Resolved

It's that time of year again! New Years Resolutions, something of which I rarely make, but I do like to ponder on what all has taken place the previous year, and what I would like to see happen in times ahead. One thing I enjoy meditating on, is the resolutions of Jonathan Edwards. I don't even pretend to be anything near as spiritually-minded as this great man, but his resolutions are very humbling and thought-provoking. You can read them below.

The Resolutions of Jonathan Edwards

This has been a strange and trying year for our family. I have cried more this year than ever before in my life. Even so, the Lord has been faithful. My family has grown closer together for it, and Jason and I have grown closer together, in ways that you can't predict or even explain on your wedding day. It's just one of those blessings that the Lord gives His children when they weather storms together; when, together, they turn to Him, instead of to drugs or psychologists or the world for comfort. It's hard to explain, but it makes the journey worth it.

On a happier note, we have gained the promise of a new life. What could be more hopeful than this? We have gained friendships that have blessed us so richly, and a special bond with our small church family as we have weathered our first full year together. Thank you, Lord.

For this year, I am going to read the Bible through chronologically. I have read through the Bible completely twice, once in 1997 and again in 2001. I'm ashamed to say I haven't done it since then. The first time, I read straight through from Genesis to Revelation. The second time, I read some O.T. and some N.T. each day. This year, I'm going to read chronologically, in the order that the books were written. This should prove interesting and very fulfilling. I know this will be a busy year, but I have learned the hard way many times, that I don't have time NOT to read the Word of God. Join me if you want! Here's my schedule below:

Read the Bible Through Chronologically in One Year

Happy New Year from our family to yours!

The Christmas Story

Christmas at our House

Like all mothers, I am proud of my children. I happen to think they are the sweetest, cutest, most delightful kids I know. (And I hope you think the same thing about yours; if not, give them to me, and I'll think that about them! Being the apple of someone's eye is the very least that each little child deserves, hopefully from his/her mother.) But being cute isn't exactly a virtue. And it's those special times in life, when your children step out on their own and do something with the knowledge and values you've tried to instill in them, that give a parent that kind of "humble pride". It's so fulfilling when you, who have spent your life blessing your children, in return receive a blessing from them.

Listening to Caleb & Madelyn quote chapter after chapter of Holy Scripture has been that kind of blessing to me. I appreciate their hard work and commitment to memorizing the Bible, and their high regard for God's Word. I know the Lord will bless them for it.

As our children began to get older, we struggled with keeping Christmas simple and real in our home. We decided against Santa Claus (whom Seth hilariously calls "Paul Bunyan", I guess because of the stocking hat!), not because we were offended at the tradition of St. Nicholas as it originated, but because of the modern day commercialism associated with him now. "Look, kids, Jesus came down from Heaven and was born of a woman in a humble manger, and to celebrate, we're going to buy each of you a thousand dollars worth of material things!" Even as I fell under the mesmerizing spell of the holiday shopping Christmas carols, I just couldn't quite come to terms with that.

So, our Christmas looks something like this, and it's still a work in progress as the Lord teaches us new things each year: The children get 3 gifts each, in memory of the three gifts brought by the Wise Men (whom, we realize, were not there at the birth of Christ, but came 1-2 years later). They are allowed to have one gift each on Christmas Eve, which was handpicked by other siblings. This is always a fun tradition for them, since they are each other's best friends. Each year, Scripture is memorized, beginning in about October, to add to what they already know of the Christmas Story. This year in church, in addition to the Scripture they quote in the video above, the children also quoted John 1:1-14 (ending with, "and the Word was made Flesh and dwelt among us"). This was special to me, because it was handpicked by Caleb. I suggested that they add some from Matthew about the Wise Men, and Caleb said, "Mom, this just seems more important to me, like this [referring to John] is the REAL Christmas story. Jesus doesn't have a birthday like we do, He was God becoming Man for a short time." How can I argue with that?

Technical note: This blogger is very computer illiterate, and I had a hard time making my video file small enough to upload. Therefore, I couldn't post my original video I had made of their entire quotation that included John. So, I had them just do the part from Luke 1:26-38; 2:1-20 so I could post it. I hope the video above is a blessing to you.

Attention All Homeschoolers!

You're sure to get a kick out of this hilarious song by a homeschooling family of ten. Click on the link below.

"Our Homeschool Family"

Need 30 minutes of common sense?

Then take time to view the following You Tube clips of Dr. Ron Paul. (see posts below)

I have always loved politics since I was a child. I suppose I got this from my Daddy, who is a veteran and an informed citizen. I can remember sitting on his lap watching President Ronald Reagan being sworn in. (I was only 5 years old!) Then, in 1984, when I was in fourth grade, I can remember debating with my school principal about why Walter Mondale should not be president. I was leader of a mock election in 8th grade, where our PEP class made voting booths out of refrigerator boxes. I campaigned for Bush against Dukakis, and Bush won at our school. And, just after the Clinton election, I still went off to college with my "Rush Limbaugh for President" t-shirt. While I was in college, I began to really study government and religion, and how intertwined they truly are. Communism does not come from a Christian society, and Liberty can only be won when those fighting for it are doing so because they believe it to be a part of the cause of Christ.

Is it any wonder that the past few years have been disheartening even for a die-hard like myself? Corruption, scandal, lies, and the government growing by leaps and bounds.

Hearing Ron Paul speak has re-charged my battery! If you want to feel good about this great nation once again, and be reminded of how we got here and why, take time to listen to these wonderful videos.

Ron Paul, Part 1

Topics covered: abortion, education, taxes, immigration, right to bear arms, national defense, big government, personal privacy, welfare, inflation, the Constitution

Ron Paul, Part 2

A Very Productive Saturday

Our family stayed busy this weekend! Dad and the kids worked outside, getting a coat of paint on the new chicken house before it rained...

...while Mom stayed in and baked for the holidays. I canned strawberry jam, baked 3 batches of Amish Friendship Bread, 2 batches of sugar cookies, 2 batches of divinity, 1 batch of chocolate crockpot candy, and 2 batches of hard butterscotch candy. Whew, looking at this picture makes me tired!

The Two Faces of Bub

Ironically, Bubbie has 2 favorite pastimes:

Getting clean.....and getting dirty!

Yesterday, he took a 2 hour bath! I had to drag him out just in time for lunch. (Notice the flippers. Bathing is serious business to this boy!) The next picture is Bubbie 10 minutes later!

You can literally see jelly from head to toe!

Here he is taking aim at me with his "rifle" (a.k.a. "leftover homemade hotdog bun toasted with butter and jelly on top").

Aren't they sweet?

This morning, Caleb and Madelyn got up at 6:30 so they could play alone. Caleb has been letting Seth play with his action figures now that he is older, and so now every time they go to play together, Seth wants to join in. I overheard them talking last night about how they didn't want to hurt Seth's feelings, so they would just set their clocks and get up early to play before he woke up. I had a headache this morning, and went back to bed after Jason left for work, but I heard them get up, and heard lots of whispers and giggles. About 7:45, they decided to take a catnap before the boys woke up.

Aren't they sweet?

Global Warming.....

....it hasn't happened yet, but it will.

"But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,

Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless."

2 Peter 3:10-14

I'm definitely pregnant!

Okay, the lemon sour cravings have already started. For those of you who have lived such a deprived life that you've never had a lemon sour, I'll make your day and post the recipe here!

Lemon Sour

crushed ice

2 lemons

10 oz. club soda (Canada Dry)

salt to taste

Place crushed ice in a large cup. Thoroughly squeeze lemons onto ice. Pour soda water over ice. Mix well, and add salt to taste (lots of it!). Drink with a straw.

Enjoy, and absolutely NO negative comments unless you've tried it first!

(It's a wonder all my babies didn't come out puckered up!)

Mommy's Peanut Turns 3!

I can't believe our baby boy is celebrating his 3rd birthday! For his present, we got him a Lone Ranger hat, mask, and horse "Silver", and a Lone Ranger Christmas tree ornament. He was thrilled. He would say, "Danks! Is this mine? Oh, danks!"

Here he is with his trusty sidekick, Tonto. (In THIS version, it's definitely Tonto who calls the shots!) It looks like Tonto could use a new head dress for Christmas. Did you remember Tonto having such big dimples?

He's been asking me for months for a Lone Ranger cake. I wasn't sure if I could pull this one off. I found an old Wilton cowboy cake pan on ebay, and modified it to make a Ranger with a gun. Here's how it turned out.

Bubbie was so sweet and humble all day. "Is that MY Lone Ranger cake? Oh, danks, Mama. It's youtiful." Of course, when we cut it, Bubbie ate the gun.

What a blessing our little Peanut has been to our family.