When You're Up, You're Up...

and the rest of that song goes: "And when you're down, you're down." That seems to describe me pretty well. I am usually such an "up" person, but recently I have been a little more "down" than usual. I'm pretty sure it is due to the long hours of training at my new job. My training is over now so I think I will notice a difference. I really don't know how Mom's function working a full time job AND maintaining a home. Well I know now, more than ever, something has to give. I'm SO thankful for this opportunity to help pay off our house as quick as we can and am even MORE thankful that it is part-time and feel blessed by how willing they are to work with me. I am finding out the answer to a question I always had in the back of my mind, "What DID I do this morning!?" Well, now that I'm not here, I come home and realize all that I DID do and now have to be even more organized to get things done the way we want them to be around here. That is an area that has always been a little challenging to me (ask my Mother *grin*) -- organization! So I feel this is a really good thing for me. It is stretching me and helping me get my priorities where they need to be. I want my life to be one of balance, one that helps my wonderful husband as best as I possibly can, one that loves my children as much as is humanly possible, and most importantly one that brings the most glory and praise to my Savior Jesus Christ. My life means nothing without the grace He has poured out on me, and for that I am eternally grateful!



Silas after a great Spring Band Concert


Prae and Savannah after Prae's Spring Choir Concert


Prae's original "U.S.A. Pizza"! So fun to make and even yummy to eat, if you can believe it...

A New Friend

Thanks to my new job I have had the opportunity to meet a new, wonderful friend. We started the same week and it was quickly apparent we had a lot in common. The funny thing is, if you only knew a little bit about each one of us, you would think we are worlds apart. And the fact is she grew up on the other side of the globe in a communist country. As a child I remember running for cover when a plane flew over low to the ground because I thought her country was bombing us. Who would have ever guessed 25 years later we would be sitting in the same office chattering up a storm like we have been friends forever. The nice part about our job is that it really doesn't take a whole lot of thinking power, so we are able to chit chat while we work. I think the other secretaries are a bit jealous because we have such a wonderful time every morning. A few have even said they were going to move to our little corner because it sounds like we are having too much fun :-). I am amazed by her childhood stories. They tell of a time when life was very hard for many people. She said she didn't know any better and has very fond memories of her childhood despite the hardships that went with it. They had very little but loved life in a way that isn't seen very often in America. She said those times taught her to work hard and to be thankful. Her husband is also a police officer and so we laugh about the similarities our husbands share. One of us is always bringing in a recipe to share with the other or passing on tips that we know of about parenting, food, decorating, or life in general. She is a person driven to make her life better in every way and I love that about her. I praise God for this new friend and hope the friendship will only get stronger.

Sunday Reflections

God of Grace and God of Glory
text: Harry Emerson Fosdick
music: John Hughes

God of grace and God of glory, On Thy people pour Thy power;
Crown Thine ancient Church's story, Bring her bud to glorious flower.
Grant us wisdom, Grant us courage
For the facing of this hour, For the facing of this hour.

Lo! The hosts of evil round us, Scorn Thy Christ, assail His ways!
From the fears that long have bound us, Free our hearts to faith and praise.
Grant us wisdom, Grant us courage,
For the living of these days, For the living of these days.

Cure Thy children's warring madness; Bend our pride to Thy control;
Shame our wanton, selfish gladness, Rich in things and poor in soul.
Grant us wisdom, Grant us courage,
Lest we miss Thy kingdom's goal, Lest we miss Thy kindom's goal.

Set our feet on lofty places, Gird our lives that they may be;
Armored with all Christ-like graces, In the fight to set men free.
Grant us wisdom, Grant us courage,
That we fail not man nor Thee, That we fail not man nor Thee. Amen.

Wednesday Potpourri

I'm taking a break for my story for a few random things I've been wanting to post about.

First: Silas got glasses!!



Second: Prae grew the most awesome amaryllis. She had fun measuring it every few days and watching how fast it grew.



Third: We have been having fun with art at our house. We are trying our hand at sunsets and will soon cut out silhouettes from black paper to finish our projects. Then, I'm going to hang all three in our bathroom. Tonight our bible study is on "Art: Is beauty really in the eye of the beholder?" Can't wait...









Fourth: Prae is entering her Science project in the fair at the School of Mines. She did an experiment with M & M's and tested to see if people's favorite colors had anything to do with their choice of M & M's. She will get to spend the whole day there on Friday. They even get to go have lunch and shop at the Mall! :-) Not sure what that has to do with a science fair, but I think it is to give the judges time to do their judging - ha!




Fifth: I am enjoying my new job at the Police Department. I am working in Records and really like it so far. My hours are great and they are willing to work with my schedule, which is wonderful too!

And Last but not Least: We are having our families favorite meal tonight: Rice & Beans. I'm really not exaggerating!!! I will make homemade flour tortillas to go with it and it is really one of our favorite meals. Can't wait to pay off that house, and we're having so much fun coming up with good ways to do that. And really -- Rice and Beans are wonderful!!

The Battle Pt. 3

The sun warmed our faces as we all headed down the dirt path. The kids raced on ahead squealing and chasing each other, enjoying the chance to stretch their legs. Aticus and I walked behind them smiling at their youthful energy and playful bantering. We hadn't gone far when Titus ran back to us and started walking beside me.

"Could we get some candy today, Mom?" he pleaded with those dark brown eyes. "We haven't had some in awhile and your friend Lydia usually has some for sale."

"We'll see, Ti." His shoulders drooped just slightly.

The girls didn't want to miss out on the conversation so they stopped and waited until we caught up with them.

"Whatcha talkin' about?" Sadie wondered in her normal inquisitive manner.

"We were just discussing what we would be needing in town," I answered.

"Oh! I sure hope we can get something pretty for my hair. It is finally getting long like Prisca's and I need something to keep it out of my eyes. Something with feathers would be SO wonderful."

"Sadie, you should know better! Father and Mother have many more important things they need to buy today; namely, food." Priscilla said. "Mom, did you see how low our flour is getting? I couldn't even make pancakes this morning for fear we would run out. I was wondering, though, if we could check around town to see if there were any new books available."

Aticus chuckled and opened his mouth to answer but stopped when his eyes noticed movement far down the road. The rest of us looked to see what he was staring at and soon saw the figure too.

"Now who could that be?" wondered Priscilla.

"Whoever it is sure walks funny," added Sadie.

"Sadie, that's not polite," I scolded. "When we reach whomever it is I want all of you children to be on your best behavior!"

"Yes Mom," rang three voiced in unison.

It didn't take long and we could see the form was a man walking very slowly and he had a terrible limp. The man looked familiar to me, but I couldn't quite place him.

"Demas!" Aticus exclaimed as soon as he reached the man's side.

"Hello Aticus, Hanna, children." Demas replied in a rather weak voice.

"What happened, Dear Brother?" Aticus asked as the rest of us stood there gawking, not knowing what to say.

The last time we had all seen Demas he had brought us news from the King. He was one of the King's most trusted couriers. He was responsible for carrying the Word of the Master to many different districts in our land. To see him in this manner was definitely a shock to us all.

With misty eyes Demas shared his story with us. He told us that on his many travels from town to town he started hearing stories about a certain road. He knew exactly which road they were referring to and in fact, had passed it many times. He had never been tempted to go down it until he heard them talking. He found himself dwelling on that road more and more and would find excuses to pass by it more often than necessary. One day he made up his mind.

"Aticus, I made the turn and headed down the road. I loved this present world and all of the fleshly things it had to offer. I knew my breastplate would not be welcomed where I was going, so I took it off. I can't lie - I felt free and so much lighter skipping down that path. I was looking forward to giving in to my lusts and passions. But the enemy was watching my every move. Without my armor on I was an easy target. One of his arrows hit me in the chest, the other in the leg. I found myself crying out to the King, knowing He would be the only One who could save me from such injuries. He tended to my wounds and brought me back onto the narrow road. But because I chose the path of unrighteousness, I will never be the same." Demas paused to wipe a tear from his eye. "I can no longer carry His messages as I once did. I still share it, but not with the same vigor and effect. I thank the Lord for His forgiveness, and look forward to the day when the battle is done."

Aticus threw his arms around Demas and they clung to each other for awhile.

"Thank you for sharing with us, Demas. An important lesson for us all," he said, looking at each of the children. "We need to put our armor on daily, submit to the King, and resist the enemy. We are all susceptible and it is only by the King's grace that we are even in this army. Let us never think we are better than another Brother and yet always try to warn one another of dangers that we see."

I went over and wrapped my own arms around Demas and told him we would come visit him very soon.

We continued down our little narrow path and I heard Demas yell to us: "Stand firm, Dear Friends" as we started to turn the corner.

The Battle Pt. 2

"Daddy!" Sadie squealed as she ran over to Aticus and threw her little arms around his legs. "Can we go now, Daddy? Please, please? We've been waiting for you, and all of our chores are done, and Ema and Mary and Lydia will all be waiting for me, and maybe we could even visit Grandpa and Grandma, and-"

"Whoa, Little Girl. I know you are excited and yes, we are going to town, but give me a few minutes before we do."

The look he shot me across the room told me it had already been a tough day even though the sun hadn't been up for very long.

"Look, Dad," Titus said as he came over holding out his hands. "I've been working on these all morning and I think they are turning out pretty well. Do you like them?"

Aticus gently took the small arrowheads from Titus' hands and inspected each one.

"Good work, Son. You are getting a very good eye for detail. These will be ready for me to help you mount soon."

"Have you had a hard day today, Father?" Priscilla asked.

"Prisca, Prisca -- you don't miss a thing, do you? Yes, I have seen some of the battle already this morning, but don't worry your pretty little head. I'm here now and soon we will all go for a nice stroll. But for now, will you please take your brother and sister outside so your Mom and I can talk a few things over?"

"Yes, Dad."

I could tell by the look on her face that she was not thrilled with the fact of being left out of the adult conversation, but she obediently took her sister's hand and led them all outside.
I went right over and wrapped my arms around Aticus and rested my head on his broad chest. I could feel the metal of his breast plate through his shirt. It's shape conformed to his chest so perfectly it had almost become a part of him. He ran his fingers through my hair and let out a soft sigh. He slumped onto a chair and patted the seat next to him.

"Oh, Hanna. The battle is fierce. Sometimes I wonder if I can go on. It seems as though we have fewer and fewer standing with us to fight. And what is worse is seeing those who say they have been called by the King stand by and do nothing. They don't even put their armor on, Hanna!" As he spoke, I could see the vein in his temple pulse as the blood rushed through his troubled body. He went on. "Content to spend their days doing what they please, they don't engage in the fight for truth. They don't care about the King's orders and have such a small understanding of what He asks of us. And it's not because there is nothing for them to do - so many are boldly attacking. It is a time for us to stand firm!"

I swallowed slowly and quickly searched my mind for the right words. Oh Lord, help me say the right things. Help me fill him with Your hope but to also let him know that I understand what he's so upset about.

"I know what you're saying, Aticus. I see it too. It is getting harder and harder to tell people the truth. But we can't give up! We cannot forget that our King is victorious. He is the One who opens their eyes to the truth. Our job is to speak it, He will cause them to hear it. Remember David's words, 'Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; Lovingkindness and truth go before You. For Your lovingkindness is great above the heavens,And Your truth reaches to the skies.' We must keep our eyes on HIM, not the battle."

"Thank you, Hanna. You are right. Let's talk more about this later. I'm sure there are three very anxious children outside ready to get to town. We should get going."

To be continued...

"The Battle"

"I'm scared, Momma," Sadie whined as I leaned down to straighten and tie her little belt.

"Why do we even need to wear these things? Hardly anyone else does anymore and mine gets so heavy," complained Titus as he fidgeted with the leather belt around his waist.

"You know it's because we have been called by the King. He's given us our gear and we need to get it on so we can go!" Priscilla quickly explained in her common matter-of-fact tone. I glanced over at her and was again reminded of how much she had grown recently. Not only in height, but her mind was sharp and she was so anxious to get out in that battle. My heart quickened and I could feel a fear for her creep into my neck, but I forced my mind back to the TRUTH.

I paused and breathed a quick prayer for the right words.

"Children, we must hurry. Your father will be here soon to walk with us to town. Priscilla is exactly right. Our Almighty King has called us into this battle and we are fighting for the TRUTH. Many have come before us and have stood firm and fought well. Recently, though, it seems there are fewer and fewer soldiers."

Again I could feel that rush in my neck, but tried to keep my mind on my explanation.

"But we don't need to be afraid, Sadie. Our King has given us all that we need to be prepared. Look at your belt, for instance. Our Master knew we would need something to keep us all together, to keep our clothes close to our body and out of the way. Something to hang our weapons on and to show we are ready to face the enemy. When you put this on, my Dear Children, you are showing the world that you are committed to TRUTH."

"But Mom, Giles says that no one really knows the TRUTH anymore. He said that it's old fashioned to stand for something let alone to fight for it. I try to be strong, Mom, but I see the look in his eyes and most of the time I get scared and just start talking about something else. How do we know there is a right and wrong?"

"Titus, that is a very good question. To help you understand I'm going to have you three children do something for me. All of you close your eyes. No peeking. Now I want you to point to the North. No peeking, Sadie Girl."

Priscilla shot her arm out in her usual confident manner while the other two took longer to decide.

"Okay, open your eyes."

Little Sadie quickly glanced at her sister and swung her arm in the same direction to match Priscillla's.

"Those are all great guesses, but you are all wrong. North is straight that way," I said gently, pointing toward the tall oak in the distance.

"Priscilla, you seemed very sure of yourself when you were pointing. You thought you were dead on, didn't you?"

As she nodded I went on,

"Life is like that too. Many people think they are right, but haven't checked out their "facts" with the TRUTH. The King has given us His Word and all that He says is TRUTH. There is only one right way, Dear Children, and we must continue to stand for the TRUTH that we have been in trusted with. Come now, I hear your father coming. Let's not keep him waiting."

To be continued...

B-I-N-G-O

We had "President's Day Bingo Night" at the kids' elementary school last night. It was the first time I "co-chaired" something at school. It was a ton of work, but a huge success. I am generally more comforable being a "worker" than a planner, but thankfully the gal I was working with is great at it :-). We organized helpers, called around getting prizes donated by local businesses (they were SO generous!), and then set it all up and cleaned up afterwards. We had cute patriotic decorations and then came up with the great idea to have 44 prizes to go with each president. I found cool presidental cards that had a picture of the Pres. and info about each one that we then taped to each prize. So the winner would come up and draw a president's name to find out what their prize would be. We also made it more fun by having rounds and each round was a different kind of bingo: postage stamp, X, Ring around the Rosie, Black out, etc. The weather was cold and snowy so the numbers were down, but all 200 bingo cards got sold out :-). We even made sure we had little prizes for the end (tatoos and candy) so that every child got a prize. I wish you could have seen Savannah come running up to the front yelling "BINGO!". Little did she know that by that time almost every kid had a bingo too. But she was so proud and thankful for her little tattoo and mint. The hardest part for me was knowing if I was calling the numbers too fast, but Eli said I went at a good pace. :-) So, it was a great family night full of fun memories. Now off to register Prae for High School -- can that really be right!? I'll save that experience for another blog...

Snow Day!

Today we called off church because of the winter storm warning. We have been having a wonderful day and Si and Savannah even enjoyed some time out in the snow. Some things accomplished today:
1.) Two loaves of whole wheat bread
2.) Chicken noodle soup with homemade noodles
3.) Reorganizing scrapbook supplies
4.) Moving some of Savannah's things upstairs - almost ready for that room to be her "very own".
5.) Shoveled 5-6 inches of snow off driveway and sidewalks -- one of the best ab workouts I know :-)
6.) Going to go take an hour long bubble bath now that my work is all done *grin*.

Old Family Video

Here is an old family video that we did Summer 08. We recently "found" it again and thought I'd put it on here for those of you how haven't seen it :-). We plan to do another one this year...

My Thoughts on Valentine's Day

Yesterday was Valentine's Day. I know I still need to write about my 2011 resolutions -- I've just been so busy trying to get them all accomplished - ha! I will get to them, but had to jot some thoughts down about love first.

I was contemplating the whole idea of Valentine's Day and I was struck with how it really seems to make more people sad than happy. Maybe it is just where I am in my life right now, but I couldn't help but think of all the people that might be sad because of the day: widows missing their husbands, wives with husbands away to war, single adults who don't have a "Valentine", husbands that are wondering "Did I do enough?", wives who are wondering "Did he do this because he HAS to or because he means it?", and those whose marriage has been torn by divorce who can't help but think about their past "Valentine".

Now don't get me wrong -- I'm sure it is a happy day for many, I just couldn't help but think of the others. I then turned my focus to the One who loves me more than any other. The love God has for me and every other sinner is what I want to celebrate! I thought of how many times I am unloving to Eli because of what he did or didn't do. That is so wrong! God is not like that. I marvel at the thought of God, in all of His holiness, loving me, before I ever loved Him. Looking on me in my sin and disobedience and loving me so much that He sent Jesus to earth to take my punishment. I praise God for a love so unconditional that even as I continue to sin, He promises to forgive me.

So, that's what I celebrated on Valentine's Day. Am I in love with my earthly Valentine - you bet!! Do I love the flowers he gave me -- So MUCH!! But God has used the love we have for each other to show me a little picture of God's love for me -- and that is a love anyone can have whether they have a Valentine, or not!!

Coming Soon: My 2011 Resolutions

With five people in this family it is hard to find time when the computer is not being used :-). I have been thinking about my next blog and have decided to write about my New Year's Resolutions. I heard a great little clip by Dave Ramsey on this area and plan to write about it and how I plan to follow through with it. But, alas, the night is late, I'm tired, and so it must wait one more day...