Riverbend Ramblings

2/52 ~ Made with Love

2012-01-16T18:28:00.000-05:00

Bryn's birthday card for Case--the aewsomest Bother! in the world!

A question for you

2012-01-10T19:11:00.000-05:00

Am I the only one who still has her Christmas tree up? I actually haven't been lazy; we just enjoy it so much that I don't want to take it down! Maybe this weekend. Or not.

1/52 ~ Resolution ~ Project 52

2012-01-06T10:41:00.001-05:00

Warm and full

2012-01-05T19:41:00.001-05:00

We haven't had to turn on the heat yet this winter--until this week. Only in Florida can you go from temperatures in the 80's one day to below freezing the next. Yesterday morning the thermometer read 28 degrees; this morning it was 32. Steven got the fireplace going for us to enjoy. There's just something wonderful about snuggling up in front of a fire.

Yes, Christmas stockings are still hanging from the mantle.

Tonight I made something new for supper that The Pioneer Woman shared the recipe for earlier this week: cheeseburger salad. So simple and delicious! I can't believe I've never come up with something like this on my own before considering I've made taco salad about a million times. The kids loved it, and I'm thrilled to have a new, easy recipe to add to the rotation. If you try it, make sure you use the crunchy deli-style pickles and quality sharp cheese; you'll appreciate the good stuff. And, if you're lucky, you'll have diced pickles left over to much on while you do the dishes.

My word for 2012

2012-01-02T22:32:00.000-05:00

Wisdom

"If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him." James 1:5

Faithful all through the year

2011-12-31T18:56:00.001-05:00

It's December 31st. Tonight we'll be ringing in 2012 at our church's annual Watch Night service. There will be great singing, a message from our pastor, food, fellowship, and testimonies shared as we praise God for His goodness.

As I was thinking today about how fast this year has flown by, one of my favorite hymns came to mind. It sums up how I feel about 2011.
~~~~~~~~~~
Great is Thy Faithfulness
by Thomas Chisholm

Refrain:
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be.

Refrain

Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

Refrain

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

Refrain
~~~~~~~~~~
No matter what may happen in the coming year, I know I can continue to count on my Saviour's faithfulness! Happy New Year!

"I will sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations." Psalm 89:1

The Return

2011-12-28T10:39:00.000-05:00

It's been a quiet year here at Riverbend Ramblings, but I'm ready to get back to blogging again and have decided to jump in now rather than wait until January 1st. I hope you'll join me on a journey into another year.
Christmas 2011

A Quick Update

2011-09-26T20:23:00.000-04:00

Just a quick post to let you know that all is well at our house. We've been staying busy with school, church, and various activities.

Bookworm is captain of the J.V. cheerleading squad, and Mickey plays guard on his Pop Warner football team. Curly Girl and Bookworm both take piano lessons, and Lil Nut will be joining them soon. I think we're going to need another piano in the house to accommodate the many hours they each spend practicing each week.

We've had a number of visitors at our church recently. It's always encouraging to see new faces! Yesterday morning a visiting family filled the pew in front of me. I was able to spend a few minutes talking to the lady after the service. It turns out that her two teenaged girls who ride one of our buses to church each week recently trusted Christ as their Saviour and were both baptized yesterday. The whole family came to church to see them get baptized! Hopefully the parents will come back again next Sunday.

Now that we're a month into the school year things are more manageable for me, but the month of August was just absolutely insane! There were some nights right before school started that I was in my office until 10:00! Thankfully, I have a very understanding husband who honestly never complains. I don't know what I would do without him! Hopefully I'll never have to find out.

Well, that's my update for now. Happy fall, y'all! Maybe I'll get around to posting again next month. You never know; one day at a time.

I Am Blessed

2011-08-28T07:45:00.001-04:00

Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Psalm 32:1

First Day of School 2011

2011-08-23T22:53:00.000-04:00

Shay ~ 8th grade

Case ~ 6th grade

Hope ~ 4th grade

Bryn ~ 2nd grade

Deliciousness

2011-07-06T10:34:00.000-04:00

God Is Faithful!

2011-06-29T15:20:00.000-04:00

No matter what you are facing today, remember that God is faithful! Those around us will let us down and fail us, but God always keeps His word. Isn't that so encouraging?

For the word of the Lord is right; and all his works are done in truth. ~Psalm 33:4

Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it. ~I Thessalonians 5:24

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. ~I Timothy 1:7

God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. ~I Corinthians 1:9

Thy mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds. ~Psalm 36:5

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

Standing on the Promiseslyrics by R.K. Carter
Standing on the promises of Christ my King,
Through eternal ages let His praises ring,
Glory in the highest, I will shout and sing,
Standing on the promises of God.

Refrain:
Standing, standing,
Standing on the promises of God my Savior;
Standing, standing,
I’m standing on the promises of God.

Standing on the promises that cannot fail,
When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail,
By the living Word of God I shall prevail,
Standing on the promises of God.

Standing on the promises I now can see
Perfect, present cleansing in the blood for me;
Standing in the liberty where Christ makes free,
Standing on the promises of God.

Standing on the promises of Christ the Lord,
Bound to Him eternally by love’s strong cord,
Overcoming daily with the Spirit’s sword,
Standing on the promises of God.

Standing on the promises I cannot fall,
List’ning every moment to the Spirit’s call,
Resting in my Savior as my all in all,
Standing on the promises of God.

Pie for breakfast

2011-06-21T07:53:00.005-04:00

The last morning of our vacation we decided to go out to eat for breakfast, which happens to be one of my favorite things to do. I had seen an advertisement in a brochure for a local Amish restaurant, but I couldn't remember the name of it. When I looked up "Amish restaurant Sarasota" on Google, this famous restaurant that has been featured on The Travel Channel popped up instead of the one I was trying to find. My hubby had actually seen Yoder's on Man Vs. Food, and he got all excited when we realized that it was only about five minutes away from our location. We headed that way.

Curly Girl and Lil Nut ordered the kids' pancakes. They were shaped like a famous mouse, which they thought was funny.

Mickey chose the egg croissant sandwich, and he ate the entire thing. It was huge!

Bookworm, who inherited my sweet tooth, chose the apple fritter French toast. Yum!

Steven and I both ordered more traditional fare that included eggs, bacon, fried potatoes, and pancakes. My eggs were smothered in cheese. The blueberry bread was the best ever, so I purchased a loaf to take home.

You would think that we too stuffed to even play with the idea of having dessert with our breakfast, but Yoder's is famous because of its pies. We decided to order three pieces to share among the six of us. The slices of pie were so big, we couldn't even eat it all. From twenty-five pie varieties, we narrowed our choices down to these:
Peanut Butter Cream

Chocolate Cream

Fresh Strawberry

Yep, they tasted even better than they look!

The restaurant is part of a small Amish village designed to entertain tourists like us. We enjoyed browsing in the gift shop and market.

Looking at and talking about all this scrumptious food has made me hungry. Wish I had another piece of Chocolate Cream pie right now!

Return

2011-06-17T07:16:00.001-04:00

We're back from a relaxing week at the beach. I feel so refreshed and am very thankful that the Lord gave our family this special time together.

Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah. ~ Psalm 68:19

Just a few more days

2011-05-19T06:41:00.000-04:00

May is the busiest month of the year for our family. School gets out a week from tomorrow, and then I'll be able to visit with my blog friends more often. ;)

A great quote on wisdom

2011-04-26T17:05:00.000-04:00

Image Credit

"Biblical wisdom begins with a right relationship with the Lord. The wise person believes that there is a God, that He is the Creator and Ruler of all things, and that He has put within His creation a divine order that, if obeyed, leads ultimately to success. Biblical wisdom has little if any relationship to a person's IQ or education, because it is a matter of moral and spiritual understanding. It has to do with character and values; it means looking at the world through the grid of God's truth." ~Wiersbe

Down by the pond

2011-04-21T19:08:00.000-04:00

Dusk is approaching.

Curly Girl, Lil Nut, and Mickey feed the fish.

What is she looking at?

Baby frogs!

Bullet List

2011-04-19T20:30:00.000-04:00

Bookworm and Curly Girl both did well at their piano festival, although we're still waiting on their scores.

It is feeling more like summer than spring, but we've still been getting a cool breeze in the evening which brings temperatures down into the 60's. I hear thunder rumbling in the distance as I type.

I've been planning our annual Mother's Day luncheon, which is just a couple of weeks away. I'm really excited about this year's guest speaker; she is a riot!

My blogging friend Liesa @ Life by George recently hosted a giveaway, and I won! Liesa rushed me a package full of goodies. She did a great job of picking out some personalized items that were just perfect for me.

I am thankful for good friends who encourage me when I'm having a rough day.

There are 28 school days left until summer break.

On the agenda

2011-04-09T08:10:00.000-04:00

I love Saturday mornings. I got up early and enjoyed the quietness of the house, spent some much-needed time with my Saviour, sipped some delicious coffee from my favorite mug while reading the paper, and now it's time to get moving.

Today I'm taking Bookworm and Curly Girl to a big piano event. They will be judged in aural theory, written theory, and will also audition. Curly Girl is finishing up her first year and hopes to pass the primer level today. Bookworm will reach level 6 after today's evaluations.

The piano event is in a town about 30 miles away, so we plan on making it a "girls day out" with lunch and a little shopping later on.

For my friends who may still be wearing long sleeves today, take a look at our weather forecast and today's high. Anyone want to trade places?

Springtime

2011-04-05T17:07:00.000-04:00

Lemon poppyseed muffins

New leaves springing forth

Azaleas in bloom

Food for the birds

Smells like spring

A wonderful week

2011-04-01T16:34:00.000-04:00

~ laughter
~ a shiny sink
~ thunderstorms
~ snuggling with my baby
~ home cooked meals
~ finding bargains
~ sunshine
~ springtime decorations
~ day trips
~ silly kids
~ date nights
~ housecleaning
~ reflection
~ fun stuff
~ lots of reading

and above all else:

Spring cleaning during spring break

2011-03-30T13:21:00.002-04:00

Teachers and principals look forward to spring break just as much, if not more, than their students do. I've really been enjoying the much-needed time off. This week while the kids have been sleeping in, I've had time to work on some deep-cleaning projects around the house.

This month's Real Simple magazine had a how-to article about cleaning the refrigerator in 20 minutes. That sounded easy enough for me to tackle, especially since I was about to go grocery shopping and had a fairly empty fridge. That 20 minute job took me an hour.

Keeping the laundry room uncluttered is a big challenge for me. It's so easy to just close the door and let the clean clothes pile up in there. In the spirit of full disclosure, here's what my laundry room has looked like lately.

I took everything out of the room (except the washer and dryer) and gave the room a deep cleaning. I had purchased one of those special dryer vent brushes a while back and finally used it. Here's what the laundry room looks like now after an entire afternoon of cleaning.

The kids each have a basket on the counter labeled with their name on it. They are supposed to check it each night and put their clothes away, but they have a habit of grabbing one or two items and leaving the rest. Now if I can just make sure that everything else is folded and put away before starting another load!

I have one more project that I would like to work on this week that involves the patio. Since we've had several inches of much-needed rain over the last few days, I haven't been able to get started on it yet. I might just have to go shopping instead, since that's an indoor activity. :)

Are you tackling any spring cleaning projects this week?

Not-So-Curly Girl

2011-03-26T22:04:00.005-04:00

Bookworm was able to get Curly Girl to sit still long enough to straighten her hair with a flat iron for the spring concert at school. She loved her new look but decided that it took entirely too long to straighten it. Fifteen minutes can feel like a lifetime when someone is tugging on your hair. Needless to say, the curls are back.

My Word

2011-03-23T06:32:00.000-04:00

Back in December I started thinking about choosing a word or idea to focus on in 2011. One word kept popping up over and over--PEACE. I have to be completely honest about why I chose the word peace for 2011. My life was not filled with peace last year. Many days were filled fear, anxiety, agitation, frustration, anger, disappointment, and a lot of stress. The two surgeries in May and the long recovery didn't help matters. I can't tell you how many times I inwardly cried out, "Lord, I just want some peace in my life!" Wanting it is one thing. Doing what it takes to have peace is something completely different. What is the key to being filled with peace? I certainly don't have that figured out yet, other than the fact that it only comes from my Heavenly Father. I've been focusing on having a closer relationship with Him. When I feel overwhelmed, I start digging in my Bible. God's words are so comforting. Because I wear many hats (pastor's wife, mother, daughter, school principal, manager, friend, Sunday school teacher), I have really had to take a look at my priorities. A multitude of commitments often rob me of peace, IF I let them. My family is my number one priority, and while my work and ministry duties are important, I will not sacrifice the needs of my family to fulfill those duties. It's a tough balancing act and one that I struggle with daily. There are a lot of practical things I'm working on in this area. I'm learning to say, "No" to nonessential commitments. I've also reclaimed a lot of my free time for family fun and relaxation. Right now I'm trying taking things one day at a time. I'm trusting in God's promises. "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." Psalm 119:105 "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." Proverbs 3:5, 6 "Blessed is that man that maketh the Lord his trust..." Psalm 40:4 Peace only comes from Him. "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." John 14:27 "And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:7 **Becky and others are sharing their theme words for the year in this post. I encourage you to read it.

What I've Been Up To

2011-03-15T20:21:00.007-04:00

~We had a wonderful, soul-stirring Bible conference at church.

~Went to a spring training game with my hubby and watched my favorite team win. "Let's go, Red Sox!" ~Spent a Saturday with my mom and three of the kids at a local art/antiques fair. ~I've been trying to spend more time in the kitchen. We don't eat much pork, but I found a roast on sale (don't get me started on the price of meat!). It was yummy! ~Spotted this pretty cake in the window of a bakery and thought it would be fun to take a cake decorating class. Decided that an eighth day of the week would have to be created first. ~I turned 29 last week...again...for the sixth time. Let me do the math for you--I'm 35. :)

Priorities

2011-03-05T07:28:00.004-05:00

"The more you focus on God's priorities for you and practice those priorities, the more you will eventually live by them. Then you will be living out God's plan for you, a life of order."~Elizabeth George

M.I.A.

2011-03-02T14:58:00.008-05:00

Can you believe I haven't posted since the middle of January? Shame on me! Since my last post... Our church celebrated my father-in-law's 40th anniversary as pastor and threw a big party in his honor complete with a 50's diner theme and slide show. One of the ladies in the church made this cake.Lil Nut and Curly Girl were the "party girls". They helped take down the balloons during the clean up afterward.My favorite redhead finished his first season of basketball. He was one of the starting five in the last game of the year and has really improved. Lil Nut turned seven and loved every second of her birthday. She could hardly sleep the night before because she was so excited. Bookworm became a teenager! Enough said. Isn't she lovely? My hubby sent these Valentine roses to my office. They stayed beautiful for over a week. Our church's radio ministry held its annual three day fundraiser. Over $217,000 was pledged for the coming year. That's the back of my handsome hubby's head in the foreground.We're blessed and staying busy as always.

A random post

2011-01-18T18:07:00.006-05:00

I can hardly believe that we're already halfway through the month of January! Just when I think that time can't fly by any faster, it happens anyway. Am I the only one who feels this way? Last week we did a little celebrating at our house. Mickey and my mom share a birthday, so we had a combined party for them. Mickey turned 11 on 1/11/11. I thought that was pretty neat. He didn't ask for much for his birthday, so I was more than happy to get him the cake he wanted: a Carvel ice cream football cake. It was deeeee-licious!I didn't want my mom to feel left out, so she got her very own coconut cake. Mom turned...well...maybe I shouldn't announce her age. She looks younger than her age. That's all I'll say.Mickey is on the middle school basketball team (he's the handsome redhead). Thankfully, his team only plays eight games this season. I'm glad. Fifth graders shouldn't be loaded with extra-curricular activities. The girls love going to the games and cheering him on. Actually, they prefer playing with their friends in the bleachers to watching the game.I've been super busy at school. "Busy" doesn't even begin to describe my workload, but I can't think of a better word without losing the few brain cells I have left. Re-enrollment for next year starts February 1st. Paperwork, paperwork, paperwork! The planning just never ends. We also have a couple of big events coming up next month that involve a lot of details. I'm thankful that I have a terrific staff to help me! That's enough for this update. I'll check in again when I have time to sit down and catch my breath. Have a great week! :)

Day Trip

2011-01-05T21:58:00.002-05:00

Last week we took a day trip to North Florida. We ate lunch with my dad and his wife at a delightful little restaurant. My oldest sister, her husband, and my niece joined us. After lunch my sister invited the kids to go to her house for a little while. My sister and her husband own one of the largest and most successful Thoroughbred breeding and training farms in the state. Almost every Triple Crown race has at least one horse in it that was broken at their farm. They have a gorgeous 300 acre training facility. Their house is located on the back of the property. The girls were thrilled to spend some time with their 12 year old cousin. Bookworm loves to ride horses, and my niece has several of her own. They had so much fun riding together. I'm looking forward to taking the kids back for another visit soon. It's so peaceful there! Here are a few pictures I snapped as we drove around the farm. Next time I'll take some pictures of the horses.

A New Year

2011-01-04T17:42:00.003-05:00

Happy 2011! I didn't post anything during the Christmas holidays. It was nice to take a break from "everything" and enjoy time with my family. I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas as well. Best wishes to you for a very blessed year!

A House Full of Teenagers

2010-12-22T13:46:00.007-05:00

You never know what to expect when a full-size Bluebird bus pulls up in the driveway. Thankfully, we were ready for this one. Monday night we welcomed a few of the teens from church to our house and hosted the "main course" of their Christmas progressive dinner. The weather was just perfect for a big pot of chili. I used a new-to-me recipe and was pleased with the result. The kids gobbled it up.It wasn't long before everyone loaded back on the bus and headed to their final destination of the evening--and dessert! I'm thankful for our great group of teens and the faithful adults that work with them.

Sisters

2010-12-17T07:00:00.000-05:00

Bookworm and Lil' Nut

The plants are whimps, too.

2010-12-15T17:29:00.005-05:00

This is what we do to our plants in Florida when it freezes. This is what happens to your plants when you don't bundle them up before you go to bed. Don't worry; the orange trees are fine. ;)

Baby, it's cold outside!

2010-12-13T20:52:00.003-05:00

Tonight I'm thankful for... ~ plenty of firewood ~ fuzzy socks on my feet ~ warm pajamas ~ hot cocoa ~ electric heat Central Florida is experiencing a hard freeze tonight. With temperatures in the 20's, it's going to be hard for me to get up in the morning and greet students as they arrive at school. It was so windy today that my skin is now chapped. I'm a wimp. My Northern friends would laugh if they could see me bundled up in layers. We can't even buy decent coats here in Florida. I'm not complaining, though. The pictures I've seen of snowstorms up North give me the chills. Stay warm tonight, wherever you are.

Welcome December

2010-12-02T17:02:00.006-05:00

Florida has some very unique characteristics, one being that you may need to run the air conditioner one day and build a fire in the fireplace the very next day. Tuesday it was in the 80's; today we needed three layers of clothing to keep from shivering. We're wimps. This morning when I came downstairs I beheld a rare, wonderful site. (Please ignore the soot; Dick Van Dyke hasn't been around to sweep the chimney.)

Tonight we'll bundle up and head to church for night #2 of our annual missions conference. Last night's service was such a blessing! A national pastor from the Philippines preached the message, and there was also a presentation by a couple of deaf nationals from the island of St. Lucia who desire to evangelize the deaf in their home country. Another man from the island has completed his training and plans to go to Zimbabwe as a missionary to the deaf people there. There are so many people in the world who still have never been told that Jesus died for their sins so that they can spend eternity in heaven with Him. The deaf need to "hear" this message, too, and I am so thankful that our church has a ministry to the hearing impaired in our community and supports missionaries who minister to deaf people around the world.

Jumping Back In

2010-11-30T17:23:00.005-05:00

Howdy! Several of you have sent me such sweet emails to say "hello" or just to check on me while I've been posting sporadically for the past several months. Nothing earth-shattering has taken place to explain my absence in blogland, just l-i-f-e. Lately I've been wanting to start blogging regularly again but have had a hard time figuring out how to share all that has transpired during my intermittent breaks. I'm just going to jump back in where I'm at and not try to fill in the missing gaps. We had a wonderful Thanksgiving at home. We had the whole week off from school and took advantage of the down time. I actually had my tree up on Thanksgiving Day for the first time ever! Usually it's not up until after the first week in December. Black Friday was also very different for me this year. I didn't get up in the wee hours of the morning to hit the sales. Almost all of the big specials were available online, so I did my shopping from a comfortable recliner instead of standing in long lines. The kids are growing like not-so-little weeds. Curly Girl turned 9 last week. The rest will all have birthdays by the middle of February. I just can't get over how quickly time is passing. That's the main reason I want to keep blogging. I love having a way to record our time together as a family. This week we have activities away from home seven nights in a row. I used to think that December was the busiest month the year for us, but now I'm so used to things being busy all the time that December doesn't make feel crazy anymore; at least we're able to be busy serving the Lord! I hope that you experience the joy that only comes from Jesus as we enter the Christmas season!

Thanksgiving 2010

2010-11-25T07:00:00.002-05:00

Count the Blessings Once again our glad thanksgivings Rise before our Father's throne, As we try to count the blessings Of the year so swiftly flown; As we trace the wondrous workings Of His wisdom, power, and love And unite our "Holy! Holy!" With the seraphim above. As we gather round our firesides On this new Thanksgiving day Time would fail to count the blessings That have followed all our way. Grace sufficient, help and healing, Prayer oft answered at our call; And the best of all our blessings, Christ Himself, our All in all. He has blessed our favored country With a free and bounteous hand; Peace and plenty in our borders, Liberty through all our land. And although our sins and follies Oft provoke Him to His face, Mercy still retrains His judgments And prolongs our day of grace. While we love to count the blessings, Grateful for the year that's gone, Faith would sweep a wider vision; Hope would gaze yet further on. For the signals all around us Seem with one accord to say, "Christ is coming soon to bring us Earth's last, best Thanksgiving Day." ~Selected

You can never have too much Vera Bradley

2010-10-26T16:49:00.006-04:00

For all my VB-lovin' friends, here's something fun for you to play with: Vera Bradley's mobile and desktop backgrounds. Enjoy!

October Evening

2010-10-18T21:50:00.004-04:00

Lengthening shadows... Bright pink sunsets... A slight breeze blowing through the trees... Windows open while we sleep... Autumn has arrived.

Oh, what a beautful morning...

2010-10-09T08:11:00.002-04:00

Oh, what a beautiful day! And it's Saturday, too. I'm Looking forward to enjoying the day with my family. Have a great weekend!

The Principal Played Hooky

2010-10-07T19:13:00.006-04:00

It's finally starting to feel like fall in Central Florida; low 80's during the day and low 60's at night. We slept with the widows open last night. That hasn't happened since probably March. My electric bill is ready for some relief.

After a week full of meetings with our school's accreditation organization, I was ready to take the day off and relax. Yes, the principal played hooky. I washed six loads of laundry today. So much for relaxing! I really did enjoy tidying up the house and getting the laundry room cleaned out. There's just something about puttering around the house on a crisp autumn day that puts a smile on a girl's face I also spent some time outside watching Toby run around the yard. We went down to the pond and explored a little bit. Days like today remind me of the importance of slowing down and taking the time to enjoy the simple things in life.

The Wreath Is Up

2010-09-27T22:36:00.002-04:00

Normally I start decorating for autumn on the 1st of September. This year I'm just now getting around to it. The girls helped me get started tonight, and hopefully we'll finish up tomorrow. Now if we could just get some cooler weather, it would actually feel like fall.

Happy Fall, Y'all!

2010-09-22T14:40:00.004-04:00

Wishing you all a very happy first day of fall! It's officially the most wonderful time of the year, at least if you live in a state where the temperature is now below 90 degrees. Georgia's on my mind...

A quick note

2010-08-10T06:31:00.002-04:00

Just popping by to tell you all hello. Summer has zoomed right by, and school starts for us next Monday. I've been very busy with last-minute preparations, conducting teacher in-service training, and interviewing new students. Hopefully I'll get around to posting a family update along with some pictures soon. Have a delightful day! :)

Vacation

2010-07-20T18:38:00.002-04:00

Chicken Enchiladas

2010-07-15T15:39:00.003-04:00

Ingredients 1 can (10 3/4 oz.) condensed cream of chicken soup 1/2 C. sour cream 1 C. salsa or picante sauce 2 tsp. chili powder 2 C. cooked chicken, chopped or shredded 1/2 C. shredded Monterey Jack cheese 6 flour tortillas chopped veggies for garnish (tomato, green onion, green chilies, etc.) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1. Combine the soup, sour cream, salsa, and chili powder in a large bowl and stir. 2. Stir 1 C. of this mixture, the chicken, and the cheese in a separate bowl. 3. Divide the chicken mixture among the tortillas. If you warm the tortillas slightly first, they will be easier to roll. Roll up the tortillas and place seam side up in a baking dish. Pour the remaining salsa mixture over the filled tortillas. Cover the dish with aluminum foil. 4. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Top with garnish and serve with your favorite side dish.

He looks harmless, but don't be deceived.

2010-07-12T06:52:00.004-04:00

A few days ago Steven spotted this cute little green frog on top of my truck. I, of course, wanted to take a picture of the little guy (or gal). I opened the passenger door, climbed up, stretched my arm out as far as it would go, and snapped a picture. Steven tossed his baseball cap up on the hood in an attempt to gently nudge the frog a tiny bit closer to the camera. Well, the frog decided to take a two feet leap from the center of the hood and landed on my neck! I could feel one leg on my face and the rest of him attached to my neck. I let out a blood-curdling scream, the frog released its death grip, landed with a soft thud on the driveway, and quickly hopped into the nearby bushes. Needless to say, my husband laughed so hard he cried. He probably wouldn't have found the scene quite so funny if I would have toppled from my precarious perch. After I recovered from my fright, I had a good laugh, too. Next time I'll think twice before going in for a close-up. That's what Photoshop is for.

Progress in the kitchen

2010-07-09T11:40:00.003-04:00

The new-to-us fridge is in place. The aroma of potato soup from the slow cooker fills the room. A month's worth of coupons have been clipped and filed in my coupon box. I haven't been using as many coupons since I started doing a lot of shopping at Aldi, but I still use enough of them at other stores to make clipping them worth the effort. The leftovers are now headed for the recycling bin.The kitchen is sparking clean now. The question is... will it stay that way through the weekend? :)

This N That

2010-07-07T10:54:00.004-04:00

Happy Wednesday! Here's what I've been up to today: ~~Took the dog for an early morning walk. ~~Vacuumed the family room. ~~Cleaned the fridge top to bottom, inside and out. ~~Crammed all the perishable items into a cooler. ~~Watched my hubby load said fridge and haul it away on the back of his truck. ~~Vacuumed and mopped the vacant spot left by the fridge. ~~Signed up for Swagbucks after reading about all the free goodies that Becky has been racking up. ~~Supervised the kids' chore time. ~~Read the newspaper. Right now I'm waiting on my hubby to arrive with a new-to-us fridge. My mom is letting us swap our very used one out with an almost-new one in her rental house. I'm excited about having filtered water again! After I get all of the food back in the fridge I'm going to head into town to pick up some fresh veggies from the weekly farmer's market. What's on your to-do list today?

Happy 234th Birthday, America!

2010-07-04T07:53:00.001-04:00

Thank God for America!

Thank God for country blessed.

Thank Him for the passing years,

Through which it has progressed.

Thank God for the privilege

Of living where I'm free.

Thank Him for the rights of all,

For precious history.

Thank God for this land of ours,

Where precious things abound;

Where the right to happiness

And worshipping is found.

Thank God for the home I love,

The right to speak and hear.

Thank God for America!

I'm glad He placed me here.

~ Cora M. Owen

Week in review

2010-06-28T06:57:00.002-04:00

A week ago today I was on a plane headed toward Detroit. My hubby preached all week long in a Bible conference at one of my favorite churches. We had a great week in Toledo. In addition to hearing some fantastic preaching, we also had a chance to fellowship with old friends and make some new friends as well. This trip had been planned before my hospital battles began, and I am so thankful the Lord allowed my body to heal so that I could still go. I am feeling almost back to normal, and I'm now officially "bandage-free". Those of you who have ever had an open wound know how excited that makes me. We flew home on Saturday. I actually got everything unpacked that same day, and I think that was a first for me. The three older kids spent last week at our church's youth camp while Lil' Nut spent time with her grandmas. It's been great to have us all home together again. Today I'm hoping to get the downstairs tidied up and work on a few projects at the office. I need to go to the grocery store, too, since the fridge is empty. What's on your agenda today?

The baby is growing up

2010-06-16T06:48:00.006-04:00

Lil' Nut graduated from kindergarten on May 25th. I was so upset about not being able to attend the service, but our church's media specialist was kind enough to stream it live over the internet so that I could watch from home. I enjoyed the program so much! Here are a few pictures my mom took of Lil' Nut's special day. Lil' Nut had a manicure and pedicure before her big night.Processional Daddy and Lil' Nut Grandma M. and Lil' Nut Bookworm, Curly Girl, Lil' Nut, and Mickey Papa C. and Lil' Nut Grandma C. and Lil' Nut

Making Progress

2010-06-03T19:06:00.004-04:00

I had another visit with the doctor today and received a good report. My body seems to be healing, slowly but surely. I'm still very sore, but each day I feel like progress is being made. I will continue to check in with my doctors over the next couple of weeks and have the open wound monitored. One of the hardest parts of all of this is that our family life has been turned upside down. The kids have been away from home for the past three weeks. And while I'm so thankful that they've been well-cared for by their grandparents, little habits and attitudes have found a way to creep in. I am looking forward to things getting back to normal. It will take a while, but it will happen. Mickey has spent the last couple of days here at the house. He is a good helper, always willing to fetch something for me. We played a game together on the Wii for a little while, but I'm not as good of a player as his sisters are. He almost misses them. :) Bookworm has gone to spend a couple of weeks with my dad. His wife has Alzheimer's, and Bookworm is going to be her companion. She called today and told me she worked for a few hours in the garden and baked a blueberry cobbler. She is in her element! The little girls are floating between our house and their grandmas' houses. It is so much fun listening to them chatter back and forth. They never run out of things to talk about. Yesterday I received a basket of goodies from my "Secret Encourager" at school. She blessed me with several of my favorite things, including the latest Real Simple magazine. I'm going to enjoy browsing through it tonight. If we had T.V., I'd probably watch the NBA Finals. Now that the Magic are out, I'm pulling for the Celtics. Enough of my ramblings...have a great day! :) image credit

An Update

2010-06-02T09:31:00.004-04:00

Thanks so much to all of you who have been praying for me. I am so thankful for the power of prayer! I have received emails and cards from people all over the world letting me know they are praying. Last Friday I began having severe pain and made another trip to the hospital. Tests revealed an abscess in my abdomen. The surgeon had warned us that this was a possibility following surgery because of the severity of the peritonitis. The doctor wanted the radiologist to drain the abscess, but because of the holiday weekend, the radiologist wanted to put it off. So, I spent the next couple of days waiting. I couldn't have anything to eat or drink, so I was pretty miserable with just the I/V fluids. The hospital is no place to be on a holiday weekend! Sunday morning I had another CT scan done. It revealed that the abscess was a couple of centimeters smaller. They wanted to wait and do another scan the following day, but we asked my doctor if I could go home on antibiotics to wait it out because I was just miserable in the hospital. He agreed, and I came back home late Sunday. Yesterday I went to see the surgeon. He believes that the abscess will resolve on its own. I have a rather large incision on my stomach from the most recent surgery. The staples were removed last week, but the surgeon had to open part of it to release fluid that had built up. The opening in a bit larger now and looks awful, but the surgeon said it is healing. My amazing husband, who has taken such great care of me, continues to act as my "nurse". He's taken a break from his responsibilities at church for the last few weeks and hasn't left my side except to catch up on sleep. He is constantly looking for ways to make me more comfortable or fixing me a meal. We've had families from church bring food. Our moms have taken care of the kids for most of the past month. I feel blessed to have so much help! I have felt so out-of-touch lately, but I guess that's to be expected. I missed all of the year-end activities at school and Lil' Nut's kindergarten graduation, but I'm thankful to those who stepped in and took on many of my responsibilities to keep things running smoothly at school. I haven't worried about any of it, because I know that it's all out of my control. It has been encouraging to be able to watch our church services live via the internet. It's not the same as being there, but it's close. Right now I'm just taking things day by day. I go back to see the doctor tomorrow, and hopefully I'll get a good report. I am not taking any pain medication now; it really slows down the healing process. Thanks again for lifting me up in your prayers, and thank you in advance for continuing to do so. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. ~James 5:16b

Resting in the palm of His hand

2010-05-25T14:50:00.005-04:00

In my last post I wrote about looking back and treasuring each day God gives me. That was close to being my very last blog post ever. Just two days later, after the Sunday morning church service, I began experiencing the worst abdominal pain of my life. Steven rushed me to the hospital where I underwent countless tests and eventually a full abdominal exploratory surgery which showed that my intestines had been perforated in two places during the laproscopic procedure that had been done earlier this month. The repairs were made, and after seven excruciating days in the hospital, I came home. I don't have the strength or words to express what this has been like. I know that everything is a part of God's plan. I know that He has given me the most amazing man in the world who has been by my side through every dark moment. I know that each day is full of new challenges, pain, and frustration. Most importantly, I know that my Saviour has never left me alone. He is holding me in the palm of His hand, and that's the very best place for me to be.

Looking back

2010-05-14T17:35:00.005-04:00

May 14, 2007 From time to time I like to look back through photo albums to remember what has happened in our family's history on a particular date. This picture was taken exactly three years ago today. We were living in Georgia at the time, Mickey was visiting his grandparents in Florida, and Pastor Steven and I took the girls to Stone Mountain for the day. We had so much fun with our giggly girls. They all looked hilarious with their 4-D glasses on. Lil' Nut was still just a tiny thing. As my babies continue to grow and face new stages, it's good for me to reflect on how quickly the pages of the calendar turn. Three years have passed in the blink of an eye! Instead of dwelling on the many mistakes I've made as a parent, I want to savor each day God gives me with my children, make new memories with them, and point them to the One who loves them even more than I do.

Disclaimer

2010-05-11T17:24:00.003-04:00

I received a lovely Brighton candle from my mom for Mother's Day. It smells so nice and is pretty, too! After I glanced at the label on the bottom of decorative Brighton box the candle came in, I had a good laugh.

Third time's a charm...hopefully

2010-05-10T16:11:00.004-04:00

Mother's Day/Get Well flowers Happy Monday! I hope your week is off to a great start. I spent today in much the same way that I've spent each day for the past week--resting quietly at home. I had surgery a week ago to remove recurring abdominal adhesions. After being in pain for several weeks, I'm relieved to have all this behind me now. This is the third, and hopefully last, abdominal surgery I've had. That's the tricky thing about abdominal adhesions; you don't know that they are causing problems until you have a major issue. God has been so good through all this! I have truly felt the prayers lifted up on my behalf, and this has been a very smooth recovery. I've been taking things s-l-o-w-l-y and plan to get back in the office for an hour or two each day later this week. The kids have been staying with their grandmas so that I could take it easy. Yesterday my mom brought the little girls over and fixed me lunch for Mother's Day. We had a nice little visit before they went back to my mom's house to go swimming. I've missed having the kids here at home, but it has been such a blessing to have others willing to care for them. After spending so long lying around, it's time to get moving again and get rid of this stiffness. Today I took a walk down the street a little ways. I'm going to take another walk when it cools off this evening. Even this early in May the temperature is already close to 90 degrees each day. I had checked out a huge stack of books from the library to read while lying around, but I'm just halfway through my second one. It was too challenging to make my mind focus on anything for a few days, but now the book I'm reading has captured my attention. Two of the kids are back at home now, so I'm off to pop a tray of lasagna made by one of the gracious ladies in our church into the oven for supper. It's been so nice to not have to any cooking or cleaning. :) Enjoy your week!

Marvelous Muffins

2010-04-29T12:59:00.004-04:00

Don't these muffins look delicious? I took Bookworm and a friend of hers on a little shopping trip, and we decided to eat lunch at a new-to-us restaurant. When we first sat down at our table, our server asked us if we needed a while to look at the menu. I told her that this was our first visit, and we would need a few minutes. We enjoyed our meal and were impressed with the good service. When our server brought the check to our table, she also brought a take-home box filled with four of the biggest muffins I'd ever seen. She said she wanted to give us something special on our first visit--on the house! Wasn't that nice?

My Four Blessings

2010-04-24T10:44:00.001-04:00

This picture of the kids was taken Easter Sunday. They are growing up so quickly!

It's taken me a while but...

2010-04-20T16:40:00.007-04:00

Finally...I'm getting around to an update. Our trip to Georgia was wonderful! It was so nice to get away for a few days. My hubby preached a revival meeting at a church in the Atlanta area. We stayed in a hotel for the week and took several day trips. Since a hotel room tends to get cramped with six people in it, we only took Bookworm and Lil Nut with us for this trip; Mickey and Curly Girl spent the week with their grandmas and had a mini-getaway with us when we returned to Florida. We had been looking forward to seeing our Eatonton friends for quite a while. We spent part of one day visiting with as many as we could. These folks kept our freezer stocked with garden-fresh produce while we lived in Georgia. Mr. H has a huge garden every year. They sent us home with several jars of hot pickled tomatoes. That might not sounds very appetizing, but the are delicious! Mrs. Cameron is very special to our family. Her husband is the one who passed away Christmas day following an electrical accident. She still has a beautiful smile on her face and has continued to serve the Lord faithfully since Bro. Cameron went to heaven. Our last stop was at the plantation our friends live on. Lil Nut spent some time on the swing with Mattie, her little red-headed friend. This is Mattie's baby sister, Mae. Bookworm didn't want to put her down. I sure miss those rolling hills! Some "old" friends made it to one of the revival services. Bookworm is pictured with Brittany. Brittany's parents, who used to be a part of our ministry here, are now missionaries with Wings Bearing Precious Seed and help distribute Bibles around the world. It was great seeing them again. I am already looking forward to our next trip to Georgia, even though we don't know when that will be! I'm thankful for the years we spent serving the Lord there and for the good friends He has given us.

2010-03-31T07:01:00.000-04:00

We're spending Spring Break in Georgia. I'm enjoying the beautiful weather, visiting with friends, and sightseeing in our favorite small towns. Hopefully I'll get some pictures posted soon. Happy Wednesday!

Happy Wednesday!

2010-03-24T10:58:00.003-04:00

This is my view from the hospital waiting room where I've been sitting for the last six hours. I got up at 4:00 this morning to take my mom to the hospital for a scheduled surgery. I saw her in the recovery room just a few minutes ago, and she's doing well. Originally we thought she would have to stay here overnight, but now the doctor said she might be released late this afternoon. I'll be very happy if that's the case. She needs a good night's sleep in her own bed. I have been in a number of hospitals over the last few years, either as a patient or visitor, and this hospital is the most impressive one I've ever been in. My mom has been treated as a guest, not a number. A staff member checks in with me every once in a while to give me updates. Someone even came through the waiting room with a cart and gave me a cup of hot chocolate and a danish. It looks and smells like a hotel, not a hospital. So far, a fabulous experience! If I have to be a patient in a hospital again (and I hope I never am), this would be the place I would want to be. On a completely different note, today is a very special day. My handsome hubby and I tied the knot 15 years ago today! Since I actually spent last night at my mom's house, I haven't even seen him today. Things have been crazy-busy this week, so we're briefly postponing our anniversary getaway. I'm looking forward to it, though. While I was away helping my mom this morning, he got the kids ready for the day and off to school. That's what marriage is--teamwork! I love him so much and am still amazed that he chose me to spend the rest of his life with. God is so good!! I hope you all have a wonderful day! Be sure to let your family know how much you love them!

Beautiful Weeds

2010-03-18T09:46:00.000-04:00

Spring has sprung here in Central Florida. Even the weeds are beautiful!

My Take on St. Patrick's Day

2010-03-17T21:04:00.003-04:00

You Never Know

2010-03-12T21:19:00.004-05:00

Yesterday's nasty weather hit close to home last night--literally. A tornado touched down in the subdivision right down the road from us while we were sitting down to supper. Fifty people are now homeless, but miraculously no one was injured. I didn't even know that anything had happened until I left the house this morning and saw all the emergency vehicles. We later learned that the same tornado hit a house just four doors down from my in-law's house. They never heard a thing, either. I am so thankful for the Lord's protection! I spent a couple of hours at the hospital today with my good friend Alesha. Her sweet little boy underwent emergency surgery this morning and is recovering tonight. I am praying that there won't be any complications and that he will be able to go home sometime this weekend. I'm sure that Alesha would appreciate your prayers for Isaac. These two unexpected events remind me that difficulties often arise when we least expect them. There are things that we have no control over. What a comfort it is to know that our Saviour has promised to never leave us or forsake us! We can trust His faithfulness. ~~~oOo~~~ I Know Who Holds Tomorrow by Ira Stanphill I don't know about tomorrow, I just live from day to day. I don't borrow from it's sunshine, For it's skies may turn to gray. I don't worry o'er the future, For I know what Jesus said, And today I'll walk beside Him, For He knows what is ahead. Many things about tomorrow, I don't seem to understand; But I know Who holds tomorrow, And I know Who holds my hand.

Down Time

2010-03-11T13:38:00.004-05:00

Here's the view from our sun room this afternoon. No sun, just clouds and rain. I've been enjoying a rather wet day at home with Bookworm. We spent quite a while this morning working on geometry and took Toby to the groomer. Bookworm also had an extra piano lesson this morning as she is in the final days of preparation for a huge competition. She's playing away as I type, and I'm going to indulge in two of my favorite things while I enjoy a private concert.

A wonderful way to start the day

2010-03-10T07:22:00.000-05:00

Cinnamon rolls fresh out of the oven--yummy!

Birthday Blessings

2010-03-08T21:51:00.005-05:00

Despite fighting a lingering cold, I had a delightful weekend celebrating my birthday with my family. My wonderful mom treated our family to dinner Friday night. She gave me a couple of lovely gifts that I will share pictures of as soon as I get the camera batteries charged. Saturday my handsome hubby took me to my favorite restaurant for lunch. I splurged and ordered the fillet. Let me just say, it was delicious (and almost worth the $23). We spent some time shopping, and I picked out a new Vera Bradley tech case to carry my phone in. Those who know me know that I just have to coordinate! :)Sunday morning I felt lousy but still made it to church in time to teach my Sunday school class. Several girls who haven't attended in a while were there, which really encouraged me. I spent the afternoon resting and felt much better by the evening service. We enjoyed root beer floats at the ice cream social after the service. This afternoon the teachers surprised me with balloons and a birthday cake at our staff meeting. Chocolate cake makes an otherwise boring meeting quite bearable! I've eaten enough food the last few days to feed a small army, so now it's time to hit the treadmill! I hope your week is off to a great start!

It's All About Him

2010-03-04T22:48:00.003-05:00

"Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:" Psalm 103:1,2 I just want to praise my Saviour for His grace and mercy. I am truly blessed beyond measure! There is so much hurt and sin in the world today, but this world has no hold on me. Walking with Jesus gives me such peace. I am so thankful for the salvation that is in Christ Jesus!

Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus by Helen Lemmel O soul, are you weary and troubled? No light in the darkness you see? There’s light for a look at the Savior, And life more abundant and free! Refrain: Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in His wonderful face, And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, In the light of His glory and grace. Through death into life everlasting He passed, and we follow Him there; O’er us sin no more hath dominion— For more than conquerors we are! His Word shall not fail you—He promised; Believe Him, and all will be well: Then go to a world that is dying, His perfect salvation to tell!

Happy Monday!

2010-03-01T20:34:00.003-05:00

I spent most of the weekend in bed with a cold. Curl Girl wasn't feeling very good herself this morning, so we've both been taking it easy today. We ate our lunch out at the picnic table and enjoyed the sunshine. Guess what we found in the backyard? Lettuce from last year's seeds! I wish everything in the garden would spring up with so little effort from me. I think we'll plan on salads for lunch tomorrow.These next two pictures are for my Northern friends. Flowers are beginning to bloom here. It's supposed to get cold again in the next couple of days. I hope these blossoms don't die. I felt good enough this afternoon to tackle my messy laundry room. It took me two hours to get it super clean. I have a tendency to let the clean clothes pile up on top of the counter, and the pile grows bigger and bigger. I'm determined to keep that counter cleared off!This little fur-baby makes me smile. He needs a haircut, but he's still adorable.Lord-willing our household will be sniffle-free tomorrow and I'll be able to go into the office for a few hours. I hope you have a wonderful week!

2010-02-25T08:09:00.007-05:00

Our church's radio ministry began its annual fundraiser, Restorathon, early this morning. As a listener-supported radio station, this three day event plays a vital role in the continued operation of Gospel 90.3 FM and www.gospel903.com. We are praying that this will be our greatest Restorathon ever! If you get a chance, tune in online between now and midnight Saturday. Your heart will be blessed!

~~oOo~~~ UPDATE: Praise the Lord for over $220,000 pledged during Restoreathon!!

What I've Been Up To Lately

2010-02-23T21:26:00.008-05:00

It's been over a month since my last post! So much for my goal of blogging more faithfully in 2010. Saying that I have been busy would be a tremendous understatement. I won't bore you with all the details of my busyness, but I will update you on three recent big events in our family.

~~ This handsome little man is now a decade old. He wore the elbow and knee pads for about ten minutes. I haven't seen them since.

~~This pretty little lady is now 16 6. She is now reading fluently on her own and still loves Happy Meal toys.

~~ My gorgeous Bookworm turned 12. We'll be locking her up and throwing away the key real soon.

So, three of the four kiddos have had birthdays in the span of a month. If that doesn't keep a mom on her toes and her wallet empty, nothing will! They have all been doing their best on their schoolwork and staying on the honor roll. Other than typical allergy issues, we have been illness-free this winter, praise the Lord! My handsome hubby is even busier than I have been with co-pastoring a large church, teaching college classes, and preaching occasionally at other churches. I am so thankful for him! He is the best daddy, and he shows his love for all of us every day. Things are going well at school. Last week we invited all of the students' grandparents to the school for a special fun-filled day. We're currently finishing up a very successful book fair. Hopefully we'll be adding close to $1,000 worth of books to our library from the proceeds. Re-enrollment for next year is in full swing, and I'm already scheduling interviews with prospective families wanting to enroll for the fall term. I've been waiting for life to slow down, but I'm finally realizing that this season of our lives is just going to keep on being a busy one. In the midst of our crazy schedule, we're probably spending more time together as a family than we ever have before, still serving the Lord together as a family. It's all about perspective.

Busy

2010-01-18T08:06:00.002-05:00

Happy Monday! The last two weeks have been filled to overflowing around our house. The new year brought with it birthdays, ballgames, sleet, and school projects. I've been busy at school preparing for this new semester and getting things ready for our re-enrollment kickoff. Busy doesn't even begin to describe my life right now. Last night Bro. Sam Gipp opened our Bible conference at church, and I'm looking forward to some great preaching this week. I need my tank refilled. Here's a verse I'm claiming today: Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." Have a wonderful week!

The impossible is possible UPDATE

2010-01-09T07:02:00.002-05:00

It's early Saturday morning, and we're on the lookout for snow as I type. I'm still doubtful, but you never know. It's 33 degrees and raining. I've never seen it snow in Florida in my entire life. I'll keep you posted. ***UPDATE*** No snow here, just a light rain. It's supposed to clear up later today and be frigid tonight and tomorrow with a low of 25 and high of 43. I'm sure that will hurt our church attendance some. I've got socks on my feet and plan to spend the day indoors. Stay warm, wherever you are, and have a blessed weekend! :)

On the road...again

2010-01-04T17:35:00.005-05:00

Apparently I just can't get enough of this traveling thing. Right now I'm sitting in a hotel room just north of Jacksonville. My hubby had to be at a conference at a church in the area tonight, and he brought me along for the ride. I drove. :) It was nice to have a three and a half hour conversation with him on the ride up. No kids. No movie playing on the DVD play. We didn't even listen to any CD's. We just talked and enjoyed being together. It was nice. I also found something new to bring me joy. White Hot Chocolate from Dunkin Donuts. Yum! The kids went back to school today. They bundled up in their heaviest jackets this morning to fight off the cold. It's supposed to be freezing in our area for the next few days. Now, I know those of you from the North think that lows in the 30's and highs near 50 are bearable, but it's a big change for us Floridians who are accustomed to hot weather. I even heard some talk that the citrus and strawberry growers are very concerned about the cold affecting their fruit. I spent the morning in my office and popped in a few classrooms before heading off on this quick trip. I'm looking forward to the church service tonight, a time of fellowship with some preacher-friends and their families, and a long ride back home with my hubby tomorrow. Stay warm, wherever you are.

2010-01-02T22:26:00.004-05:00

I had plans to spend the first day of this brand-spanking new year cleaning the house. Doesn't that sound like fun? However, when I opened up the paper yesterday morning I discovered that one of my favorite department stores was having a huge sale. So, I did what any bargain-loving girl would do---I headed for the mall!

I thought that I would spend just an hour or two there and then head home. Ha, ha, ha! That's what I get for thinking! I didn't get home until close to 5:00. I ended up visiting several stores and also squeezed in a trip to the wholesale club to stock up on things we were running low on. Needless to say, I didn't feel much like cleaning when I got home. :)

So, today I finally tackled the house with a vengeance. As much as I enjoy Christmas decorations, I was ready for the tree to come down. It didn't take very long to get the ornaments put away, but for some reason the Christmas tree just wouldn't fit back in the box. I know for a fact that it's supposed to fit because I took a picture of it in the box before I ever took it out. No matter how hard I pushed and squeezed, I just couldn't get it all in there again. I'm going to have to figure something out because I will not pay close to $50 for one of those special Christmas tree storage bags. Steven hauled the box with two-thirds of the tree in it up to the attic and tossed the other third up there next to the box for now. All of the other Christmas decorations have been packed away, too. I'm going to miss these guys the most. This evening we went to the 50th birthday celebration of a special lady in our church. She was born with a very rare disease and is also mildly mentally retarded. The life expectancy for those with her disease is only 20 years, so her parents and family wanted to give her a surprise party and thank God for giving her 50 years. It thrilled my heart to see the outpouring of love from her family. I have one more load of laundry to put in the dryer tonight, and I also need to finish up my Sunday school lesson for tomorrow. I'll be back here again on Monday, Lord-willing. One of my goals for 2010 is to post more regularly on the blog. :)

2010-01-01T08:28:00.000-05:00

Dear Master, for this coming year Just one request I bring: I do not pray for happiness, Or any earthly thing- I do not ask to understand The way Thou leadest me, But this I ask: Teach me to do The thing that pleaseth Thee. I want to know Thy guiding voice, To wak with Thee each day. Dear Master, make me swift to hear And ready to obey. And thus the year I now begin A happy year will be- If I am seeking just to do The thing that pleaseth Thee. ~~~oOo~~~

Chore Plan for the New Year

2009-12-31T16:22:00.005-05:00

I just downloaded my 2010 Motivated Moms Planner. I did a full review here last year explaining how this planner helps me keep up with things around the house. There are several planners to choose from, including one with a Bible reading schedule. It's so simple to download and print. The planners cost $8 each. Click here to visit Motivated Moms.

Hooray for Triple A

2009-12-31T11:24:00.005-05:00

It feels so good to be home! We left for Georgia early Tuesday morning and made it to our hotel by late afternoon. That evening we went to the funeral home for the visitation. In spite of the sad circumstances, it was wonderful to get to visit with our good friends and reminisce about Bro. Cameron. Yesterday we were able to relax at the hotel for a little while before checking out and heading to the church building for the funeral service. There were over 50 pastors at the service, and what a sweet spirit filled the building! Bro. Cameron was greatly loved by many, and my heart was stirred by the wonderful memories that were shared. After the graveside service, we loaded up and hit the road. Traffic was pretty heavy on the interstate, but we still made good time. Just as we were about to leave I-75 to get on the Florida Turnpike, our truck suddenly lost power. Talk about a few scary moments! There we were with semi-trucks all around us, and we had no lights working on our vehicle. Steven carefully guided the truck over into the far right land and was able to coast to a stop on the shoulder of the road. However, we still didn't have any power or lights at 11:30 p.m., so we were in a dangerous spot. Hubby thinks the alternator went out because our battery is just a couple of months old. I immediately got my AAA auto club card out of my wallet and dialed their number. A very helpful operator noted our location and put out a dispatch call for a tow truck. At the same time, Steven was on his phone calling his dad to let him know what had happened. He set out to come pick us up. The AAA operator called back to let me know that the tow truck's ETA was about an hour. Lil' Nut was the only one who panicked. She started crying and said, "If we all die right now in the this car, we all have Jesus in our hearts." We tried hard not to laugh at her; it was a sweet moment. About 45 minutes later, the tow truck pulled up behind us. We were concerned about how my FIL would be able to locate our exact location, but the tow truck driver solved that problem for us. His HUGE truck cab was able to accommodate our entire family. The four kids road in the back seat while the grownups road up front. The driver loaded our truck on his flatbed and drove us to the service plaza about ten miles down the road. My FIL was waiting there for us, and I've never been happier to see him! We said goodbye to our super tow truck guy, and he headed on down the turnpike with our truck to drop it off at the garage here in our town. We made it home about 2:45 this morning, all safe and sound. I have been counting my blessings this morning, and here are just a few: * When we lost power in our truck, my hubby was able to safely guide it off of the road. * We have AAA. My mom renews it for us every year. (Thanks, Mom!) * Not only do we have AAA, we have the Plus account. Without the plus account, we would have paid $5 per mile for towing; however, we get FREE towing up to 100 miles. Getting the truck towed didn't cost us a penny, and it would have cost over $350 without the Plus account. * We weren't stranded by the tow truck. The driver was concerned for our safety and quickly got the kids in his truck and out of harm's way. He drove all of us to a safe location. * Before we left for our trip I changed wallets. I wanted to take a small one to fit in a small purse. Usually when I do a quick wallet change, I just take my driver's license and bank card with me; however, for some reason I also took my AAA card out of my big wallet and put it in the small one. It would have made things more difficult if I wouldn't have had the card with me. * We had cell phone service in our remote location. * My FIL was able to come pick us up. * A man in our church owns the garage where our truck was taken to, so we have someone trustworthy and honest to repair it. So, other than feeling worn out today, I'm going to have a wonderful last day of 2009. We'll ring in the new year tonight at our church's watch night service, and I'll still be counting my blessings. :)

Standing on His Promises

2009-12-28T14:45:00.004-05:00

I can't believe last week flew by as quickly as it did! We spent most of the week at home and enjoyed Christmas together as a family. The kids received a Wii for Christmas and have spent a lot of time playing games the last few days. Thankfully most of the games are sports related, so they are able to get some exercise while they're having all that fun. I hope all of you had a blessed time with your family as well. We did receive some bad news on Friday. Our wonderful friend Bro. Cameron passed away around 6:00 p.m. Christmas day. You might remember that I requested prayer for him a while back after he was severely burned in an electrical fire. He never came out of the coma and peacefully went to be with his Saviour on Friday. My heart is so grieved for his dear wife and family, but what a relief to know that he is no longer in any pain! He is with the One he spent his whole life serving. We'll be leaving early in the morning to head to Georgia for the funeral. Pastor Steven will have a part in the service. I would appreciate your prayers as we travel and for the Cameron family as well. I've been scurrying around today in preparation for our trip. I called to make a reservation at the vet's office to board Toby. They said that he's due for shots right now, so we have to pay $139 for the shots PLUS the cost of boarding. On top of that wonderful news, we had to take my truck in to have it serviced today. Oh, what joy! None of these expenses are a surprise to the Lord. He knew in advance that we would be traveling and provided for our needs. We received some money for Christmas that will help with pay for our gas and hotel, and my hubby received a love offering just yesterday from a church that will cover the vet bill. I don't know why I worry about these things; God always makes a way! I am so very thankful this promise: Phil. 4:19 "But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus." I hope you all have a great week! For my friends to the north who are snowed in, it's a sunny 71 degrees here in Florida today. :)

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-25T17:55:00.002-05:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM OUR HOME TO YOURS!

Following After Good

2009-12-09T21:25:00.004-05:00

Today was one of those days that I couldn't have packed anything more into if I would have wanted to. It was crazy-busy! But, God was good as He always is, and He gave me the grace I needed to deal with a few challenging situations. I have pictures to share soon from recent activities, including last night's school Christmas program, but for now let me leave you with a few thoughts and a portion of a Bible verse given as the sermon text at church tonight. III John, verse 11a "Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good." I'm taking the verse out of context just a little bit to apply it to my life right now. Sometimes I find myself inadvertently following after the world. There are so many distractions that pull at me every day. I have duties in and outside my home. I have many types of relationships with many types of people. I live in a wicked world controlled by people who are not following God. Satan would love to use people and situations to rob me of my joy. My joy, however, does not come from the world; it comes from my Saviour. What (or who) are you following after? Even during this wonderful time of year when we celebrate the first coming of the greatest Gift the world has ever been given, we are distracted by things that will draw us away from the Lord and closer to the world. I pray that in the coming days the Lord will help me to continue to seek the good things that come from Him and not focus on the things that would draw me away from Him.

The Simple Woman's Daybook~ 12.7.09

2009-12-07T05:32:00.000-05:00

It's been quite a while since I've participate in Peggy's Daybook; however, I thought I'd try it again in an effort to get back to posting more regularly. :) FOR TODAY~ December 7, 2009... Outside my window...it's still dark out. I am thinking...that today is going to be a very full day. I am thankful for...a husband who loves me in spite of my shortcomings. From the learning rooms...the kids are counting down the days until Christmas break. From the kitchen...I haven't planned out this week's menu yet, but at least the kitchen is clean! I am wearing...comfy pajamas. I am creating...a new organizer box for all my coupons. I have misplaced the one I made a few months back...perhaps it stayed in the shopping cart when I left the store. I am reading...in my Bible: Ezekiel; just for fun: The Secret by Beverly Lewis. I am hoping...that I get everything on my to-do list accomplished today. I am hearing...Christmas music on my iPod. Around the house...the Christmas decorations are up (whoo-hoo!). I'm starting the week with a clean house; let's hope the kids and I will keep it that way. One of my favorite things...gazing at the Christmas tree. I'm now to that point in life when there are a lot of ornaments on the tree with special memories tied to them. A few plans for the rest of the week...attend the school Christmas program, piano lessons for Bookworm, a basketball game for Mickey, and I really need to get our Christmas card photo printed and mailed. Here is picture thought I am sharing...My new phone; hopefully it will help me stay on top of that long to-do list. And, it's PINK! :)~~~oOo~~~Thank you for reading my Daybook! You can read more entries at The Simple Woman.

This -n- That

2009-12-02T17:12:00.003-05:00

Happy December! Can you believe that another year is almost over? Our house is one of the few in the neighborhood that isn't covered in Christmas lights yet. In fact, I still have all my fall decorations out. I usually get the tree up Thanksgiving week, but I just haven't gotten around to getting everything out of the attic yet. I don't like putting all the fall stuff away, either; it's all so pretty! It was nice to be on vacation last week. We were at home most of the week, which was right where we needed to be. I felt so refreshed and relaxed when I walked into my office on Monday; however, I'm already looking forward to the next school break that starts on the 18th. That's just sixteen days away (but who's counting?). Our church's annual Missions Conference begins tonight and runs through Sunday. We'll have missionaries from the U.S. and around the world join us. I'm looking forward to the services each night. You can watch the live services here Wednesday through Friday at 7:00 EST. Our church participates in faith missions giving, which basically means that individuals pray about what the Lord would have them pledge to give, by faith, to missions during the year. Our church's goal this year was $525,000. Despite the tough economic times, that goal has already been met and surpassed. We'll be setting a new goal for 2010 on Sunday night. It is so encouraging to see God's people give to His work faithfully. I am always amazed at how our goal gets met each and every year without fail, but then I remember that with God all things are possible. Praise the Lord for His faithfulness!

Thanksgiving Song

2009-11-26T08:46:00.000-05:00

Thanksgiving Song This is the day the Lord hath made; Be glad, give thanks, rejoice; Stand in His presence, unafraid, In praise lift up your voice. All perfect gifts are from above, And all our blessings show The amplitude of God's dear love Which every heart may know. The Lord will hear before we call, And every need supply; Good things are freely given to all Who on His word rely. We come today to bring Him praise, Not for such gifts alone, But for the higher, deeper ways In which His love is shown. For sin destroyed, for sorrow healed, For health and peace restored; For Life and Love by Truth revealed, We thank and bless the Lord. This is the day the Lord hath made, In praise lift up your voice. In shining robes of joy arrayed, Be glad, give thanks, rejoice. ~Laura Lee Randall

Things that make me smile

2009-11-23T13:46:00.005-05:00

I took Toby to a new groomer this morning. It only took her an hour to groom him. He's wearing a pumpkin bandana, and he's as soft and fluffy as can be. :)While I was taking an early morning walk I spotted a large box full of cookbooks that had been put out for the garbage man by one of my neighbors. The two on top just happened to be Gooseberry cookbooks. I couldn't resist rescuing them from the box and bringing them home with me.We received an unexpected gift card in a Thanksgiving card from a church family. What a blessing! It's just enough to cover all of the drinks I am supposed to supply for our Thanksgiving meal.My "secret encourager" at school gave me this lovely basket of goodies. My house is smelling very "pumpkin-y" right now. What things are making you smile today?

Unwinding

2009-11-23T12:49:00.003-05:00

Happy Monday! I slept in this morning for the first time in months, and it felt wonderful!! The kids and I have the whole week off from school, and we're going to enjoy having an empty calendar. I have a whole stack of books waiting for me in my reading basket. I already read two this weekend. :) Yesterday we had a great day at our church. Evangelist Mark Rogers and his family were with us. We were able to fellowship with them at a restaurant after the evening service. I really enjoy being around these folks because they are *real*. :) Today I've been puttering around the house, catching up on some blog-reading, perusing a few favorite magazines, doing some laundry, and just "unwinding". Tomorrow Toby has an appointment with a new groomer, and then on Thursday we'll be traveling to my dad's house to celebrate Thanksgiving with extended family. All I have to do is take a cooler of cold drinks; I can handle that! :) I hope you all have a wonderful week. I'll be popping back here as time allows. I have really missed having the time to fellowship with my bloggy-friends! :)

Eight

2009-11-20T12:26:00.004-05:00

Happy Birthday, Curly Girl!!!!

Our trip to the mountains

2009-11-13T06:17:00.004-05:00

Last week my hubby and I had a chance to get away together for a few days. The grandmas were kind enough to take the kids for us, and Toby spent his vacation at the kennel. Poor doggy! I really needed this time away, but I didn't realize how exhausted I was until the third day of our trip. It has been a real adjustment going back to work after being home full-time for the last nine years. And my job, although it has some wonderful, fulfilling moments, is not the easiest one out there. Students love their principal; parents are sometimes another story. It's a huge responsibility knowing that children, parents, teachers, and staff are counting on me to make right decisions and lead the school down the path God has for us. I have to admit, at times I feel overwhelmed. This trip could not have come at a better time. I was ready for a break, and this year I've really been missing the atmosphere that autumn in the mountains brings. Remember, in Florida there are only two seasons: hot and hotter! :) We were able to fellowship with friends on this trip and just take our time doing what we wanted to do. We had so much fun in the mountains and spent one afternoon hiking up Amicalola Falls. It was truly breathtaking! Here a few pictures we snapped along the way. We had some bitter-sweet moments on our trip, too. One of the men from our church in Georgia, Bro. Cameron, was in a horrible accident the week of our trip. An electrical transformer he was working on exploded in a fireball. Bro. Cameron received 3rd degree burns all over his upper body. He is still in a coma and in critical condition in the burn unit in Atlanta. He turned 80 last week. He and his wife Fay are two of the godliest people I've ever met. Bro. Cameron is a man who has truly walked with God and has served him faithfully for many, many years. For those of you familiar with Bro. Lester Roloff and the Roloff homes in Texas, Bro. Cameron worked there for many years and was the pastor of the church there after Bro. Roloff went to heaven. Please pray for Bro. Cameron and his family during this difficult time. They are still taking things hour by hour. We were able to visit the hospital a couple of times and share some sweet moments with Mrs. Cameron and the family and some of our Georgia church family as well. Our hearts are just aching for all of them, but we know that God's grace is sufficient even when we don't understand.

2009-11-07T09:31:00.003-05:00

Steven and I are in the mountains...ALONE...and loving every minute spent together admiring God's beautiful creation! :)

2009-11-02T08:23:00.003-05:00

"Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits." Ps. 103:2 Whatever you are facing today, remember that God loves you! His grace is sufficient for your every need. Praise Him today for His goodness and mercy. image credit

A Night Under the Stars for Curly Girl

2009-10-30T05:04:00.000-04:00

During our Christian school's homecoming week there are a ton of fun activities. Everything culminates on Friday night when the homecoming queen is crowned at halftime during the football game. This year Curly Girl was invited to be the crown bearer for homecoming night. We went to the salon so that she could get her hair done for this extra-special night. She had a black faux fur cape to wear with her dress, but it was close to 90 degrees that evening, so she didn't end up wearing it. In spite of the heat, Curly Girl had a wonderful time being a part of the homecoming court. Here she is posing for pictures. She was so cooperative; I think the photographer took over 50 pictures of her and her escort (the sash-bearer, another little second grader). With Mommy and DaddyDaddy with his little sweetheartMy favorite

Curly Girl's Curlz

2009-10-22T17:32:00.003-04:00

Curly Girl's face is a fun one to watch. Here are a couple of pictures I took of her at the salon while she was getting her hair "done" for a big night out.Just wait 'til you see the finished product! I'll post more pictures soon. :)

Breakfast with a butterfly

2009-10-15T06:13:00.002-04:00

This past Saturday morning my wonderful hubby took me out for a breakfast date. Lil' Nut was the only child at home at the time (the rest of the kiddos were with their grandmas), so she got to accompany us. A "balloon man" in the restaurant made this butterfly creation for Lil' Nut. What could be better than pancakes and a new friend to keep her occupied the entire meal?!

Fall Decor~ Part II

2009-10-13T13:02:00.003-04:00

This wreath hangs on the powder room door. It was made by the talented Susan P. :)In the kitchen... And the family room...

Fall Decor~ Part I

2009-10-12T08:46:00.003-04:00

It doesn't feel the least bit fall-ish here; the temps have been back up in the 90's every day. I'm not going to complain about the heat; I'm just thankful that our air conditioners haven't died on us. :) Today I'm finally following through on my promise to post some pictures of my fall decorations. Actually, I'm only going to post a few today; that way I'll be motivated to get another post together later this week. These welcome flags are out in the front yard. I purchased a new wreath for the front door this year. The Foyer (Yes, all of my walls are still white!)

Feeling like fall

2009-10-01T07:29:00.003-04:00

It doesn't take a whole lot to put a smile on my face. Nighttime temperatures in the mid-60's make me feel almost as good as a good piece of chocolate does. Not quite, but almost. Yesterday morning a shiver went through me when I went outside to walk the dog. Sixty-five degrees, Friends, is big news here in Central Florida. The afternoon high of 87 doesn't bother us when the humidity has dropped. I could stand a few more days of this. I haven't had time for many updates lately, but hopefully I'll have another post up soon. I have some pictures of fall decorations around the house to share, as well as some of the kiddos. This morning I'm off to a school administrator/teacher convention. Hope you all have a wonderful day! :)

Our New Church Website

2009-09-09T21:53:00.002-04:00

After months of hard work, our updated church website is now up and running. Praise the Lord for modern technology! :) The site has been fully functional for a while now, but I'm just now getting around to posting about it. You can read about our church and the pastoral staff, and you might even find some pictures of my family. :) On the media page you will notice that all of our church services are now streamed live over the internet, and all of the services are now being archived and can be downloaded by anyone, anywhere! If you are homebound or unable to attend your local church service, old-fashioned Bible preaching is just a click away. There are also links to several of our church's ministries including the radio station, Bible college, Christian school, and homeschool curriculum.

A little labor and a lot of fun

2009-09-07T18:18:00.010-04:00

Today was a wonderful, relaxing day for our family. Well, most of the day was relaxing; I spent the first half of it scaling Mt. Washmore. Six loads later, I was ready for some fun. We went over to Grandma and Papa's house for the afternoon. All the kids took turns riding on the four-wheeler. There are no pictures of Lil' Nut because she was riding with the photographer (me). The lake was very calm, so we took the boat out for a ride. Mickey took this picture. Lil' Nut took this one. I love this one! A penny for her thoughts... After such an enjoyable day I feel ready to head back to school tomorrow and tackle the pile of papers waiting on my desk. :) ETA: I want to thank all of you who lifted my friends up in prayer during their time of sorrow and left such sweet comments on my post. There was a private burial yesterday with just the immediate family in attendance. One of my favorite things about blogging is how we can unite in prayer for people we've never met, and the Lord knows all the details.