Jesus loves the little children....

Please pray for our sweet friend Hannah Grace. http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/hannahgraceharrison. She has recently gone through chemo and a stem cell transplant.  Her bowels have shut down and she is in great need of prayer!  She is 3 years old.

Okay, Luke sat down this morning and spouted off the numbers 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 when he looked at them!  They haven't learned those yet, but the numbers made sense to him!  

It really encouraged him!  

Thanks for your encouragement!  You all are wonderful.  I will follow up with those of you that mentioned you had some ideas.  I would love the ideas.  :)  

Thanks so much y'all. 

1, 2, 3, it's not that easy!

Luke is full of life.  

Last night he told me to go take a bath and he would take care of the other boys.  :)

Tonight, made me sad.  Luke said he didn't want to go back to school.

He said he can't learn his numbers.

His teacher is wonderful and adores him.  Don't worry she's not "out there" or anything. 

He is just having trouble with one to one correspondence with 9, 10, 11, 12.

He'll show me 12 cubes, but he just can't get identifying the numbers yet.  That is 9-12.

He also shared with me that he wanted to learn them better than anybody.

The boy has tenacity!

He is a kinestetic/hands on learner.  He learns by touching.  Tomorrow, he and I will cut numbers out of sandpaper.  :)

Please pray for him to be protected from discouragement.   Pray for his teacher and me to know how to help him the best we can.  We really think a little time is all he needs.  Some things just click after awhile.  I am still waiting to understand math!  :)

What I am most proud of his Luke's desire to do well.  He works so hard and is diligent!  

The entry...

photo courtesy of Flikr

Yesterday, I was mad at God.  Do you ever get that way?

It was a journal entry that one would be inclined to tear out of the journal so when one dies, those left behind would not see the weakness of the writer. 

Yes, I was mad at God.  You might be thinking why.  Good question.  Lots of different reasons.

I told Ben that I thought I might as well quit praying instead of placing myself in a position to just not feel answered.

Then came the morning.

Today, aided by a warm fire, good coffee and a quiet home.  I met with God.  He made me smile as He gently showed me time after time how He answered even the most personal and simple prayers.  He showed me how I often have prayed for things to be a certain way, but then in His providence, He unfolds the story differently.  Always meeting my needs, but I dare say, more than meeting my needs, He molds my heart.  

In my flesh, I desire the plan.  I LOVE  a plan.  I REALLY like to know the plan.  Let's just keep it real, I like to make the plan.  But with God, there are often periods of wandering, crying out, and remembering.  Isn't that what we live on during times of spiritual struggles/droughts?  We remember Him.  

The Israelites, wandered in the desert for 40 years.  Going over the same ground year after year.  They wandered, but then came the memory of how their Father had guided them all along-they remembered. 

He knows our need though.  He doesn't leave us for want.  He touches us in very real ways. Yesterday, I was too angry to see it or feel it.  Then today, came the Whisper in the wee hours of the dawn.  

My memory verse:

This comes from Daniel.  

"...for from the first day that you set your heart on understanding this and on humbling yourself before you God, yours words were heard, and I have come in response to your words."

Daniel 10:12

God does not always answer our prayers the WAY we want, but He always answers them.  Answers to our prayers may be challenged by evil forces, so pray all the more.  Pray without ceasing, pray fervently.  Trust He will answer in His time and in His will.

You might be wondering about my journal entry from yesterday.  I left the page in tact.  It will be my Ebenezer (that was a stone memorial set up by Samuel to celebrate the Lord's defeat over the Philistines, a memorial stone).  An entry to remind me of the time I felt God didn't hear me.  But then comes the next entry...

 

Just So You Know...

Bath time with boys-need I say more?

Benjamin lost his first tooth last Monday.  He told me to pray as he prepared to extract it himself.  He said he needed courage.  He did it and was so proud!

Now, you might have noticed I am blogging a bit (a lot) less.  If you'll look, the title of "the blogs I read"  is "What I do instead of ironing."  So, in hopes of ironing more and tackling the "chore" list at home, I am blogging less.  I miss reading your blogs more!  

Today, I hope to do some thrifty shopping at the Rescue Mission.  I have found several great pieces of clothing there.  I want to go shopping, but the ol' budget doesn't allow for a lot of extras right now, so off to the Rescue Mission I will go.  It also benefits a WONDERFUL ministry!  So what more could a girl want than to shop AND benefit a ministry?

W and O

Dear Mr. President,

I think highly of you.  You are so personable, humble, but in control.  It is my honor to say I have met you as well as your wife.

I am humbled at your service for our country, Mr. President.  You have indeed had the night watch, you have not slumbered on your shift.  We have needed you and Sir, you have served Her well.

Our freedoms have been protected.  

Now, as you leave, may you rest.  As you said, "After 9/11 many Americans were able to return to normal life; I never did."

You have served us in good conscience. 

 I am thankful to have known a man on his knees was in the Oval Office.

To my new President:

May you know the Power of the Mighty Lord.  It is my hope for you a term of success, for I love my country and hope she prospers. My greatest desire is for your family to trust and know my Savior, my Lord.  For He alone holds the hearts of kings in his hands.  

Welcome to you Mr. President!

2 Things

1.  Do I love Bible 'Study' more than Jesus?

A great thought from Bible Study last night from my friend Alicia.  

2.  I have introduced describing words in my classroom.  For fun, I thought I would ask Benjamin and Luke to describe me.  I was a little scared of what they might say.

"You are medium-well," said Benjamin.

Personally, I thought rare would be fitting. LOL!  :)

It 'depends'

It happened.  One of those embarrassing moments in time that will never escape your memory or the memory of the embarrassed.

Luke is almost 5.  He asks good questions.  He is a curious little guy.

We went to Sam's.  A smorgasbord for questions.

A very kind, elderly gentleman spoke to the boys and paid them attention.  

Then, it happened.  

The moment that will hover over this sweet man's memory forever.

"Mommy, why does HE have to buy diapers."

Does this guy really throw fits?

The Smell; A Colleger's Perspective

Yes, I know Collegar is not a "real" word, however, around our neck of the woods it is.

I went there.  That place that is sucking a lot of money out of our account just to keep what I have already earned.  

The smell was there.  You remember it.  The smell in the stairwell of all academic institutions.

It has a distinct odor lurking.

FITS!

Tantrums.  Two year old.  That sums it up.  He went a little crazy at a birthday party.  We had to leave.  He laid down on the floor in the mall near the bathrooms.  I let him.  Boy have I mellowed, or the two year old child is wearing me down- a slow painful process for me.

2nd post today

Okay.  I must really be procrastinating the inevitable.

The house MUST get clean.  Today.  

However, I have several things to report.

1.  I am going to have to pay more in college courses so I can re-certify.  I am a graduate of Samford University with a certificate in early childhood and elementary education.

However, I must attend more classes in order to re-certify after being a stay at home mom.

2.  May I go on record:  being a mother has prepared me and enabled me far more than any college course could on the development of the mind and behavior of a child.

3.  I am going to be a juggler:  wife, mom, teacher, and now a colleger (that is what Benjamin calls those privileged folks in college).  I guess he'll think I'm cool.

Last night, Benjamin prayed.  When he prays, it is unique and completely unhindered.  It really is like being in the very presence of God.  He often will say, we need to pray.  During tornado warnings he reminds us the only thing we need is to pray.  When Benjamin is sick-he asks us to pray over him.  It is truly a natural response for him.  I wish it was more so for me.

Well, during his sweet prayer, he asked God to help him with his work at school.  He asked God to help him until he was out of his "comfort zone."  

I kid you not.  Man, this kid is cool.  I know, I am biased.

CAT Scan

We are very thankful that my CAT scan came back clear.  

Thank you so much for your prayers.

Welcome 2009!

Today we enjoyed brunch with the boys.  Ben asked each of us what we would do for God this year.

Benjamin:  "Helping each other."  

Luke: "Help people up when they fall down."

David:  no comment.  :)

We are thankful that the Lord is actively pursuing a relationship with sinners like us.   I am not worthy of heaven and never could earn my way there by doing things for a perfect God, but that is why He gave us Jesus.  Perfection, blameless, fully God and fully human-a perfect sacrifice for one such as I.  We are rejoicing in His power and looking forward to seeing Him in a fresh way this year.  

I hope that you know the Savior personally!  If you would like to meet Him yourself, please feel free to email me.  He would love to introduce Himself to you-He'll change your life.

Please pray for me tomorrow.  I have a CAT scan scheduled for 10:30.  The doctor wants to make sure everything is clear from the migraine.  It is a bit strange thinking about it, but a great reminder that I am not in control of my life, God is.  That is a good place to rest.