Jan26

Be Intentional

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Be Intentional

 Monday morning the children and I left the house at ten after nine for Elijah’s 9:30 speech therapy.  It was like most any other day there is speech therapy.  I turned on the road that the school is on and there was a garbage truck just off the road to the left (like any other Monday).  Then a guy in a green F150 backed out of his driveway into our car…luckily I was able to swerve into a parking lot across the street to miss the brunt of the hit…I praise God that there was only a small dent/scrape on the back panel not he passenger side of the car…

Here’s the kicker:  the guy in the F150 never realized he hit us…he kept on going!  Ummm…hello?  You just hit my car and kept going?  I quickly jumped out of the car and flagged the next car pulling out of that same driveway down.  He called his friend back and I called 911.  The Black River cop came and at my pushing filed a report as the guy sat on the bumper of his truck looking at the scrap on his bumper that matched the one on our car.  I could tell at that moment that He really didn’t realize he’d hit our car…

As I sat and waited for the cop to finish his report, I started thinking about all of the times I am in a hurry.  Now I’m certain I’ve never backed out of my driveway, hit a car and kept going without realizing it, but I’m sure I’ve snapped at my husband or children and never realized how much I hurt them or stopped to apologize because I had my agenda to accomplish that day.  I’m sure I’ve budged in line, cut someone off on the road or flashed a dirty look unnecessarily just because I was in a hurry…I’m sure I’m not perfect.

Yeah, aren’t we all in a hurry?  I mean I have SO. MUCH. TO. DO!  The kids have to be fed three times a day (at least!)  They need to be bathed often.  We all need clothes washed and floors cleaned.  The trash has to be taken up.  I have to plan my Sunday School lesson and I’m working on VBS.  We have state guidelines we have to follow for homeschool.  Speech three times a week…I want to plan a family night at church, and don’t forget our family is just getting over whooping cough!  Did I mention the cat has fleas and I’ve been giving her a bath every day?  Have you washed a cat?  Its no easy task!  I WANT to go to the ladies Bible Study on Wednesday night and I WANT to go to Zumba on Monday night!  There is soon to be another Zumba class at the church you know?  Oh and money…I’ve got make it stretch pretty far!  God!  I don’t have time for this!!

God wants us to be intentional.  

1 Corinthians 10:31 says  So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

Now I’ve thought a lot about this verse in the past.  I learned from a high school history/bible teacher that I could even mate socks to the glory of God.  But lately…I’ve been so lost in my own to do list that I haven’t stopped to really LOVE God.  I haven’t really stopped to tell others about Him either.

St. Francis of Assisi said it best when he said “Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words.”

I really don’t think God wants me to bundle up my babes, leave our home and head to downtown Carthage or Watertown and stand on the street corner telling every passerby that Jesus loves them and came to save them.  No.  He wants me be intentional about loving and serving Him.

There are only 24 hours in the day  and I’ve got to sleep for at least 8 of them.  Today I have decided to make Jesus the first part of my day.  Its been far too long.  Its time my purpose for being here really showed HIS love.  Its time I was intentional about Him.

So what about my to do list?  Everything still has to get done, right?  Well…yes.  But what if I’m intentional about all of that too?  What if I’m intentional about my marriage?  about loving Len?  I mean really loving him?  What if I’m intentional about Elijah and Moriah?  about really loving them?

My family has to come before planning church events and before Zumba and ladies Bible Studies.  They come before dishes, laundry and whole food living.  Family comes before friends and yes, even state homeschooling guidelines.  The cat fleas will be gone soon (we REALLY hope) and we’ll keep on stretching those dollars.  God is Good.  When we’re intentional about serving Him, about loving our families because they are a gift from Him, God’s blessings will abound.  And maybe…just maybe the list will get done eventually.  :)

Jan22

Christmas Pictures

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Christmas Pictures

Every Christmas I take pictures of the babes in an antique rocking chair that their daddy’s parents had refurbished when their daddy was a babe.  Its fun to look back at the profession of pictures in how they’ve grown.  Even though I opted out of sending Christmas Cards this year, we still took the pictures. :)

Elijah is such a goofball!  Each year we try to buy a new Christmas movie series to watch together as a family.  Can you guess which one we watched this year?

 

He has a gorgeous smile.  It melts me more and more every day as his little self becomes more Christ-like.  Those dimples…such sweet dimples!

 

Moriah is our pretty princess.  She has had maybe two hair cuts in her lifetime…each time only a sliver being cut off…I think she might be going for the Repunzel look.

 

Her smile sure is contagious.  Just ask her daddy, who is wrapped around her sweet little finger!

 

And yes, my kids do get along like this most of the time!  Don’t we all have our moments?  They play together well most of the time and my heart rejoices!  I love the look on Eli’s face in this picture! :)

Jan20

The Not So Silent Night

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The Not So Silent Night

This year at church I had fully intended to use an easy to use Christmas play, but well….instead I wrote one again…making this the fifth play I’ve written (three christmas) in the past five years. :)  I have to admit though that this one was my absolute favorite!

Moriah was our angel and Elijah was a shepherd.  They both did a great job!  Moriah learned lines well beyond her years and I was one impressed mama!  The play was set in a courtroom where the author of the famous Christmas Carol “Silent Night” was on trial for misrepresenting the night Jesus was born.  The play was broken up between witnesses by Christmas carols where the audience could sing along.

To see the video of the play go to NCF’s website!  Unfortunately, they were unable to get the first part of the play and it missed Moriah’s first line, and the first song, but it was still great. :)

Jan20

Thanksgiving

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Thanksgiving

Better late than never, right?  Every year Len, the babes, and I go to my parents’ house a day or two before Thanksgiving.  Its one of those traditions that we all love and I don’t see changing any time soon.  This year we went the Tuesday before Thanksgiving and stayed until Saturday morning.  Len, Dad and my brother, Matthew went hunting most of the week.  My sister-in-law, Ruth an and my mom had to work on Wednesday so I got to play with the kiddos and bake pies. :)  Thursday (Thanksgiving day) we baked some more and played some more!  We had a special treat this year with Grandma and Grandpa Stiles coming to Thanksgiving dinner!  Friday we played some more and had a visit from my favorite uncle and his family.  We were both sad and happy to return home, but had many more family memories to cherish!  

Cousins!!

Gabriel Marshall–6

Elijah Michael–5

Jeremy Matthew–4

Moriah Mae–3

Jan1

A quick update…

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A quick update…

I haven’t intentionally neglected the blog…time just flies!

Thanksgiving came and went.  We spent half a week at my mom and dad’s house.  Len spent some good time out in the woods trying to shoot his first deer.  He has learned in the past few years that in order to shoot a deer, you have to actually see one!

The children had fun with their cousins, Gabe and Jeremy.  The four of them are a hoot to listen to!  Gabe is six, Elijah is five, Jeremy is four and Moriah is three.  

After Thanksgiving, we returned to normal with Christmas.  Wow.  Len and I were able to finish our shopping early this year, which turned out to be a wonderful blessing!  We were busy this Christmas season!  Who isn’t, right?

For the second year in a row, I wrote and directed our church’s Kid’s Christmas Program.  It was called The Not So Silent Night.  I’m most proud of this play than any of the others I’ve ever written (about six) You can visit the website to watch the play. Unfortunately the camera wasn’t quite set in the beginning so we missed out on recording a song and some of Moriah’s lines.  She was an angel.  Elijah was a shepherd.  We were so proud of them!

Then Christmas arrived.

We made banana bread, cookies, chex mix, cake, candy, chocolate covered pretzels, etc..

We celebrated Jesus Birthday with friends on the 23rd.  We had pizza and cake and sang Happy Birthday to Jesus.  The children loved it and we hope to make that a new tradition.

We celebrated with gifts on the 24th.  Len and I spoiled the children with more toys than they needed and Len spoiled me likewise.  That night we went with Len’s parents to see the neighboring lights.  We even caught one place that had set the lights to music.

Christmas Day was on a Sunday this year.  It was a lovely, relaxed church service.  We wore sweats and jammies and had cookies and cocoa.  We loved going to church to see our church family  and celebrate our Savior’s birth!

After church we had some friends and family over and enjoyed some homemade lasagna, salad and garlic bread and that night had a fun gift exchange with Len’s parents.

Len was able to take the week between Christmas and New Years off from work and we enjoyed getting some things done around the house and also went to visit with my parents and brother and his family.

Unfortunately because I can’t find my camera charger I have no pictures of Christmas.  I will work on that this week. :)

God is good.  2011 was a difficult year in reality.  It had its ups and downs and we are definitely looking forward to new beginnings of 2012!

Dec21

Mario

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Mario

My nephews were Mario and Luigi last year for Halloween.  They apparently don’t wear their costumes every day like my boy does.  So my sister sent me the costumes.  Eli can regularly be found playing Mario as Mario….Gosh I love this kid!

Nov9

Helping Out

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Helping Out

I have to admit…when Len said he put our names down on the new church cleaning schedule…I was less than enthused.  I can’t keep my own house clean and you want me to clean the church too?!

Then I got over it and realized that this is a great way for us to serve together as a family.  Moriah especially was a big help!  She likes cleaning.  She likes helping.  I love her help!  

Nov8

Jumping in LEAVES!!!

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Jumping in LEAVES!!!

My kids love jumping in leaves!  Who doesn’t?  Well jumping in the leaves is all fine and good most of the time…except when its been raining for five days straight and your in your nice church clothes…

 

And all we could do is laugh!  The children thought for sure they would be in big trouble…but we just laughed!!  And I washed their clothes (about nine times) and got most of the dirt off…and laughed again!