Summer Day nine....planting and sprinkling.......after all all children need to be watered well

Today the girls had a friend over and Chris spent part of the morning with a friend. After sweet Maddie went home we had lunch and a rest. Then we went to the store to get some more potting soil for our wee garden.

The Green beans are coming along nicely................

Because my drawer planter got disturbed we had to replant.  So we replanted and added one other drawer planter.  We have another to go but will have to wait until next week. We took the bottoms out.  The flakes on top of the soil are red pepper flakes because our resident chipmunk leaves them alone. 

I had the kids help me weed the area we were using for the drawer planters.  They did pretty good.

But at one point while Jenny was working away, I found the other two lounging on the air mattress I slept on during our camp out the other day..............hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm???

Then after they we did sprinkler time................aaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh

wonderfully cool and all growing children need to be watered well. 

Let's get this water party started...........

She is just waiting to ambush someone with the water guns...her favorite thing to do...LOL

And so tonight will end with movies and pizza and snuggles and prayers that our wee garden will grow and prosper in healthy abundance and not feed the resident chipmunks.

Summer Day 8---Bubbles and a grasshopper

Today has been a bit of a lazy day.  We had a pajama day.  Allergy issues and leftover benadryl hangover put me on slow go status. The kids did get their chores done.  They are currently playing hide and seek but saying yodelay yoo hoo as they search. Jenny with her cute way of saying things is priceless trying to say it.  Listening to them play is priceless. The sound of feet up back and forth in the hall way, up and down the stairs let me know just where they are.  Makes me think of the devotional I was doing recently and it brought up how God always knows where we are and even when people try to hide from Him............He knows.
Yes, my children might be hiding from each other but, I know where they are. They are so busy playing they don't realize how well they give away their position to me.

We also played with some bubbles. Now there are bubbles and then there are the type of bubbles you can catch without them busting. I forget what they are called, but if you can stack them.  Pretty cool. I just had plain old soap bubbles when I was a kid. Now they have technically superior bubbles, apparently. LOL

Chris also came running to me at some point today saying MOM MOM MOM, I found a big cricket but he is dead but he is so cool. And you know, he is right. It is pretty incredible. Now I have people who would tell me that is gross, or ewwwwwwww yuck. Seriously though, it was a complete and utter opportunity to discuss creation and how neat and unique this critter is made.  He is beautiful in the grand scheme of things, frozen and petrified.  No decay, no gross anything emitting from this thing.  So I let my kids look at him and examine with a magnifying glass. They were fascinated. 

So today we had lessons with Bubbles and a grasshopper and watching the world through their eyes is amazing.

Wordless Wednesday---Summer Day 7------Hiding God's Word in hearts

Summer Day 6

Today we haven't done a lot. Chris didn't feel well due to allergies and slept for a good portion of the day. The other two just hung out and waited for him to wake up.  So today was a do nothing sort of day, even though we'd had other plans.  That is the beauty of summer...........you can have a lazy day and not fee guilty about it.

They did do a few chores though and I have pictures to prove it.

Super Sweeper

Dryer

Organizer, she love to organize the cabinet.

Chore are good for them. It teaches them so much. To help one another, how to do things, responsibility and so much more. It also gives them a sense of pride when they get it completed.  I am proud of them being willing to do chores with happy hearts and attitudes.

Summer Day 5

Break out the sprinkler, break out the water guns, break out the fun fun fun....

Sprinkler water tastes so good...............

Yes, Mommy?

He was good, he just threatened to squirt Mommy. He didn't follow through.

Summer Day 4........

Today is Sunday and we went to church and had wonderful Lord's day.
Worship was precious. We have a precious church family that is devoted to the Lord and the worship of the Lord.  I am awed by just how much my children love Jesus. They are exuberant when they praise Jesus. They have no inhibitions in worship and it blesses my soul. They dance Jesus and praise with Him with all that is within them.  Thank you Lord that you gave me these precious children. Thank you Lord, for drawing them to you. Thank you Lord that they listen to your voice.  My kids could get the best grades in the world, or a trophy for something or a reward of any kind; but NOTHING absolutely nothing beats them loving Jesus.  Their hearts follow hard after you. Oh Jesus, how did I get these kids? Kids you blessed with me that have a faith so deep and so pure I can not put it into words.  Lord, help me follow their example and praise you with all that I have.

I can only imagine how much better dancing before Jesus will be. However, in the mean time watching my children dance in joy for their Jesus.........blesses my soul.

No shame in dancing before Jesus in praise.....none.

To have Jesus in your heart is pure joy.

Jesus my Savior, I love you.

I love watching my family worship you.

In an act of worship they knelt before the Lord.......

and praised Him some more.

My heart is full to overflowing because of my Lord and how His hand works in the lives of my children. Oh Lord let them serve you this way, all of their days.

Summer Day 3

Early summer evenings, picnics on the porch, the sound of the children's laughter, birds singing, family conversation, and roasted marshmallows..............these are a few of my favorite things.

These are the moments you want to bottle forever..............the things memories are made of.

Summer Day 2

Today we went to pick up the girls' report cards. They did quite well. Hannah's TCAP scores were up there, wow, girl has skills.  LOL.  Chris' report card will come in the mail, the benefits of being in middle school.

It amaze me how fast our kids grow.  Then we came home and have been doing chores and what not.  It is taking them all quite a bit of time to complete what I have asked. However, at least they are doing it.

Chris was my biggest helper when I undertook the task of cleaning our porch and deck. I think because he wanted control of the hose...............LOL

So although, they are not doing it on "my" time table they are doing it. The summer stretches before us.  I am excited and thankful for having summer with my niblets.

Summer is here..........

Fun time, lazy days, reading, and relaxing, enjoying my kids. I plan on making every day count.  Whether we go to the park or library or have a pajama day; I want them to have the best summer.  The economy says we can't do much, but I can make what we do fun.

I hope to keep a record of our summer here on the blog.

Today we went to the library, attempted to go to the Trail of Tears but there was a fee I wasn't prepared for today. We will do that another day. The people at the Trail of Tears were so nice. The lady said she will take my kids on a hunt for critters and such when we come back.  She will show them all sorts of nature and make it a fun time for no extra charge.  I plan to take her up on it with a camera in tow.

Then we went to the park and had some fun. Although we had to end it a bit early due to disobedience. This lady at the park heard me speaking firmly to my children. I took one of them by the arm. I did not grab her or yell or pull on her. I took her arm and moved her. The woman glared and gave me the evil eye. I thought, what would you do if I were yelling or being mean?  It is sad that we live in a world where if you properly correct your children you are seen as an ogre. That you are expected to let your children explore their feelings regardless of what those feelings happen to be. So they are being sassy or not listening, let them express it. Not in my house. Yes, you have a right to your feelings but you will learn to be obedient and sassiness is never excused even if you are mad.  Anger is normal but there is a right way and a wrong way to express it.  My kids consequence was to leave the park early. They are fine and no one is harmed or scarred. However, they do know, that disobedience and not listening will make you lose out. There are reasons parents want their kids to listen. Sometimes it is about safety. Sometimes is is about needing to make a point or getting your kids to do something that would be fun if they'd listen.

I have good kids. They are normal and need correction. It was a good day despite the early leaving from the park.  There is still more planned for this day, so I may come back and add to the post later or do another one.

Have a great summer peeps. Make it a fun one and a safe one.

Sealed with a promise.......

This week I was reading the story of Naomi and Ruth and the kinsman redeemer. It is such a beautiful story. My study took me to Ephesians 1:1-14 in the  Bible study  book I am doing.  Brave Honest Questions women ask by Angela Thomas.  I am not doing the video part, simply because I could not get the DVD/CD. However, God is still speaking to me through this study.

Okay back to the topic in Ephesians. Now I have read this scripture countless times over the years and I know I belong to the Lord and He is mine. I understand He is my Kinsman Redeemer. Yet this scripture stood out to me like a beacon this time:

Ephesians 1:13-14 "In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance, until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory". NKJV

That seal placed by the Holy Spirit is like the promise the bride groom makes to the bride on her wedding day.  He places a seal on her finger to let the world know, she is his and he is hers.  It is a promise to protect, her, love her and cherish her.  In by gone days the bride groom paid a dowry for his bride and redeemed it through his bride and all the rights of the bride groom.  We are sealed with a promise.  A promise much greater than even the picture of a bride groom and his bride can even portray. God, our God has marked us as His.  We belong to Him. We were purchased at a high dowry price, of the Savior's blood.  All we have to do is accept His "proposal". When we accept Him as ours, He marks us with His precious promise through the Holy Spirit.  Now,sometimes words fail me and I can't explain what is in my head. I can't put it in written word like it is screaming out in joy in my head.  But do you get this..........God MARKED us as HIS.  He promised to care for us, provide for us, cherish us and love us. We can't always see how it is being done. We don't always understand why things happen or why life goes the way it is going. However, we are marked with a seal of His promises and HE will never let us down.
I belong to JESUS, totally, completely and undeniably.  He is mine and I am His.  I am marked as HIS.

The day I got married, I took on my husband's name.  I not only wear his ring but I bear his name. Jesus marked me as His the day I accepted Him and I accepted His name, so to speak. As a follower of Jesus I am expected to bring honor to his name. Just as I would not want to shame my husband's good name, I do not want to shame the name of my Jesus. I am His, He is mine and I am marked as His.

I have no idea why this is speaking so to my heart today. But I DO know His promises to those who belong to Him are Yes and Amen. I can trust my Kinsman Redeemer to be working on my behalf in ways I can not see nor do not feel.  I can rest upon His promises......I can take Him at His word and trust "thus sayeth the Lord" as the song Tis So Sweet To Trust In Jesus says (lyrics by Louisa M. R Stead). I love how the Lord takes His word and shows you something in it, He wants to whisper to your heart. He says, I see you, I hear you, I know what you are going through. Don't doubt, don't worry because you belong to me and I love you.

Oh how I love my Jesus.  He is so good.

picture credits:www.freedomtrainministries.com