tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-46558969830110502422023-11-16T06:16:46.433-05:00Lovin' Life At HomeUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger651125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4655896983011050242.post-39920428075281774822012-07-06T13:46:00.001-04:002012-07-06T14:07:11.621-04:00The Queen Of Not So Clean<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I've never been the type of person to follow a schedule. People with day planners, checking off boxes, making concise, organized lists in places other than the palms of their hands make me a little nervous. They stress me out! I simply, am not wired that way. I am very aware of my random nature. Have you ever seen a random person try to keep a house clean? You see where the problem is don't you? I've been known to smell something odd in the refrigerator so I begin to clean it out, then I spot an item that is hidden in the back, which causes me to think of a recipe, which leads to a mad search through my many cookbooks and scraps of paper piled in several corners and before you know it we have a completely out of place side dish cooked and there is still an odd smell coming from the fridge. No kidding! My husband is a saint! Pssst.... deep down he's a box checker, but I've gotten to him. <br />
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Anyway, I saw this thing on Pinterest. Funny how so many of my conversations lately begin with those very words. The thing I saw was a cleaning schedule. At first I was put off by both of those words so I hesitated to look at it. Really, when there's SO many things to look at on Pinterest, why bother with a cleaning schedule? BUT, it made promises that I could not resist researching. Salesmen see me coming from MILES away. It said something along the lines of being able to keep a house clean and uncluttered with about 30 minutes/day of effort. I figured I could spare 30 minutes a day so I checked it out. This is what I found: </div>
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After studying it for quite awhile I took a deep breath and decided I that I MIGHT be able to actually do this. I tweaked it a bit to fit our family and our house a little better. So here is what I decided that I could pull off if I would rely on every ounce of organizational skill that I have been hoarding back all of these years:<br />
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I am happy to report that I have been successfully following the schedule for a full month and I have yet to break out in hives. While my house is still not what you'd call pristine, it is no longer a complete mess. The thing I like best about this routine is that if we are expecting company we can easily get the house clean enough for guests in just a few minutes of combined effort. I really hope that this will help some of you out there who suffer from schedule anxiety and randomly clean house syndrome. Feel free to take it and make it your own. I'd love to hear some success stories.</div>
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* I accidently left "and clean out vehicles" on the 4th Swing Day. We do not clean the cars out twice a month, but that's not to say that we shouldn't! ;-)</div>
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4655896983011050242.post-71392024715243791622012-06-12T10:21:00.000-04:002012-06-12T10:21:53.474-04:00Visitors From The East<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Caitlin's bestie Allison has faithfully visited us at every duty station except Guam. We'll forgive her for that one. She surprised Caitlin by showing up just in time to help her celebrate turning 20!</div>
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Of course Mimi and Papa had to come see us! This was their first ever trip to The Big Easy so we had fun playing tour guides. I'm pretty sure Papa's favorite part of the trip was the beignets! He might have been just a little disappointed when he realized that we don't actually eat them EVERY DAY.</div>
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Aunt Pattie and Uncle Isaac made a pit stop in New Orleans on their vacation. This visit was short but sweet (and spicy thanks to the Cajun supper at Zydycos)! Thanks for coming to see us guys!</div>
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<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4655896983011050242.post-52090869720052863652012-06-10T23:07:00.000-04:002012-06-10T23:07:04.181-04:0010 Things<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Here are the top 10 items that my family uses up the quickest. I didn't use any scientific formula or anything. I just based the list on the items that are ALWAYS on my grocery list.</div>
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<li>Toilet paper. With 5 females in the house is it any wonder that this item is the first on my list?</li>
<li>Milk. Big moo juice drinkers here!</li>
<li>Potatoes. Fried, baked, mashed, nuked.... yep, we like taters.</li>
<li>Onions. They go with the potatoes and SO many other menu items.</li>
<li>Rice. I'm thinking that living 3 years in the Pacific turned us into rice fans.</li>
<li>Bread. I'm not sure why but I am the one who always ends up having to eat my sandwich with one of the bread heels turned around. Turning it around fools my brain into thinking it's a normal, middle slice of bread. I eat it while I grumble to myself about being out of bread AGAIN!</li>
<li>Laundry Detergent. I have nothing nice to say about laundry.</li>
<li>Soy Sauce. I got wise a few years ago and started buying it by the quart. That's what we get for being rice fans I suppose.</li>
<li>Water. We get our 5 gallon bottles refilled often. So why is that they always seem to be empty?</li>
<li>Oatmeal/Cereal. I can't seem to keep it in the pantry for long. You'd think that we are using Jethro sized bowls the way it disappears around here. </li>
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What does your family go through quickly? Please assure me that we are halfway normal. </div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4655896983011050242.post-16488367661237535082012-05-28T13:35:00.000-04:002012-05-28T13:35:03.162-04:00Well That Was Short Lived<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">For a few short months we had 4 teenaged daughters under our roof. Not anymore! Today Caitlin is 20 years old. I can't even begin to tell you how it feels like time just flew by. Just yesterday she was 2 and today we added a 0 to that 2. What a blessing she is to us. Happy Birthday my little Mert. I hope that your 20's will be your "Wonder Years"!</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4655896983011050242.post-71757855314976124122012-05-23T14:02:00.000-04:002012-05-23T14:03:02.540-04:00Four Hospitals And A Wedding<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Have you ever had one of those times when you've been tempted to ask "what else could possibly go wrong?" but you don't dare speak such a question aloud? That was us the second week of March. We had been in New Orleans for a little more than a month and we were about as homesick as we could be. Thankfully we had the perfect excuse for going home, Matt and Ashley were getting married!! Yay!<br />
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In hindsight, we should have seen a rough week ahead of us because the day that we left for Florida began with a trip to the ER. Abbie had been in pain for about a week and that morning the pain had become unbearable. Lee took her in to be seen while I delivered the pets all over town to be boarded for the week. Keep in mind that New Orleans is a huge city and I was new to navigating my way around it. STRESS! The ER doc told us that he thought Abbie had a <a href="http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/pilondial-cyst">Pilonidal Cyst</a> , he gave her two different antibiotics and pain meds, then cleared her to ride for 10+ hours to Florida. So, off we went! <br />
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On the monotonous drive East on I-10 a pebble flew up into our windshield adding another crack to the one that we were already ignoring.<br />
The next day last minute wedding prep was in full steam! Abbie endured like a pro, she was NOT going to miss out on all the fun! Lee and Stan got the windshield repaired while us chick-a dees got our wedding pedis and ran errands. By the end of the day Abbie was in agony and was running a 103 degree temp. Back to the ER in Jax we went. They ended up having to do a little minor surgery. The whole procedure was just a nightmare. Poor Abs. The next day: more wedding prep, it was pretty uneventful and Abbie was feeling SO much better. Exhaustion from a night spent in the ER was taking it's toll though. Supper with family that night was good medicine for us all.<br />
Saturday: The big day! Abbie had to go back to the ER to get the dressing changed on her wound. Lee and Holly ran the Gate River Run (13 miles) in downtown Jax. GO Them!! I played chauffeur. In all my driving that morning I noticed the truck not acting quite right but chose to ignore it. Bad move!<br />
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Later that afternoon Lee, Holly and I were making the 20 mile trip out to the wedding site. The other girls had ridden with other family members. About halfway there the truck just quit. I would go into all of the details but they're painful. Short story: We missed the wedding ceremony but we got a new alternator and battery! Not a good trade at all in my opinion.<br />
We made it to the reception just in time to see the newlywed's entrance and first dance. It was beautiful of course! Even with all of our chaos, we were very thankful to be able to celebrate this beautiful marriage. For a little while we were able to relax and enjoy the moment, we laughed, and danced then saw them off for their honeymoon.<br />
On Sunday we were excited to go to <a href="http://www.opbiblechurch.org/">Orange Park Bible</a> to worship and eat afterwards with friends at Chipolte. All of the things we love and miss so much! <br />
Just when we thought things were settling down we said goodbye to the Jax group and pointed our truck south for a short visit with Mimi and Papa in Leesburg.<br />
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We weren't even out of town yet when my phone started going crazy with texts and calls. Papaw (my maternal granddad) was being rushed to the ER in Gainseville by ambulance. Possible heart attack! Course change for the entire family. 15 of us made the 2 hour trip to Gainesville. Thankfully, Papaw did not have a heart attack and is doing fine now! We just had an impromptu family reunion. It's funny how even under such stressful circumstances we are able to laugh and enjoy each other. I will never complain about spending the day with family, I'd just rather not do it in a hospital waiting room!<br />
We did end up in Leesburg later that day and believe it or not, back in the ER the next morning. This time it was Caitlin running a high fever. Bronchitis and Strep had taken her down suddenly.<br />
What a whirlwind "vacation"! May we NEVER have another like it again!<br />
By the way, The Newlyweds (Mashley as we like to call them) have a sweet blog that you can follow:<br />
<a href="http://www.furlongandlong.blogspot.com/">www.furlongandlong.blogspot.com</a><br />
<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4655896983011050242.post-41083395367230360152012-05-21T23:23:00.000-04:002012-05-21T23:23:13.287-04:00Houses With Character<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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New Orleans is the place to be if you're in the paint business!</div>
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Can you think of anywhere else in the country besides maybe Key West where a house painted this way would be considered normal?</div>
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We've had so much fun riding through neighborhoods looking at the unique architecture and color schemes! Believe me, this will not be my last post featuring colorful houses.</div>
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All of these photos were taken on N. Rampart Street in New Orleans</div>
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<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4655896983011050242.post-67107852498784856752012-05-21T00:46:00.001-04:002012-05-21T11:40:42.621-04:00Freak Glasses<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8ktlXPG23feaDl7xuasV5uRfi0n-B9izkswjDBYpOP9d3kGVVaTfEPvbbIawE3-glrJbf7g92zHeEnBPQPU8J3VotkEXbT9_tb22bMVtnkpRyi5yyRk_Gnh5WEM2RJA3CzBDMRlPOrto/s640/blogger-image--1651467028.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8ktlXPG23feaDl7xuasV5uRfi0n-B9izkswjDBYpOP9d3kGVVaTfEPvbbIawE3-glrJbf7g92zHeEnBPQPU8J3VotkEXbT9_tb22bMVtnkpRyi5yyRk_Gnh5WEM2RJA3CzBDMRlPOrto/s320/blogger-image--1651467028.jpg" width="320" /></a>We have a saying among us now when we go into the city of New Orleans. "Put your freak shades on! You're about to see something crazy!". I knew we would see some crazies in this colorful city but I was unprepared for what now just seems normal. Every time we wander into town we see something or someone odd and unusual that stops us in our tracks. I'm talking about grown adults dressed up like pink bunny rabbits or rose bushes. People carrying around large reptiles or a guy on a bike that looks like a carousel horse while dressed as superman with undies on where undies weren't meant to be worn. So I've decided to start blogging some of these sights. The first installment here is this ferry riding band of toga wearing girls. They happily let me, a stranger take their picture! I'm sure their mothers probably warned them against such things at one point in their lives. <br />
Hey little Brownies, I don't ever want to hear a story about you wearing your bed sheets to town and letting strangers take your picture. Got it? <br />
On the other hand,<br />
Posing with an odd guy dressed as Mr Potato Head is perfectly acceptable. <br />
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4655896983011050242.post-50254766314685998992012-05-18T12:24:00.001-04:002012-05-18T12:24:06.097-04:00Work<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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This is our base chapel, the place where The Chaplain Extraordinaire spends most of his days.</div>
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It was rebuilt after Hurricane Katrina because the old one was too damaged by mold. </div>
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The sanctuary</div>
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This pretty little fruit stand is where Ms Hollybus works watering the plants twice a week. On the days that she does not babysit the plants she makes snoballs and gator dogs at the Snoball Etc stand next door. </div>
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Pralines and Cream snoball anyone? </div>
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In case you're wondering, a snoball is like a snowcone but the ice is shaved finer. Snoball stands are a dime a dozen here in New Orleans and all of them stay busy. Providing the masses with snoballs is BIG business around here! </div>
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You can use your imagination to figure out what a gator dog is. ICK! I just don't think that giant lizards were meant to be eaten.</div>
<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4655896983011050242.post-90734146446160698182012-05-17T14:14:00.000-04:002012-05-17T14:14:00.907-04:00This And That<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Nothing in particular to share today, just a little everyday life kind of stuff. </div>
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Hobbes and Wrigley are adjusting well. </div>
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Our living room is so "cozy" that sometimes a few of us have to sit in the stadium seating. Also known as the cheap seats.</div>
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Chocolate alligators.... just because.</div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4655896983011050242.post-31847111862021933252012-05-16T18:23:00.000-04:002012-05-16T18:23:20.423-04:00Mardi Gras Firsthand<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Honestly I don't even know where to begin! We had no idea that moving to New Orleans at the end of January would land us smack dab in the middle of Mardi Gras mayhem. You may think that mayhem is a strong word but I guarantee you that it is NOT. This city LIVES for Mardi Gras season! In February Southern Louisiana turns Purple, Green and Gold!<br />
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Being newbies to the area, people that we ran into delighted in educating us in all things Mardi Gras. We learned about areas to stay away from, which parades were the best and how to get a good spot to watch them go by. They taught us techniques for catching beads and avoiding black eyes from those same flying beads. We were also told where to get the best slice of King Cake in town. That was definitely advice that we took seriously but no one was able to give us a realistic picture of the true MANIA of Mardi Gras.<br />
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During the Carnival season parades roll every weekend all day long and even some week nights. As Fat Tuesday approaches the parades get more frequent. About 2 weeks before the big day Caitlin and I decided to do a little parade recon just to see if this would be something that the whole family could do. That Saturday we took the ferry into The French Quarter and made our way to a spot on the St Charles St. parade route. Believe it or not, there's a Mardi Gras Parade Tracker app so of course we had that pulled up and handy. <br />
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It was freezing cold that day and our spot on the route was in the shade. I popped into a little shop nearby and bought us New Orleans Saints hats and some socks to put on with our flip flops. We were a funny sight dressed that way cradling our hot lattes from PJs Coffee shop across the street. Thinking back on it I realize that we probably looked more normal than the majority of the folks there decked out in crazy crazy outfits. In the end when the parade finally began to roll by we forgot all about the cold. Caitlin really got into the spirit of it all yelling for beads "Throw me somethin' Mista!!"and competing with our fellow parade watchers for the best catches. We were hooked!<br />
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Now before you get any crazy but stereotypical ideas in your head I have to say that we personally never witnessed the kind of "girls gone wild" craziness that people associate with New Orleans at Mardi Gras time. I know that it happens but like I already mentioned, we were well educated about areas to avoid. For the most part it's just one enormous party that lasts for weeks! We quickly decided that the rest of the family had to experience it. We ended up going to quite a few parades after that. One of them we went to completely by accident!<br />
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It was a Friday late afternoon and we needed to go to the Apple store in the mall. We walked in a few minutes before 6 and all of the stores were closing. People leaving as we came in told us that the mall was closing because a parade was about to start just outside. Imagine that! A mall closing on a busy business night for a parade?! We were baffled, so we decided to stick around and see what the hype was all about. Hey, we already had a great parking place so we may as well stay for the fun!<br />
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It is simply amazing to us the number of beads that get thrown from 2 and 3 story high floats passing by. The floats are HUGE and decorated like nothing you've ever seen before. There's 20 or more people aboard every float and all of them throwing trinkets into the clamoring crowd. I thought it would be a strand at a time but boy was I wrong. Often we would look up just in time to see a handful of big heavy beads headed straight at our heads. Abbie and Holly began to just dodge them after awhile. After all, a girl can only wear so many pounds of beads before you just start to look gawdy. :-)</div>
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Just to give you a little glimpse of the mania I will tell you something that's hard to believe in today's day and age. In New Orleans on Fat Tuesday everything closes, even Wal-Mart and McDonalds! Unbelievable I know, but TRUE. People decorate their homes and businesses just like they would for Christmas but with purple, green and gold. King Cake is sold in every store. Businesses close, they block interstates so that parade floats can get into position, they light the Superdome up with blinking lights, trees that line parade routes hang heavy with beads and the booze flows faster than the Mississippi River.<br />
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Again, I can't even begin to convey to you the feeling of Mardi Gras here in this amazing city. It's something you just have to experience for yourself. So if it's one of those things on your bucket list, consider yourself invited to join in the fun with us next February.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4655896983011050242.post-9424995773941852132012-05-15T20:39:00.000-04:002012-05-15T20:39:06.787-04:004 Teenagers In The House!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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It was EARLY when I woke Gracie up that morning in Florida. I leaned down and whispered in her ear "Happy Birthday teenager! How about I take you to New Orleans for beignets to celebrate?!" She was NOT amused. Seems that my new little teenager is less and less a fan of mornings.</div>
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Thankfully we celebrated with family before we left. </div>
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That night we wandered into Parrot Pete's for beignets. It was ok BUT we decided that it was not Cafe du Monde and we would just have to remedy that the next day, AFTER a good nights sleep. </div>
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Cafe du Monde or not, she was pretty happy with her powdered sugar covered birthday beignet.</div>
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She was also pretty excited about her very own Leatherman. She's such a quirky little precious soul!</div>
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Awwww..... the sweet taste of satisfaction! Happy birthday Boo! </div>
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I cannot begin to express to you how proud I am of you.</div>
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You have stolen my heart.</div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4655896983011050242.post-88070293104759756082012-05-12T17:44:00.000-04:002012-05-12T17:44:41.416-04:00Moving Day<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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We took off for New Orleans on Gracie's 13th birthday. One that she will never forget I'm sure. </div>
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Daddy and Gracie were in the lead car, setting the pace. Caitlin, Holly and Hobbes were in the middle spot pictured above. Hobbes spent much of the trip peeking out the back window. We think that he was just checking to make sure we were still in our spot behind him bringing up the rear. Abbie and I had "the pleasure of sharing our journey with Wrigley and Fraidycat. Let me just say that Fraidycat is NOT a good traveling companion.<br />
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About halfway there my dashboard went bananas! I really was going the speed limit. I promise.....</div>
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Hahaha-That's my "the cat is making me CraCra" face!</div>
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Could there be a more desolate stretch of highway than I-10 from Jax to Pensacola?! By the grace of The Lord there is a really nice Starbucks at the Crestview exit. A haven for the weary travelers!!</div>
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We made it! This basket of goodies was our welcome to New Orleans gift from the housing office.</div>
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Our new digs. I've always wanted to live in a yellow house and the porches are really nice to have also. Since then we've prettied them up and they are nice places to sit and sip and chat. </div>
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Tired, hungry, anxious, excited and a little sad but here we are in this new place that God has put us. Just after this photo was taken we headed out to celebrate our newest teenager!</div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4655896983011050242.post-60006308025323547872012-05-12T17:15:00.001-04:002012-05-12T17:15:52.559-04:00From The Sunshine State To The Swamp State<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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If you've been following this blog for very long you know that these are not the first moving day photos you've seen here. I just counted and I think that this move makes the 6th one that I've documented here on the blog. That's got to be a record of some kind!<br />
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Sadly after HOURS of hard work we left our house in the hands of our renters. God provided the perfect family (at the last minute, but I'm not complaining!) to live there. </div>
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All packed up but NOT ready to go. Little did we know that we would not have room for most of what was brought! I could have had a massive yard sale in Florida. Military life has definitely taught me at least one thing: DO NOT get attached to stuff!!! <br />
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As the house was slowly being packed there began to be a shortage of places to sit. Holly's bed (all the way in the back of the house) became the gathering place for everyone. Military life has taught my girls another lesson: Sisters are there through thick and thin. Friends are great to have but sisters move when you do! </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4655896983011050242.post-22258062043577018052012-05-11T12:04:00.001-04:002012-05-11T12:04:25.833-04:00A Mixed Blessing<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Let me see if I remember how to do this. It has been awhile! <br />
Years ago I started blogging to keep our family on the other side of the world involved in our lives. The girls were growing and changing and doing silly things! THEN God blessed us in a big way by moving us to Jacksonville, Florida. Home! Of course blogging came to a screeching halt. Its was a short two years of family dinners, parties, trips, holidays, celebrations and Starbucks dates.<br />
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God has now moved us along to a new place and we are trying our best to see it as a blessing. My goal now is to introduce you to our new city: New Orleans and to keep you in the silly, growing, changing loop of our girls. As most of you already know, when our family moves to a new place we try our best to milk it for all that it's worth. New Orleans has A LOT to take in and we have already experienced SO much here in our first 3 months. We moved in 2 weeks before Mardi Gras!!!! In other words, I have some catching up to do to get you all caught up. Stay tuned! Take a look at our current New Orleans photos in our Picasa Web Albums linked on the right. <br />
<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4655896983011050242.post-76983280286352960232011-07-25T09:23:00.002-04:002011-07-25T09:23:51.751-04:00Eat Food. Mostly Plants. Not Too Much.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I recently read a great little book that has captured my attention. <u>Food Rules: An Eaters Manual</u> by Michael Pollan. His book is broken up into 3 categories of simple rules based on the 7 words in the title. Eat food, mostly plants, not too much. The 64 rules are super easy to understand which is a blessing to those who may feel bogged down in the world of nutritional information overload. Here are a few of my favorites.<br />
*Don't buy your food where you buy your gas.<br />
*Eat only the things that your great grandmother would recognize as food.<br />
*Avoid food with words in the ingredient list that a 3rd grader could not pronounce.<br />
*Don't eat cereal that turns your milk another color. <br />
* Don't eat it if it has ingredients that you would not keep in your pantry.<br />
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I have found this book to be a breath of fresh air for our family. Some really good changes have been made in our kitchen. I highly recommend this easy, enjoyable book to anyone who desires to make a few healthy changes to their diet. <br />
Mr. Pollan also wrote <u>The Omnivores Dilemma</u> and <u>In Defense Of Food.</u> These would also be great to read if you really want to know the ins and outs and whys of food. He goes in to detail about the modern food manufacturing industry and current farming practices in America. I scanned both of these books and got a few really good tidbits. In the end though, I found the Food Rules book to be very practical and helpful in making the much needed changes in the way we eat. If you get the chance to read it for yourself, let me know what you think. <br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4655896983011050242.post-78257388731002634772011-07-19T00:03:00.001-04:002011-07-19T00:04:07.070-04:00Motherhood as a Mission Field<div>
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Even though I no longer have little people at home this was encouraging to me. I hope it is to you also. </div>
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<a href="http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/motherhood-as-a-mission-field#.TiUBLAgvQ_s.blogger"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Motherhood as a Mission Field</span></span></a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4655896983011050242.post-13761016576197208392011-07-08T00:18:00.000-04:002011-07-08T00:18:10.890-04:00Dangerous Practices<br />
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Below is an excerpt from a larger blog post by Jim Eliff. This is just too good not to share. I will link the original post "Southern Baptist an Unregenerate Denomination" at the bottom if you are interested in reading the whole thing. </div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Though sacrosanct to Baptists, careful study should be done related to the historical use of the invitation system evangelistically. For eighteen hundred years the church did not use such a method. It was not until its principle originator, Charles Finney, a true pelagian in his theology, promoted his "new measures." Earlier preachers were content to let true conviction play a greater part in conversion. They needed no props for the gospel—no persuasive techniques to prompt people to make a "decision." Instead of relying on a method, their confidence was in the preached Word and the Holy Spirit. Baptist giant, C. H. Spurgeon, for instance, saw thousands converted without the use of an "altar call." His </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">message </span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">was his invitation. We should always offer a </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">verbal </span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">invitation in our gospel preaching, meaning we must invite people to repent and believe. But there is no real benefit, while there is much potential harm, in our inviting them to the front of the church and then assuring them that their short walk or tearful response proves their conversion.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We don't need better methods to get people down to the front. What we need is more biblical content and more unction in our preaching. You cannot beat sinners away from Christ when God is bringing them in (see Jn. 6:37, 44-45). When as many as 70-90% of "converts" are giving little, if any, evidence of being saved after their first weeks or months of emotional excitement, questions should be asked, both about our understanding of the gospel and about our methods. Forget the fact, if you must, that there is no clear biblical precedent for the altar call. Even considering the matter pragmatically ought to make us quit. Though prevalent in our churches for decades, it has not helped us. (See </span><a href="http://www.ccwtoday.org/article_view.asp?article_id=52" style="color: #696250; text-decoration: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"Closing with Christ"</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> at </span><a href="http://www.ccwtoday.org/" style="color: #696250; text-decoration: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">www.CCWtoday.org</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">.)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The dangerous practice of receiving new members immediately after they walk the aisle must finally be abandoned. Also, more careful counsel should be taken with those entering in as members from other churches. And add to this a need for much deeper thinking concerning childhood conversion. An alarming percentage of childhood professions wash out later in the teen and college years. For unconverted yet baptized church kids, the more independence they are granted, the more they live out their true nature. (See </span><a href="http://www.ccwtoday.org/article_view.asp?article_id=49" style="color: #696250; text-decoration: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"Childhood Conversion"</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> at</span><a href="http://www.ccwtoday.org/" style="color: #696250; text-decoration: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">www.CCWtoday.org</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">.)</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.ccwtoday.org/article_view.asp?article_id=150">http://www.ccwtoday.org/article_view.asp?article_id=150</a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4655896983011050242.post-54674436136858377702011-07-06T09:25:00.000-04:002011-07-06T09:25:40.098-04:00Hymn Night<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></span><br />
<div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px;">In our house, after we eat supper it is our tradition to sit and talk for awhile. Lee usually leads us in a time of devotion and prayer. Lately on Tuesday nights we've been taking turns researching and then teaching each other about a hymn that means something to us personally. It's been a lot of fun and very meaningful to learn the history behind many of the hymns we sing. A few weeks ago Gracie chose "Be Thou My Vision" as her hymn. She taught us that it was originally a poem inspired by St Patrick's courage for Christ in 433 AD. The poem was set to music (an old Irish folk tune) a few hundred years later. It was not translated into English until 1905. It's truly inspirational that it has withstood the test of time. </div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art.</span></div><div style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Thou my best thought, by day or by night,</span></div><div style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.</span></div><div style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Be Thou my wisdom, and Thou my true word;</span></div><div style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I ever with Thee, and Thou with me, Lord;</span></div><div style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;</span></div><div style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.</span></div><div style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Riches I heed not, nor man's empty praise;</span></div><div style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Thou mine inheritance now and always:</span></div><div style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,</span></div><div style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">High King of heaven, my treasure Thou art.</span></div><div style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">High King of heaven, my victory won,</span></div><div style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">May I reach heaven's joys, O bright heaven's Son!</span></div><div style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Still be my vision, O Ruler of all.</span></span><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Give it a listen here:</span></span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></b><br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/UKByTfiHOFE" width="425"></iframe></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px;"><br />
</div><h3 class="dynamic" style="border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">"Be Thou My Vision": A Tribute and a Reminder</h3><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px;">Inspired by an event that helped change the spiritual climate of Ireland, penned by a renowned Irish poet, and paired with the tune of an old Irish folk song, "Be Thou My Vision" stands as a link between Ireland and its Christian heritage. It is a tribute to a significant event in Ireland's history, and a reminder of the sovereignty, strength, and joy of Jesus.</div><span style="border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><br style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;" /><br style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;" />Read more at Suite101: <a href="http://www.suite101.com/content/be-thou-my-vision-a249138#ixzz1RKTOANZj" style="border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; color: #003399; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: underline;">"Be Thou My Vision": The History of a Christian Hymn | Suite101.com</a> <a href="http://www.suite101.com/content/be-thou-my-vision-a249138#ixzz1RKTOANZj" style="border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; color: #003399; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: underline;">http://www.suite101.com/content/be-thou-my-vision-a249138#ixzz1RKTOANZj</a></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4655896983011050242.post-71284127680511936442011-07-05T10:10:00.000-04:002011-07-05T10:10:24.502-04:00New Baby News!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: center;">It's hard to believe that exactly a year ago we were sending Caitlin and Holly off on a month long adventure to India. While they were there they were able to participate in a traditional Indian wedding. The bride is a friend of the family that hosted our girls in India. </div><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy9_9DBbgogn-mayY7akEmmbCWSPFU1YBsfuLY4YNaVrXkjQmKX0zHkEuMqEpPvPgCts8HU9uvX4OoIy6UmwHn1n_BgyBMqVjDlgWzlZKLPwpTVYrFKMQ0UWI9SRycjOy-5s1E6smMDig/s1600/35305_415236639206_516934206_4334527_2667126_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy9_9DBbgogn-mayY7akEmmbCWSPFU1YBsfuLY4YNaVrXkjQmKX0zHkEuMqEpPvPgCts8HU9uvX4OoIy6UmwHn1n_BgyBMqVjDlgWzlZKLPwpTVYrFKMQ0UWI9SRycjOy-5s1E6smMDig/s320/35305_415236639206_516934206_4334527_2667126_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">It's tradition to sit with the bride and her family (possibly for hours) while awaiting the groom.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9HatRfbggw5DaVXpfJkatFkFyHz7PVcNRtc_ixAaNU9Dblj6Y1tw3_-eAYMqU76uFMTv4jAPOYTjhIobo7V5_BOkGxvIjfKIKpmb7ap_uqvOv74mz1Sirn8KhjzRPhyphenhyphen6Itg8vOnCYth8/s1600/34547_415237859206_516934206_4334575_8331359_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9HatRfbggw5DaVXpfJkatFkFyHz7PVcNRtc_ixAaNU9Dblj6Y1tw3_-eAYMqU76uFMTv4jAPOYTjhIobo7V5_BOkGxvIjfKIKpmb7ap_uqvOv74mz1Sirn8KhjzRPhyphenhyphen6Itg8vOnCYth8/s320/34547_415237859206_516934206_4334575_8331359_n.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">The beautiful bride</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil7DmMNebttSn0ef21WseNlTPZKQgo4V0fVgAbB03RgXry-R83WvLxdaiYzu69XIx_Ho3P1HyUdV3TOkxwdq1Esaq6BWBdhITEwsEcuiDcOsQh-u3SBulcgrV6ysTXJpXvx8ZcbJgKdVM/s1600/35092_415238649206_516934206_4334626_2962818_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil7DmMNebttSn0ef21WseNlTPZKQgo4V0fVgAbB03RgXry-R83WvLxdaiYzu69XIx_Ho3P1HyUdV3TOkxwdq1Esaq6BWBdhITEwsEcuiDcOsQh-u3SBulcgrV6ysTXJpXvx8ZcbJgKdVM/s320/35092_415238649206_516934206_4334626_2962818_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">The bride's mother, who helped take care of our girls while they visited.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFx1yNo3LJRN88N_vI65xE3aAtKa2c5FOy0ZwhuW4p22s6rcib1F8QFVGFDtoY8BS2DnaU62gZzvd5c2P_otJ3lYGDAbnefvbhmbr2HOPLzHio_yv3w8DguJ59HdlUSHiPZcfqExh-q3s/s1600/Gonga%2527s+Baby.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFx1yNo3LJRN88N_vI65xE3aAtKa2c5FOy0ZwhuW4p22s6rcib1F8QFVGFDtoY8BS2DnaU62gZzvd5c2P_otJ3lYGDAbnefvbhmbr2HOPLzHio_yv3w8DguJ59HdlUSHiPZcfqExh-q3s/s320/Gonga%2527s+Baby.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">So here's the big news you've been waiting to read. The bride just had a little baby boy. He was full term and only weighed 4 pounds. That's the little guy up there with his grandma. (No name yet) Please pray for him and his mama. Neither of them are faring as well as they should be. They are from a poor family and it is likely that she had no prenatal care and very little proper food to eat. As far as we know, some of this family knows the Savior but not this little guy's parents (yet). Continually pray for the team of folks there who faithfully work to help this family and others just like them to know the love of Jesus and His healing power. </div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4655896983011050242.post-64463611856357479582011-06-30T12:30:00.000-04:002011-06-30T12:30:57.221-04:00Love Is A Command<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: center;">Lee posted this on Facebook today. He borrowed it from a pastor friend of his. Now I'm borrowing it from both of them. It's just too good not to pass along. It primarily addresses men but it is just as applicable to women. Listen and let me know what you think.</div><br />
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</div><object height="390" width="640"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/dkR9TBrKM7E&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/dkR9TBrKM7E&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="640" height="390"></embed></object></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4655896983011050242.post-1922184099478771342011-06-29T19:01:00.004-04:002011-06-30T00:32:28.513-04:00An Excellent Follow-Up<span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(76, 59, 42); line-height: 21px; font-family:Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Below I have linked a talk by Dr. Al Mohler. This is an excellent follow up of the sermon I posted a few days ago called Whose Kingdom Come? Whose Will Be Done?. It is only about 25 minutes long and WELL worth listening to. Let me know what you think.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(76, 59, 42); line-height: 21px; font-family:Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif;font-size:14px;"> </span><br /><a href="http://www.focusonthefamily.com/popups/media_player.aspx?MediaId={E9098C4A-EAC3-4CA8-B586-184F99465EE4}"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#3366FF;"><br />http://www.focusonthefamily.com/popups/media_player.aspx?MediaId={E9098C4A-EAC3-4CA8-B586-184F99465EE4}</span></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4655896983011050242.post-39075515999067906122011-06-29T17:22:00.000-04:002011-06-29T17:22:37.366-04:00Coffee!!!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Go Ahead and drink your coffee guilt free!!!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/OTVE5iPMKLg?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Starbucks, here I come!</div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4655896983011050242.post-53030899502569007612011-06-28T08:55:00.001-04:002011-06-28T08:56:10.921-04:00Whose Kingdom Are You Building?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Last Sunday our pastor preached a wonderful sermon about building God's Kingdom. It goes so well with what has been on my heart lately. Pastor Brian began his message by asking us: Which one of God's blessings do we often consider a burden when He adds more of that blessing to us? Click the link below to hear the answer.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.opbiblechurch.org/media.php?pageID=23"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;">Whose Kingdom Come? Whose Will Be Done?</span></a><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4655896983011050242.post-37688025890405044682011-06-27T16:02:00.001-04:002011-06-27T16:03:51.056-04:00Clarification<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">It occurs to me that I could have inadvertently hurt some feelings in my So Much More book review post. I would never intentionally set out to hurt anyone especially family members. I cannot be more thankful to my parents and extended family for all that they have been in my life. I have been loved and well cared for throughout my life. I love them very much. As I look back over the years I cannot help but thank God for the path He led us all down. It was that very path that led us to be in right relationship with Him. I sincerely apologize for my words that may have seemed insensitive. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4655896983011050242.post-24293178600926980202011-06-25T15:27:00.000-04:002011-06-25T15:27:06.869-04:00So Much More - Book Review<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ9bhpWftWpCL57Hqu0yUddeZ_mU9aPNIK1AUnuz7uiRqJV-lapP1XWSPcVwild-iDmEsKTGIKLZcfb3aqBfHRkd14pQju7bNeEGppeQi7KBSX0b8ri3lL-tubXQAXlsXunqaDuSXbMSk/s1600/1003406.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ9bhpWftWpCL57Hqu0yUddeZ_mU9aPNIK1AUnuz7uiRqJV-lapP1XWSPcVwild-iDmEsKTGIKLZcfb3aqBfHRkd14pQju7bNeEGppeQi7KBSX0b8ri3lL-tubXQAXlsXunqaDuSXbMSk/s320/1003406.jpg" width="214" /></a></div><br />
<div style="background-color: transparent; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.8163489818107337" style="background-color: transparent; color: #3d4f51; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I just finished reading a book borrowed from our pastor’s library: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #3d4f51; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So Much More: The Remarkable Influence of Visionary Daughters on the Kingdom of God</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #3d4f51; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> by Anna Sofia and Elizabeth Botkin. The ideas in this book have occupied my thoughts for over a week now. I’m having trouble thinking of much else. The ideas are very counter culture and revolutionary for the day and time in which we live. To begin with I will write a short review of the book and then venture to give you a little of my own opinion. This may be difficult for me to do; I’ve already mentioned that I have many thoughts on this subject. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #3d4f51; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The Botkin sisters were teenagers at the time they authored the book. Their intent is to encourage young girls and to beckon them to be right in relationships; first with God and then with their father and within the family. They assert that God had very specific and different roles in mind for males and females when He created them in the beginning. These roles have not changed with the passing of time, just as God does not change. Men are to provide, protect and lead, while women are to be helpers to the men God has placed in their life (brothers, fathers, husbands), be keepers at home, and bear and help raise children. The premise is that if these are the God ordained roles for a woman then her daily choices in life should reflect her obedience to these roles. Throughout the book the sisters teach that this will affect how a girl should dress, how she should be educated, how she should relate to the men in her life (even the would be suitors), where she should live while unmarried and whether she should work outside of the home. This list is not exhaustive. In other words this belief will affect every aspect of life for a young lady. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #3d4f51; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>There is also a strong call for fathers to step up to their God given roles and be provider, protector, and authority to and for his daughter. The proper relationship between father and daughter is spoken of as being crucial in the upbringing of a young girl. Her ultimate success in fulfilling her God honoring role in life primarily rests on her dad’s shoulders. Near the end of the book the sisters enlist the help of their own father to write a chapter in which he instructs fathers of daughters. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #3d4f51; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The major theme is that we as a society have allowed the ideals of feminism and Marxism to poison our thoughts and lead us to believe that God’s original plan for women is archaic and cruel. Even Christians have let this perverse ideology of feminism creep into our churches and our everyday life because it has become so “normal”. Society as a whole believes that women have made remarkable leaps forward by attaining an equal plane with men. The book goes into great detail to explain the damage that feminism has wrought on men, women, marriage and the family. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #3d4f51; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Young ladies who wish to honor God with every aspect of their life are instructed to reject feminism completely. They are called to humbles themselves, and with grace and joy accept God’s design for women. In practical terms the Botkin sisters are saying that a girl should remain at home under her father’s roof until she is married and allow him to be her provider. She should be content with her father’s provision and therefore have no need to seek employment outside of the home. Her job during this time is to be a helper to her parents and to prepare herself for her own future family. She will dress modestly and in a way that will not draw attention to herself and will be willing to help in the ministries of her church. Her education ideally will be done at home. The Botkin sisters are far from saying that a girl should not be educated, just the opposite is true. Their assertion is that her education will simply look different than that of a young man’s education, especially after high school. Much emphasis is placed on a young lady gaining more than just an education but wisdom and practical skills are highly valued. A virtuous daughter will also relate to young men differently than is commonly practiced among today’s youth. She will allow God to lead in the area of romance and be very open with her family about the subject, and will trust her father’s wisdom and guidance in this area. In essence, the finding of a husband becomes a family affair. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #3d4f51; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #3d4f51; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Allow me to preface my own thoughts on the book with just a little bit of background information. I was raised in the 1970s. Like so many of the girls of my generation, we were raised by mother’s who were right smack dab in the thick of the feminist revolution. At every turn women were being told to break free of the tyranny of children and husbands. Moms began to buy the lie that they could have it all, be true to themselves and that their families would be stronger and happier for it. Men were dazed and confused at having to suddenly share roles with their wives that had traditionally always been a woman’s arena. I recall at the age of 11 being told by my own grandmother that I had better get myself educated in order to be self sufficient. She said that I was NEVER to depend on a man because they are all scoundrels! “Look out for number one” she advised. Fast forward a few years. Through a series of events and nothing short of the grace of God I saw feminism for exactly what it is -- A Big Fat Lie! I resolved in my mind that things would be different for me. I determined to not become a bitter, disillusioned old woman surrounded by nothing but broken or patched up relationships. I wanted more. Thankfully the Lord drew me to Himself, saved my life and set me on the path of joy and contentment. He has blessed me beyond measure with relationships that are deep and loving. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #3d4f51; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>It has not always been an easy path to walk. There have been times when I’ve been full of pride and wanted to tell Lee that I know better than he does. I’ve been angry in the past because of his authority over me. I’ve been belittled by people and accused of laziness for wasting my abilities by “just being a housewife and mom.” I’ve been ridiculed for teaching my daughters at home. I’ve endured well meaning folks who have doubted that my sweet girls would ever amount to much because I’ve taken a “normal” life from them. When money gets tight I’ve been known to panic and think seriously about finding a job rather than trust in God and my hard working husband. I’ve even been accused of taking this “God stuff” too seriously.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #3d4f51; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>So, here is my take away from the book. Living a life of obedience to the Lord is 1) not easy, and 2) it will look vastly different from what is standard operating procedure of the world. I want to focus in on that second point. Today in my quiet time the Lord led me to read Titus 2:1-5.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #3d4f51; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #3d4f51; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine: that the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience; that the older women likewise be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things-- that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands that the word of God may not be blasphemed”. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #3d4f51; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></div><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #3d4f51; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #3d4f51; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">in his commentary, John MacArthur has this to say about the phrase, “not be blasphemed.” He says, “This is the purpose of godly conduct- to eliminate any reproach on scripture. For a person to be convinced that God can save from sin, one needs to see someone who lives a holy life. When Christians claim to believe God’s word but do not obey it, the word is dishonored. Many have mocked God and His truth because of the sinful behavior of those who claim to be Christians.” </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #3d4f51; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #3d4f51; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I was struck by the fact that not obeying God’s instruction in these verses on how we are to conduct ourselves would actually malign or blaspheme God. We think that we can without consequence choose for ourselves what commands from scripture suit our fancy and fit into our modern day lifestyles. No! We cannot! Obedience glorifies God, however disobedience drags His name through the mud. I’m not talking here about legalism and abiding by a strict set of rules. I’m talking about loving your Heavenly Father so much that you are happily obedient because you’d never want your actions to malign His Holy Name. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #3d4f51; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I encourage those of you who have daughters to read </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #3d4f51; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So Much More</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #3d4f51; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Examine it for yourselves, search the scriptures regarding the principals contained in the book. Pray and ask God for wisdom on how He would have you apply it in your family. We are still in that process of thinking it through and praying about it for ourselves. I will tell you this though, I want So Much More than what the world has to offer for my daughters. I want His best for them. I want them to choose obedience to Him, and if that choice means that they will be ridiculed and treated badly for being different then I will do my best to help them learn to endure it with grace knowing that God’s ways are BEST. </span></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2