What Are You Reading?

"You will be the same person in five years 
as you are today except

for the people you meet

and the books you read."

~Charlie Tremendous Jones

Keeping our home, home schooling, being a wife and mom, gardening a little, and being active at church makes it hard to read all the books I'd love to read.  However, I am always encouraging my guys to read each week a new book (to them).  Now for one of my girls right now, she could read 24/7.  She is learning balance.  We decided to use our books this week to begin our summer reading program list from our local library.  So what are we reading?

Nicholas, 18, is reading "Not a Fan," by Kyle Idleman.  I talked so much about how I loved it that he wanted to read it after he finished "Radical."

Timothy, 15, just finished reading John Piper's "Seeing and Savoring Jesus," and this week he wants to read "Follow Me," by David Platt.

Praise, 13, finished "The Lamplighter", by Maria Cummings and this week she is reading "Sherlock Holmes" the complete collection by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

Michael, 11, is almost finished "Joel, a Boy of Galilee" by Annie F Johnston and will begin  "Happy, Happy, Happy" this week.  Most of the summer I will have him reading through the Heroes of Faith and Courage series.   

Emily, 8, decided to read the Bible Wise series along with chapters in Genesis.

What am I reading?  Well, I decided to read "Sir Knight of the Splendid Way," by W.E. Cule and John Piper's "Seeing and Savoring Jesus" again.   

Also, my nephew Brian is spending the week with us and he is reading "Happy, Happy, Happy" with my son Michael.   (When Michael does math, Brian reads....when Brian does math, Michael reads.)

Our summer schedule will look something like this:

7:00  Math

8:00  Science

9:00  chores

10:00 Pool

2:00  Reading

3:00  Anything you need to finish from school year or FREE TIME

5:00  Dinner

8:00  Family Walk

I want to incorporate some nature journaling throughout the summer and we have 4 small garden areas (potatoes, strawberries, tomatoes, lettuce, and cucumbers) that we are tending to also.  Not to mention, we have puppies to train and some to find good homes for.

So what are you reading this summer?  Challenge your children who are participating in the summer reading program to read things that are good for them.  Use Philipians 4:8 as your guide.

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true,

whatsoever things are honest,

whatsoever things are just,

whatsoever things are pure,

whatsoever things are lovely,

whatsoever things are of good report;

if there be any virtue,

and if there be any praise,

think on these things.

If you'd like some free books, head on over to my Big Happy Family Books face book page.  I try to list a few free Amazon and other source books each week.   If you are getting rid of books, I'd love to take them off your hands.  I sell books on Amazon as a small business.  Hope you have a fabulous week!!

Jamaica'n Me Run

A few months ago I was pondering a way the boys could make some money for their mission trip to Jamaica this summer.   A 5k came to mind, and I started asking lots of questions.   Next thing I know, I knew that was what we were supposed to do to help earn money for the mission trip.    After I came up with a name, we started lining things up and boy were we getting excited. 

The Beautiful Augusta Canal

Here's how we described it on the active.com website:
This Jamaican themed 5K walk/run will have fun Caribbean music, bright Jamaican colors, & a super friendly Island atmosphere with race volunteers cheering you on Jamaican style. You'll feel like you're running in the Islands of the Caribbean in the Spring on the beautiful Augusta Canal.   Bob Marley would even feel at home! Feel free to wear your bright Jamaican & Caribbean colors.

The proceeds for this 5K will go to help the Youth at Kiokee Church to go on mission to Jamaica this summer. The Youth will help provide for the poor in the St. Ann area with shoes & clothing as well as help build a community center and provide several backyard bible schools for the children of the area.

Beautiful Morning

The Lord truly blessed our efforts and we had a great first time turn out.   The weather was seasonably cool for May in GA and the humidity was low.   The rain even held out until the race was over.   I had lots of helping hands the day of the race that helped make everything go smooth and turn it into a great success.  

Registration

Our Jamaican Music Man

And They're Off!

First Place!

Grizzly was worn out!

We have tons more great pictures on our face book page titled Jamaica'n Me Run 5k Walk/Run.   Feel free to join the group.  They turned out great!   Please pray the Lord will bless the trip in July and that lives will be touched by the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Thanks for all who supported us and we will do it again next year (Lord willing)!! 

The Team that Helped Make it a Great Success

Rainy Saturday in May

I LOVE the rain especially if I get to stay home in warm "jammy" pants, a hot cup of tea, and a good book.    Today however one son fished in the rain for his RA cookout tomorrow at church.   My mom, 2 younger daughters, and granddaughter had a GA tea to go to.  As I crawled out of bed this morning, I was just going through the motions making a choice to rejoice on this rainy, chilly day.   We needed to be there at 10 after picking up my beautifully dressed granddaughter.   Of course, it was wonderful.  Had a great time visiting other ladies and girls dressed for this spring tea (adorning sweaters, of course).   Was home by 12:30, took an unplanned nap, donned some warm jammy pants, and sat for a bit watching history channel before I decided I need to get busy this Saturday afternoon.   My oldest three still at home (18, nearly 16, and nearly 14) are going to the movies together, while my younger three are playing with the two grandchildren, and I feel overwhelmingly blessed!   Of course, I always hoped my children would grow up to be the best of friends, but it is so exciting to see it come to fruition.  I will work on my 5k that I put together for the youth to earn money for their Jamaican mission trip this summer, type up my two week menu that my husband and I put together before we shopped for groceries yesterday, do the last load of laundry, prepare meatloaf and veggies for dinner, and just enjoy this day at home.  

The books I finished the last few weeks are The Killing of Kennedy, The Killing of Lincoln, and Dam Break in Georgia.   If you like historical reading that reads like a novel, you will enjoy the first two books.   The last book, also historical, reads like praise reports through tragedy.  

Whatever you may be doing this 4th of May, I hope you are enjoying and savoring life.   Cancer taught me last year that you REALLY never know what tomorrow may bring. 

Lastly, here is a video to enjoy from John Piper!   It's great stuff.