"I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being. My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the Lord."
Psalm 104:33-34

Yep, he's a keeper!

Because when I sent my handsome hubby to Florida to find a house, this is the one he picked out for me. Hopefully a month from now I'll be unpacking the boxes that are starting to surround me and setting up housekeeping in this pretty place.

Oh, and just wait 'til you see what's in the backyard! You're just going to have to wait. No hints--I'm a meanie. :)

Let's take a stroll...

around my yard.

You can enjoy the view without leaving your comfortable chair--no sweating required. :)

Tuesday

Yesterday Mr. C loaded up the back of his pickup truck with boxes from his office and headed down to Florida. He will be preaching a graduation service on Wednesday night and inspecting the house that we have a contract on. I sent the video camera with him so that he can give me a "virtual tour" of the house. I must be one crazy woman trusting my husband to purchase a house that I haven't ever set foot in! :) Lil' Nut was so excited to make the trip with her daddy. She'll get to spend two days with her grandmas, and I'm sure they will enjoy the time just as much as Lil' Nut will.

I thought the three kids who stayed behind with me would mope around all day, but I was pleasantly surprised. They worked hard on their lessons and were finished shortly after lunch. Since all work and no play makes for grumpy kiddos (and moms), as a reward for their good attitudes I took them to the beach area at the lake for the afternoon. The weather was perfect! Mickey and Bookworm spent most of their time in the water while Curly Girl played in the sand.
I sat on the sand and intended to start reading a new book, but mostly I just relaxed and enjoyed the gorgeous view.

After a couple of hours in the sun, we packed up our stuff and headed home. I made a surprise stop along the way. You should have heard the cheers as I pulled through the drive-thru at the Golden Arches. Who knew that a double cheeseburger would mean so much? :)

The Simple Woman's Daybook~ May 26

For Today: May 26, 2008

Outside my window...the sun is shining and the birds are twittering away.

I am thankful for...the thousands of brave men and women who have given their lives while in service to our great nation.

From the kitchen...Mr. C will be grilling chicken and hot dogs. I'll contribute corn on the cob, a salad, and ice cream.

I am wearing...a bright pink polo shirt and a denim skirt; cute pink Brighton earrings; pink sandals.

I am creating...a cross stitch sampler of a classy high-heeled shoe.

I am going...to water the houseplants as soon as I finish typing this post.

I am reading...real estate paperwork. There is so much fine print on a real estate contract! I think I'm going to need a magnifying glass.

I am hoping...that we get done with school by noon today. The kids were begging to take the whole day off, but we only have three weeks to get the rest of their schoolwork done. They have the meanest teacher! :)

I am hearing...jet skis on the lake that have gotten off to an early holiday morning start.

Around the house...there are a few chores that need to be done today. The bedrooms will be vacuumed, the bathrooms will be mopped, and four loads of laundry will be done (Lord willing!).

One of my favorite things...OPI nail polish. I just love all of the pretty colors, and the names of the shades crack me up! Today my piggy toes are wearing "Elephantastic Pink". :)

A few plans for the rest of the week... Mr. C will be traveling to Florida for a couple of days. This time he will be driving instead of flying and will be taking down a load of "stuff" from his office. He is also taking one of the kids along for the ride. The rest of us will work on school lessons. I would also like to get some packing done.

Here is picture thought I am sharing... my favorite blogging spot

Thanks for reading about my day! You can read more Daybook posts by visiting The Simple Woman. Also, check out Olivia's Vintage Spring Apron Collection. Apron #7 is my favorite. :)

A Few Praises

I have been so encouraged by all of the emails and uplifting comments I've received the last couple of days about the changes our family is going through. So many of you mentioned that you will be praying for us, and I cannot tell you how much that means! Today I am counting my blessings, and I am including all of you prayer warriors as special gifts from God. :) We have had several answers to prayer this week concerning our upcoming move that I wanted to share with you.

Although we haven't started packing yet, I have been stockpiling boxes. Our back porch is filled with them. A couple of days ago our next door neighbors, who recently moved in, brought over a stack of unused moving boxes that are just the right size for packing heavier items like books. Between our family library and Mr. C's study, we have a ton of books! I'm thankful that our neighbor kindly gave them to us.

One of the trickier parts of moving, for me anyway, involves packing and transporting the wardrobes of six people. I am the first to admit that we have way too many clothes. I am a pack-rat when it comes to hand-me-downs for the kids. We've also accumulated lots of winter clothing over the last couple of years. I have made several trips the local consignment shop and thrift store to drop off clothes that we no longer wear. My hubby's closet is filled with suits, sports coats, and dress shirts. A preacher has to have plenty of those! :)

Well, our new neighbors have friends just down the road who had several wardrobe boxes left over from their recent move. They wanted $10 a piece for the boxes. We shelled out $40 for four wardrobe boxes. Paying $10 each is still cheaper than buying them new. While it hurts my feelings to pay money for boxes, using wardrobe boxes for all of our hanging-up clothes will keep us from having a hefty dry cleaning bill after the move. I am thankful that we were able to purchase these boxes at a discount.

Another answered prayer involves our housing situation. We *think* we've found a house to purchase in Florida. It's just the type of house we've been praying for. Ideally, we need our house here to sell first, but we are prepared for the fact that we may just have two mortgages for a little while. We're trusting the Lord to work out all the details. This is where my faith is really being put to the test! :)

Sometimes my faith is so weak. Sometimes I forget how much God loves His children. Sometimes I take the power of prayer for granted. But that power is real. Do you have something on your heart today, a prayer that you desire to see answered? Take it to the Lord! He knows your situation. He knows your every need. He even knows about all the little details that our finite minds don't think about. Talk to God today. Praise Him for His goodness and mercy, and trust Him with whatever you are facing.

Philippians 4:19 "But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus."

Changes

Over the last several weeks I've posted about all the yard work and house cleaning we've been doing. We're not neat-freaks by any stretch of the imagination! There has actually been a reason for all the sprucing up: we have a "For Sale" sign in our yard. You'll understand why my posting lately has been sporadic in light of the changes our family is facing.

The last three years we've spent here in Georgia have been the best three years of our lives. We love our church family. We enjoy having four seasons and playing in the snow. We love feeling like we've gone back in time to a laid-back place. For us, Georgia has truly been the "Promised Land". Now it looks like God is moving us from this beloved place.

our little country church

My husband preached his resignation sermon a week ago this past Sunday night. He shared his heart with the people and told them of our family's plans. I sat in a pew toward the back of the sanctuary and cried the whole service. Our hearts have been knit with the hearts of the people we have served with. Our children have many "adopted" grandmas who will miss them tremendously. We have been so very content here, yet we truly feel that the Lord is now moving us on.

My father-in-law has asked my husband to return to Florida to co-pastor the church there with him. After much prayer, my husband has agreed to do so. We have complete peace that this is God's will for us. This is the church we grew up in. Our family and so many friends are there, and you cannot imagine how excited the grandmas are to be getting their grandchildren back "home"!

There are some uncertainties that we are facing right now. We have not had anyone look at our house yet. The real estate market has changed all over the country, and we're experiencing a bit of a slump in our community. We do not know for sure where we will live when we get to Florida, but God knows all about it.

Our family will face lots of changes, too. We are going from a small country church to a very large ministry that includes a Bible college, Christian school, radio station, retirement community, youth camp, homeschool curriculum publishing, and so much more. You can read a little about it here. I mentioned to someone the other day that we are jumping out of the fishbowl and into the ocean. :)

To my human eyes and emotions, all of this is quite overwhelming. However, this is an excellent opportunity for me to grow in my walk with the Lord.

Each day I have the words "just keep trusting...just keep trusting..." running through my head. That's what I'm going to do. I'm going to trust the Lord with our future. Day by day, moment by moment, looking to Him and leaning on Him.

I received a card in the mail the other day from a friend (thank you, Carrie!). On the front of the card was a quote by Charles Spurgeon. It really encouraged me and sums up what is on my heart right now.

Faith looks back upon the past and remembers that God has never once failed any of His children. It recollects times of great peril when deliverance came, hours of awful need when strength was received, and cries, "Always before, the Lord has helped me, and He will help me now." ~ Charles Spurgeon

On The Prowl

I caught Sassy Cat lounging under the table in our garden, and she refused to come when I called her. Don't you think she looks a bit smug?

Upon closer inspection, she was guarding a captive. I can't tell you how many times we've seen her sneaking around the last few weeks with a limp green tail hanging out of her mouth. At least it's not a mouse tail! :)

The Simple Woman's Daybook~ May 19

I recently became familiar with Peggy's blog after reading entries by several bloggers who particpate each week in The Simple Woman's Daybook carnival. It looks like so much fun that I thought I would give it a try. Mondays are generally a bit busy for me, so having a regular posting format to fall back on should help get my wheels turning. :)

FOR TODAY, MAY 19, 2008...

Outside my window...the sun is shining and the trees are swaying slightly in the breeze.

I am thinking...about all the things on my to-do list. It is a l-o-n-g list this week, but I will just do what I am able to do and take one day at a time.

I am thankful for...having a helper clean my kitchen today. My mother-in-law did some deep cleaning while the rest of us were out in the schoolhouse working on lessons.

From the kitchen...We're having BLT sandwiches, baby carrots, and grapes for lunch today. I cheat and use turkey bacon on our BLT's. They still taste great.

I am wearing...a bright green shirt, a tan skirt, and my favorite pair of Crocs flip-flops.

I am creating...a mess in the schoolhouse as I work on year-end reports and cull through papers. The shredder is my friend. :)

I am going...to play outside with the children this afternoon. I hope it's still breezy then!

I am reading...several books, including A Sister's Test by Wanda Brunstetter.

I am hoping...that the realtor calls today. I'll share more about this soon.

I am hearing...Buddy barking, children talking all at once, and Grandma working in the kitchen.

Around the house...laundry, laundry, and more laundry!

One of my favorite things...jasmine--it smells so sweet!

A few plans for the rest of the week: We'll be taking Grandma to the airport Tuesday and attending Bookworm's piano recital that evening. The rest of the week will be filled with ordinary things like school, running errands, prayer meeting, a hopefully a trip to the park.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

Confederate jasmine vine climbing our front porch

Thanks for reading about my day! You can read more Daybook posts by visiting The Simple Woman.

Baby Max

For those of you who have been keeping up with the pregnancy of Steve & Teri Maxwell's daughter-in-law, they have some wonderful news!

Little Milestones

After 3 weeks of non-stop wiggling, Curly Girl finally lost her first tooth. I'm glad it's over. Have you ever tried to teach handwriting to a six year old when she constantly has her hand in her mouth?
She's already working hard at loosening another one. ;)

Click on the picture to enlarge.

Just When I Needed It Most

Do you ever have those days when it seems like you're just spinning your wheels? That's been me the last few days. I have felt very overwhelmed and rather scatter-brained due to some things I'll be sharing about soon. I'm sure that my children have felt the brunt of my restless spirit, which makes me feel even worse! I have written the following verse on an index card and have it in my pocket where I can pull it out during the day and meditate on it:

Isaiah 26:3 KJV "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee."

Today Bookworm came into my room and handed me a piece of paper torn from a spiral notebook. A sketching of a rose filled the bottom half of the page. At the top of the page in scrolled letters she had written, "A Mother's Day Prayer". Me: "Don't you want to hang on to this and give it to me Sunday on Mother's Day?" Bookworm: "No, Mom. I think you need it today." And I did! Just when I needed a hug from the Lord, He gave me one through the words of my precious ten-year-old. Here's the poem Bookworm wrote for me. A MOTHER'S DAY PRAYER by S.M.C. (Bookworm) Today, dear Lord, Is Mother's Day, And so these gifts For Her I pray- Good health and joy Thoughout each day; Please bless her, God, In every way On this special Mother's Day. I'm glad my kids can look past my faults and still love me, and I'm glad my heavenly Father does the same!

Pasta Casserole

My wonderful hubby is out of town. I really miss him! While he's away I'm letting the children plan supper each evening. We all agreed that this would be a great time to make some recipes that Mr. C doesn't care for but the rest of us enjoy.

Tonight we're having a very easy pasta casserole. This is one of my children's favorite dishes, and they have so much fun helping me assemble it. It will be served with a salad and garlic breadsticks. We usually have enough left over for lunch the next day.

Pasta Casserole

Ingredients
16 oz. pasta, cooked and drained (I use rotini or penne.)
48 oz. jar pasta sauce
8 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
4 oz. mushrooms, sliced

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray the bottom of a 9X13" baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.

2. Spread 1/3 of the pasta sauce in the bottom of dish. Place 1/2 of cooked pasta on top. Add 1/3 of sauce over pasta. Sprinkle 1/2 of the cheese over the sauce. Repeat layers of pasta, sauce, and cheese. Place sliced mushrooms on top.

3. Cover with aluminum foil. Cook for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and cook an additional 10-15 minutes until cheese is bubbly.

Free Shipping at CBD

Christianbook.com (CBD) is offering FREE SHIPPING on purchases of $35 or more. Just enter promotion code 282035CXFQLC when you begin checkout. The code is good until midnight on May 16th. Need some graduation gift ideas? Take a look at Grad Gifts 2008.

Trust

~~TRUST~~
In quietness and confidence
My strength shall ever be!
No weariness shall overcome
The soul that's stayed on Thee.
Though trials sore and hardships come
My strength He shall renew;
His presence shall envelop me-
No ill shall e'er pass through.

My case into His hands I've given,
He knoweth all my need;
And He who notes the sparrow's fall
Shall still provide and lead.
Though sudden sorrow pierce my heart,
Though storm-clouds rise and thunders roll,
In quietness and confidence
Shall be my strength of soul.

Though friends may fall, the world be dark,
I know for me He cares,
And as a Father pitieth
In all my grief He shares.
And so, whatever may betide,
Or whether weal or woe,
In quietness and confidence
Shall be the strength I know.
~Nettie M. Sarge

Blog Friends Meet

Mrs. C (on the left) with Julie Fink (on the right)
While I was on my trip up north back in March I had the pleasure of meeting Mrs. Julie Fink at a conference we were both attending. We were able to visit for a few moments before a session for pastor's wives.

Julie is a sweet, godly lady. She is a pastor's wife, mother, and grandmother (even though she doesn't look old enough to be one). Julie posts some wonderful Bible studies and devotional thoughts on her blog. Meeting her was one of the highlights of my trip. ;)

Need Some Help?

Mother's Day, which falls on May 11 this year, is less than two weeks away. If you are looking for the perfect gift for a special lady in your life, CBD has some wonderful gift ideas.

You can search for a specific item using the CBD search box over in the sidebar or by clicking on the link below. Happy shopping!

Mother's Day

Date Night At Home

When it comes to spending quality time together, Mr. C and I have learned to get creative since we don't have a babysitter. We've also learned to appreciate really simple things. Last night after the children were asleep I fixed us some chocolate covered strawberries. We pigged out together while watching Mansfield Park.

Alone time with my hubby, chocolate, and a Jane Austen movie...just what I needed!

I would love to hear your date-night-at-home ideas, but please keep them G-rated since this is a family friendly blog. Comments are open!:)