Wow! I can't believe today is the last day of the year. We spent the first half of the day in MP and the second part of our day at The Grove. It was great!!! We rode the trolley and then found a great spot at the fountain and watched the water shoot up and do all kinds of cool things! It was really relaxing and so fun for Michael!!! He loves fountains and we seldom have the luxury to just sit by one and watch it. I was glad we did :o)
My last meal in 2011 was a delicious Philly Cheese Steak n Mushroom (sans the bread) shared with Michael. It was yummy!!! Earlier, we had ice cream (hey, life is short, so dessert first!!!) and met this lonely little lady who sat by us. My heart went out to her and we got to chat a little bit. She was a little under the weather and wanted to step out and splurge a little. I wish we could have spent more time together but the short time we had was lovely.
My last book of the year I'll be reading downstairs is Summer of Promise by Amanda Cabot. I was hoping to finish it by 2012, but since I'm blogging and not reading, I think the plan will fail. Upstairs, I just started Brandilyn Collins' Over the Edge. Oh, I wish I had the opportunity to stay up all night reading... But falling asleep in church tomorrow would so not be a good thing...!!!
Although we started 2011 with Michael's febrile seizure scare and ended the year with Jacob getting laid off, life is great!!! Krista started high school in September and is doing incredibly well. We're so proud of her as we watch her grow in her faith and as a young woman navigating the teen years with such grace and poise. If only my teen years were as easy as hers!!!
Jacob has a year left to his PharmD and he still continues to search for the right job. I am loving my role as a chat group leader at MOMSnext this year! I have a table of wonderful moms and I really enjoy getting to connect with them every week. My prayer is that God will use me to make a difference to those around because His light and love are shining through my life!!!
I haven't always succeeded in that area, but with God's strength and mercy (thankfully, they're new every morning!), I will keep trying to go M.A.D. (Make A Difference)! Philippians 3:13-14 (NLT) says it best...
"No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us."
God is faithful and I can't wait to see what adventures we'll have in 2012!!! Happy New Year!!!
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Thursday, December 29, 2011
"I Object!" and "Will You Pray For Me About My Fears?" Funny & Sweet Things a 5-Year-Old Says!
It would be really nice to sit through a meal without having to coax Michael to eat more than two bites! As soon as we're finished praying over the meal, this is what I can expect...
Michael: Do I have to eat the whole thing? Can I eat this half of my bowl (of course he has divided up the food into two unequal proportions!)?
Me: Do you want to eat the bigger half or just the chicken and vegetables?
Michael: All the chickens and vegetables? I don't like those green things. Can I just eat the carrots?
Me: Okay, you can eat everything or just the chicken and vegetables. Your choice.
Michael: [Sigh.] I'll eat the chicken and the vegetables. But why not just five bites since I'm 5 years old now?
Ironically, we never seem to have any portion issues when it comes to snacks, desserts and fun foods!
Michael has been going around saying "I object!" whenever he hears something from Krista he doesn't like such as...
Michael: Krista, the iPad is at 0%. Can I play with your iTouch?
Krista: No, you can't play with my iTouch.
Michael: I object!
It did get out of hand when he tried to use that on Jacob and me, but we nipped it in the bud. "No" is not something you ever say to your parents in this household!
Tonight Michael was worried that he couldn't sleep because he was thinking of a Magic School Bus TV episode on bats and this scary castle with Miss Frizzle. We talked about God being bigger than all his fears and later he asked me if I would pray for him about his fears. I loved that! I had him pray first and then I prayed over him. When I left, I told him to think about the manger scene and about all the shepherds and their little sheep. I wanted him to learn to replace his scary thoughts with good thoughts when going to bed.
Before I left his room, I encouraged him to count shepherd's sheep --- yes, all 100 of them and see how far he could get by counting like this: 1 little sheepy. 2 little sheepy. 3 little sheepy... you get the idea! He's going to give me a report tomorrow morning and tell me how many sheep he counted up to!:o)
I'm so happy that Michael is learning to go to God with his fears at 5 years old! Someday, I will teach him Isaiah 41:10. I like how The Amplified Bible puts it....
"Fear not [there is nothing to fear], for I am with you; do not look around you in terror and be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen and harden you to difficulties, yes, I will help you; yes, I will hold you up and retain you with My [victorious] right hand of rightness and justice."
So, what's keeping you up at night? Try journaling a prayer to God and give Him your fears, your worries and concerns. He's always listening :o)
Michael: Do I have to eat the whole thing? Can I eat this half of my bowl (of course he has divided up the food into two unequal proportions!)?
Me: Do you want to eat the bigger half or just the chicken and vegetables?
Michael: All the chickens and vegetables? I don't like those green things. Can I just eat the carrots?
Me: Okay, you can eat everything or just the chicken and vegetables. Your choice.
Michael: [Sigh.] I'll eat the chicken and the vegetables. But why not just five bites since I'm 5 years old now?
Ironically, we never seem to have any portion issues when it comes to snacks, desserts and fun foods!
Michael has been going around saying "I object!" whenever he hears something from Krista he doesn't like such as...
Michael: Krista, the iPad is at 0%. Can I play with your iTouch?
Krista: No, you can't play with my iTouch.
Michael: I object!
It did get out of hand when he tried to use that on Jacob and me, but we nipped it in the bud. "No" is not something you ever say to your parents in this household!
Tonight Michael was worried that he couldn't sleep because he was thinking of a Magic School Bus TV episode on bats and this scary castle with Miss Frizzle. We talked about God being bigger than all his fears and later he asked me if I would pray for him about his fears. I loved that! I had him pray first and then I prayed over him. When I left, I told him to think about the manger scene and about all the shepherds and their little sheep. I wanted him to learn to replace his scary thoughts with good thoughts when going to bed.
Before I left his room, I encouraged him to count shepherd's sheep --- yes, all 100 of them and see how far he could get by counting like this: 1 little sheepy. 2 little sheepy. 3 little sheepy... you get the idea! He's going to give me a report tomorrow morning and tell me how many sheep he counted up to!:o)
I'm so happy that Michael is learning to go to God with his fears at 5 years old! Someday, I will teach him Isaiah 41:10. I like how The Amplified Bible puts it....
"Fear not [there is nothing to fear], for I am with you; do not look around you in terror and be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen and harden you to difficulties, yes, I will help you; yes, I will hold you up and retain you with My [victorious] right hand of rightness and justice."
So, what's keeping you up at night? Try journaling a prayer to God and give Him your fears, your worries and concerns. He's always listening :o)
Sunday, December 25, 2011
December 25th, 2011
Isaiah 9:6 (The Amplified Bible)
"For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given; and the government
shall be upon His shoulder, and His name shall be called Wonderful
Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father [of Eternity], Prince of
Peace."
Merry Christmas From Our Hearts to Yours :o)
Blessings & Hugs from soCal!!!
Susan, Jacob, Krista (14) and Michael (5)
Jer 29:11
Friday, December 23, 2011
Five Years of Wonderful!!! :o)
Michael is five years old today!!! It's hard to believe that this little boy today is the same tiny baby in Krista's arms. When Michael first came home, Krista would only hold him when she was sitting on the couch with her arms straight out in front of her. Eventually, she grew more comfortable and was able to pick him up and hold him regularly!
 | |
| Michael's first day at home on Christmas Day :o) |
My favorite five things about Michael are...
1. His heart for God
 | ||
| Michael praying :o) |
2. His sweet nature and joyous personality
 |
| You never know what you're going to get from him! |
3. His affectionate nature
 | |
| Michael loves Kitty |
4. His calm and low-keyed personality
 |
| Michael sucks his thumb when he's ready to go down for a nap or for the night |
5. His silly-ness and his endearing smiles :o)
 |
| Michael! |
In James 1:17 (NLT), the verse goes, "Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow."
Thank you, God, for the blessing of shepherding Michael's heart :o) All honor and glory goes to you. Amen!
Monday, December 19, 2011
"I'm So Thirsty I Could Drink A Sea!," "Krista! You Sound...Jewish!"and Other Funny Things a "4-Days-Away-From-Turning-5" Year-Old Says!
Since Krista's winter break started, I've been indulging in reading again. And it's been wonderful!!! In the past three days, I've read The
Captive Heart by
Dale Cramer, The Maid of Fairbourne Hall by Julie
Klassen and The
Rose of Winslow Street by Elizabeth Camden. Upstairs, I'm reading Kiss of Night by Debbie Viguie and downstairs, I'm reading Don Reid's The Mulligans of Mt. Jefferson. I'll have all these reviews posted in my newsletter, Five Star Books & More by The Reading Mom, in January :o)
The kids and I were sitting in the overflow room during the 8am service. There isn't any reason for us to be in there since there are plenty of seats available in the Celebration Center at that service, but it's extremely cozy and intimate since it's usually just the three of us in there. Naturally, when I bring water for Michael, he's never thirsty. During Pastor Doug's sermon, Michael whispered, "I'm so thirsty I could drink a sea!" Naturally, the water bottle was in the car.
Krista was speaking to Michael in a English accent and it was cracking Michael up! That's when he said to her, "Krista! You sound...Jewish!" Of course, he meant "English" but it must have been something he heard in the sermon! Entertaining comments like these (made in the overflow room) give me plenty of material to blog about! ;o)
Tonight, Jacob did the funniest thing and Michael fell for it hook, line and sinker! After dinner, Jacob was peeling Clementines. He separated the oranges by fourths but held them together so it looked like a whole Clementine. Then he set it in front of Michael and when Michael said, "Now!" Jacob would remove his hands and the Clementine "magically" fell in separated pieces! Michael was amazed! Jacob repeated the trick and each time, Michael called out, "Now!" the same thing happened. We knew things were getting out of hand when Jacob handed Krista a whole Clementine and Michael yelled across the table, "NOW!" over and over (and louder and louder!) expecting the Clementine to fall to pieces! So Jacob handed Michael another Clementine so he would be able to have the desired effect once he said, "Now!" As the Clementine fell into pieces, Michael turned to Jacob and said, "I call that Man Power!" Okay, we were practically rolling out of our seats from laughing so hard!!!
I wanted to capture his expression when he called out, "Now!" so I asked Krista to take a few pics...
 |
| As soon as Michael sees Krista with the camera, he ducks under the table! His little hand spreads out like that when he calls out, "NOW!" |
 |
| After being threatened, Michael returns from below the table and tries to put the Clementine back together! |
 |
| Michael is "reenacting" his hand motions when he calls out his "NOW!" |
 | ||
| Krista caught a pic of Michael under the table --- uncooperative as usual when we want to take pictures! Did I mention he can be a Director's nightmare?!? |
When Krista was around the same age, my Uncle Allen would pretend to "pull" lollipops and coins from her ears. Sometimes, we would pretend we lost something and then found it "magically" hidden in her ears! It backfired on us.
When we were looking for something like an important document, keys or something like that, Krista would be insistent that we check her ears first because she was sure it would be found in them!!!
Children are so trusting. Ask any child to jump off the top of the table into your arms and they will do it in a heartbeat because they believe in you. They don't question if you're going to drop them or miss them when they jump. They just do it! They're quick to forgive when you ask them for it. And they love unabashedly. If you're a parent, then you know exactly what I'm talking about, right?!?
I think that's why Jesus used children as an example for us to follow. Take a look at how the Amplified Bible puts Matthew 18:2-4...
"And He called a little child to Himself and put him in the midst of them,
3And
said, Truly I say to you, unless you repent (change, turn about) and
become like little children [trusting, lowly, loving, forgiving], you
can never enter the kingdom of heaven [at all].
4Whoever
will humble himself therefore and become like this little child
[trusting, lowly, loving, forgiving] is greatest in the kingdom of
heaven."
No wonder Jesus loves the children of the world!
Saturday, December 17, 2011
My Favorite Christmas Cookie :o)
A few years ago, I took a friend's Crispy and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe and tweaked it a bit to make my very own Chocolate Chip and Peppermint Cookies. This is the cookie that's going to make everyone your best friend, so I'm going to share my special recipe with you :o)
Bon Appétit
Susan’s Chocolate
Chip
and
Peppermint Cookies
1. Preheat
oven to 350˚ and line your cookie sheets with Parchment Paper.
2. Beat
1 MELTED STICK OF BUTTER and 1 EGG.
3. Add *1/2 CUP of SUGAR & 3/4 CUP of BROWN SUGAR and mix well.
NOTE: *I always
cut the amount of sugar in every cookie & cake recipe so my desserts aren’t
overly sweet
4. Stir
in 2 *TSPN VANILLA, ½ TSPN PEPPERMINT EXTRACT, ½ TSPN BAKING SODA, and ½ TSPN SALT.
NOTE: *TSPN means Teaspoon
5. Mix
with 1 ½ CUP of FLOUR, 7 CRUSHED CANDY CANES and a 6 oz. bag SEMI-SWEET CHOCO. CHIPS.
6. Place
1" balls of dough at least 2" apart on greased cookies sheets.
7. Bake
12-14 min (depending on your oven)
8. Cool
cookies completely before storing them.
NOTE: I usually quadruple this recipe to share :o)
Friday, December 16, 2011
Silent Night. Holy Night. All Is Calm...
For the first time in a long time, I'm sitting in silence with just the Christmas tree lights on and some soft Christmas music in the background. In years past, I've sent out over 120 Christmas cards, but this year, I'm cutting back because I've been so busy with other things. And, I ran out of pictures so I had to order some more and I don't think they're arriving until the middle of next week! This is the result of poor planning...or should I say "non existent planning" instead?!?
The good thing is that I am completely free to read (I just finished reading Dale Cramer's The Captive Heart) and blog. Besides classical music, I love Christmas music. Thank you for Pandora Radio!!!
Our MOMSnext Christmas brunch and boutique were a success!!! Jana M. shared a moving testimony about God's restoration and forgiveness in her life and I know many hearts were touched. Beverley Staunton (Dancing with the Stars lead vocalist) was incredible! I love her voice!!! It was such a fun day and I can't believe it's all over now. My only regret is that I wasn't able to be at my tables full time. I was going between the boutique and the brunch program so I missed out on some valuable socialization time with my moms and their visitors!!! But it's all good :o) Jenn G. and I had a great time hanging out at the boutique even when it was crazy with the kids! Mercy!
Well, it's only a few days away from Christmas when we'll celebrate the birth of Jesus, sent from Heaven, down to earth to be our Savior. Isn't it easy to get caught up in the frantic pace of life during this time of the year? I find it ironic that we sing about peace during this season and our lives are reflecting anything but peace! I know I have to be intentional about not overbooking our schedule. I encourage you to take time to breath (ahhhhh.... now doesn't that feel better already?!?) and forget trying to make everything perfect. It's not worth the break down you're about to have!!!
In the NASB (New American Standard Bible), Psalm 46:10 says it best: "Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
Let go and remember the reason why we celebrate this Christmas season. This baby we are celebrating changed our world and we'll never be the same again. Ever. Praise God!
The good thing is that I am completely free to read (I just finished reading Dale Cramer's The Captive Heart) and blog. Besides classical music, I love Christmas music. Thank you for Pandora Radio!!!
Our MOMSnext Christmas brunch and boutique were a success!!! Jana M. shared a moving testimony about God's restoration and forgiveness in her life and I know many hearts were touched. Beverley Staunton (Dancing with the Stars lead vocalist) was incredible! I love her voice!!! It was such a fun day and I can't believe it's all over now. My only regret is that I wasn't able to be at my tables full time. I was going between the boutique and the brunch program so I missed out on some valuable socialization time with my moms and their visitors!!! But it's all good :o) Jenn G. and I had a great time hanging out at the boutique even when it was crazy with the kids! Mercy!
Well, it's only a few days away from Christmas when we'll celebrate the birth of Jesus, sent from Heaven, down to earth to be our Savior. Isn't it easy to get caught up in the frantic pace of life during this time of the year? I find it ironic that we sing about peace during this season and our lives are reflecting anything but peace! I know I have to be intentional about not overbooking our schedule. I encourage you to take time to breath (ahhhhh.... now doesn't that feel better already?!?) and forget trying to make everything perfect. It's not worth the break down you're about to have!!!
In the NASB (New American Standard Bible), Psalm 46:10 says it best: "Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
Let go and remember the reason why we celebrate this Christmas season. This baby we are celebrating changed our world and we'll never be the same again. Ever. Praise God!
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
"Mommy, I'm Still Full Of Joy!"
I was Super Mom today... and then I woke up. Seriously, today was so productive I nearly shocked myself. I finally got around to cleaning the house (guests coming over the next couple of days is a great motivational factor for me!), going through my emails, organizing all my things for the boutique this Thursday and baking over 200 cookies to give away. Thankfully, I have wheat issues so those cookies are safe from me! The laundry is nearly finished (whew!) and I'm slowly getting the table cleared from all my projects.
I still have place cards to write out before our MOMSnext Christmas brunch along with Christmas cards and thank you cards to write and then I think I'll be able to sit and read. Oh Bliss! I'm also fantasizing about sleeping in til 11am...
This past weekend was Krista's choir production and all three shows were fantastic! What made it extra special for Krista was having a bunch of her LOMSAA friends come on Friday night. Then, on Saturday, Coral was able to come down from UCLA and join us to watch the afternoon show. Michael had a blast collecting all the candy canes that were thrown out during the show! I wish I had thought to bring the camcorder because he would sing the songs and dance along with the choir after having been at so many rehearsals last week!
This afternoon, Miss Gaylene F. from the front office shared a cookie with Michael. He loves sugar cookies and he was in cookie heaven! When we were back in the car, he said, "Mommy, I'm still full of joy!" He then sang part of the "Celebrate the Season" song and proceeded to mimic part of the dialogue from the choir production (I was amazed by his ability to mimic the accent to a "T"), "Juh-oy? You want juh-oy?!? Then give me some money mister!" What a hoot!!! Who needs Fios TV entertainment when you've got a 4 3/4 year old, right?!?
Ahhhhhhh, joy. It's a word we associate with Christmas but it's so much more! Joy is not dependent on the "perfect" circumstance or financial status, the "perfect" health or the "perfect vocation." It's not a feeling. It's not about the acquisition of material things or titles and it's certainly not about the ME factor. In my experience, joy is most achieved when we are motivated to do things for others because of the love of Jesus Christ dwelling in us and working through us.
I'll end this blog with my prayer for you from Romans 15:13 (NLT)..."I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit."
Got Joy?!?
I still have place cards to write out before our MOMSnext Christmas brunch along with Christmas cards and thank you cards to write and then I think I'll be able to sit and read. Oh Bliss! I'm also fantasizing about sleeping in til 11am...
This past weekend was Krista's choir production and all three shows were fantastic! What made it extra special for Krista was having a bunch of her LOMSAA friends come on Friday night. Then, on Saturday, Coral was able to come down from UCLA and join us to watch the afternoon show. Michael had a blast collecting all the candy canes that were thrown out during the show! I wish I had thought to bring the camcorder because he would sing the songs and dance along with the choir after having been at so many rehearsals last week!
This afternoon, Miss Gaylene F. from the front office shared a cookie with Michael. He loves sugar cookies and he was in cookie heaven! When we were back in the car, he said, "Mommy, I'm still full of joy!" He then sang part of the "Celebrate the Season" song and proceeded to mimic part of the dialogue from the choir production (I was amazed by his ability to mimic the accent to a "T"), "Juh-oy? You want juh-oy?!? Then give me some money mister!" What a hoot!!! Who needs Fios TV entertainment when you've got a 4 3/4 year old, right?!?
Ahhhhhhh, joy. It's a word we associate with Christmas but it's so much more! Joy is not dependent on the "perfect" circumstance or financial status, the "perfect" health or the "perfect vocation." It's not a feeling. It's not about the acquisition of material things or titles and it's certainly not about the ME factor. In my experience, joy is most achieved when we are motivated to do things for others because of the love of Jesus Christ dwelling in us and working through us.
I'll end this blog with my prayer for you from Romans 15:13 (NLT)..."I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit."
Got Joy?!?
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Angels in Disguise
This whole week has been C-R-A-Z-Y. It's production week at Grace and Krista had rehearsals nearly every day after school until 7pm. Consequently, Michael and I are practically living in our car! We leave the house early in the morning and don't return home until late in the evening. Michael has missed every nap and we're both exhausted by the end of the day! The good thing is that we've been watching the rehearsals and are blown away by what we see!!! The choir under the direction of Sandie H Brooks is AMAZING!!! This production is more like a Broadway show!!!
Yesterday, while I was meeting with the super cool moms in my chat group, my friend Beth Sharma helped me take Krista to her G Block class off campus. She graciously gave me her time in the midst of packing up her house for her upcoming move!!! She's an angel!!!
Tonight, the rehearsal will end at 9pm. I would probably be there waiting for Krista but my other angel friend's, Michael & Betty Sullivan graciously offered to pick Krista up from rehearsal tonight. I just found out that they were at a conference yesterday in San Francisco and returned this morning to find Betty's purse stolen!!! And, they still offered to go out of their way to bring Krista home. They're angels... disguised as real people!!!
I'm grateful and blessed as I think of the wonderful people God has brought into our lives. It's another visible reminder that the body of Christ is alive and well!!!
In 1 John 4:7, it says this: "Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God."
Thank you!!! Thank you!!! Thank you!!!
P.S. My December newsletter has finally been posted here :o) Happy reading!!!
Yesterday, while I was meeting with the super cool moms in my chat group, my friend Beth Sharma helped me take Krista to her G Block class off campus. She graciously gave me her time in the midst of packing up her house for her upcoming move!!! She's an angel!!!
Tonight, the rehearsal will end at 9pm. I would probably be there waiting for Krista but my other angel friend's, Michael & Betty Sullivan graciously offered to pick Krista up from rehearsal tonight. I just found out that they were at a conference yesterday in San Francisco and returned this morning to find Betty's purse stolen!!! And, they still offered to go out of their way to bring Krista home. They're angels... disguised as real people!!!
I'm grateful and blessed as I think of the wonderful people God has brought into our lives. It's another visible reminder that the body of Christ is alive and well!!!
In 1 John 4:7, it says this: "Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God."
Thank you!!! Thank you!!! Thank you!!!
P.S. My December newsletter has finally been posted here :o) Happy reading!!!
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Confessions From A Four And Three-Quarter Year Old That Will Get Me In BIG Trouble With My Mom!!!
Jacob's miniature math protégé has been doing math pages so he can earn 1 hour of iPad time. I'm amazed by his enthusiasm as he goes through the problems... so unlike Krista at that age!!!
But this morning, Michael figured out how to do the math pages twice as fast. I saw him doing two math sheets at the same time and was so impressed that I went over to check on his work. Unfortunately, one page was the answer sheet (that he found on the table) and Michael was blissfully trying to copy the answers instead of figuring out the problems himself!!! CHEATER ALERT!!! We had a brief talk about what he was doing but then he lost interest in working towards his iPad time. Ironically, the first three answers he had copied were problems with the answer "0"!
Michael has been asking for dessert after every meal. We still have left over pumpkin pie and apple pie and he loves both!!! In fact, he's been declaring (to my chagrin) quite frequently, "I love sugar! Sugar is my best friend!!!" EEKS! If my mother hears that, she will have a cow and I will get another lecture from her about the evils of sugar particularly of the white variety!!!
On Sunday, we started on our Christmas decorations! Michael was over the moon about helping with the ornaments! He even put the entire Fisher-Price Little People Nativity Set all around the base of the tree skirt and added a few animals from his Noah's Ark set like the elephant!
In the evenings, I like turning off all the house lights and just keeping the lights on from the tree and from the lit up greenery on the fireplace mantel. It's so peaceful and the image of the twinkling lights fill me with hope because I'm reminded again that Jesus is the light of the world.
I love how John 8:12 (NLT) puts it, "Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”
I'm thankful we can walk in the light with Jesus and when those dark days come, we can cling on to His hope that "He will never fail us or abandon us" (Heb. 13:5). Amen!!!
 |
| Michael's very first math page |
 |
| Michael "graduated" to the computer generated math sheets Jacob made up for Krista years ago. |
Michael has been asking for dessert after every meal. We still have left over pumpkin pie and apple pie and he loves both!!! In fact, he's been declaring (to my chagrin) quite frequently, "I love sugar! Sugar is my best friend!!!" EEKS! If my mother hears that, she will have a cow and I will get another lecture from her about the evils of sugar particularly of the white variety!!!
On Sunday, we started on our Christmas decorations! Michael was over the moon about helping with the ornaments! He even put the entire Fisher-Price Little People Nativity Set all around the base of the tree skirt and added a few animals from his Noah's Ark set like the elephant!
In the evenings, I like turning off all the house lights and just keeping the lights on from the tree and from the lit up greenery on the fireplace mantel. It's so peaceful and the image of the twinkling lights fill me with hope because I'm reminded again that Jesus is the light of the world.
I love how John 8:12 (NLT) puts it, "Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”
I'm thankful we can walk in the light with Jesus and when those dark days come, we can cling on to His hope that "He will never fail us or abandon us" (Heb. 13:5). Amen!!!
Thursday, November 24, 2011
"What Am I Thankful For? Krista! Because She's So Cute...That's Why!" Michael, age 4 3/4
We really tried to invite friends over but it was nearly impossible to coordinate so we're staying in our PJ's all day and just hanging out. Krista and I are going to cook together. We're making stuffed chicken breast wrapped in bacon, cheese bread, mashed potatoes, roasted sweet potatoes, stir fry green beans and for Michael, petite peas and crumbled bacon. It's a combination of our favorite foods all in one day to be eaten throughout the day :o)
Last night, after our church's Thanksgiving Eve Praise service, we stayed up til midnight playing card games. Naturally, we put Michael down to bed first. We had purchased The Game of LIFE Adventures card game and were eager to try it out. Well, it was a dud. The directions were unclear and after a while, making our story "bigger" than our opponent was rather boring. We switched back to our old standby card game, Monopoly Deal and had a great time! It's addictive and so much fun!!! I can't wait until Michael is old enough to join us in the game, too!
Later this afternoon, we're going to play GIANT sized Dominoes---a game Michael will enjoy and understand easily. And Uno. You can't go wrong with Uno!!! Right now, Michael is trying to get Krista to tell him her password to her iTouch. Yeah. Right. I'm grateful that we enjoy each other's company!
As I reflect back on the year so far, I'm really grateful for our Christian family, the body of Christ. We received so much care, support and prayers when Michael had a febrile seizure. Jacob was amazed by all our praying friends when his mom had heart surgery earlier in the year. And now that Jacob lost his job, we're surrounded by loving friends who are praying us through this new season in our life.
Faith without being tested is not really faith. It's easy to say we trust in God and have faith in Him when everything is going well, isn't it?!? I see it as a daily choice --- believing and trusting God that He has a plan (Jer 29:11), believing in God that He will supply our needs (Phil. 4:18-20) and believing in God that all things work together for the good of those who love God...(Rom 8:28).
Personally, I feel that although Jacob lost his job, he's regained his life. For the first time ever, he's been more plugged in at church through various men's groups and serving in different ministries at church! One of the first decisions he made after losing his job was choosing to get baptized (finally!) and encouraging Krista to join him. Last Sunday, they were both baptized at the 8am service---a historic first for our church!
We're still trying to figure out the dynamics of family and how to be a family who serves together. We're trying to come up with a purpose --- something that defines our family's vision...which we're still working on. It requires re prioritizing our life and now we're contemplating a family missions trip serving in orphanages in Asia early in the new year. We're trying to intentionally have meals together again. We are still trying to figure out "us" and are slowly learning to communicate more effectively through discussions. It's a growing time in our lives and we're all being stretched instead of merely "existing" in one house.
And more than ever, we're reminded over and over again that life is not about acquiring things (things on this earth won't last anyway --- they'll get lost, broken or stolen), status (status is so temporary and dependent on our pride and what others think about us which can change as fast as the wind blows anyway) or money (having lots of it doesn't guarantee the important things in life like genuine relationships, joy, peace, gratitude, health, etc.). We want our lives to count for so much more. The only things we'll ever be able to bring to Heaven with us are people --- people who have been impacted by the gospel of Christ because of our investment in their lives.
So I leave you this verse from 2 Thessalonians 3:5 (NLT)..."May the Lord lead your hearts into a full understanding and expression of the love of God and the patient endurance that comes from Christ."
Happy Thanksgiving!!!
Last night, after our church's Thanksgiving Eve Praise service, we stayed up til midnight playing card games. Naturally, we put Michael down to bed first. We had purchased The Game of LIFE Adventures card game and were eager to try it out. Well, it was a dud. The directions were unclear and after a while, making our story "bigger" than our opponent was rather boring. We switched back to our old standby card game, Monopoly Deal and had a great time! It's addictive and so much fun!!! I can't wait until Michael is old enough to join us in the game, too!
Later this afternoon, we're going to play GIANT sized Dominoes---a game Michael will enjoy and understand easily. And Uno. You can't go wrong with Uno!!! Right now, Michael is trying to get Krista to tell him her password to her iTouch. Yeah. Right. I'm grateful that we enjoy each other's company!
As I reflect back on the year so far, I'm really grateful for our Christian family, the body of Christ. We received so much care, support and prayers when Michael had a febrile seizure. Jacob was amazed by all our praying friends when his mom had heart surgery earlier in the year. And now that Jacob lost his job, we're surrounded by loving friends who are praying us through this new season in our life.
Faith without being tested is not really faith. It's easy to say we trust in God and have faith in Him when everything is going well, isn't it?!? I see it as a daily choice --- believing and trusting God that He has a plan (Jer 29:11), believing in God that He will supply our needs (Phil. 4:18-20) and believing in God that all things work together for the good of those who love God...(Rom 8:28).
Personally, I feel that although Jacob lost his job, he's regained his life. For the first time ever, he's been more plugged in at church through various men's groups and serving in different ministries at church! One of the first decisions he made after losing his job was choosing to get baptized (finally!) and encouraging Krista to join him. Last Sunday, they were both baptized at the 8am service---a historic first for our church!
We're still trying to figure out the dynamics of family and how to be a family who serves together. We're trying to come up with a purpose --- something that defines our family's vision...which we're still working on. It requires re prioritizing our life and now we're contemplating a family missions trip serving in orphanages in Asia early in the new year. We're trying to intentionally have meals together again. We are still trying to figure out "us" and are slowly learning to communicate more effectively through discussions. It's a growing time in our lives and we're all being stretched instead of merely "existing" in one house.
And more than ever, we're reminded over and over again that life is not about acquiring things (things on this earth won't last anyway --- they'll get lost, broken or stolen), status (status is so temporary and dependent on our pride and what others think about us which can change as fast as the wind blows anyway) or money (having lots of it doesn't guarantee the important things in life like genuine relationships, joy, peace, gratitude, health, etc.). We want our lives to count for so much more. The only things we'll ever be able to bring to Heaven with us are people --- people who have been impacted by the gospel of Christ because of our investment in their lives.
So I leave you this verse from 2 Thessalonians 3:5 (NLT)..."May the Lord lead your hearts into a full understanding and expression of the love of God and the patient endurance that comes from Christ."
Happy Thanksgiving!!!
Friday, November 18, 2011
"Mommy, Since You Ran Out Of Grace, Can I Have Mercy?" And Other Funny Things a Four and Three-Quarter-Year-Old Says
My photographer Krista is helping me take pictures of the ornaments, book marker hooks and key rings. It's a tedious process, but here are a few...
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| Double Ring Cross ornament in red |
 | ||||
| Angelic ornament in aqua and cashmere |
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| Angelic ornament in lavender and white satin |
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| Angelic ornament in pink and cashmere |
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| Baby Bling "Cutie" key ring |
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| Baby Bling "Precious" key ring |
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| Double Ring "Mommy" key ring |
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| Charmed "Ice Cream Cone" book marker hook |
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| Charmed "Sundae" book marker hook |
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| Charmed "Pearly Purple" book marker hook |
She's done a great job so far, hasn't she?!? She may even have the time to finish taking the rest of the pics now that Thanksgiving break has started! WooHoo!!!
Michael loves ALL things related to electronics technology. Sigh. When Jacob was working, Michael was only allowed weekend privileges on the iPad. Now that Jacob is home, he's been allowed to play during the week. But when the first thing that comes out of his mouth in the morning is...
Michael: Where's the iPad? Is it done charging yet?
Me: Michael, don't you mean, "Good Morning, Mommy?!?"
Michael: Oh yeah. Good Morning, Mommy! May I play with the... you know...iPad???
Sigh. One day after dropping off Krista and the girls at school, I explained to Michael about reverting back to his original iPad playing schedule. This is how our conversation went...
Me: Michael, I'm concerned about your iPad playing addiction.
Michael: Mommy, what does addiction mean?
Me: It means that it's something that you want to do all the time and are thinking about all the time. It's the last thing you're thinking about when it's time to go night night and it's the first thing you're thinking about when you wake up.
Michael: Oh. Right.
Me: Now do you understand why I'm concerned?
Michael: Yes. I do.
Me: I think we need to take a break from playing the iPad and only play on weekends again.
Michael: Oh, but Mommy, can I have grace?
Me: Michael, grace doesn't mean you get to do what you want all the time. You've been given lots of grace but now you need to learn some self-control.
Michael: Well, Mommy, since you ran out of grace, can I have mercy??? gulp.
You gotta love how his little brain works!!! After a time of me laughing like a hyena, Michael remarked, "Mommy, you always laugh at me!" And I had to reply, "Michael, when grown-ups laugh at you, it's because you're funny and that's a compliment!"
It's easy to get addicted to things, isn't it? If what you're consumed with getting, having or doing gets in the way of your relationship with God, be aware that the farther you move away from God Word and His truth, the harder it is to hear His still small voice. It makes me think of the verse in Matthew 6:21 from the Amplified Bible, "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." Also, Prov. 4:23 is important to consider! The Amplified Bible puts it this way, "Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life."
Guard your heart! Nothing is worth getting in between God and your heart.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
"Daddy, That Was Mean Of You To Say That!"
It's a known fact. Children love to eavesdrop. Michael loves to add his two cents worth to our conversations or we'll hear it repeated later and wonder how he knew that or when he was listening to us! Krista did the same thing when she was younger, too. Though I think she still enjoys listening to adults conversing.
We were on our way to Valencia the other day. I think. Krista commented that her nose still hurt from her dodge ball encounter a month ago. Here's a sneak peak into the conversation...:
Jacob: You probably have a micro fracture or something.
Michael: Daddy, that was mean of you to say that!
Jacob: What?!? What did I say? Meanwhile, we are all trying to mentally go through the conversation to figure out what was said!
Me: Light bulb forming over head...OH! I think he heard you say "micro fracture" and it sounded like you said something Michael! Michael, daddy wasn't talking to you or about you. We're talking about Krista's nose! Who knows what else his brain is thinking...!
Michael: But it was still mean of daddy! Ummmm....okay now. I'm thinking he's got some unresolved anger issues...!
Jacob: Why do I always get blamed for things I didn't do by my children?!? Duh. You signed up for it when you became a parent!!! In the Parenting Handbook Section U R #1, it clearly states, "Parents, in particularly dads, will be blamed for any lost items, broken things or misplaced TV remotes with the sentence beginning with Daddy did it... whether they're in the vicinity or not!"
Your children are listening. That was not intended to be a threat but a gentle reminder instead! My very wise friend Nancy B. told me how she underlined and put a symbol by all the verses in Proverbs pertaining to our mouths/words/lips and also on verses on women. I loved the idea so much that I told Nancy she inspired me to do the same! I think I'm only on chapter 7 and I've been drawing little red lips by the verses about speaking, our lips, etc and I've been drawing the little scientific symbol for females on verses pertaining to women. Those colored pencils for my Hebrews Precepts Bible Study are such getting a lot of use! I'm blown away by how many verses I've been marking up so far!
Words are important! As parents, our words have the power to lift up our children or tear them down. Growing up, the words and phrases, "You're so stupid," "You can't find anything even though you have four eyes," "Mook tow (wooden head)," "choon dat (stupid one)," "choon jee (stupid pig)," "syl gwy tow (bad devil head)," etc. were used quite frequently in anger on a daily basis. The ramifications on hearing those insults all the time were devastating to my fragile self esteem---especially as I was going through my "ugly" and awkward years. Which I might add seemed to last forever!
I'm thankful I grew up in that environment now because I understand and appreciate how our words can affect and effect our children and those around. Those are definitely taboo words and phrases in our home and I pray that our children will grow up in an encouraging and insult-free environment!
In Proverbs 18:21, the NLT puts it this way, "The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences."
Use your words to bring life and healing from this day forward, okay?
We were on our way to Valencia the other day. I think. Krista commented that her nose still hurt from her dodge ball encounter a month ago. Here's a sneak peak into the conversation...:
Jacob: You probably have a micro fracture or something.
Michael: Daddy, that was mean of you to say that!
Jacob: What?!? What did I say? Meanwhile, we are all trying to mentally go through the conversation to figure out what was said!
Me: Light bulb forming over head...OH! I think he heard you say "micro fracture" and it sounded like you said something Michael! Michael, daddy wasn't talking to you or about you. We're talking about Krista's nose! Who knows what else his brain is thinking...!
Michael: But it was still mean of daddy! Ummmm....okay now. I'm thinking he's got some unresolved anger issues...!
Jacob: Why do I always get blamed for things I didn't do by my children?!? Duh. You signed up for it when you became a parent!!! In the Parenting Handbook Section U R #1, it clearly states, "Parents, in particularly dads, will be blamed for any lost items, broken things or misplaced TV remotes with the sentence beginning with Daddy did it... whether they're in the vicinity or not!"
Your children are listening. That was not intended to be a threat but a gentle reminder instead! My very wise friend Nancy B. told me how she underlined and put a symbol by all the verses in Proverbs pertaining to our mouths/words/lips and also on verses on women. I loved the idea so much that I told Nancy she inspired me to do the same! I think I'm only on chapter 7 and I've been drawing little red lips by the verses about speaking, our lips, etc and I've been drawing the little scientific symbol for females on verses pertaining to women. Those colored pencils for my Hebrews Precepts Bible Study are such getting a lot of use! I'm blown away by how many verses I've been marking up so far!
Words are important! As parents, our words have the power to lift up our children or tear them down. Growing up, the words and phrases, "You're so stupid," "You can't find anything even though you have four eyes," "Mook tow (wooden head)," "choon dat (stupid one)," "choon jee (stupid pig)," "syl gwy tow (bad devil head)," etc. were used quite frequently in anger on a daily basis. The ramifications on hearing those insults all the time were devastating to my fragile self esteem---especially as I was going through my "ugly" and awkward years. Which I might add seemed to last forever!
I'm thankful I grew up in that environment now because I understand and appreciate how our words can affect and effect our children and those around. Those are definitely taboo words and phrases in our home and I pray that our children will grow up in an encouraging and insult-free environment!
In Proverbs 18:21, the NLT puts it this way, "The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences."
Use your words to bring life and healing from this day forward, okay?
Monday, November 7, 2011
Five Star Books & More by The Reading Mom Newsletter
I just finished posting the November issue of my newsletter here! Click on the link that says "Five Star Books and More Newsletter" or just click here http://fivestarbooksandmore.blogspot.com/p/fiction.html
I made my Monday deadline... Whew! That was a close one!
I made my Monday deadline... Whew! That was a close one!
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
"Krista, I Change-ed My Mind!" * "I Can't Believe Michael Ate My Candy!!!": Sibling Issues
The weather has been flip-flopping a lot lately. One morning, I put Michael's towel and clothes in the dryer so they would be all warm and toasty for him when he got out of the bathtub. (It's a good motivating factor to get him out of the tub when I need him to hurry up and come out!) Then two days later, we were roasting at 91 degrees. Michael and I were waiting for Krista to get out of choreography rehearsal and staying in the car to wait was not an option!
The extreme changes in weather pattern have been playing havoc on both kids and their asthma issues. Michael is on breathing treatments every four hours and thankfully, he's really good about being cooperative. Last night, our dear friends hosted their annual Reformation Party (did you know that on Oct. 31, Martin Luther started the Reformation when heposted the Ninety-Five Theses on the door of Wittenburg?!?) and after historian Marshall Foster gave a brief talk on the Reformation and Revival (it was so inspiring and encouraging!) all the kids went out in the neighborhood to go trick or treating.
Of course, Michael wanted to go out with his little friend Eva, but knowing his breathing issues, I was pretty determined to keep him in. But, Jacob felt it would be okay for him to go to two houses. Famous last words. Thirty minutes or so later, Jacob came back with a very elated (and wheezing) little boy and his bag of candies and one SoyJoy (I mean, seriously?!? I don't know what SoyJoy is supposed to be but I do know that it's NOT candy and it definitely is not a dessert!!!). Thank you, God for Xopenex!!!
The other day, Michael and I were waiting for Krista to come out of class. I brought my laptop so Michael could watch his DVD while I tried to finish reading A Lancaster County Christmas by Suzanne Woods Fisher. Once Krista came out, we headed home and Michael finally finished the DVD and wanted me to shut down the laptop. Not a problem except I was driving! So I asked Krista to help him with it. As she turned around and starting taking the computer, Michael exclaimed indignantly...
Michael: "Krista! I'm not ready yet!"
Krista: "Well, Michael, you just asked mommy to take the computer so I'm trying to help you with it."
Michael: "Krista, I change-ed my mind now because I'm playing a game!" Yes, "changed" was a two syllable word!
This afternoon, Krista came home from school exhausted. She was laying on the couch when I went upstairs with Michael to nebulize him before his nap. We were in the rocker while he was getting his breathing treatment when the door burst open. It was Krista and she was no longer tired and definitely NOT a happy camper. Apparently, Michael was helping himself to her candy (both bags were green so he wasn't keeping track of things!) and had eaten her Nerds; however, he had eaten some of them and then told me he wanted to "share them with Krista" and put them in her room. Isn't that sweet? Except that technically, it's not really sharing when you've stolen your sister's box of Nerds to begin with even if you didn't know it was hers...! And I'm still not sure if he was being generous or feeling guilty...
Parenting is definitely rewarding but it comes with challenges! It's great being at MOMSnext (for MOPS graduates from MOPS International) because we get to listen to speakers talk about parenting and share our experiences with each other. My friend Dr. Mary Mantz Simon writes a blog that gives you the scoop on pop-culture parenting. I remember interviewing her when she wrote, The Year Round Parent (which had incredible ideas for parents for every day of the year!) and Trend-Savvy Parenting. She has a ton of other books on parenting and her children's books are some of my favorites!!! I love Mary! She's creative, extremely intelligent and probably one of the most credible parenting experts today. When she's not writing books or traveling on speaking engagements, she blogs. Her blogs are concise, relevant and very interesting to read! Her latest post, Stand Up, Not Stand By is all about the cyberbully issue.
Visit Mary's blog at http://marymanzsimon.wordpress.com/.
When Krista was in PreK, a new show on our PBS station caught her interest. It was called Cyberchase and she got all the kids in her class excited about watching it, too. As a parent, I liked it because the Cyber Squad (Digit, Matt, Jackie & Inez) were using math and problem-solving skills to combat the villain, Hacker and his two little helpers, Buzz and Delete. It was a great way to reinforce math concepts for Krista and the stories were pretty entertaining and educational, too. Recently, the Cyberchase website was upgraded (thank you, NSF!) with all-new features---videos, math games and hands-on activities in support of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) learning. Come check it out at http://pbskids.org/cyberchase/math-games/!
Since I last blogged, I finished GodQuest by Sean McDowell and Stan Jantz. It focuses on six sign posts that will help you understand God's truth and it is powerful! Basically, it was like a condensed version of my Systematic Theology Bible class that I took as a freshman at BJU! I also finished Christmas in Sugarcreek by Shelley Shephard Gray, Dan Walsh's Remembering Christmas, and The Christmas Shoppe by Melody Carlson. My downstairs book is Max Lucado's Christmas Stories and my upstairs reading book is Rite of Passage by Jim McBride.
Jacob and I have been humbled by the response and prayers for our friends as they find out about his recent job loss. Actually, he may have lost his job (good riddance!) but he gained his life back! We're been talking about how we can serve more and be a blessing to others in need and the idea that we're just jars of clay in God's hands is pretty incredible. Did you know that the Bible says, "we're like fragile clay jars?" I love how the NLT puts 2 Cor. 4:7...
The extreme changes in weather pattern have been playing havoc on both kids and their asthma issues. Michael is on breathing treatments every four hours and thankfully, he's really good about being cooperative. Last night, our dear friends hosted their annual Reformation Party (did you know that on Oct. 31, Martin Luther started the Reformation when heposted the Ninety-Five Theses on the door of Wittenburg?!?) and after historian Marshall Foster gave a brief talk on the Reformation and Revival (it was so inspiring and encouraging!) all the kids went out in the neighborhood to go trick or treating.
Of course, Michael wanted to go out with his little friend Eva, but knowing his breathing issues, I was pretty determined to keep him in. But, Jacob felt it would be okay for him to go to two houses. Famous last words. Thirty minutes or so later, Jacob came back with a very elated (and wheezing) little boy and his bag of candies and one SoyJoy (I mean, seriously?!? I don't know what SoyJoy is supposed to be but I do know that it's NOT candy and it definitely is not a dessert!!!). Thank you, God for Xopenex!!!
The other day, Michael and I were waiting for Krista to come out of class. I brought my laptop so Michael could watch his DVD while I tried to finish reading A Lancaster County Christmas by Suzanne Woods Fisher. Once Krista came out, we headed home and Michael finally finished the DVD and wanted me to shut down the laptop. Not a problem except I was driving! So I asked Krista to help him with it. As she turned around and starting taking the computer, Michael exclaimed indignantly...
Michael: "Krista! I'm not ready yet!"
Krista: "Well, Michael, you just asked mommy to take the computer so I'm trying to help you with it."
Michael: "Krista, I change-ed my mind now because I'm playing a game!" Yes, "changed" was a two syllable word!
This afternoon, Krista came home from school exhausted. She was laying on the couch when I went upstairs with Michael to nebulize him before his nap. We were in the rocker while he was getting his breathing treatment when the door burst open. It was Krista and she was no longer tired and definitely NOT a happy camper. Apparently, Michael was helping himself to her candy (both bags were green so he wasn't keeping track of things!) and had eaten her Nerds; however, he had eaten some of them and then told me he wanted to "share them with Krista" and put them in her room. Isn't that sweet? Except that technically, it's not really sharing when you've stolen your sister's box of Nerds to begin with even if you didn't know it was hers...! And I'm still not sure if he was being generous or feeling guilty...
Parenting is definitely rewarding but it comes with challenges! It's great being at MOMSnext (for MOPS graduates from MOPS International) because we get to listen to speakers talk about parenting and share our experiences with each other. My friend Dr. Mary Mantz Simon writes a blog that gives you the scoop on pop-culture parenting. I remember interviewing her when she wrote, The Year Round Parent (which had incredible ideas for parents for every day of the year!) and Trend-Savvy Parenting. She has a ton of other books on parenting and her children's books are some of my favorites!!! I love Mary! She's creative, extremely intelligent and probably one of the most credible parenting experts today. When she's not writing books or traveling on speaking engagements, she blogs. Her blogs are concise, relevant and very interesting to read! Her latest post, Stand Up, Not Stand By is all about the cyberbully issue.
Visit Mary's blog at http://marymanzsimon.wordpress.com/.
When Krista was in PreK, a new show on our PBS station caught her interest. It was called Cyberchase and she got all the kids in her class excited about watching it, too. As a parent, I liked it because the Cyber Squad (Digit, Matt, Jackie & Inez) were using math and problem-solving skills to combat the villain, Hacker and his two little helpers, Buzz and Delete. It was a great way to reinforce math concepts for Krista and the stories were pretty entertaining and educational, too. Recently, the Cyberchase website was upgraded (thank you, NSF!) with all-new features---videos, math games and hands-on activities in support of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) learning. Come check it out at http://pbskids.org/cyberchase/math-games/!
Since I last blogged, I finished GodQuest by Sean McDowell and Stan Jantz. It focuses on six sign posts that will help you understand God's truth and it is powerful! Basically, it was like a condensed version of my Systematic Theology Bible class that I took as a freshman at BJU! I also finished Christmas in Sugarcreek by Shelley Shephard Gray, Dan Walsh's Remembering Christmas, and The Christmas Shoppe by Melody Carlson. My downstairs book is Max Lucado's Christmas Stories and my upstairs reading book is Rite of Passage by Jim McBride.
Jacob and I have been humbled by the response and prayers for our friends as they find out about his recent job loss. Actually, he may have lost his job (good riddance!) but he gained his life back! We're been talking about how we can serve more and be a blessing to others in need and the idea that we're just jars of clay in God's hands is pretty incredible. Did you know that the Bible says, "we're like fragile clay jars?" I love how the NLT puts 2 Cor. 4:7...
 | ||||||
| "We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves." So, let your light shine!!! |
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
"Mommy, I Almost Get A Star!"
The house is quiet. Jacob is in the study with the doors closed doing school work. Krista is hacking away (that cough sounds awful. I sure hope the Mucinex kicks in soon) while doing her Bible homework and Michael is sitting beside me doing his math workbook. Every time he completes a page, he gets a star sticker. I love the DK (Dorling Kindersley) workbook series!
Yesterday, we were working on some pages and the instructions were to put a check mark on the object that has more beads, windows, etc. Michael put a check mark on the right objects and then proceeded to put an "x" on the objects that had less. Then it was time to practice drawing circles. I showed him how he needed to trace the circle and draw two circles by himself. I pointed out how the top of the circle had to touch the line on top and the bottom of the circle had to reach the line on the bottom. When I checked his work I saw that he decided to draw 4 circles (good for taking the initiative and drawing more but not good when it comes to following directions! I'm beginning to see a pattern here...!). His first circle was within the perimeters and then the other circles resembled wilted peas in size and look! After working on it together, he decided he was "too exhausted" and "needed a break!" Doing Kindergarten together once he turns 5 should be very interesting!
Yesterday, I finished Valley of Dreams and started reading The Healers's Apprentice by Melanie Dickerson (my upstairs book) and for my downstairs book, I started on Passion to Action: How God Uses Ordinary People in Extraordinary Ways an inspiring book written by Jay & Beth Loecken with Laura Morton (this book is something every family should get and read together!!!)! I finished reading both of these books now and will be posting my reviews soon! I'm glad October will be over soon (I'm so not a fan of Halloween) because that means Michael and I can go into a store without him getting scared of all the creepy Halloween decorations and disturbing images. This is the stuff nightmares are made of!
I am constantly amazed by God's faithfulness! We see it in our own lives and we see it in the lives of others. A blessing found in Jacob's unemployment season is the extra time he has now that his schedule isn't consumed by work. Jacob and I want to purposely set aside time (now that he has an abundance of it!) to minister to our friends who are in need, hurting, lonely or just in need of some encouragement. We want to make the most of our time investing in others so we can Make A Difference (Go M.A.D.!!!) for the Kingdom of God. We want to remind the people God has blessed in our life that they are not alone in their pain and in their need.
This morning, I was reminded to look up another favorite verse I used to read a lot on the air when I was doing afternoons at the radio station. I think the NLT's version of Isaiah 43:2 is extra meaningful...
"When you go through deep waters,
Yesterday, we were working on some pages and the instructions were to put a check mark on the object that has more beads, windows, etc. Michael put a check mark on the right objects and then proceeded to put an "x" on the objects that had less. Then it was time to practice drawing circles. I showed him how he needed to trace the circle and draw two circles by himself. I pointed out how the top of the circle had to touch the line on top and the bottom of the circle had to reach the line on the bottom. When I checked his work I saw that he decided to draw 4 circles (good for taking the initiative and drawing more but not good when it comes to following directions! I'm beginning to see a pattern here...!). His first circle was within the perimeters and then the other circles resembled wilted peas in size and look! After working on it together, he decided he was "too exhausted" and "needed a break!" Doing Kindergarten together once he turns 5 should be very interesting!
Yesterday, I finished Valley of Dreams and started reading The Healers's Apprentice by Melanie Dickerson (my upstairs book) and for my downstairs book, I started on Passion to Action: How God Uses Ordinary People in Extraordinary Ways an inspiring book written by Jay & Beth Loecken with Laura Morton (this book is something every family should get and read together!!!)! I finished reading both of these books now and will be posting my reviews soon! I'm glad October will be over soon (I'm so not a fan of Halloween) because that means Michael and I can go into a store without him getting scared of all the creepy Halloween decorations and disturbing images. This is the stuff nightmares are made of!
I am constantly amazed by God's faithfulness! We see it in our own lives and we see it in the lives of others. A blessing found in Jacob's unemployment season is the extra time he has now that his schedule isn't consumed by work. Jacob and I want to purposely set aside time (now that he has an abundance of it!) to minister to our friends who are in need, hurting, lonely or just in need of some encouragement. We want to make the most of our time investing in others so we can Make A Difference (Go M.A.D.!!!) for the Kingdom of God. We want to remind the people God has blessed in our life that they are not alone in their pain and in their need.
This morning, I was reminded to look up another favorite verse I used to read a lot on the air when I was doing afternoons at the radio station. I think the NLT's version of Isaiah 43:2 is extra meaningful...
"When you go through deep waters,
I will be with you.
When you go through rivers of difficulty,
you will not drown.
When you walk through the fire of oppression,
you will not be burned up;
the flames will not consume you."
This one is for you :o)
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