Update

• It's been 10 days since I've blogged
• I am 500 miles from home
• We will cover probably another 1000 miles before we arrive home late Sunday night
• We now travel to MI for the family reunion during the summer rather than braving the roads and leaving our wood heated house in December.
• I was able to go to the Cascades with Don, his mom and the kids last night. I have been wanting to do this for about 8 years. The cascades is a a series of waterfalls with various colored lights that change, and music.
• I had the bestest birthday EVER this past week. It covered 3 days and involved no kids, time alone with Don, lunch with a friend I rarely get to catch up with, and a sweet dinner provided by my dear grandmother, at my mom's house, (mom also made my favorite, ice cream cake) with the majority of my family. It was soooo nice!
• Don spoke at our church last Sunday. He brought the message he did before about caring for the orphans and widows. That message is one that is being fleshed out in our lives currently.
• Facing the daunting task of possibly caring for a special needs child. Not sure if it will be for a time or forever.
• Headed into a week of lots of people to see, so little time to do it!
• Heard a train last night and it made both Don and I homesick. Missing our bed!!! and the trains we hear each evening
• Our last of our main floor drywall should be hung and mudded/ sanded by the time we get home!!!! Yeah!!! Flooring is next!!!
• Hopefully the road construction will be done too!!
• God keeps dropping obvious reminders of the fruit of the spirit and my need to depend on His spirit

Take A Deep Breath....

• VBS all week. 80 minutes of signing every night for me. ( 4 age groups, 20 minutes each) I don't have a strong voice to begin with and it is wearing out quickly. Thankfully tonight we only have 10 minutes of signing to do for the program.
• Don's party went well. Over 100 people there. I'll post pictures in 20 years when I get a break!
• Today is the last day of 3 extra boys. Tuesday, my birthday, would have been my last day, but a friend volunteered to watch them because in her words,"You shouldn't have to baby sit on your birthday." I hope everyone has such a rockn' friend!!!
• Swimming lessons are DONE!!! I did like the format of not having all the classes at one time as far as the instruction the kids got went, BUT as far as driving back and forth and being at the pool 3 hours a day...... that STUNK!!
• God leading in a situation I am helping with. I can't expound now, but it takes LOADS of time, energy and emotion.
• To top it all off there seems to be a wave of attack spiritually, emotionally and mentally. Praise the LORD for godly counsel thru His word and His people. Below you will find some of the said encouragement.

2 Corninthians 4

1-2 Since God has so generously let us in on what he is doing,

we’re not about to throw up our hands and walk off the job just because we run into occasional hard times.

We refuse to wear masks and play games. We don’t maneuver and manipulate behind the scenes. And we don’t twist God’s Word to suit ourselves. Rather, we keep everything we do and say out in the open, the whole truth on display, so that those who want to can see and judge for themselves in the presence of God.
3–4 If our Message is obscure to anyone, it’s not because we’re holding back in any way. No, it’s because these other people are looking or going the wrong way and refuse to give it serious attention. All they have eyes for is the fashionable god of darkness. They think he can give them what they want, and that they won’t have to bother believing a Truth they can’t see. They’re stone-blind to the dayspring brightness of the Message that shines with Christ, who gives us the best picture of God we’ll ever get.
5–6 Remember, our Message is not about ourselves; we’re proclaiming Jesus Christ, the Master. All we are is messengers, errand runners from Jesus for you. It started when God said, “Light up the darkness!” and our lives filled up with light as we saw and understood God in the face of Christ, all bright and beautiful.
7–12 If you only look at us, you might well miss the brightness. We carry this precious Message around in the unadorned clay pots of our ordinary lives. That’s to prevent anyone from confusing God’s incomparable power with us. As it is, there’s not much chance of that. You know for yourselves that we’re not much to look at. We’ve been surrounded and battered by troubles, but we’re not demoralized; we’re not sure what to do, but we know that God knows what to do; we’ve been spiritually terrorized, but God hasn’t left our side; we’ve been thrown down, but we haven’t broken. What they did to Jesus, they do to us—trial and torture, mockery and murder; what Jesus did among them, he does in us—he lives! Our lives are at constant risk for Jesus’ sake, which makes Jesus’ life all the more evident in us. While we’re going through the worst, you’re getting in on the best!
13–15 We’re not keeping this quiet, not on your life. Just like the psalmist who wrote, “I believed it, so I said it,” we say what we believe. And what we believe is that the One who raised up the Master Jesus will just as certainly raise us up with you, alive. Every detail works to your advantage and to God’s glory: more and more grace, more and more people, more and more praise!
16–18 So we’re not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There’s far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can’t see now will last forever.
]Peterson, E. H. (2002). The Message : The Bible in contemporary language (2 Co 4:1-18). Colorado Springs, Colo.: NavPress.

PSALM 27

A Psalm of David.
1 The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

2 When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.

3 Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.

4 One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple. 5 For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.

6 And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD.
7 Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me.

8 When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek.

9 Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.

10 When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up.

11 Teach me thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies.

12 Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty.

13 I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. 14 Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.

Okay, so Jimmy Eat World isn't exactly what you would normally label as God's comfort, the basic premise of "the fear of man" was went deep with me.

The Middle

By Jimmy Eat World

Hey, don't write yourself off yet

It's only in your head you feel left out or looked down on.

Just try your best,

try everything you can.

And don't you worry what

they tell themselves when you're away.

It just takes some time, little girl

you're in the middle of the ride.

Everything (everything) will be just fine,

everything (everything) will be alright (alright).

Hey, you know they're all the same.

You know you're doing better on your own,

so don't buy in.

Live right now.

Yeah, just be yourself.

It doesn't matter if it's good enough for someone else.

It just takes some time, little girl

you're in the middle of the ride.

Everything (everything) will be just fine,

everything (everything) will be alright (alright).

Hey, don't write yourself off yet.

It's only in your head you feel left out or looked down on.

Just do your best,

do everything you can.

And don't you worry what the bitter hearts are gonna say.

This Crazy Life In Living Color (I like color)

I have needed a clock for the dining room/ kitchen, but I had yet to find the PERFECT clock to compliment my Fiesta ware. I present, the PERFECT clock I stumbled upon quite by accident.

I am not sure if I mentioned I lost my glasses, but after I bought my black pair I said my next pair would be red. TA DA!! I love them!!
Happy 40th birthday to my Sunshine!

The fire extinguisher was HIS doing, not mine. I am really celebrating his 40th birthday, but I am not putting emphasis on the whole "over the hill" thing. There are plenty others to do that for me, right Sarah? :-)

It needs another coat to even out the color, but I LOVE my red office. One more color choice I don't have to get panicky over. I am now losing sleep over the dark blue I picked for our room.

This room became our guest suit. We got it wrapped up enough for Don's folks to use while they are here.

Don and I slept in it Monday night. It is the first time since we moved in that I have slept in a real room, with a door! (at least in our house)

Added bonus: the fan was super easy to put up. Yeah for not making hubby grouchy! Go Hunter brand fans!!

Our "chocolate" bathroom all gussied up

That's all folks!

I have to get ready for 50-200 people for Don's party tomorrow.

I'm loven' it!

My Friends, It's Bullet Points Or Nothing

Happy Birthday to You!!

(Jon 8 years old today)

Happy Belated Birthday to You!!

(right: Marlene 9 years old last Tuesday)

And A Happy Birthday to You!!

(left: Alex 9 today)

First Ever Baptism at our Church

Delphia was one of the 6 kiddos to be baptized.

We are so thankful for Pastor Ben and his prayers of dedication for each child.

In other news:

• The cleaning fairy DOES exist!!! Her name is LouAnn. All my dishes get miraculously done, as well as the laundry. She also does runs to drop kids at ball games!! She also watches the kids so I can resurface on blogger.
• Speaking of ball.... Homer's team came in 3rd in tournaments. (this means they are done!!)
• Jon, Delphia and Jesse finished up their soft toss and tee ball as of last Monday. (also a big yeah!!!)
• Marlene has game 2 of the championship tonight. If we win we will have more games, if we lose......(am I horrible for wanting to just be done with ball?)
• I have been busy paining our upstairs bathroom. It is a wonderful shade of brown that looks like melted chocolate chips. I am going to have to stay out of there! It makes me hungry. One more paint decision stressed over and now I know I like it! It could have so easily been a bit off and looked like poop! So not the look I was going for!!
• CRAZY SLAMMED BUSY WEEK!!!
• Gearing up for promoting the Weekend to Remember
• Office/ guest bedroom wasn't ready for LouAnn, but should be ready for Don's folks next week.
• There is a pinata ready for the kids to beat on and I am the only thing holding up the party, so I am going to scoot!
• Oh, The cleaning fairy also visits with you while you paint, shops with you, buys you treats, plays games with your kids so they will not have to watch a movie to keep from choking each other, AND kicks you out of the house for a date with your hubby!!! Sigh......I'm trying to figure out how to trap her in a bottle!
• YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW!!! ~that is for Rebecca
• And then I found 20 bucks!!! ~that's for Kaya
• I miss you both TONS!!!
• Also of note: My parents stopped in Monday and covered the last practice for Jon, Delphia and Jesse. Before they left my mom "kidnappped" my overflowing sock basket and returned it to me last night with all the socks mated. If I've died and gone to heaven, please don't bring me back!!