that by those robbers, by the orders of the hostile-minded Coroticus. Far from the love of God is a man who hands over Christians to the Picts and Scots. Ravening wolves have devoured the flock of the Lord, which in Ireland was indeed growing splendidly with the greatest care; and the sons and daughters of kings were monks and virgins of Christ — I cannot count their number. Wherefore, be not pleased with the wrong done to the just; even to hell it shall not please. Who of the saints would not shudder to be merry with such persons or to enjoy a meal with them? They have filled their houses with the spoils of dead Christians, they live on plunder. They do not know, the wretches, that what they offer their friends and sons as food is deadly poison, just as Eve did not understand that it was death she gave to her husband. So are all that do evil: they work death as their eternal punishment.

This is the custom of the Roman Christians of Gaul: they send holy and able men to the Franks and other heathen with so many thousand solidi to ransom baptized captives. You prefer to kill and sell them to a foreign nation that has no knowledge of God. You betray the members of Christ as it were into a brothel. What hope have you in God, or anyone who thinks as you do, or converses with you in words of flattery? God will judge. For Scripture says: "Not only them that do evil are worthy to be condemned, but they also that consent to them."

I do not know why I should say or speak further about the departed ones of the sons of God, whom the sword has touched all too harshly. For Scripture says: "Weep with them that weep;" and again: "If one member be grieved, let all members grieve with it." Hence the Church mourns and laments her sons and daughters whom the sword has not yet slain, but who were removed and carried off to faraway lands, where sin abounds openly, grossly, impudently. There people who were freeborn have, been sold, Christians made slaves, and that, too, in the service of the abominable, wicked, and apostate Picts!

Therefore I shall raise my voice in sadness and grief — O you fair and beloved brethren and sons whom I have begotten in Christ, countless of number, what can I do you for? I am not worthy to come to the help of God or men. The wickedness of the wicked hath prevailed over us. We have been made, as it were, strangers. Perhaps they do not believe that we have received one and the same baptism, or have one and the same God as Father. For them it is a disgrace that we are Irish. Have ye not, as is written, one God? Have ye, every one of you, forsaken his neighbor?

Therefore I grieve for you, I grieve, my dearly beloved. But again, I rejoice within myself. I have not labored for nothing, and my journeying abroad has not been in vain. And if this horrible, unspeakable crime did happen — thanks be to God, you have left the world and have gone to Paradise as baptized faithful. I see you: you have begun to journey where night shall be no more, nor mourning, nor death; but you shall leap like calves loosened from their bonds, and you shall tread down the wicked, and they shall be ashes under your feet.

You then, will reign with the apostles, and prophets, and martyrs. You will take possession of an eternal kingdom, as He Himself testifies, saying: "They shall come from the east and from the west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven." "Without are dogs, and sorcerers,... and murderers; and liars and perjurers have their portion in the pool of everlasting fire." Not without reason does the Apostle say: "Where the just man shall scarcely be saved, where shall the sinner and ungodly transgressor of the law find himself?"

Where, then, will Coroticus with his criminals, rebels against Christ, where will they see themselves, they who distribute baptized women as prizes — for a miserable temporal kingdom, which will pass away in a moment? As a cloud or smoke that is dispersed by the wind, so shall the deceitful wicked perish at the presence of the Lord; but the just shall feast with great constancy with Christ, they shall judge nations, and rule over wicked kings for ever and ever. Amen.

I testify before God and His angels that it will be so as He indicated to my ignorance. It is not my words that I have set forth in Latin, but those of God and the apostles and prophets, who have never lied. "He that believes shall be saved; but he that believes not shall be condemned," God hath spoken.

I ask earnestly that whoever is a willing servant of God be a carrier of this letter, so that on no account it be suppressed or hidden by anyone, but rather be read before all the people, and in the presence of Coroticus himself. May God inspire them sometime to recover their senses for God, repenting, however late, their heinous deeds — murderers of the brethren of the Lord! — and to set free the baptized women whom they took captive, in order that they may deserve to live to God, and be made whole, here and in eternity! Be peace to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. Amen.

The Hedge of Thorns

2011-03-18T09:54:00.000-04:00

Our family just finished reading "The Hedge of Thorns" by John Hatchard in 1819 and rewritten by Mark Hamby in 1999. It's an excellent book about how the Lord put's protective barriers around our lives but how our sinful, rebellious nature often breaks through the walls of protection. Of course, that's where consequences abound and we can either become bitter over them or be thankful for the Lord's Hand in our lives. I read this with my 25 year old many years ago when she was young and was surprised that my 18 year old remembered. Evidence again that young children get more out of what they are exposed to (either good or bad) than you imagine.

Thanking the Lord today for the many hedges He put in my life and for the thorns that kept me from walking a dangerous path.

P.S. If you are interested in this book, you can order from Lamplighter Publishing. It's a great company.

Taking Teaching Opportunties

2011-03-16T22:22:00.000-04:00

My plate is definitely full but I'm not complaining, I love it. But I do have to continually remind myself of the important things when I am trying to accomplish so much in a little time. Being a huge multi-tasker, I set goals each day of what I need to accomplish. I have to be sure I'm not so goal focused that I miss opportunities to speak Truth to my children. The baby and his same age, 2 year old nephew, were arguing this morning over the stool to help me cook. They decided to call each other "baby" because what a HUGE insult that would be to another two year old :). Now to my grandson, that really is fighting words but to my son, he just loves being the baby so it doesn't really bother him. To be honest, I was tempted not to even bother them because they ended up just laughing at each over their name calling. I NEEDED to finish breakfast and get moving on school. I was a bit behind from where I needed to be to get things done. Part of me was aggravated trying to figure out where they even picked up name calling since it's not allowed at any age at our house and the other part just needed to get things done. At least for this day, I made the right choice and had a little talk with the fellas. It's definitely difficult to take time outs in our busy schedules to take teaching opportunities as they present themselves but I know it's worth it in the long run.

George Washington Quote

2011-03-14T18:44:00.000-04:00

"While we are zealously performing the duties of good citizens and soldiers,
we certainly ought not to be inattentive to the higher duties of religion.
To the distinguished character of Patriot, it should be our highest glory to
add the more distinguished character of Christian."
--*The Writings of Washington*, pp. 342-343

Training our Children

2011-03-10T07:38:00.000-05:00

Training our children is such an important part of motherhood. It's so easy to get too busy in your day that we don't stop to "teach" them how to behave, how to respond to irritations, how to be thankful and more. It takes time out of an already overloaded schedule but they are one of our major priorities. It's such an awesome responsibility that we must seek the wisdom of the Lord for each child in order to meet the needs of these wee ones He graciously blessed us with. It's a blessing if you have like-minded friends who you can share your mothering experiences with. The greatest gift I had as a new mom was a fabulous home school group whom I gleaned so much wisdom from. I was young and amazed at their children and it just made me want to rub shoulders with them so I could learn how to be the mom the Lord desired me to be. I'm still a work in progress and praise God He hasn't given up on me yet. Let's encourage one another in the Lord as mothers who are training an army for His Glory.

Ten Commandments for Wives

2011-03-09T17:13:00.000-05:00

I found this a while back but I'm unsure where. Apologies I can't give credit.

Ten Commandments for Wives

Expect not thy husband to give thee as many luxuries as thy father hath given thee after many years of hard labor. (Phil 4:11; Amos 4:1)E
Thou shalt work hard to build thy house with the husband that you have, not fantasizing about "the one that could have been". (Prov 14:1)
Thou shalt not nag...hit him with thine frying pan, it is kindlier. (Prov 27:15; 21:19)
Thou shalt coddle thy husband and be a warm wife. (1 Cor 7:3-5)
Remember that the frank approval of thy husband is more to thee than the side glances of many strangers. (Ezek 16:32; 2 Pet 2:14)
Thou shalt not yell at thy husband but will be a gentle and quiet spirit. (1 Pet 3:1-4)
Permit no one to assure thee that thou art having a hard time of it. (1 Pet 5:9)
Thou shall not fail to dress up for thy husband with an eye to please him, as thou didst before marriage. (Sos 4:9-11)
Thou shalt submit to thy husband from thy heart and allow him to be head of the household. (Col 3:18; 1 Pet 3:6; Eph 5:33)
Thou shalt assure thy husband and others that he is the greatest man alive. (Phil 2:3; Sos 5:9-16)

2011-03-08T10:32:00.000-05:00

Below is a copy of one of "Laine's Letters". Her writings have so blessed me over the years. If you have a moment to read, you will surely be blessed by her writings. If you enjoy the letter below, you can find more at: http://www.lainesletters.com/

Dear Sisters,
The LORD is so good. I just love Him! And I just love His ways. Oh, to be sure, His ways are not what you will see practiced over and over in this world. No wonder He tells us that if "we cease listening to Instruction, we will stray away from the Words of Knowledge." Oh, but if we are saturating ourselves in that Instruction, the Words of Knowledge begin to be practiced through us. That is an incredible thing. Weakness bound up in strength!

This week I have seen more of His strength in my home. As I have told you before, I am still suffering from years of "household debt." But I can see more and more of this debt being paid off, and it is getting easier and easier to manage my home these days. God is so good! What has it cost me? Oh, discipline. Blessed discipline.

"Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of our spirits, and live?" Hebrews 12:9

I am really such a weak woman. But something extraordinary happens each morning in my kitchen. I get up feeling as I always do. My back is hurting. It is cold and the bed is so warm. It's still very dark outside. I don't think I can do this day. So many people depending on me. I shuffle to the kitchen and bypass the dirty clothes piled in the hallway for me to wash. I turn on the stove. Then I get down on my knees and admit my weakness. How I need Him. I can't even go into His Word if He doesn't guide me. I fall asleep two times in this crumpled position. I wake up as the coffee pot bubbles. I turn it off and head for my chair. His Word. His Word. I need it more than I do my liquid refreshment. At first my eyes are not focused and I have to keep blinking them to force away the sleep. As I slowly sip and read, I begin to see my God anew. It is still and quiet in my kitchen in the predawn hour, and I can "see" my Father afresh and anew. No wonder Jesus also drew away with Him in the predawn hour. It is the perfect time to be alone with Our King:

"Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, Jesus went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed." Mark 1:35

If you read the verses above this verse, you will also see that Jesus had had a late night, as the whole city was gathered at the door of the house after dark. He spent a lot of time healing those who were sick and casting out demons. Yes, Jesus is well acquainted with people being dependant on Him. Yet, He still found it necessary to pull away and talk with His Father. Even after a late night ministering to people.

I find it necessary, too. Oh, I remember when it was more of an obligation than a love of mine. But I kept coming back each and every morning. I can't quite tell you when it began to be a love, but now without a doubt it is one of my driving hungers. I have to get alone with Him. And not for a short while. I have to pull away from everyone to listen to His beautiful Words and to tell Him things that I would never tell another soul. He also reveals to me through His Word incredible things that tell me, "Laine, this is no ordinary day." Why? Because we're working together. Because He has transformed my mind once more. Because of what He revealed to me that morning:

"And Jesus said to them, "To you it has been given to know the mystery of the Kingdom of God." Mark 4:11a

Each morning is a treasured gift sitting at His Feet learning of the Kingdom of God. A Kingdom I belong to. It's not something to be crossed off my "to do" list. Rather it is an outpouring of love and a gathering in of love. I could not do what I do in a day without His Presence. He does the impossible through me. I cannot believe what He has done in my heart and in my home these past years. My work from this point on in my day is just a further outpouring of love in His Presence. I get up and get going now with renewed direction and reaffirmed love. It is an incredible way to begin your day. My back is now feeling better, I am awake, and I find that I have renewed inner strength. It is an incredible miracle that I see happening morning after morning in my kitchen.

So what has changed in my home? Well, I don't "play" first anymore. He has taught me in the wee hours of the morning the value of discipline. Blessed discipline. Now after spending time in His Word in the morning, I see my husband off to work. Then I get to work. I love this time of the day more than I can say! It is still quiet in my home, and I put on some quiet praise music. Then I tidy the living room. It is the first room that I do in case the LORD brings someone by. Next comes the bathroom. Again, in case the LORD brings someone by. After this I start my "servants." I get the washer going. I get the dryer going. I get the crock pot going. I get my two bread machines going. I do not get the phone going, as I used to. This was "playing" first. Now I shut that "servant" off until my work is done and my children's lessons are completed. Discipline. Blessed discipline.

Next I make my bed while calling for my children to get up. I try to have my bed made first, if possible, as I have them make their beds upon rising and I like for them to see my bed all nicely made. Then I set up their chore lists. Each child gets four different chores a day. So they all learn to make the home run smoothly, and I can get lots of chores that might get overlooked (such as cleaning the top of the fridge) done in no time. With ten busy hands, it is amazing what can happen in a home. I feel so "rich" to train them in the many areas that they need to learn. And having a chore list with four different items on it every weekday affords me that privilege.

Once we've completed our chores we begin breakfast and then it's time for lessons. Lessons last until 1:00 or 1:30 p.m. We all get something to eat for lunch during that time, if we're hungry, or we eat after we're finished. I also fold my clothes and put them away while they're doing their spelling or dictation practice. Oftentimes I make my tea treat at this time, too. By early afternoon I am usually ready for a big break! I clear the decks and send them all outside. They are more than happy to go. Oftentimes I will take a short nap at this time, especially if it is a certain time of the month. ~Smile~

The LORD has helped me so much in mornings. I cannot get over the change. I was a woman who spent far too much time on the phone in the mornings, then I would do my work as fast as I could so that I could "play" some more. I never saw the value of my job, nor had the gift of enjoying it, until I began to sit at the feet of Jesus. Now I cannot get over the fact that I get to do this job, and how much I love it!

Presently, the LORD is helping me my afternoons. Just as I have seen His incredible strength in my mornings, I am now beginning to see His incredible strength in my afternoons. For it is at this time that I usually write to you all. A little each day. It is amazing to me that I am now able to encourage other women with the encouragement He has given to me. It brings me such joy! I cannot believe that I used to use this time to sit in front of soap operas and then talk shows. God can do above all that we ask or think if we will give up the "chaff" and dive into the "wheat." Discipline. Blessed Discipline.

"Because the good hand of His God was upon Him. For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the LORD, and to practice it, and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel." Ezra 7:9b-10

"For what it really is, the Word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe." 1 Thessalonians 2:13b

I believe! I believe! And I have seen His Word perform its work in me. God be praised! Now when my husband comes home, I am not filled with guilt at how I wasted another day. I do not sit anymore and complain about everything that went wrong in my day. I have dinner cooking, rather than a wonder as to "what I will ever put on the table tonight.?" I don't spend time at the stores or mall anymore. I don't spend time in fictional romances now, rather I read books that will help me acquire needed skills in my home. I have seen my new practices helping my children to be stronger, our finances to be in better shape, and far more "quality control" going on in my home than ever before. Why? Because I have trained myself to sit at His Feet these past seven years. His Word means more to me than my daily food.

"But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil." Hebrews 5:14

Solid Food. The more you delve into the Word of God, the more rich it becomes. And God helps you to do the impossible. Which is to practice it. That is why we need to pray. How we need to pray and practice His Word! As we practice His Word, we "see" what is good and what is valuable. Especially with the twenty-four hours in a day that each of us have been given. For without God, this is not possible:

"Through wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches." Proverbs 24:3-4

Discipline. Blessed discipline. So they wonder why I don't run with them anymore to the mall to spend money we don't have, or sit and yak over the phone talking about things we ought not, or hang out at their house for the day, with a soap opera or talk show thrown in, while we try to think what we should have for dinner. They wonder. This is why:

"Blessed is the 'woman' who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but 'her' delight is in the Law of the LORD, and in His Law 'she' meditates day and night." Psalm 1:1

"Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded." James 4:8

Yes, changing our lives and our practices takes discipline. Yes, we will fall and make mistakes. But our Father is our Father, and He will pick us up and brush us off to keep going. And discipline is just what He uses in our lives to move us to what is Truth and what is Treasure. Everything that He purges from our lives, we never needed in the first place. And what He will replace with it, oh, our hearts will never be more amazed.

We're still working on my afternoons, and there's still the night to come! There's so much more to learn and to practice. But I know He is teaching me and training me. I look forward to what He will do. Discipline. Blessed discipline. Oh, it is not pleasant at the moment, but the fruit it brings is indescribable!

Love,
Laine

Elizabeth's Elliot's thoughts on the Priorities of Motherhood

2011-03-07T14:42:00.000-05:00

"I am sadly concerned that thousands of mothers are so over-burdened that the actual demands of life from day to day consume all their time and strength. But of two evils, choose the lesser: which would you call the lesser--an unpolished stove or an untaught boy? Dirty windows, or a child whose confidence you have failed to gain? Cobwebs in the corner, or a son over whose soul a crust has formed, so strong that you despair of melting it with your hot tears and fervent prayers?

I have seen a woman who was absolutely ignorant of her children's habits of thought, who never felt that she could spare a half-hour to read or talk with them--I have seen this woman spend ten minutes in ironing a sheet, or forty minutes icing a cake for tea, because company was expected.

When the mother, a good orthodox Christian, shall appear before the Great White Throne to be judged for the "deeds done in the body," and to give her report of the master's treasures placed in her care, there will be questions and answers like these:

"Where are the boys and girls I gave thee?"

"Lord, I was busy keeping my house clean and in order, and my children wandered away."

"Where wert thou while thy sons and thy daughters were learning lessons of dishonesty, malice and impurity?"

"Lord, I was polishing furniture and making beautiful rugs."

"What hast thou to show for thy life's work?"

"The tidiest house, Lord, and the best starching and ironing in all our neighborhood!"

Oh these children, these children! The restless eager boys and girls whom we love more than our lives! Shall we devote our time and strength to that which perishes while the rich garden of our child's soul lies neglected, with foul weeds choking out all worthy and beautiful growths? Fleeting indeed, O mother, are the days of childhood, and speckless windows, snowy linen, the consciousness that everything about the house is faultlessly bright and clean will be poor comfort in that day wherein we shall discover that our poor boy's feet have chosen the path that shall take him out of the way to all eternity."

--Author Unknown

(Elisabeth Elliot shared the following essay written many years ago by an unknown mother in one of her newsletters. http://www.elisabethelliot.org.)

2011-03-05T14:56:00.000-05:00

"An unholy church!

It is useless to the world, and of no esteem among men.

It is an abomination, hell’s laughter, heaven’s abhorrence.

The worst evils which have ever come upon the world

have been brought upon her by an unholy church."

~ Charles H. Spurgeon

Another Great Quote - C T Studd - Spiritual Champagne

2011-03-04T09:41:00.000-05:00

The Lord is so good and always gives me a large dose of Spiritual Champagne every morning which braces one up for the day and night. Of late I have had such glorious times. I generally wake about 3.30 a. m. and feel quite wide awake, so have a good read, etc., and then have an hour’s sleep or so before finally getting up. I find what I read then is stamped indelibly on my mind all through the day: and it is the very quietest of times, not a foot astir, nor a sound to be heard, saving that of God.
“If I miss this time I feel like Samson shorn of his hair and so of all his strength. I see more and more how much I have to learn of the Lord. I want to be a workman approved, not just with a ‘pass’ degree, as it were. Oh! how I wish I had devoted my early life, my whole life to God and His Word. How much have I lost by those years of self pleasing and running after this world’s honours and pleasures.”
- C.T. Studd, February 7, 1886

And Miles to Go Before I Sleep

2011-03-03T17:18:00.001-05:00

Everyday I make grandiose plans for the things I want to accomplish. I don't finish nearly all the things I'd like because it's hard to plan for boo-boos, unexpected company, behavior adjustment implementations (:D), or just getting off track to see the newly blooming flowers, a butterfly, or to count airplanes with the toddler. However, I find a deep sense of satisfaction if when my graying head hits the pillow, our home is at peace, the kitchen is clean, the house picked up, and laundry mountain only remains a small hill. If we were able to laugh together while we worked together and we accomplished the majority of school without threats or tears, it's been a great day. There was a time I would have felt defeated by not doing much more in a day but I've learned to find joy in just doing the best we could and pressing on to another day. It makes for a less stressful day for not only myself but my family. May our homes be filled with the peace and fragrance of our Lord Jesus and we will be satisfied with all that we set our hands to do.

My Sweet Little Christopher

2011-02-24T13:40:00.002-05:00

He's a sweet little fella
that just turned two
who looks for interesting things
to explore and get into.

Like the 13 eggs he & his nephew Jackson
plopped on the floor.
The first must have made such a cool noise
because they decided to do a dozen more.

There's the nearly new conditioner
that I left by the sink.
He must have decided the floor
needed major detangling.

Don't you love that b.b.s
make such a neat sound
when you dump out a thousand
all over the ground.

When you are two
you must also decide when you want to eat
you climb on the counters
because all the muffins are your treat.

And when your 6 year old sister's
birthday cake is cooling
go ahead and eat it
no point in just drooling.

No longer will I get too excited

when I find out he didn't poo in his diapers.
He may have decided to be like his pup
and poo in the back yard for the neighbors.

To be continued
but not too quickly, I must speak!
because all this happened
in the space of a week!!

Love is in the Air

2011-02-14T17:48:00.000-05:00

Happy Valentine's Day! It's a beautiful, spring-like day in GA. It's also my youngest girls 6th birthday. So we began the day with yummy pancakes and maple syrup. Instead of buttermilk, I used our homemade yogurt with a bit of milk. We then made and decorated cookies. Baking her strawberry heart cake with purple frosting was next on the agenda. As the cake cooled, we began the heart shaped pizzas for lunch. But alas, we turned around to check the cooling cake and the baby had discovered that it was quite yummy even without the frosting.

So after a bit of tears from the birthday girl, we are now remaking a cake. God is good like that with us all the time. He is the God of another chance and another chance and another chance. We just need to repent and He welcomes us back with open arms. Of course, that doesn't mean there aren't consequences. For Emily, it's not the strawberry cake she first wanted; therefore, we are making a vanilla "festive with sprinkles" cake in it's place. She suffered a bit of consequences for Christopher's actions. Not too unlike what happens when we blow it. Many a times not only do we suffer but those around us. Thankfully, in this instance, it's just a cake. We still went to the park for an hour and played. The breadsticks to go with tonight's dinner are rising now. We are having an "Olive Garden" copy cat recipe night with spaghetti and meatballs, salad, and bread sticks. The wee ones are putting on their special Aunt Fran made aprons and serving us. We are so blessed. Thank you Lord for another wonderful day. When you are thinking on this day, remember the verses below.

I Corinthians 13:4-13

Love is patient and kind;

love does not envy or boast;

it is not arrogant or rude.

It does not insist on its own way;

it is not irritable or resentful;

it does not rejoice at wrongdoing,

butrejoices with the truth.

bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things,endures all things.

Love never ends.

As for prophecies, they will pass away;

as for tongues, they will cease;

as for knowledge, it will pass away.

For we know in part and we prophesy in part,

but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.

When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child.

When I became a man, I gave up childish ways.

Fornow we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face.

Now I know in part; then I shall know fully,

even as I have been fully known.

So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three;

but the greatest of these is love.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil.

For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow.

But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!

Again, if two lie together, they keep warm,

but how can one keep warm alone?

And though a man might prevail against one who is alone,

two will withstand him—

a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

I John 4:8

Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.

Song of Solomon 8:6-7

Set me as a seal upon your heart,
asa seal upon your arm,
forlove is strong as death,
jealousy is fierce as the grave.

Its flashes are flashes of fire,
the veryflame of the LORD.

Many waters cannot quench love,
   neither can floods drown it.
If a man offered for love
   all the wealth of his house,
   he would be utterly despised.

I John 4:7

Beloved, let us love one another,

for love is from God,

and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.

Contest at Urban Homemaker for Junior Nutrimill

2011-02-09T14:25:00.001-05:00

Check it out at: http://www.marilynmoll.com/2011/02/introducing-the-wondermill-junior-contest/

Birthdays are in the Air

2011-02-07T14:44:00.001-05:00

February is birthday month at our home. This year is especially a big month. 2 boys turning 16 and 18!! Our baby turns 2 and our smallest princess turns 6. I am truly getting old because I keep saying, "Where does the time go?". Seems like just yesterday I had 3 children 4 and under, then soon after 4 children 6 and under. Now all but two are in double digits. Everybody gets to be queen or king for the day, and do absolutely no chores or school, and they pick their meals and their cake for their day. Our two year old, obviously, was very easy this year because he was just happy to have cake. Today is our 16 year old's birthday and he wanted hot dogs and eggs for breakfast. Yep, we never had that before but he enjoys it as his friend's family's house when he visits so we tried it for him. It won't be on our menu again probably but the kiddos liked it for his special occasion. Then for lunch he wanted homemade burgers with the works. They were scrumptious. He chose a red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting for his cake. Dinner he wants homemade Salisbury steak with macaroni and cheese and we'll have salad. Lots more meat than we usually have in a day but it's his day.

Had lots of "help" with the cake so you won't appreciate the creativity in using 16 candles + 1 to grow on if you just saw the cake without a little "disclaimer", lol. Happy Birthday Nicholas!!

Take the Pill

2011-01-30T09:58:00.002-05:00

My adult daughter Sally is extremely bright and full of life, but she is dying. She received a bad report in the mail that the doctor found something wrong in her last routine visit and wishes to see her right away. Nervously, we go to the our family's physician, the same who has seen her since birth, who prescribes a drug that will fully cure her. He is so concerned that he immediately phones in the prescription to the pharmacy and even offers to pay it for her because it's extremely expensive and honestly, there is no way either of us could afford it. Returning from the pharmacy for her, I rush into her home and give her the prescription. She informs me that she isn't interested in taking it right now. She states that for one she feels great, and secondly she read online that she can just take another pill that is cheaper and just as effective. Heartbroken, I try my best to persuade her that this is only way she will live. She refuses. I call the physician and I ask him is there any legal way that I can make her take this prescription since we know this is the only way she will live. He informs me that legally you can never make a patient take medicine. They must choose to receive it on their own. Over time, I watch Sally's life deteriorate. She keep's turning to cheap alternatives to the one drug that would save her because she believes they are cheaper, more natural, and definitely a more hip alternative. As heartbroken as I am as her mother, I'm surprised how hard her physician takes the news.

In reality, we are all dying. Our bad report that is sent to us is that we are great sinners and all sinners, great and small, deserve death and hell. The good news for us is the Great Physician has paid for our prescription in the form of His Son Jesus who became the perfect sacrifice for our sins. Any alternative to Jesus is a cheapened alternative that will lead you to death and destruction even if only in the end. Like the doctor in the story, God will never force you to accept Him. You must come to Him by your own choice when He calls. If God is calling you to offer you eternal life, won't you take that call and receive the prescription found in Jesus which is more than a ticket to heaven when you die but an opportunity to live a fulfilled life with Him now?

{Small disclaimer: Since I'm already getting e-mails thinking this is really one of my children, it's not. Just a story I woke up to this morning and decided to write. It's an analogy of the true Gospel of God's overwhelming, redeeming love!!}

Curriculum Choices

2011-01-27T23:38:00.000-05:00

I began homeschooling 20+ years ago with 100 Easy Lessons and Learning at Home by Ann Ward. I did that for two years. I loved it. At a seminar I was introduced to KONOS and had a great couple of years with friends using KONOS. Since then, it seems I have tried or checked out just about everything! The only thing that didn't work for me is a "packaged curriculum". I always liked the classical approach to homeschooling the best. Using lots of real books and life to learn from. My goal with my kiddos in homeschooling is to raise them to love Jesus foremost and to have a love of learning. If you love to learn and have the "tools" to know how, you are prepared for whatever life may through your way. Honestly, I still try to do too much wanting to cover everything before they leave home and have to stand back sometimes to regroup. If I'm not careful, we're schooling from sun up to sun down. Of course, that includes throwing in a few chores, cooking with me, etc. but still it's easy for me to get into the "I've got to cover everything" rut and forget that I'm training them to learn. They will have the tools to learn whatever I or they miss. Phew, that's a load off of my mind. Most of our home school years has been with Ambleside Online, Apologia Science and Saxon Math. However, I discovered Classical Conversations a few years ago and have loved it. Saxon Math and Apologia are still a part of our school. We also read a lot of books. I have an adult daughter in college going into nursing. My second child graduates this year and plans to begin college in the fall. It goes way too fast. Young mama, I know you hear that all the time, but let me tell you it's so true. They grow up way too fast. Even through the hard days of trying to home school while hugging a potty (pregnant), changing 100 diapers when soo many were little at once, catching up on laundry mountain and so many other chores, trying to survive on one full-time income, I thank the Lord so much that He led me to be with my precious children. Because for all those hard days, there were so many more good days filled with laughter, singing, games, and togetherness. Most importantly, it's worth it all if the Lord would find it to His great pleasure to use my small efforts to call my children, that He so graciously blessed us with, to Himself. To Him be all the honor and glory forever!!

20 Years of Homeschooling!

2011-01-18T19:46:00.000-05:00

Wow! When I filled out paperwork to be a director in Classical Conversations I realized I've been homeschooling for over 20 years! My eldest daughter is going to be 25 and she began reading at age 4. She was and is still an avid learner. I decided my next few posts should be on some things I have learned as a mom while homeschooling. I'll put some of our favorite books, our adventures in schooling, and how I still do it after so long and enjoy it.

Why I love to home educate my children? First and foremost, I really love being with my children. My eldest had to be in daycare off and on during her first 5 years of life and I hated it. Don't get me wrong, I loved work. I loved my job (Science Applications International Corporation) and I loved the people I worked with but I really missed being at home with my daughter and being a full-time mom. If there is a calling for motherhood and homeschooling that makes you miserable doing anything else, I had it. And I was surprised. I had plans of a big career until I held that precious cargo. All those future goals went by the wayside and my thoughts began drifting towards home.

I also was intrigued with the idea of homeschooling. There was so little on the subject at the time therefore I joined a local home school co-op when my daughter was only two so I could do my homework. Meanwhile, my husband began a partnership in a plumbing business that was doing well. We decided to take the plunge and give up my benefits and pay to come home right before her kindergarten year.

Our families thought we were nuts and had probably joined a cult. It didn't help that I did begin getting very involved in a Spirit-filled church when she was 2. Being so hungry for Truth and especially spiritual truth, I devoured the Word. I was involved in Bible Studies and in learning how to be a good mom, wife, and future home school mom. It pretty much consumed those first years of her life. Compared to the old me, I am absolutely sure it did appear that I had to have joined a cult to have changed so drastically. I know when they found out I wanted more than two children it made no sense at all to them. When I breastfed, my feminist mentors in life where appalled (especially when I did it for two years). When I wanted natural child birth, cloth diapers to save money, dress simply, give up career ambitions and more, they pretty much just shook their heads. But after 6 children they gave up on me and now are some of my biggest cheerleaders in life. Maybe by the time I had #8 they were just numb :D.

Before we were married, we had "the plan". We will have 3 children 3 years apart. I will finish my college education and we will move by a beach and we will live happily ever after. Well, God had other plans. We definitely didn't plan on homeschooling. We didn't have to throw away our dreams to follow God's plan for us but He has definitely changed our dreams. It has been a great adventure and I wouldn't trade it for anything. My next post will discuss what curriculum we began with and how we got where we are now.

Nerf Guns Everywhere and New Year's Resolutions

2011-01-06T21:20:00.001-05:00

I'm writing this amidst rapid Nerf gun fire, and believe it or not, it's so normal my thoughts aren't even scattered! I didn't make my normal goals this year. I try to begin a lot of great things at once and do well for a while and then one week of sick kiddos and it's all over. This year I'm making one health/physical, one spiritual, one mental and one family goal before I do anything else. My first health/physical goal was to give up diet cokes! It is my one true vice. There weren't even withdrawals or headaches when I quit this year because I already quit buying them at home a long time ago. I saved them for when I was out during happy hour at Sonic. A tall, bubbly, itty bitty ice of carbonation for a BUCK!!! YESSSS, it was good while it lasted. Next week will be about 2 weeks so I'll start my new health/physical goal then...at least 30 minutes of purposeful exercise a day. Don't get me wrong. A household this big, I never quit moving. But, I need to get more disciplined in this area again so that's next.

My first spiritual goal is to daily read the Word alone and with the family. I've done at least one or the other since the first but not consistent with both yet. Once, I conquer that one I actually do have a yearly plan of studies this year.

My first mental goal is to learn more Latin before I need to teach it in Challenge next year. Therefore, I'm beginning to do the books with the children that they are doing and then I will begin Rosetta Stone. I usually just follow along with the teacher book and don't make myself think things as through as I need to do.

Lastly, my family goal is to get out of holiday - run- run - rush -rush mode and back into settled life. Meals back at the table together. Prayers more consistent. Bedtimes back on track. Limited television, video games, etc. during the week so we can focus more on school and home life.

Well, time to get the "shooters" to put their weapons away for the night. It's "jammy" time. Half of them are already behind on that bedtime deal :D. Good night blogging world.

Rosetta Stone Give Away

2011-01-05T21:02:00.001-05:00

Now is the perfect time to give your child the gift of possibilities for the holidays with Rosetta Stone Homeschool — and you can WIN a Level 1 Homeschool program, language of your choice (valued at $249)!
Right now Rosetta Stone is having a special Holiday promotion on our Homeschool Edition program and we’d like you to help spread the word! Everyone can save up to $150 on Rosetta Stone Homeschool by visiting our website at http://www.RosettaStone.com/hsw1110.
By helping us spread the word you can win a Rosetta Stone Homeschool Edition Level 1 program, language of your choice, valued at $249.
This is a computer based curriculum and Rosetta Stone will also include a headset with microphone, and a supplementary “Audio Companion” CD so you can practice lessons in the car, on the go, or where-ever!
Students participate in life-like conversations and actually produce language to advance through the program. Rosetta Stone incorporates listening, reading, grammar, vocabulary and writing along with speaking and pronunciation lessons. For parents, the new Parent Administrative Tools are integrated into the program to allow parents to easily enroll up to ten students in any of 12 predetermined lesson plans, monitor student progress, grade completed work (the program grades the work automatically as the students progress), and you can view and print reports for transcripts. Homeschooling a lot of kids at your house? This program is designed to enroll and track up to ten students (five users on two computers) and will work for nearly all ages — from beginning readers up to college students.
To win this program, copy these paragraphs and post them in (or as) your next blog post, and/OR post about this contest on your facebook page. Then go to the original page at http://www.triviumpursuit.com/blog/2010/12/28/rosetta-stone-giveaway/
and leave a comment saying that you’ve posted about, or have linked to, the contest. Please make sure the link works to get back to the original contest page when you post, and good luck!
***

Wherever You Are, Be All There. ~Jim Elliot

2011-01-02T18:37:00.000-05:00

I saw this quote today and it really spoke to my heart. Again, it reminded me I should have named this blog "Attempting to Live a Life of No Regrets." Although, it's still my lofty goal, it's definitely only attainable to attempt it. This quote spoke to me because I desire to make a difference for the Lord in the lives that He puts into mine. I cannot make a difference in the lives of even my own family if my mind is consistently elsewhere. We need to stay focused on the family the Lord blessed us with and the guests the Lord may bring to our door. He may even have opportunities for us at the grocery store, the gas station, the drive thru window, where ever we may be IF we are available to Him to "be all there, wherever we are".

We've all done it. Whether it's a conversation with a child, on the phone, or whomever when you have to ask the other person to repeat what they are trying to tell you because your mind is totally preoccupied with other matters. Don't get me wrong; there is a time to take care of matters uninterrupted but other times we need to give attention to those around us. I'm so thankful we serve a God who is always there for us. May we strive to be there for those He places in our lives and most importantly when we are spending time with Him. May we be purposeful to focus on Him when we read His word. May we focus our attention to Him when we pray (and not what is next on the to do list), Lord help us to be all there, wherever we are!

Lots of New Stuff

2010-12-29T13:48:00.001-05:00

If I wrote each day as much as I'd like, my family would never eat!! This is a quick update because I have to go throw dinner in the crock pot. However, I started a new blog on my recipes because folks ask for them quite a bit. Just go to Now Michelle's Cooking on my links and voila, you are there. I'll add recipes as often as I can. I have a few friends who have asked me to post what I cook every day so this is a way I can post it without driving my other facebook friends crazy :).

Also, if you don't mind and are going to order a book from Amazon anyway, please order through my blog site and it will earn me some school money for the kiddos. Thanks so much! Lastly, I'll be adding another blog hopefully titled Now Michelle's Saving Money. I have a lot of folks wonder how a family of 9 (my oldest is married so only 7 are at home) that also watches 2 grandchildren during the week can eat on $600-$1000 a month (which includes toiletries, etc.) so I'll tell you the things I've learned on this great big family adventure. The higher months are when I'm restocking my bulk supplies :).

P.S. The picture above is what my butter pecan cake ended up looking like. My littlest fella got into the frosting while I let the cake cool. He had a great time and I had little frosting left. We improvised with leftover chocolate frosting from my children's cupcakes for Christmas and went light on the edges. This little fella just makes me laugh which is much better than pulling my hair out.

Merry Christmas!!

2010-12-19T17:12:00.000-05:00

2010 Tordoff Holiday Letter

Greetings to all in the strong and mighty name of Jesus Christ. I pray His perfect peace will surround you this hectic season. As I get older, it seems like these letters get written closer and closer together because time just seems to fly.

What a wonderful year this has been. We have been blessed with great health, a peaceful home and an abundance of joy in Christ.

John Russell, 17, is completing his senior year of home school requirements. He wants to take personal training & nutrition courses soon before he embarks into college life next fall. He enjoys getting together with friends, the PS3, and working out. We are proud of him and cannot wait to see what the Lord has for him in the coming year.

Nicholas, a sophomore, has grown a mile this year. He has also grown in the Lord. He's our quiet fella with a big heart to serve. He also enjoys the ps3, reading Tolkien, hanging out with his buddies, and running Abbie (our Siberian Husky). He is leaning towards the medical field when he finishes high school.

Timothy, 13, has had the most drama this year. He broke his arm skim boarding on our beach trip. He had his arms “set” in N.C. but it didn't set well so he became our “titanium man” after a plate and screws were inserted into his bones. He now enjoys tennis again and has a great sense of humor. He is just enjoying being a boy and hanging out with friends and family.

Praise, 11, is becoming quite a young woman. She loves to cook and be crafty. She has become such a social butterfly attending many girly events from church and landing a part in the Christmas play. She has made many new friends this year and loves tea parties.

Michael, 9, loves to ride his bike, swim, play Wii and eat. I've never seen a boy who loves food as much as this guy. Honestly, he's been like that since birth. Fortunately, he doesn't mind helping prepare food. He also takes tennis lessons with Timothy. We love his quirky sense of humor.

Emily, 5, is still our drama queen. However, she has definitely mellowed out this year. No longer does she tell complete strangers her opinion of their hair, piercings, or tattoos in disgusted tones. She seems to bring sunshine into every room with her. She is full of joy.

Christopher, 22 months, is no longer our wee butterball. He has run and climbed and played off most of his chubbiness. The children are still smitten with him and all his antics. He's quite a little actor and keeps us laughing. He loves food like Michael does and is always wanting “eat and juice”!

Brandon, Cindy, Rylie and Jackson are all doing well. Brandon, a great husband and daddy, traded counties in his job as a police officer this year. Cindy is a great wife and mom in college and working. They don't get bored often :).

The best gift the Lord has given my family, by far, is the gift of laughter. Chores may back up, illness enters the home, bills (need I say more), and any other stress may be thrown our way but it all becomes bearable and life is enjoyable with the laughter we share each day.

My hope for you all in this coming year is that you will be overwhelmed with the glory and awesomeness of Christ. If you don't know Him, I pray you will find Hm and become His child. If you do know Jesus, I pray you will live like a son/daughter of the great and glorious King. I pray you find peace, love and joy in Christ. Acts 16:24b says to ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.

Merry Christmas to All

from the Tordoff Troop and

Blessings for a Wonderful New Year

Thanksgiving Part 2

2010-11-29T20:25:00.001-05:00

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. We had a lot of family come together in Thomson, GA (my mom's home) for a great celebration of the Lord's goodness to us. There were 28 of us in all! That doesn't include all the dogs that came. We left Friday morning to spend the rest of our holiday with family in NC and we had a blast. I'm now officially good with hearing holiday music, watching Christmas movies and even learning Christmas carols for our hymn study in school. I'll probably "holiday" my blog when I finish updating this post.

I began a Bible study through my Counting It All Joy yahoo group today using Peter Lord's "Getting to Know God the Son Jesus Christ". I'm looking forward to working through this study during the month of December and really focusing myself and my family on Jesus. I spent November trying to thank the Lord for things each day. I'm purposing to spend December focusing on Jesus, the Son of God. I want to spend it rejoicing in Him not focused only on Him as a baby in a manger but as the Lord of All who rules and reigns now.

Ephesians 1:3-14: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses,which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. In him we have obtained an inheritance,having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will,so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guaranteeof our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

Thanksgiving

2010-11-14T22:04:00.000-05:00

This month I have purposed to find things to be thankful about each day. I've tried to post these ponderings on my facebook page. Because I love to write, I often think of a ton of things each day I'd like to put into words that I never quite get around to. As I sat down tonight to purposely throw out some thoughts on the page, so to speak, I must admit I've decided to visit an old memory.

Thankfulness is not a thing I struggle with because I truly am overwhelmed with the blessings God has given me in this life and know how unworthy I am of it all. Not that I don't have to purpose to choose to be thankful at times that are difficult or purposely make choices to rejoice when my flesh would like to choose differently. I truly am still a work in progress. (Thank you Lord; You haven't quit on me!!) One of my favorite times that God taught me thankfulness was during a Bible Conference at Grace Fellowship. I was soo sick, again. Yep, pregnant and nauseous was I. My pregnancies didn't consist of morning sickness. They were all day and sometimes all night sickness. The illness lasted from 16 to 40 weeks. Jack Taylor was teaching on being thankful even for the difficult things that come our way in life. Well, as he was preaching, my body was telling my mind to run or be very embarrassed. I ran out the door to the bathroom and was relieved to have listened and made it in time. As I was hugging the toilet, I decided even in this I need to choose to be thankful. So during and after what felt like the worst case of food poisoning you could imagine, I began praying and thanking Him. I ended with "Thank you Lord that every pregnancy that I have been ill has resulted in a healthy pregnancy." Would you believe, I was never sick again that entire pregnancy!! It was a miracle. (Of course, I tried that in following pregnancies and He didn't bless me in the same way but He still fixed me and my heart.) I could truly thank Him during those sick times despite everything else in life that was getting so far behind due to the sickness. I'll never forget that miracle He did for me that Bible conference. He healed my body, encouraged my spirit and fixed my heart to choose thankfulness in all things. Thank you Lord.

No Mom, I Don't See Buzzards!

2010-10-12T18:18:00.000-04:00

I was pondering my crazy weekend and had to laugh to myself thinking I know what Mom will say when she hears about it. We woke up early Sunday morning, fed everybody (which is a feat itself on Sunday mornings) and was heading out a bit early because we knew we needed to get gas in my son's car. Well, we load up in 2 vehicles and my car doesn't start. Battery dead! ARGHHHH. No biggie, I'll get out the jumper cables. 3 vehicles parked in my driveway, yet not a jumper cable to be found. Nary a neighbor out this early in the morning either. Okay, we still have time....I'll take hubby's car. We move 1 car seat, 7 children, 5 Bibles, 3 purses and hit the highway. We will now just be "on time.". We can handle that because it still beats being late. We unload at church and my eldest son, bless his heart, isn't used to being the driver and getting out a baby. Being the great helper he is, he gets the baby out but forgets he left his keys inside the car when he removed the little fella. He then proceeds to shut the door and, of course, it's locked. No problem the spare is in the glove box. My husband works nights and obviously cannot save us because the car I left at home won't start either (remember?). BTW, did I mention I'm bringing home my niece this day so that my sister's family can go see the Braves game after church?

We went on to Sunday School classes. Did I mention I showed up to my class 10-15 minutes late?! After church, a very patient family spent 30 minutes helping us break into my son's car. My sister's family went on their way and we had a great afternoon despite the cRaZy start. The best part is that we could all laugh about it and not let it ruin our entire day. My truck ended up with larger problems than the battery and it will get fixed later this week.

When my mother lived in Atlanta, I would call and tell her the latest Tordoff news. She would laugh at the children's antics. But invariably when things seemed to go wrong, another appliance broke, another vehicle to replace, she'd say "Michelle, my goodness, do you look out your windows sometimes and see buzzards flying around?". She was implying I had buzzard luck. Well, I could only laugh because the Lord always sees us through the craziness of this life... the broken appliances, broken bones and broken hearts, the financially lean times, the one-more-thing goes wrong kinds of days. He has just always been faithful. I knew when I called her that afternoon and told her the latest she would shake her head and would ask me again about the buzzards. So I laughed as I told her the story in person Monday. (She now she lives closer.) I was then able to tell her "Don't worry, I don't see buzzards Mom."

Fall is Coming

2010-08-31T12:39:00.000-04:00

Although it's still warm outside, it's only been in the 90's and not the 100's and you get the sense that fall is on its way! Perhaps it's the school supplies covering the shelves in the stores or the school buses on the streets or because I know Labor Day weekend is this weekend or even that "Arts in the Heart" will be here soon. Whatever it is, our whole family is excited that fall is approaching. We're looking forward to football, windows open, fresh bread with soup or chili, blue jeans, hoodies, camp fires, etc. However, I want to relish each day and not rush through any of it. The days go so fast already that I don't want to miss a thing.

Since I last wrote, Timothy broke his arm skim boarding on our last beach trip of the year.

He had it reset in NC but one of the 2 bones didn't stay in place. Therefore, they did surgery here in Augusta and his arm ended up looking like this inside when they finished.

We were pretty nervous about the amount of pain he would be in. He was determined not to miss night 3 of the "4 nights in August" that the youth were involved in. God has been so good and has really been Timothy's healer. He hasn't been in too much pain and has gotten by with just a little motrin each day. He didn't miss any of the youth conference and has been such a trooper. Now he is using it as an excuse to not have to write too much in school and I've been letting him for the most part. I've become his secretary.

As the seasons change, may we each be reminded to be encouraged in the Lord during changes we pass through in this life. Nothing takes Him by surprise and we can trust that He will be with us through it all. He is faithful.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Colossians 3:16

More Summer

2010-08-12T13:56:00.001-04:00

I cannot believe we will be back into full swing school very soon. Public and private schools have already begun. We've done some school throughout summer but it's felt like a great break from full-time. As I was canning some sweet relish today, I realized it may be the last of the cucumbers to process this year. The tomatoes are still coming but I'm going to treat today with a solution of epson salt for blossom rot. My pear tomatoes have been mostly fine but my romas have suffered. My heirlooms didn't produce like they should've either. Big beautiful plants....late on making big beautiful green tomatoes and then just few of those. They also got hit with the blossom rot. The watermelons are still feeding us dessert a few times of week but we only have a few of those left either. We tilled up one area that was "done"and are getting ready to plant some fall veggies soon. It's been a lot of work but I really enjoy the end result....fresh, healthy, no chemical food for the family. Now I've got to finish the white pillowcase dresses for the girls before we head to the beach.

We've got one last beach trip to make and I'm soo looking forward to it. A few more days to hold on to the joy of summer...building castles in the sand, older boys skim boarding, all of us jumping waves and floating, and most of all laughing a lot together. Until then, finish dresses for beach pictures, wrap up garden, hopefully get some painting done that I thought I'd get to this summer. I can't even imagine what boredom must feel like.

We got rid of cable this year and so a few times a week I've been listening to things on the computer at night while I'm busy folding clothes, catching up e-mails, playing family feud on facebook on the weekend, doing a sudoku/crossword, or just holding the baby. You can find some great listening at sermonindex.net. It's really been some great challenging stuff. A few nights ago, it was "Ten Shekels and a Shirt" that we enjoyed listening to.

Well, better run finish making my sweet cucumber relish before the baby awakens. It's a new recipe so I'm hoping it turns out as pretty as it looks. Above is what it's supposed to look like. Aren't they just gorgeous! The only differences in mine is that I chopped the veggies with my Pampered Chef crinkled cutter into small cubes and diced onions really small so no "wee"ones would object to the relish in their tuna. Hope everyone is having a wonderful Jesus-filled summer. Until, Michelle

P.S. Heres the recipe from "Joyous Home" (joyoushome.com):

Sweet Cucumber Relish
Just like Bread & Butter pickles, except much tastier!
~Makes 4 quarts or 8 pints~

In a large saucepan combine the following:
4 1/2 cups sugar
1/3 cup + 3 Tbsp. pickling salt
3 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar
2 tsp. celery
2 tsp. dill weed
1 1/2 tsp. whole black peppercorns

Stir well until well combined and bring to a low boil. Stir and simmer over medium heat for 2 minutes. Set aside and let cool. While the brine is cooling, prepare the vegetables.

4 qt. (about 12 large) peeled and sliced cucumbers, about 1/8" thick
3 large sweet bell peppers (red, yellow and orange), diced
2 large white onions, thinly sliced
Evenly divide all of the vegetables between two large bowls, or all together if you happen to have an extra large bowl! Mix together well. Pack and fill the jars very tightly. The relish really will shrink up in the brine, so fill the jars all the way to the top and pack down as tight as possible.

For Refrigerator Relish: Fill the jars with the cooled brine almost to the top, screw on the lids tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 6 weeks.

To Process: Once the brine has cooled to room temperature, fill the jars 1/2" away from the top. Adjust two-piece lids and screw snugly. Process 10 minutes in boiling water. The processing time given is for sea level. If you are a at a higher altitude, you will need to adjust the timing accordingly.