Friday Nights...

We had a blast tonight. We have traveled back in time and played Little House on the Prairie with some friends, we have discussed our Sunday school class, we had a good dinner with some great dessert, we looked at scrapbooks (okay the mom's did that part) and played wii (okay that was the dads). There was laughter, there were tears and yes there was even some blood thanks to one child having 2 nose bleeds!!

We can't wait to do it again.

I also loved seeing my sweet hubby come home early with a trophy in his hand. His team won first place in a charity tournament today!! Way to go Babe!!

And I have enjoyed reading about my best friend's (till we're 80) week. She had told me about it earlier on the phone but reading about it was just as funny!!! I think I'll get her a lizard for a class room pet for Christmas. Don't you think that will be nice?

Limits.....

We all have them don't we? Sometimes they are helpful--even when we don't realize it. I know my kids don't understand why I set a LIMIT on how many cookies they can have (yes KP it's 5 :o)) instead of letting them eat the entire box. I know I have a limit of how much running around and screaming I can take from those same kids--which is also another reason to limit the cookies!!! Some days those limits change.

Well I've been thinking--have you seen the smoke? I've been thinking about limits in my life and in my kids' lives. There are reasons we have some limits and that is fine. But do we have limits that are not necessarily good for us?

On Wednesday night we have been covering major life challenges. So far we have looked at depression (this was great as depression is something I think we have all experienced at one time or another), moral failure and tonight poverty. Not easy things in our lives but still God uses them.

In 2 Kings 4:1-7 we find a woman who is deep in poverty. So deep that she is about to loose her sons. She was desperate. She had tried everything she knew before going to Elisha.

In verse 2, Elisha says,"Tell me, what do you have in your house?"

Without saying it, Elisha is pointing the woman to God. What has God already supplied her with? All God needs is what He's already provided for us. When we give it back to God, He will multiply it.

Elisha had the woman and her sons go and borrow jugs and bowls from her neighbors. He even told her to ask ALL of her neighbors. Why? This is something she can do and it says something to faith.

As she did what Elisha had told her, (verse 6) God provided. He met her there. When she ran out of jars is when the oil stopped flowing.

This lady had 2 small sons watching. Their faith structure was being built by what they saw in how she responded to what Elisha to do. She was stepping back and letting God be God!! She didn't know what was going to happen or how but she was obedient. She LIMITED God by the number of jars that she had to fill. If she had more jars, God would have filled them. He stopped when there was nothing left to fill.

No matter what we are going through, God has an answer for us. Are you LIMITING God in your life? Am I? Am I letting God be God so that my kids can see? Am I making the time to point out ALL of the ways God is taking care of our family--ways that are impossible for Steve and I to do alone? Am I LIMITING God by what I give him? Are you?

Alexander McClaren said, "God keeps giving Himself as long as we keep bringing that into which he can pour Himself. When we stop bringing, he stops giving." I don't want to limit God!!!

That goes along with something else we are working on in our family. We are working on LIMITING our speech--at least some of it. We are working very hard--on this. I'm thinking God is talking to me (about me and to me)in this area. Two different times in 2 very different places, I have come across Ephesians 4:29.

Do you know this verse?

Ephesians 4:29

Do not let any unwholesome words come from your mouth, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

Wow!! How many times do I need to LIMIT what I say so that when I do speak, it will beneficial to those who hear it? How often do I need to LIMIT my tone of voice?

I don't want to LIMIT God in my prayer time by thinking I know the best way to handle things. I don't want to LIMIT God but I do want to LIMIT how often I get in his way!! I don't want to LIMIT someone else from seeing God because of my words and actions.

Like I said, I've been doing a ton of thinking. Then tonight on the way home I heard a great song. I love music and I love how God uses it to speak to me at times.

Enjoy.....

Have I mentioned....

That I am tired of feeling like dirt!!!

Yep it's true. I think I might brave the doctor next week if I still don't feel well. I think I have a sinus infection but am holding out to see if it's going to clear up on it's own--hoping it's viral and will just GO AWAY!!!!

Have I also mentioned that we have been busy?

Well, we have been very busy--some of more than others!!!

Just take a look at all that's been going on......

We (yes I do mean WE) hung our TV over the fire place.

Do you know how heavy that thing is!?!!!

80 pounds!! I held it up there for Steve to look-and make sure he liked it. I think I took a few years off of his life!! He was sure I was going to drop it! Me? I was worried about that myself!!

After hanging the TV we had to figure out what to do with all of our components and that awkward space where the TV had been. That became a 9 hour lesson in communication--or lack there of!!! We did finally come up with a plan that both of us like (and the cost was minimal--something else we both like!!!)

After that, I went to my father's funeral. There was just a little bit of stress for me in that area. I started getting sick the morning after I found out--can you say STRESS!!! I'm sure that is what helped bring on what ever I finally got--why I can't get rid of it is another question!!! I felt just terrible and since I have the most wonderful mom in the world, she took both Landon and Casey for the rest of the week!! Now we all know how sick I was because no matter how cute, they are, if you are going to take 2 of 4 kids it really wouldn't be those 2 unless you are taking pity on me!!!! They are just a ton of work--especially when you get them both. Mimi and Koko are great!!! They even took them camping. Casey did not enjoy having to share her time with Landon but oh well.

After they got home, we tackled painting the dining room. True to form with this house the paint color was WRONG

the first time. Must be something about this house because every time we've gone to paint something here, we've hated the color after it went up (well 3 out of 5 times anyway). Steve had such a great time taping off the dining room.

He also had plenty of help!! A neighbor helped him move the china cabinet (which for the record, I emptied this time). I helped move the buffet and all of our school stuff out of the room. Casey wanted to help. Landon REALLY wanted to help with the tape!! I also picked up a roller and helped with the primer--but not the paint. I also helped with clean up detail. Just for the record, if you get paint splatter on your white trim molding, you can get if off with nail polish remover!!! Don't ask how we know and just take a handy piece of knowledge with you!!! It's free!!

So now we have the room painted and the curtains hung and it looks just wonderful.....don't you think?

Happy Birthday Kokopat!!!

Kokopat:

Rock-climber

Jokester

Restorer of Airstreams

Tech Support

Teller of Funny Dreams

Picture Taker

Movie Maker

Belly Rubber to Max

Tennis Player

Sandcastle Builder

And these are just a few of the facts!!!!

We hope you have a wonderful day!!

We love you!!

Quote For The Day

Daniel Webster:

"If we stay true to the teaching of the Bible, our country will go on prospering. But if we and future generations neglect its instructions and authority, no one can tell what sudden disaster may crush us and bury all our glory in darkness"

The kids and I read this quote today. We are reading In God We Trust: Stories of Faith in American History. We are reading this as part of our study of world history from 1850 to the modern times.

Not Me Monday....Again, Already?????

Again????

Already???

Is it Monday again???

Yep, I guess it is!!!I did not listen to Casey and Landon squealing with delight today while I was teaching Drew and Shelby. If I had heard them enjoying their self in that manner, I would have definitely gone right away to see what was so grand!! Since, I didn't let them continue with "what ever they were doing" (I was sure it didn't involve water, fire or sharp objects), I didn't have to blog about finding a box of corn flakes all over my living room floor!!! (Just see below)
I did not have Shelby sit in the bathroom with Casey and Landon while they were in the tub. If she had been the one in there with them, it would not have been so that she could see what is like to keep telling people over and over not to do something or to settle down and it be to no avail!! Nope not me!!
I was not disappointed this weekend when Steve was able to fix his favorite blue chair. I would never want to get rid of something my husband enjoys!!
So there you have it a pretty quiet week around here. What didn't you do this past week?Join in the fun and let us know. This blog carnival was started by Mckmama and you can head over to her blog (just click the Not Me Monday button at the top) and see what she and a lot of other people have NOT been up to.

Just For The Record

Do you see this cute little boy? Well, he got up at 5:30 this morning!!! Apparently, he convinced his daddy that he was done sleeping and wanted to get in the bed with mommy. Uhm, I think not!!

So who followed in his footsteps shortly there after? Yep you guessed it!!

And what happens when we get up so early?

We fall asleep well before lunch!!

And then like any crazy mom, I woke him up!!

Yep, I sure did. Then I had the fun time of trying to teach and keep one crabby toddler happy.

So what is a mom to do? I have to teach and I need to pay bills and I can't do any of it with him hanging off of me and screaming!!

I know, just let him take a nap.

Well that would be fine except then he would be insane at dance because he would be you guessed it TIRED!!!

So I gave both of them an envelope and showed them how to put paper into it.

Problem solved!!!!

So back to teaching and paying bills and all that fun stuff.

A few minutes later, the laughter starts to erupt from the living room.

GREAT, they're playing and not fussing!!! Let's get the rest of this wrapped up.

Now this hysterical laughing went on for no more than a few minutes. I could hear this strange crinkly sound but that's okay because it sounded just like those envelopes I gave them. You know the ones with the plastic windows!!

By the way has anyone seen Max? He usually hangs out with us--especially when Casey and Landon start getting wild!!

Hum, maybe I better go check!!!

So what were they doing that was so much fun?

Well they were making sand, I guess. What were they using?

A box of corn flakes!!!

Max was taking one for the team.

Guess he figured he would eat all the corn flakes and then Casey and Landon wouldn't get in quite as much trouble!!

It might have worked a little. OH yea, see the envelope? Close at hand. Casey was sitting on hers!