Joy!

In Sunday School I'm teaching on the fruit of the Spirit. I had a wonderful friend of mine present me with a book called "Naked fruit". It isn't a dirty book either! The author wonderfully takes a look at what the fruit looks like without the peeling! She gets down to the heart of what it looks like! We are studying Joy this Sunday! Amazingly Joy is not happiness. Happiness is something that happens when life is going just as we want it. Circumstances pivot our feelings on happiness or not. But Joy is described as confidence in God no matter what. When life isn't going our way (which happens way more frequently than when it goes our way) what is the bottom line. Not on how we feel, but what is inside of us. Who is inside of us and holding us during those moments in life that aren't happy, but we have a great confidence in our God that He is in control and that brings us great joy.

I am amazed when I look at the picture above (not taken by me) that joy wells up inside of me. When I'm really struggling with particular circumstances in my life I'll go for a walk. Just talking with Him while I'm walking reminds me of that joy that is still there. I still cry, worry, and see the world swirling around me in a way I don't like and wonder, but somewhere deep inside God shows me His joy that He is growing in me. Joy looks different in your skin than maybe in mine. Mine is just no matter what, my heart is held up in high confidence that He will keep His promises toward me and He is in control. I don't laugh uncontrollably, don't smile sometimes, and even cry in the midst of joy, but it's there!

Thank you to our indescribable Lord who overwhelmingly grows the fruit of Joy in our lives when we stay connected to Him! May you have joy today!

Summers Here!

We are truly enjoying the benefits of summer! Sleeping late, eating ice cream and snow cones, watching movies, and just an all around unorganized schedule seem to top the list for our week so far. The kids enjoy a more relaxed schedule and their bedtime gets pushed back. Sarah and Zech read the Lord of the Ring Trilogy this year and we promised them movie time to watch the Lord of the Rings. We viewed the 3 hour long movie this Monday. They are ready to watch the next one, but I told them next week (not sure I can sit that long again for a while).

One of the things I enjoy so much about summer is how organized I get. I clean the school room, make a list of all the curriculum I have to sell and a list of curriculum that I would love to buy, get all the deep cleaning chores done that I don't have time for during the regular school year and so much more. I also usually get to enjoy sitting down and reading many books during the summer (Is there a contest for me to enter as I read? Braums Buddies maybe! I'll read for ice cream!).

Of course there are many things about summer we don't enjoy. The heat, the bugs, the high electric bills, the children saying "I'm bored", and the ultimate one for me is having to retrain us all back to the school schedule when summer ends! We try not to focus on the negatives, but enjoy all the positives. Most importantly though, throughout it all we still must glorify God in all we do!

So what are you doing this summer!

(Sarah, Zech, and Isabella have been having some water gun fights and a puzzling good time!)

Piano Recital

We had our end of the year piano recital this last Saturday evening. The kids have practiced and practiced and practiced. They all did so well. They were excited to have grandparents there with them. Isabella and Zech have come a long way and both are playing very well. Sarah is so beautiful when she plays. She looks so grown up and just graceful when she was playing her pieces that she had memorized. I'm so proud of all of them.

We had our last piano lesson on Tuesday and she gave them assignments for the summer. The kids and I are praying this summer as to what to do next year for music. I would love for Sarah to continue playing piano but I want them all to have opportunity for anything else they want to pursue. I'll keep you updated on what they decide.

On another more personal note, one thing I observed while I was at the recital was a husband and wife. Not your usual husband and wife though, but truly the kind you want to encounter and hope you will be. You see she is in a wheelchair and obvious that she has had some sort of brain surgery. She has been left handicapped and mentally altered because of this surgery she has had, but he was right by her side. Bringing her to their daughters piano recital, holding her hand, paying every attention to details for her. He loved her no matter what! I don't know him or her or their child, but I do know that when he made his promise to her, 'to have and to hold till this day forward in sickness and in health' he meant it! Thank you to them for showing me an example of a wonderful commitment!

They're here and then They're off!

Poppi and Gammy came into town the other day! For those of you who don't know who Poppi and Gammy are, they are my dad and stepmom. They ride a motorcycle and head to all kinds of exciting places. This summer their destination is Alaska, but they are taking the very long way around to get there. Wichita Falls was their first stop and now on up to Montana to visit her daughters. Then they will change directions and go to Tennesee where my baby sister lives and be with her and her family when she delivers her third child. On up to Virginia from there to see my Dad's brothers and then they will head up to Canada where they will adventure their way across all of Canada's mountainous ranges and such until they reach the destination of Alaska. Once in Alaska they will explore to their hearts content. No time frame is given to them and they will return once they've had their adventurous hearts fulfilled. They call themselves recycled teenagers! Have fun Poppi and Gammy! I'll be praying for safety for all those many, many miles.

more staff retreat pics

Church Staff Retreat

We had a glorious time laughing with one another, playing tricks on one another, sleeping arrangements, and playing games on our first staff retreat here at Lamar Baptist church. We were able to stay in a cabin at Falls Creek. We left on Friday (felt like we were camping for days because we had to pack so much stuff) and came back on Saturday. All our personalities came to life during our brief stay with one another. One thing for certain though we all laughed and laughed and laughed some more. We managed to eat and eat and eat some more as well. We traveled all through the encampment and enjoyed walking up to the "Boulder Springs" known to most as the 'Devil's bathtub". They all enjoyed the cool spring water and some even got wet. Many of the staff climbed the mountains surrounding the area. Our docile and meek education minister climbed to the top of one of the mountains. We were all amazed. To work at Lamar is one thing but to laugh with one another and share fellowship is something special that can't be put into words.

Last Day of SCHOOL!

Praise God from whom all blessings flow! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! School is done! School is done! School is done for the year! Well almost, let me explain. You see today is our official last day of school and we are all very excited about this day! We get to sleep in and be generally lazy through the summer. We have camps galore going on in June and 2 vacations in July! So for that part we are praising our God for a great school year!

We are also praising Him for the great grades! Zech and Isabella made straight A's for the final grade (all four 9 weeks sememsters averaged into one!) and Sarah made all A's except for two 89's! Bless her heart and you would think me being the teacher I would round those up for her, but I make her have the grade she's earned. She has worked the hardest this year. 7th grade is a step up from elementary and many days she was still working when the other two were playing. All the kids had a very rough year going. New school year with new people because of our move. We also dug in our heels the fall and winter semester not knowing what was going to happen to Grandma and wanting to be with her during her lung transplant. And then they had to endure letting their Grandma go to be with Jesus (which is the best place, but she is hard to let go of). So for all that in their lives, they all did magnificent jobs and we are all so very proud of them!

However we are not completely school free this summer. I know, I know, you all think of me as a mean mom and I probably am! Sarah and Zech will start a civics class with several other homeschoolers next week. Not a ton of work, just reading, discussing, and a few activities. They (Isabella too) also will start an online typing class and will hopefully post some blogs for me, next year with their new skill! They always have to do reading and math drill as well. Other than that, they are free to use their imaginations and I don't have to take grade (although the civics class I do).

So today being the last day of school we had chocolate gravy and biscuits! Our favorite special day breakfast! Hope you all have a great summer!