I Don't Get It!l

.... the Miller minivan that is.

I have seen them before but never really noticed. Beer companies with their logo splayed across the sides, front, and/ or hood of a mini van.

Honesty! Other than rubbing alcohol, alcohol has no place in our lives, but it seems to me one would drink to FORGET they drive a mini van, not see one with a booze logo and think, "Cool van! I want to drink their beer!!"

They Amaze Me!

There have been quite a few times over the past couple of weeks I've had to just sit back and watch my kids.

To some extent it's kinda sad how quickly they grow up, but on the other hand, How amazing God's design!!

And to think He planned them for us! Miniature us'. They reflect so many "inherited" characteristics.... Good and bad.

There really isn't a baby left in the bunch, but there is still so much nurturing to do. So many unknown and sometimes scary changes they are going thru.

Thank you Father for these blessings!

15 Hours Full Tilt

....that is what it takes to keep things done around here.

That was my day yesterday. It was exhilarating to actually FEEL like getting things done, and also to see things done.

But seriously, 15 hours to do it all. Walk, Devos, meals, laundry, cleaning, picking up, reading to the kids, blogging (and even then I didn't get caught up on everyone), pay bills, locate paperwork, make needed calls, and help Don.

I have learned a few things about myself in the process. I am motivated by people coming over. (I really don't care to flaunt what a slob I can be) Also, I am much more inspired when things are busy. I watched a couple of extra kids yesterday and having the house humming all day kept me sharp and on my toes.

We Get That A Lot

We have a problem. More aptly, our neighbors have a problem, and we are it!

Here in the past couple of weeks I have needed to order a few things and have them shipped to our house.

Problem #1:

We share a driveway. There are 2 houses on our "lane".

Problem #2:

For some odd reason our address sign, placed by the police department, sits to the east of our neighbors, but our house is West of them.

Problem #3:

Our place looks very much "under construction".

So, when an unsuspecting father comes to pick up his kiddo, to who's house does he go? Not ours, our neighbor's. When UPS and FedEx have a package to deliver they don't even stop to consider the house with the scaffolding set up for installing soffit, they keep on trucking up to our neighbors. Can't they see my cute rug on the porch?!!!! It doesn't help that I usually don't hear if anyone is knocking on the front door.

Even the delivery guys for our new bed called to see if I was home.....from up at our neighbors.

Thankfully, by the end of next week our house will look much more like a home from the outside. I can't wait!!

In relation to the lost dad, my neighbor said tonight, "He said it didn't look like anyone lived there. We get that a lot."

P.S. Thankfully our neighbors are super. I can't wait until we aren't constanly working on our place and can hang out with them!>

My Touchy Nose...and Skin

My facial skin has been a MESS for the past 5 years. Granted things have been rather stressful/ unsettled most of that time as well, but that is really no comfort.

I used to sell MK. I liked it until tax time, too much paperwork. And I discontinued using it after they reformulated the Timewise. It didn't seem to do well with my face.

Since that time I've tried 2 different strains of Arbonne, (I am not entirely sure I spelt that correctly) Clinique, and now the new cure all... Proactive.

I've heard good things about Proactive from various friends, and of course the adds and fliers are everywhere. So far so good, BUT.... that stuff stinks!!!!!!! I am hyper sensitive to smells, thanks Dad. I used to be able to tell what store an item was purchased from just by sniffing it. My friends thought that was highly amusing.

I am still sensitive to smells. Any lingering smoke smell gives me a headache, pronto. I love candles, but they too can turn against me.

The funny thing is, I REALLY like the smell of men's cologne, who cares about the headache! Sadly my hubs is with me on the sensitive nose thing, and pretty much just smells like Dial. Oh, well, my boys like to "stink it up" with the cologne.

This face wash better work wonders though or it's gone!!!! I use it 2x a day and all three steps smell like some ages old, fermented Avon perfume you'd find in an estate sale. I think the stinky part is what makes it work, but seriously I may rather just pay out the nose (no pun intended, but I did catch it) for something that doesn't work, but smells nice.

Comfort Sounds

I used to be a big fan of the sound of rain. It soothed me and brought thoughts of a cozy day curled up with a book or movie.

Since our building project began, the sound of rain is more of a stress than a comfort. Now I associate it with mud, mud and more mud, not getting things done and leaking where we don't want water. It was really hard last summer with all the storms. We lived 8 miles from our building site and we would lay in bed listening to the rain and wind and just wonder what kind of mess awaited us, knowing there was really nothing we could do.

Don and I now have a new comfort sound.... trains. There are tracks a little over a mile from our house. Far enough away to make them more of a background noise. Most nights we hear them as we are settling in for bed. Last night at church, 3 blocks from the tracks, we heard them. The sound made we just want to curl up into Don and fall asleep. It was soothing but we were both enjoying a delicious meal from God's word, so napping had to wait.

Is it weird to think of church as delicious? I do....

And our new pleasure in the sound of trains lies in stark contrast to another night spent 100 ft from tracks.

We spent the night with family, a few years back, who seriously live almost on top of train tracks. They also have a stop right out side their house, in town, so not only do the trains have to blast their whistles in advance, on the way thru , and well past the house, but they also sometimes stop and that is a ruckus in itself.

Add together 3 toddlers, 4+ trains per hour until at least 2AM, and a 9 month pregnant momma..... not a great combo. I was dragging at the zoo the next day. Did I mention the kids SCREAMED at the first rumbling of the trains miles away and continued screaming/ crying until the last rumble giving them just enough time to settle down and start falling asleep, but not quite, before the next train.

I know our extended family is used to the noise and they don't hear the trains any more, but I am sure they heard the kids:-)

Praise the LORD it was nice last week during spring break!!

Morning Mercies

Great is Your faithfulness!

• Lunch at a friends house. Kids played, I was weepy, but she was okay with that.
• I didn't have to cook or clean up, Yea!!
• Watermelon
• Muck outside drying up.
• Swimming with the kids. ( a form of exercise I rarely get, and my body is reminding me of that fact!)
• Riding right next to Don in his pickup.
• Cruising at 45mph because we are both so tired/ relaxed.
• Pancake supper at my parents.
• Uninterrupted conversations and sleep with my best friend, Don.
• Peace that is not dependent on my circumstances
• Kids who finally mellow out and aren't constantly bickering.
• Notes of encouragement.
• Quiet

Under The Piles... Again

I really hate Murphy's law!!!! Things have been so chaotic and constant here for the past, oh year and a half. We get to where we can (kinda) keep up, and then another thing gets added.

Like say our former landlord calls and we have until next weekend to move our stuff in storage out of his 2 buildings. (We were supposed to have until this fall)

And say it's too muddy here to really haul anything back to the pole barn. Not that the pole barn really has any space in it right now because we tore down a deck to use the lumber on our deck, but it's not on yet.

And say your kids are gone for the weekend, thanks to grandma, and you had REALLY high hopes of getting the soffit and facia finished and starting on the siding... on the house.

But now we will be working on the pole barn, and storage stuff for a week, and the odds and ends Don needs to square away before the drywallers can finish upstairs will not get done.

Moving upstairs is so close I can taste it, and I'm working on picking out paint. The delay is hard to swallow.

I'm sad, really sad.

Heavy Stuff

What an understatement! The "Living Beyond Yourself" study with DVD messages from God via Beth Moore has been a blessing/ challenge. Also an understatement.

God's timing is so preciously tailored for each of us. Parts of me wish I'd been deep into this study MONTHS ago, yet I realize, I may not have "gotten it" back then.

Now, it blesses, encourages, grips, chastens, comforts, disturbs me EVERY TIME! It's a great thing! Really!!! It just has me so raw emotionally.

I'd love to recap each week so far and the priceless treasures God has opened to me so far, but for now I'll have to stick to last night: Peace

We went first to Isaiah 9:6-7 Which demonstrated that "The increase of peace accompanies the increase of Christ's government.

Also noted: Colossians 3:15:
"Let the peace of Christ RULE in your hearts."

The point? Peace is not about peaceful circumstances. Peace IS about the applied authority of Jesus Christ

Wow!! Bear with me as I type out the chicken scratching that FILLED my workbook page.

• If I am going to have peace I must bow my knee to the personal rule of Christ
• "The government shall be upon His shoulders" (plural) He doesn't come to take sides, He comes to TAKE OVER!
• Peace is always associated with authority
• I am not at peace in areas I am not under authority
• The sinful nature resists peace. (Galatians 5:19-22) No peace, poorly handled conflict, discord, we are explosive when we are full of ourselves
• Peace makers (to make, do, complete or continued action)and Peace keepers (attempt to keep peace at all costs. False peace) are not the same... at all (Matthew 5:9)
• Shalom means HEALTH
• Unhealthy peace keeping is an oxymoron
• Lover of Contention, opposite peacemaker
• BOTH peacekeeping and contention making are opponents of peacemaking.
• One motivated by fear and distrust. The other by misery, desire for power, and lack of discipline (Hebrews 12:11 "No discipline seems pleasant, but painful. Afterward it yields a harvest of peace for those who are exercised by it.
• The drive we have to effect our environment is of God, but when I am filled with myself I am causing harm. When I am filled with the Spirit I am helping.
• Discord is the seed of Satan for full blown dissention in order to "fell the house"
• I must bow low in submission in order to allow peace full course in my life

I have been encouraged lately to realize many yearnings and desires I have are of God. So often we equate desire with sin and discontent. These same desires, of God, can easily become sinful when I am not submitted to the authority of His Spirit.

It is also so powerful when God uses "real time" situations to drive home the message personally. (sorry a little latent 24 there)

We are currently in the midst of some less than peaceful circumstances, but I have been amazed at how much peace in the midst of the turmoil I have been blessed with. I now know the key to be the fact that I made it a point to submit to Don's leadership in said circumstance, no matter how entirely opposite it may be from my own inclinations.

Also, an area I lack peace in I now realize is due to the fact that I am not submitted to Don...

HMMMMMMM.

Authority has always been an issue for me... I hear my parent's AMEN from 2o miles away :-)

I find it particularly hard to submit when I get hung up on the "short comings" of any authority.

I've been prompted by this idea before, again last night, and now I share it with you to "put it in your pipe and smoke" for awhile:

I may not trust the person, but I CAN trust God!

I seriously wish I had the $ to purchase the DVD set of messages that go with this study! But I will submit and not buy them :-) I am praying I can get the messages on CD for a decent price. My perspective needs adjusting CONSTANTLY!

I highly recommend getting into this study, with the accompanying messages, in a group!!

Thank you dear Father for you gentle pruning.

Note To Self

Um, shopping on Saturday, REALLY!!!! Don't ever do it!!! It entails overflowing stores, multiple "helpers" along b/c they don't have school, and also being separated from hubby on his day off!

P.S. $1.oo kites seem like such a deal, but may be more trouble than they are worth.

It's All About Product

I have learned that the key to many things in life, especially on the cosmetic front, is PRODUCT. I used to hate my curls and thick hair!!! I couldn't do a thing with it!!!

But, all that changed when I was introduced to a stylist who knew hair.

I am always 50% excited and 50% terrified when my stylist uses a new product on me. (something most stylist try to do every time they see you!)

50% excited because I may learn a new thing I can do with my hair.

50% terrified, or maybe just nervous, because I might like it, and thus would desire to buy it to add to my collection.

Here lately I have been doing quite well at using up product I have thus resulting in my current conundrum ..... I am needing to restock on pretty much all my facial and hair products.....

Cha ching$$$$ Cha ching$$$$ Cha ching$$$$$

Because They Were Bored

One day in heaven God noticed some rather restless looking guarding angels. Upon further investigation He learned they were bored and needed a challenge.

In order to keep them sharp and ready, God chose to bless the McCallum family with a new little boy who was named Jesse.

And since that time God has not never again encountered a bored angel in Heaven.

Okay, I know my theology is WAY skewed!!

But, consider this, yesterday when I went to get said child's shower started I found him with my hair dryer, dripping wet, PLUGGED IN!!!

Praise the LORD the dryer and the child are okay!

Full Weekend

Yesterday we spent almost 6 hours at the church where my dad is now pastor. They had an installation service after the morning service and carry in dinner.

It was a super nice time! One of my cousins, whom I have not seen for 4 years, drove out with a friend. I hate not having every one close by!

Saturday was my sister Bethany's birthday. We celebrated with a special lunch at Red Lobster today. It was fun to gather with my mom, grandma, 2 sisters, 2 sisters in law, 1 niece, 1 nephew, and Bethany's best friend!

Have I mentioned how much I LOVE having everyone with in a 45 mile radius?!!!!

As we lay in bed last night Don and I both noted how thankful we are to be able to visit so regularly with my siblings and their families.

Jesse and I had brunch with Stephen, Ellen, Samuel and Benjamin last Thursday. This was followed by a trip to WalMart for the 3 boys and me while Stephen and Ellen got their work out in at a nearby gym.

Samuel used to be quite tentative around us, but now he knows who we are and lights up and names everyone. Benjamin is so cute I can forgive him for dashing my hopes of another niece :-)
Kaylee sat by me today at lunch. She is quite the talker and dancer! So precious!!

Warm fuzzies for sure!!!

What ARE These?!!!

This glorious sight greeted me upon my arrival home from Bible study last night! I has already made navigating around here much easier! Don did an awesome job getting them all cut and installed evenly!

Officially NOT COOL!!

My oldest is officially to old for PDA. You should have seen his face and evasive maneuvers when I went to kiss him after dropping him off at school!!! One of his friends was coming down the sidewalk toward us on his bike.

Kinda sad, Kinda funny!