Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

The weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful, and since we've no place to go, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow! Well the weather outside was very cold and we got our first snow of the season yesterday! There was no fire because saving money means no fireplace and we are cheap, and we had lots of places to go and thankfully it didn't stick to the roads. So the kids went out to play early in the morning and got wet & cold, but had loads of fun. It all melted away by afternoon but it really is beginning to look a lot like Christmas. However here in Texas just like last week it could end up being 80 degrees again!

Deck the Halls with boughs of Holly!

Fa, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la! It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, all around our house. We are decking our walls, our fireplace and everywhere else with decorations that remind us of Christmas. What is amazing as I undid my decorations were the many reminders that this is Jesus' Birthday! So many manger scenes and scenes of Mary and Joseph and baby Jesus. So many reminders of what this season is all about! My kids eyes glisten at all the lights and presents and get excited about it all.

The tree, as we were putting it up, reminds me that my Lord Jesus who came as a baby in a manger was hung upon a tree for my sins! He rose again and lives for us and intercedes for us. Those of us who believe in Him and His name and repent of our sins. He takes the sin away, makes us new again. Just like my evergreen tree, my life is evergreen and will never die spiritually! Thank you Jesus!

Give thanks in Everything!

These are pictures of our Thankful Blessings tablecloth. I put it out year after year for Thanksgiving. We write on it that year what we are thankful for! I'm thankful this year for so much. He has blessed us beyond what I could possibly imagine and He has abundantly filled my soul with His grace. I couldn't help but laugh at some of the thankful blessings written on our tablecloth. Zech one year wrote he was thankful for family and for Kmart. We must have just gone there for him to have remembered it. We are all very thankful for my mom still being with us this Thanksgiving. Thank you all for blessing our lives so richly!

My baby turns 9!

Okay, I know that might not be a big deal for most of you but I can't believe my baby is nine! Isabella turned nine yesterday and had a fabulous birthday if you can't tell by the pictures. She is such a blessing to us. She is funny, beautiful, a child of the King, and loves to dress up. Amazingly she has become a star wars fan! Not sure why, but she loves Star Wars!

Play your musical instruments to Him!

This is a picture of Sarah's piano competition paper and ribbon that she performed on Saturday. She made superior! This isn't a competition against other pianoist but just how can you improve. She is such an accomplished artist all around. We are so very proud of her.

Believing God!

I teach a ladies Sunday School class at my church and this last Sunday I did one of those "Blooper" kind of events. You see I've been teaching for the last 2 1/2 months how important it is to Believe God, not just believe in Him. I studied the scriptures and read the book by Beth Moore "Believing God". It has been such a good lesson for all of us. This next Sunday is our last lesson in this study. So I wanted to make it a commitment time for us and wanted to express how important it was that everyone was there for this special Sunday School time. On the board I write:

Next Sunday: Last Week for Believing God

Very Important!

Don't Miss!

When our Sunday School director walked in and chuckled I looked at her and wondered why she was laughing at my message. She told me to step back and read what I wrote. I then had a hardy laugh. After weeks of pounding it into our heads and our hearts that we are to Believe God no matter what, I was somehow telling them now they had to stop next week! It was meant to say:

Next Sunday: Last Week for Believing God Study!

Lets hope we all Believe God always and forever and as the gospel of Mark reminds us in chapter 10 when we fall into disbelief cry out to God and ask Him to help our unbelief! I hope you are always believing God! LOL!

Wise woman? or not so wise.

"She also rises while it is yet night, and provides food for her household, and a portion of her maidservants"

This picture is for my friends (the mexican and wanna be mexican) who are outstandingly good cooks and do a lot of their own homemade cooking. I actually made my own homemade tortillas (okay yes I bought tortilla flour). Now they aren't exactly completely round and little they were, but my oldest daughter commented to me "They taste exactly like the Jalepeno Tree (a mexican food restaraunt here)." That was no small comment coming from her who doesn't like tortillas normally. I had fun doing it and will do way more often. They all said at dinner I didn't make enough! YEAH! Thanks to my friends who continue to inspire me to be more like the proverbs 31 woman.

By the way, were are my maidservants to give a portion too?

He makes all things new!

Well as a homeschool mom I've never experienced what I had to go through today! School pictures! Yes, we homeschoolers contacted a school photography place and had them come to coop today and my kids took school pictures. What do moms do who are not there when their kids gets pictures? I had to brush their hair (hmm . . . let just say a lot of times) a lot and keep them from getting anything dirty (I'm a little over compulsive when it comes to what my kids look like and majorly on what their hair looks like) and make sure their shirts, jackets, whatever was on straight. Oh my goodness, then I had to pay for them. Well it was a new experience and a lot of fun too! Our homeschool group has a yearbook! They are professional and all and I'm having so much fun in this group!

Experiments anyone?

One of the joys of homeschooling is that everything your child ever does stays around in your house for a while. If you don't have a room in your house for all those things they are usually scattered all over the place. Well I have a schoolroom in my house but things are scattered anyway! Sarah is taking general science and does all her labs at Enrichment (Coop). I praise God for that because I would rather read about it than do the labs but they are for her benefit and she enjoys them. Well Monday she came home with an assortment of jars and tubs full of stuff that has to stay around while she observes them and then writes a lab report on it. Hope nobody mistakes this for anything else!

The Wise man built his house upon the rock! (or water?)

Did I mention that my boy loves to build things? No, well I mention it now. You see we have legos, legos, and more legos. We also have a lot more building supplies around the house but the legos seem to get the most use! Well yesterday was no exception. I'm always amazed by what he builds. But mostly I've been amazed at his "sink" creations. You see he has built an aquaduct, a boat that floats on the water, and now his latest is his stilt house creation. Among just the creativeness of it he adds his own flair with a king, a skeleton, a dragster, a boat, and a treasure chest to complete this house on stilts. The idea is the house is surrounded by water and under attack, the king must save the house or take the boat and run! My girls too made their own creations and wanted to show them off. That is other picture of this.

This is the day the Lord hath made! Let us Rejoice and be glad in it!

Let's head to His place singing God's songs, lifting His praise all day long!

Today is the Lord's day at our house and we are in the midst of getting ready. Amazingly so with the time change all of us got a great night sleep and up early! So we have some extra time. So I thought I would type. I mentioned in one of my earlier blogs that I'm teaching Sunday School. And usually God has to teach me first what I am to teach the ladies in the class. Without fail He did it again this week. You see I'm overwhelmed with the thought that all of my kids future success in school has a lot to with me! I start feeling inadequate and start thinking about the future and I get all flustered. So went my attitude Thursday morning until yesterday. When God finally got through to me that He is the one responsible for my kids teaching because He is the one who asked me to Homeschool them. These are His kids that He has given to me to raise. I needed to believe that "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me". I struggle still because all their studies get harder but with Christ I can do this! So today as I head to His house I'm going sing His songs and praise Him all day long because He is in control of it all! Even my children!

A little side note: Have you ever wondered where all the words that you tell your kids go? I'm amazed that I can tell a kids 100 times to do something and when called and asked "What did I say?" because they didn't do it, the response is, "I didn't hear you?" Do they go down somewhere into the recesses of the brain to only pop out again when your an adult? As an adult I can still remember what my momma always told me, "Make sure you have on clean underwear, clean your room, clean your plate or you won't get dessert, or Because I said so!" Also as an adult and mother I say the same things. I'm ready for them to start listening and hearing what I say and applying it to their lives. Then I ponder, is this what God wants for us? He so gently reminds me, "Yes." I need to listen, hear, and apply what God is saying in my life just as much as my children need to listen, hear, and apply what I am trying to tell them. His ways are good for us and He knows what is best. So next time you fuss at your kids because they are not listening, ask yourself if you are?

Fall Festival

Now many of my friends are viewing this today and being shocked! I haven't participated in a fall festival or anything halloween for that matter for many years. I've struggled with the pagan practices that are so relevant particulary on "Halloween". To have fun putting up spooky characters, putting on scary costumes, and rejoicing in all the things evil is beyond my scope of thinking. However I've always struggled with what I say to the world by not participating at all with a judgemental attitude. I've always struggled with being a stumbling block because I don't want to be there either. So I've come to a church that does a fall festival and here I was at a roadblock with what to do. Obviously from the pictures we went and we had fun. I was also blessed with my kids reactions and the number of people attended (over 400)! So has God done a work in my heart? I'm still searching for the answer and may never get it. I don't like halloween and probably never will but I am willing to change if I'm being a stumbling block to anyone.

Isabella went as Laura Ingalls (holding Jack their dog), Sarah went as Mary (mother of Jesus), and Zech has the most original costume, himself (he didn't want to dress up). Your asking yourself now, who is the big fellow. Yes that is my dear husband or should I say "deer husband". Most people recognized him only after he spoke. I went as a pastor's wife! Hope you all had fun with your festivities last night as well and didn't get a tummy ache.