Christmas

The packages have been opened and the gifts have been given.  The glow still shines in the eyes of my children.  They were so good and so grateful for what they received.  By the world's standards, we had a small Christmas but in the grand scheme of things our Christmas was full of blessings.  Love in our hearts, food on our table and small gifts to share.  Grateful children and peace in our home.   Those gifts can not be measured.  I feel like this Christmas was special and intimate and full of blessing.  God provided in ways I can not even explain.

I believe God is going to do wonderful things this year.  Long after all the bows, ribbons and packages are gone the effects of this Christmas will remain treasured in my heart.  The love of my Father in heaven who showed me in so many ways He truly has provided Emanuel (God is with us) to my heart,mind, body, soul and home is the greatest gift of all.  It didn't come in fancy bows or paper.  It didn't come with a  price that can be measured.  But it came with the most precious gift of all the shed blood of a Savior dying for my sins, who came to this earth as a humble baby.  Thank you Jesus for your gift and that it shines like the brightest star in our home. 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from our family to yours

In the Trenches

I have come to the conclusion that the enemy of our souls has waged an all out battle,more so than ever before, for marriages and families.  As a Christian...sister, wife and mother...my job is to battle in the trenches.  I must fight against what I can not see and that is done, most humbling...on your knees.  We are armor bearers.  Armor bearers do not get glory or fame or often any recognition....BUT they are warriors.  the armor bearers has to bring the soldier his replacement weapons and armor in the most dire of circumstances.  We are that...we are warriors and armor bearers.  The armor bearer must be strong of faith and character because to stand up in the midst of battle to bring the soldier what he needs is not easy. 

That being said...yes we are warriors too.  God has us wearing many hats as it were.  Sometimes, He has us fulfilling the armor bearer role.  But there are times...our commander and chief calls us out and puts us on the front lines.  It is those times that having been fighting in the trenches as the armor bearer comes in to play.  It is those times God uses us to fight because He has prepared us in the trench. 

The trench isn't pretty.  It is lonely at times, ugly and sometimes it is stinky.  Thing is sometimes we choose to bring stuff into our trench that limits us and fills our trench with stuff that makes our conditions worse. 

Our commander and chief supplies everything we need for the battle.  We do not have to bring anything.  He supplies it all.  We get into trouble when we try to fulfill our needs for battle by ourselves.

So I stand up and say God use me where you want me...whether it is on the front lines or in the trenches...but let me do it for YOUR glory with what  YOU supply.  Help me stand in your grace and fight on my knees or stand up in full battle armor when you call me to it...with no fear but the strength of God flowing through my veins.

Thanksgiving recipes, what are you thankful for and more words of wisdom from my kids



Jenny(age 4)
What are you thankful for:
Jenny said:  My family and my friends.  And I love my friends and family.  I am thankful for Jesus and my friend little Hannah.  I am thankful for trees and uhmm my house.  I am thankful for Chippy (that is the chipmunk in our yard).  And I am thankful for for my Mommy and Daddy and bro bro and sissy. 

Turkey Recipe:
You have to take it out of the bag
Put some M&Ms  on it and some animal crackers and some chocolate chips
Put it on 5 degrees
and cook it for 6 hours.
Take it out and let it cool and then EAT IT.

Hannah (age 7)

What are you thankful for:
Hannah said:  I am thankful for my friends and family.  Grandparents, and my church friends.  I am also thankful for my food.  I am also thankful for Jesus.  I am thankful for the gifts that God gave me.

Turkey Recipe:
First you need a turkey from a store.  A 40 lb turkey (mind you she doesn't weigh 40 lbs)
Make it pretty with flowers around it before you bake it. 
Put some salt and pepper on it.
Bake it at 60 degrees for 20 minutes until it is cooked.
Then you will put it on a dish and put some more flowers around it.  Then everyone gathers around the table and eats potatoes and stuffing and yams.  And also a chocolate cake and pumpkin pie for dessert.

Christopher (age 10)
What are you thankful for:
I am thankful for my family , my friends, Jesus and the world.  I am thankful for my toys. 

Turkey Recipe:
Get a 15 lb turkey.
Use seasonings like garlic, salt, oregano, pepper
Put it in some sauce and keep it there to marinate it for a couple minutes at least.  Then put it on the grill.
Cook it for about an hour or so until it is brownish and golden.
Take it out and let it rest for a little bit and then put it back on for 15 minutes.
Take it out and it will be a beautiful golden color.
Serve it with peas, broccoli, tomatoes and also some soup. 
For dessert we will have pumpkin pie, cherry pie and apple pie. 
It will serve 5 people

Monday ,,,,,is it Monday.....again?

Mondays sneak up so fast!  I swear the weekend flies by and Monday is upon us.  We never have enough time together on the weekends.  Mike works so hard and the weekends is our family time.  It flies by.  So glad this week we will get some extra time because of the holiday.  I plan to make the most of it.

Two days of school this week for the older two and then the fun can begin. 

On Wednesday, we will have family chore day (early it is usually Saturday) without Daddy but I am going to make it fun.  I am going to make it a contest and they can earn prizes for the silliest cleanup costume and the fastest bed maker and the like.  We have to get ready for guests on Thursday and we want to make our house shine. 

On Thursday we will have lots of cooking to do and the kids and Daddy will play the Wii.  Oma and Opa and friends will come to eat with us and we will eat and play games and probably eat some more.

Friday we will begin putting up our Christmas decorations and make cookies and wo knows what all we will do.  Although Mike does have to go in to work that evening.  Saturday, Mike will work half a day and then we will finish whatever decorations we have left to do and eat lots of leftovers. 

Sunday will be church of course and then back to the grindstone on Monday until Christmas break.  See Mondays come toooooooooooo soon.

If I can...I will try and post some pictures and/or threads about our week...time will tell..LOL.

Saturday Musings

Seems like every time I try to get consistent with this blog...well...stuff comes up...life happens.  So much has been going on lately, including a tummy virus that cause Jenny have a trip to the ER for an IV.  NOT FUN!
Hannah had her 7th birthday and was baptized by her Daddy. (Yes the dates on the camera are wrong..my camera has issues..LOL).

sorry it is blurry..I was emotional and shaking

yet blurry again.

Nothing is more precious than watching your child follow the Lord in water baptism...add to that Daddy doing it and yes, Mama is a emotional mushy mess.

I spoke to a lady at our church last night I hadn't had the privilege of talking with yet...she told me what a blessing it was to watch my son worship God.  I was blown away.  Then someone else told me, that my children were such a blessing because of how spiritually aware they are.  Again I was blown away and finally someone told me that I was one of the best mothers they had ever seen.  I was completely floored.  Because I see my failures, my mistakes...my having to apologize to one of my children because I was too harsh or misunderstood and disciplined when they didn't do what I thought etc.  I am floored.  I am glad I can be a witness, but too often I feel like a failure at parenthood.  I feel like I don't do enough and that I am messing up badly and then someone says that. I am blessed.  God is faithful and He lets us know sometimes...I see your heart...I know you are trying and I love you.

Mommy Blessings

I feel so blessed to be the mother of my 3 children.  Their faith is so strong.  All 3 have accepted the Lord into their hearts and are so open to the things of God. 

Next week, on her birthday, Hannah will follow the Lord in water baptism.  She is so excited.  She loves her Lord so much.  I am already feeling the emotion of it...the immense gratitude to God that my child wants to serve the Lord.  My prayer is that she will always want to serve God with all her heart, mind, body and soul.  What a precious gift is a  child's heart that is yielded to the Savior. 

Are my kids perfect?  Absolutely not...just take this morning, Sunday morning of all things...they had to go in to major sibling issues before church.  We had yet another talk with them and they have been put on warning status.  There will be dire consequences the next time they get into such altercations on a Sunday morning while we are trying to get ready to go to God's house to worship Him.  I have yet to decide what the appropriate consequence will be, but there will be one.

In the midst of this we still find blessing because our children so readily go to church.  The love going to His house.  They love to praise and worship.  Watching them as they praise their Lord is truly beautiful.  God is good all the time.