Be Mine Craft

This past Monday the ladies at our church had our Abundant Blessings meeting. We have about 4 or 5 a year--not so many that husbands get upset at how often we're out but enough that we have time to fellowship with one another occasionally.

Anyway, for the past couple of years at these meetings I have been in charge of presenting some kind of craft for the season. I usually do a couple crafts and a recipe or two. Since this meeting was in February, we did a few things for Valentine's Day. A young mother helped me out also with some really cute ideas.

The above picture is a little Valentine holder that I put together for Elisabeth. It's made out of felts, and I just printed different sized hearts from the computer to use as a pattern. It was fun and easy--just a few seams.

My little friend had the cutest ideas. She baked chocolate cake in clear glass mugs. They took 15-20 minutes to bake. Then she topped them with marshmallow cream when they came out of the oven. They looked like mugs of hot chocolate. So cute. Then she took a long, thin photo frame (one that had 4 openings on it) and put cute Valentine wrapping paper in place of pictures and used it as a serving tray. So adorable. It could also hold candles and candy dishes or whatever. It was a super cute, easy idea. And so affordable as we all have stray picture frames lying around that we don't know what to do with but don't want to get rid of either.

I would appreciate a few prayers, if you find the time. I am having a few minor health problems that we are trying to get to the bottom of.

A Small Boy's Hand

I know that it's out of focus, but the picture was so cute to me. Lauren was dipping pretzel sticks in warm cream cheese, and Tyler stuck his hand right down in the bowl. He didn't taste any of it, but he had so much fun squishing it together before I realized what had happened. I am so in love with that little guy!

I think of all the joy and love that he has brought to our home, and I realize that had I not surrendered myself to God's will, then Tyler wouldn't be here today. Growing up, my life's verse(s) were Romans 12:1-2, "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." I had no idea as a teenager that presenting my body a living sacrifice would be through carrying and birthing many children.

Folks will sometimes make different comments to me and Chad, some nice, some not so nice. A few weeks ago, he looked at me out of the blue on the way home from a date and said, "There's one difference between us and people who don't have many children. We know what we're "missing out" on, but they have no idea what they're missing! He's right. Sure, having a "large" family is much work, but I never have to be lonely again. I spent so much time as a child lonely. There was no one to play a game with or go bike riding with or just act silly with. Now, at any given time, I have 3 or 4 people ready to do something with me. It's great!

I'm thankful that God has allowed us to have these children. We are truly blessed!

No More Monkeys

Our local grocery store has candy machines out front. You know, the kind that you put your quarter in and get out a gumball or 10 little chiclets or something like that. Well, our kids are fascinated with the one that sells little monkeys. They can't wait to go with us to Glen's so that they can get their little monkey. They, at times, have had up to 10 of these things at once. One day, Derek was playing with them, and I thought, "What a perfect way to play 'No More Monkeys Jumpin' on the Bed!'"

This is one of our little monkeys. He only stands about an inch and a half high. They come in all different poses.

Derek has just in the last month begun to talk. When we first started "No More Monkeys" he could not even get even get the words out of his mouth. Now listen to what he says. It is so cute.

My Leader

This was the sight that met my eyes when I came downstairs this morning. Isn't it precious to see your family, led by your husband, reading their Bibles? My heart just skipped a beat when I saw them and I had to have a permanent record of it. It is certainly not a one-time occurence, but I'm usually already up and in the kitchen when they begin reading, so it was a pleasant surprise to come down and see them already reading. I love my leader!


*Please pray for my dad. He hurt his back some time ago. He missed two weeks of work, is on painkillers, and is going to physical therapy.

We bought Tyler his first sippy cup this morning, and, my, but he loves it! I think I put the pictures in backwards this time, but I don't want to start over, so...oh, well. You have upload the pictures opposite of how you want them to be seen. In other words, the first picture I put in will be the last picture seen, but I get so confused every time. This time, I lost it! ;)

Our church is having our Mid-Winter Revival this week, and Bro. Darrell Cox from North Carolina is here preaching. We had the privilege of taking him out to eat last night before the service. He is just about my dad's age, and I really enjoyed just listening to him and Chad talk. All of his children are grown and married now, all serving the Lord, and I just soaked in everything he was saying. He never had one bit of trouble with his children.

He preaches a sermon entitled "Why Proverbs 22:6 Doesn't Work." In case you are unsure, Proverbs 22:6 says, "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." We focus so much on the training, training, training the we forget about Proverbs 23:26, "My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways." If we first get the hearts of our children, then we can train them, and they will want to please us. Furthermore, that first says, Let me have your heart and then watch me and do what I do.

Back in the 60's the Beatles stole the hearts of America and created the hippie movement in the process. If we can get the hearts of our children, they will want to be just like us. Chad and I have watched several young people completely turn their backs on their parents, church, and God. We always discuss it and ask ourselves why. Of course, each person has their own free will to choose, but I can't help but think that the kids wouldn't desire to turn away if their parents and God and the church had their hearts.

Over the past couple of years, I have lost my own "heart" for being a wife and mother. I haven't been putting much heart into what I'm doing, and I certainly have not been focusing on tying heart strings with my children, something that Michael and Debi Pearl teach. If my husband and children have not had my heart, then something else has. What is it? I'm not really sure at this point, though I do plan on investigating it some more. For now, I am going to be content to give my heart back to my first loves -- God, my hubby, and my children.

Outside my window...it has been snowing all day, beautiful, fluffy snow.

I am thinking...about balance, keeping everything in its rightful place in my mind and in my actions.

I am thankful for...a husband who works so hard and plays just as hard as he works.

I am wearing...Chad's sweatshirt. For two reasons: it is very soft and warm, and it reminds me of him. Just like when we were dating. ;)

I am drinking...water, nice, cold, refreshing water.

I am creating...decorations for our Valentine banquet at church. We have a much smaller budget this year, but my creative juices are flowing. Our theme is, "Cherish Your Treasure."

I am going...to the church's Bus Banquet tomorrow evening. There is going to be a Mexican buffet with authentic Mexican cooks. Yummy!!

I am reading..."And The Bride Wore White," a book on purity, to help the young girls in our school.

I am hoping...that I get some time to cuddle with my husband in the morning.

I am hearing...children practicing their piano lessons.

Around the house...everything is relatively calm and clean (something that doesn't seem to happen much with 9 people and a dog around). :)

One of my favorite things...is having my family all together in the same room.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

New Blog

I have created a new blog today. You are welcome to look if you would like, but I have to "warn" you that it won't be very exciting. At least not to the average person. I have added it to my sidebar at the top, and it is entitled, "My Daily Cornucopia of Blessings." In the last few days I have heard of several tragedies and difficult situations that people are going through: a mother with placenta previa that could become quite dangerous to her health, a friend who cannot feel his feet due to a broken back, a mother who lost her young child, a young couple who found their son blue in his crib, an expecting mother who found out her son will be born with little to no skull and brain. These are all such difficult situations.

When I was a teenager, whenever I would feel sorry for myself about something, God would always allow someone less fortunate than myself to cross my path. Perhaps I would see a teenager at the mall in a wheelchair. Whatever it was, it would be something very obvious to me.

It is so easy sometimes to be self-absorbed in the day-to-day duties of being a wife and mother that I forget to look beyond the here and now. I forget to look at the trials that others are experiencing. I even forget to look at the blessings in my day-to-day life.

This new blog is dedicated solely to my daily blessings. I want to focus on the little everyday occurences that should not be taken for granted. A sweet little head leaning on my shoulder. The patting of a soft, warm baby hand on my back while he's nursing. The half smile of a nursing child. My husbands hands on my hips as I walk up the steps. Three boys curled up in the same bed in the morning. Toothpaste on the sink. Big snowflakes falling outside my window. An Oreck canister vac at Goodwill for $7.99 that I have waited 12 years to find.

The little things make up the majority of our lives. They are the threads of yarn that crochet the blanket of tomorrow. I don't want to miss them. I want to capture and savor every one of them.