Ministry

The Lord blesses people with certain gifts to aid them in ministry.  These gifts could be a love for children, a desire for missions, crafting skill to help in Sunday School or Bible School, musical abilities to help in worship, organizational abilities, cooking skills to minister to your church family, listening skills, and empathy skills.  This is only the tiniest tip of the huge iceberg of skills.

Sometimes the Lord allows things to happen in your life that you can later use to help someone else.  You can certainly empathize & sympathize & encourage someone if you've been through the same thing.  And honestly, sometimes these life happenings you would just rather forget about because they are intensely painful, embarrassing, and you want to sweep them under the rug and forget they ever happened.  But the Lord doesn't allow them to remain hidden for long.

I am in one of those situations right now.  A mom at our church is going through a horrible time with her son.  He made unwise, not thought out, stupid decisions one night in June.  It has landed him in a huge pile of trouble, trouble that a Mama can't fix and doesn't understand.  Another Mom shared with her my story (leaving out my name) to encourage her that she can get through this.  I've since talked with her on several occasions.  Honestly, he screwed up but its reflecting back on her, people always look for someone to blame, whether it applies in that situation or not.

We've talked together, hugged, and cried together.  Last night was a sobbing, crying, broken conversation night.  She got devastating news about her son and his trouble.  This has far reaching, gut wrenching, sleepless nights implications.

So please pray~  for me to know what to say, when to say it, and when to just be quiet & cry with her.  For her ~ her Mama heart is shattering, she will need much heavenly guidance, care & protection.  For the sisters that are watching, listening, and not really understanding what is going on.  And for this young man ~ his life and the lives of others will be eternally affected.

I can honestly say, I would not have chosen this Ministry.  I am praying for strength, courage, and the right works to say when speaking with her.

Daybook

For today.....

Outside my window~ sunny, hotter than hot (105 yesterday), no rain, everything is getting crunchy dry

I am thinking~ about a wedding & a marriage

I am thankful for~ Godly young people for my childrens friends

From the kitchen~ made laundry detergent this morning (note to self: be careful grating the soap, cause grating your hand is absolutely no fun),  we are going to get a $1 burger at McD's for lunch, dinner is ???

From the learning rooms~ ABeka Consumer Math, learning all about cars, loans, maintenance, ins., my kids got much more car ins. information than ABeka provided yesterday because I worked for St. Farm for 10 years~car ins. is something I know well!, World History starting with Creation, today they are doing a word search and drawing the 1st week of the world, also working on cursive handwriting with writing the Bible verses that go along with the days., typing review on the computer, Science ~ about to jump into zoology with both feet.  We are also going to get Rosetta Stone Spanish downloaded onto this laptop and start that again (we will probably never be fluent in Spanish, but we will be able to understand a little)

I am wearing~ skirt, top, slip on tennies, ponytail

I am creating ~ wedding goodies, Gregs Tractor and barn cross stitch, pj pants for Will, and skirts for the girls & I  (my big stack of fabric is slowly shrinking ~ ohhhh, maybe that means another JoAnn's trip is in order !)  Katie is creating a "wedding quilt" for her bed and completing a smocked jumper from her smocking this summer.  This will be the beginning of her "hope chest for children" and a fair entry for her.

I am going~ to enjoy these last 7 1/2 weeks with my oldest daughter before she gets married

I am reading~ a book from my friend Betsy "Growing Up Amish" by Ira Wagler (pretty interesting so far), the Bible, ABeka Biology, magazines

I am praying~ for family situations, Allen's upcoming ultrasound on his heart, my friend Rosana, her family and the little baby in her womb, Greg and his work situation

I am hearing~ fans blowing (the air conditioner cannot keep up with this heat), doggie claws on the wood floor, cars driving up and down the road

Around the house~ Katie is starting to pack some of her stuff, lots of crafting to complete projects for the fair, reading, skyping & texting, list making

One of my favorite things~ working on jigsaw puzzles with Greg & the kids (this is a newly acquired like, I never liked them before)  The next puzzle is mine ~ looks like a sewing basket spilled out onto a table ~ lots of threads, etc.

A few plans for the rest of the week~ jelly making, canning peas, crafting, hopefully finishing chicken coop, Bible Study, swimming, long hot nights at home

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Engagement Photo's

Of the 15 or so engagement pictures I took today...these are my 3 favorite ~

Its been a great visit...lots of swimming, shopping, eating, puzzle putting together, counseling, sunshine and smiles.  And pictures, hand holding, special talks, pictures and more smiles!

Wedding Preparations

Applying for license

filling out all the paperwork

Greg signing the permission paper for his baby to get married

The License

Tux Decisions

Fitting ~ Bryant

Fitting Brady

Fitting Will

Bryant and Brady got here past midnight~thirty last night.  Katie and I were their welcoming committee.  Basically it was, huggy huggy and then goodnight.

Today was full of activity.  First Bryant & Katie, Will & Brady (the chaperones) drove down to the Health Dept. to get Bryants blood test put on Miss. paperwork and pick up Katie's results.  Then it was a lazy morning at home with Bible study, talking, Wii playing and a couple of games of pool.

Greg got home around lunchtime and Rob arrived soon afterwards.  Lunch was grilled hot dogs, chili, fruit and chips.  Then off to get the marriage license.  Bryant and Katie were brave and dropped by the Keepers meeting and he was introduced to Marie, Jennifer, Kelley, and Nancy.  Then onto get tuxes, look for shirts at Kohl's, hit Hobby Lobby and Michaels and dinner at Backyard Burger.

Now, I am praying for a quiet night at home...well as quiet as a house can be with 5 of my children and 2 guests!

Tomorrow morning, the "to be"  married couple to be will meet with our Pastor and start the pre-marital counseling~

First Day of our School Year

 On Monday of this week, I began my 16th year of homeschooling ~ and I learn new stuff every year!  Its a thrill, challenge, character building, loving, and unique time with my youngest 2 children.  We are all in the 10th and 11th grades together.

This year we are studying World History ~beginning with Creation, Consumer Math ~ a practical application of math in our day to day lives...car ins., buying a home, interest rates, budgets, utilities, balancing a checkbook, etc, Zoology ~ animals, insects, etc, Church History, and we will learn about different composers and their music ~ Handel, Bach, Beethoven, etc.  I did not buy a language book for this year ~ Will and Amy both are going to work on research, complete sentences, paragraphs, etc...something they are both week in.

Added to the regular curriculum will be lots of crafts, jigsaw puzzles, problem solving, diligent work ethics, yard work, gardening, and canning.  They will also have plenty of free time!

Here are some pics from our 1st day.....

its a school imposter!  Katie's 2nd year out of highschool.  She is quilting, reading, cooking, etc. in preparation for being a wife in 8 weeks!

Amy ~ our 10th grader

plowing class!

lunch out with Dad on the first day!  Beats the homeschool cafeteria ~ but was pretty pricey~

Will ~ our 11th grader

Principal & Teacher ~ first day of school lunch out at O'Charley's

Our "little" homeschool!  It'll be a great year!

Rejected wedding themes

I've got 3 more rejected wedding themes to share....Katie is so narrow minded about some of these details!  I really don't see whats wrong with ....


#1 Beach Boys Wedding

Surfer music or limbo music
seashell decorations
Hawaiian shirts on all the guys in the wedding party
Grass skirts for all the girls in the wedding party
casual atmosphere
leis for all the guests
tropical flowers
lots of shrimp (well, we are having that anyway~)
Sand castle cake
Cool cutout everyone could stand behind and get their picture taken (saw that at Party City)

#2  Country Wedding

Spurs, jeans, bandanas for the guys
denim skirts for the girls (we already have those)
Cow wedding cake & chicken cupcakes  (saw those today online)
they could leave the church in a great big pickup truck
Country music
they could line dance going up and down the aisle


#3  Star Wars Wedding

play the dum-dum-dum-da-da-dum-da-da-dum music as Katie walks down the aisle
Pastor Jeff could dress up as Darth Vader
Bryant could be Luke Skywalker
Katie could be Princess Lea (although Amy thinks her own hair would be better in the honey buns hairdo)
Allen could be Chewbaca  (he's the tallest)
Then we need R2D2, C3P0, little droids, and all the creatures
Cake could be decorated like an outer space planet or asteriod
They could leave the church in a space shuttle (NASA has plenty ~ they shouldn't miss one for a couple of hours)


 Sometimes creativity takes over and it just has to come out somewhere!

Daybook

For today...

Outside my window...very sunny, already hot (getting to 102 today)

I am thinking...about family changes

I am thankful for...the joy and responsibility of homeschooling another year

From the kitchen...macaroni & cheese, ham, and vegies

From the learning rooms...JAGS started yesterday (Jackson Academy of Gifted Students) ~ our 16th years of homeschooling.  Now, to get into that routine!

I am wearing...my gown

I am creating...working on a National Parks jigsaw puzzle, cross stitching Greg's tractor picture

I am going...to vote today ~ Katie gets to vote for the first time

I am reading...book 5 Freedom's Holy Light Series, the Bible

I am praying...for Allen & his high blood pressure, for our upcoming wedding plans, for our ministries at church, for my husband and children

I am hearing...doors opening and closing, cars driving up and down the road, computer noises


Around the house...puzzle putting together, working in the garden, playing with puppies and a bunny, crafting, cooking, life


One of my favorite things...finding what I need for a reasonable price


A few plans for the rest of the week...school lessons, Bible studies, crafting, Bryant & Brady's visit, another trip to the health dept. for blood test results, obtaining a marriage license for Bryant & Katie ~ very busy!


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