Bible Reading
Just a quick update that I'm pretty much caught up, but haven't had time to write...
PE Class
During the day, the kids often beg to "take a break" - and a 5 minute break can quickly turn into 15...20...45 minutes. That's okay with me cuz it means I get to finish folding clothes. =)
This is one of the things that they enjoying doing outside. They were clamoring for me to record them yesterday, so here's what we got:
Matthew is practicing climbing the rope, you know, like they do in gym class. He's very gangly, and can make it up about halfway, but then he gets distracted trying to do "tricks" and never makes it up to the top.
This is Annie's turn to climb. She does pretty good! Also, Andrew has taught himself how to swing! I'm very impressed with him; he just picks up all of this stuff like it's nothing!
Snow Day
I especially like the way the guy continues to push the button on his remote, as though maybe, just maybe, pushing it AGAIN will change reality...
Pancake Mix Alert
Please check the expiration date on pancake mixes. I got this email warning, and thought I'd pass it along. It's worth noting that this would only be a problem if:
#1 you have mold allergies
AND
#2 you were eating out of an old pancake mix that had been opened for a long time and/or was packaged in paper packaging, which would not keep dampness out, even if it had never been opened.
(An un-opened box of pancake mix that is wrapped in plastic or foil should be fine no matter it's age.) Here's the original message:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Apparently, the mold that forms in old mixes can be toxic!
A boy had pancakes and it almost became fatal. His Mom (registered nurse) made him pancakes, dropped him off at school and headed to play tennis. She never takes her cell phone on the court but did this time and her son called to say he was having trouble breathing. She told him to go to the nurse immediately and proceeded to call school and alert the nurse. The nurse called the paramedics and they were there in 3 minutes and worked on the boy all the way to the hospital. He came so close to dying. Evidently this is more common then I ever knew. Check the expiration dates on packages like pancakes and cake mixes that have yeast which over time develop spores/mold.
Throw away ALL OUTDATED pancake mix, Bisquick, brownie mixes etc you have in your home.
This is not a hoax. You can check this website ....... http://www.snopes.com/medical/toxins/pancake.asp
Awana Verses
The kids have worked really hard this year, and I've seen dramatic improvements in all of their recitations, but most of all Andrew's. He got really excited when he learned John 3:16 because it was one that Matthew and Annie were working on, too. After that, he really got into memorizing the verses. Here is his verse for this week:
You'll notice the "Calesians 5:2" reference. Isn't that adorable? It's actually Ephesians 5:2, for those of you who were wondering.
Annie has been working on Psalms 23 for a long time, and she finally has gotten it all put together. It was very confusing for her when we started putting everything together. She learned each of the verses individually, and when she turned the page to see them all in one place, she freaked out! She didn't realize it was everything that she had already memorized - she thought she was going to have to start over. But listen how she's got it down now!
And then there's Matthew. He's got the verses down very well. We're just working on some "public speaking" aspects of reciting.
Email forwards...the result
Just want to thank all of you for your educational e-mails over the past year. I am totally screwed up now and have little chance of recovery.
I no longer open a public bathroom door without using a paper towel.
Or have them put lemon slices in my ice water without worrying about the bacteria on the lemon peel.
I have trouble shaking hands with someone who has been driving because the number one pastime while driving alone is picking one's nose.
Eating a little snack sends me on a guilt trip because I can only imagine how many gallons of trans fats I have consumed over the years.
I can't touch any woman's purse for fear she has placed it on the floor of a public bathroom.
I must send my special thanks to whoever sent me the one about poop in the glue on envelopes because I now have to use a wet sponge with every envelope that needs sealing.
Also, now I have to scrub the top of every can I open for the same reason.
I no longer have any savings because I gave it to a sick girl (Penny Brown) who is about to die in the hospital for the 1,387,258 th time.
I no longer have any money at all, but that will change once I receive the $15,000 that Bill Gates/Microsoft and AOL are sending me for participating in their special e-mail program.
I no longer worry about my soul because I have 363,214 angels looking out for me, and St. Theresa's novena has granted my every wish.
I no longer eat KFC because their chickens are actually horrible mutant freaks with no eyes or feathers.
I won't touch margarine, as it is just one molecule away frombeing plastic.
I no longer use cancer-causing deodorants even though I smell like a water buffalo on a hot day.
Thanks to you, I have learned that my prayers only get answered if I forward an e-mail to seven of my friends and make a wish within five minutes.
Because of your concern I no longer drink Coca Cola because it can remove toilet stains, nor do I drink Pepsi or Dr. Pepper as the people who make these products are atheists who refuse to put 'Under God' on their cans.
I can no longer buy gasoline without taking someone along to watch the car so a serial killer won't crawl in my back seat when I'm pumping gas.
I no longer use Saran wrap in the microwave because it causes cancer.
And thanks for letting me know I can't boil a cup of water in the microwave anymore because it will blow up in my face, disfiguring me for life.
I no longer check the coin return on pay phones because I could be pricked with a needle and infected with AIDS.
Nor will I go to shopping malls because someone will drug me with a perfume sample and rob me.
I no longer receive packages from UPS or Fed Ex as they are actually Al Qaeda in disguise.
I won't shop at Target as they are French and don't support our American troops or the Salvation Army.
I no longer answer the phone because someone will ask me to dial a number for which I will get a phone bill with calls to Jamaica , Uganda , Singapore , and Uzbekistan .
I no longer buy expensive cookies from Neiman Marcus as I now have their recipe.
Thanks to you, I can't use anyone's toilet but my own because a big brown African spider is lurking under the seat to cause me instant death when it bites my butt.
And thanks to your great advice, I can't ever pick up $5.00dropped in the parking lot because it probably was placed there by a sex molester waiting underneath my car to grab my leg.
I can't do any gardening because I'm afraid I'll get bitten by the brown recluse and my hand will fall off.
If you don't send this e-mail to at least 14,000 people in thenext 14 minutes, a large dove with diarrhea will land on your head at 5:00 PM tomorrow afternoon and the fleas from 1,000 camels will infest your back, causing you to grow a hairy hump.
I know this will occur because it actually happened to a friend of my next door neighbor's ex-mother-in-law's second husband's cousin's beautician...
Have a wonderful day....
Oh, by the way.....A German scientist from Argentina , after a lengthy, study, has discovered that people with insufficient brain activity read their e-mail with their hand on the mouse. Don't bother taking it off now, it's too late. But keep emailing!
Annie's Baby
Annie loves the baby doll that Santa brought her. She takes it everywhere, and carries it on her hip like she's a momma. It's really adorable. She even sleeps with it, and changes its clothes (it wears the same size as Jacob's, if you were wondering).
It's also her company when she sleeps:
A funny story about this doll. Today at church, she said that she wanted to take it to church. We didn't want her to take it into Sunday School, so we held it for her until church started. Jeremy went in early and was doing some work in the sound booth, and he sat the doll up on the ledge of the sound booth, where everyone walking in could see it.
The reactions he got would have been good "candid camera" moments. It was hilarious - the double-takes, and then the laughter was a lot of fun to watch. He said he was tempted to push it off and let it fall, and see what the reactions would be then!
That was our practical joke for the day.
Cute Pictures
We take pictures occasionally at Children's Choirs, and these are some that we took recently of my cuties. I thought you'd like to see them!
Matthew being Matthew
Sweet Katie Bug...pretending to smile:
Real Smile:
Annie with "her baby" Angel
Madi being...well...Madi
And Andrew
I love all my sweeties!
Bible Reading Update
Please pray for me! I'm caught up on my Bible reading, but I'm really finding it challenging right now to make time every day. This is so important, and I am committed to this, but it's hard!
Kids & Lego
Okay, so today is the first day Jake has really liked Lego! =) Lego, on the other hand, LOVES Jacob. This is probably because Jacob is the only member of the house who is constantly holding some type of food - or at least has leftovers stored on some part of his clothes (or hair, or face...you get the idea).
Jake will get way down on the ground - level with Lego - and talk to him. BUT when Lego tries to steal his raisins, Jacob gets a very serious look on his face and says, "Ooooo!" (which can be translated as "No!") This is his first command, and one which Jake has evidently learned very well. :)
Andrew loves the puppy (the puppy might not love him...Andrew's not very gentle), and of course the older kids are in love, too. He's a very calm, sweet-natured dog, and is a lot of fun.
Videos
If you can't tell, I'm catching up from a few weeks of some slow blogging. Here are a few recent videos of Jacob playing with Jeremy that were really cute:
Climbing out the Windows
You've heard of kids climbing the walls? Well, my kids must be extraordinary, because they climb out the windows!
Legolas
The most recent addition to our family is our new puppy: Legolas (aka "Lego"). For those of you who don't know, Legolas is my favorite character in Lord of the Rings. But Lego is a much cuter name for a puppy, lol!
We're having a lot of fun with him. He seems to be a very calm-natured puppy. He enjoys attention, and even scampers around chasing the kids, but he's also quiet and likes to cuddle. Seems to be a good mix of curious and confident, but not hyper and annoying.
Here are some pics:
Bad Service?
The Ann Arbour News crime column reported that a man walked into a
Burger King in Ypsilanti, Michigan, at 5 A.M., flashed a gun, and
demanded cash. The clerk turned him down because he said he couldn't
open the cash register without a food order. When the man ordered onion
rings, the clerk said they weren't available for breakfast. The
man, frustrated, walked away.
We're Getting a Puppy!
I've had several people say, "You're getting WHAT?" I know, it may sound silly. Our lives are already so busy. But we have been thinking about this for a while. Our last dog had some pretty major problems - blind in one eye and deaf in one ear. This made her impossible to train, though she was lots of fun to play with. And then, about 6 months ago (? I think?) she ran away. The kids were kind of sad (but the parents were mostly relieved...).
We've been thinking for about a month about getting a new puppy. So, I started doing some looking around, and found this AKC Cocker Spaniel puppy. He can't come home until Friday because he's not 6 weeks old yet, but we'll get him this weekend! Jeremy went and saw him, and took this picture, and said all four of his paws can fit in his hand! He's so tiny and cute. The kids are so excited! (I am too, can you tell?)
His name is Legolas...but we'll just call him Lego.
Bible Reading
Don't have time to post much because it's late, but I'm just popping in to say that I AM caught up with my calendar for today! I've been looking at a lot of the maps to follow Abraham's travels, and Jesus' ministry points. That's really slowed me down and kept me from just skimming over all these verses that I "know."
Today's favorite verse:
"I know that my Redeemer lives, and shall one day stand upon the earth!"
"I know that my Redeemer lives, and shall one day stand upon the earth!"
This from Job, during the worst time of his life. Praise the Lord - Jesus Lives, and He is always there!
Random Recommendation
14 things you can do with Coffee filters ..who knew! And you can buy 1,000 at the Dollar Tree
for almost nothing.
1. Cover bowls or dishes when cooking in the microwave. Coffee filters
make excellent covers.
2. Clean windows and mirrors. Coffee filters are lint-free so they'll
leave windows sparkling.
3. Protect China . Separate your good dishes by putting a coffee
filter between each dish.
4. Filter broken cork from wine. If you break the cork when opening a
wine bottle, filter the wine through a coffee filter.
5. Protect a cast-iron skillet. Place a coffee filter in the skillet
to absorb moisture and prevent rust.
6. Apply shoe polish. Ball up a lint-free coffee filter.
7. Recycle frying oil. After frying, strain oil through a sieve lined
with a coffee filter.
8. Weigh chopped foods. Place chopped ingredients in a coffee filter
on a kitchen scale.
9. Hold tacos. Coffee filters make convenient wrappers for messy
foods.
10. Stop the soil from leaking out of a plant pot. Line a plant pot
with a coffee filter to prevent the soil from going through the drainage
holes.
11. Prevent a Popsicle from dripping. Poke one or two holes as needed
in a coffee filter.
12. Do you think we used expensive strips to wax eyebrows? Use strips
of coffee filters.
13. Put a few in a plate and put your fried bacon, french fries,
chicken fingers, etc on them. Soaks out all the grease.
14. Keep in the bathroom. They make great "razor nick fixers.
Bible Reading & Book Review
So, my notes for today:
In Job 15:17, one of Job's friends answers him, "I will answer you from my own experience." This comment really struck me, especially because I have just finished reading a book that relates to it. The book is John Grisham's The Appeal about a negligence case going to the Supreme Court of Mississippi. I won't say anything that will give the book away (though I will tell you it's not a very fun read), but the main thing I noticed in this book is that everyone's "conviction" related directly to their personal experience and what they had been through. The people who had never been through anything bad had a totally different perspective than the ones who had suffered greatly.
I'm mentioning this because I wonder what "experience" Job's friend had. Was it mostly positive, or was there pain and suffering in His life? My assumption is that his life was mostly positive, black-and-white, because of the response he gives Job. Much of what he has to say is correct, but his bottom-line is: if you're wicked, you will suffer. If you are righteous, you will have a good life. Therefore, if you are suffering, you must be wicked.
As we know, God causes the rain and the sun to fall on the good AND the evil. The circumstance isn't always as black and white as we think it is.
In Matthew, we're reading the sermon on the mount. Very familiar verses today, but one thing I noticed. The things that unbelievers worry about are:
- What will we eat?
- What will we drink?
- What will we wear?
Jesus is telling his followers not to worry about these things. How often, though, do we find ourselves worrying about these things? I don't know about you, but pretty often for me. But these are the things that unbelievers worry about. So does "not worry about" mean "don't think about"? Because, at some point, I need to do meal planning, right? But when I re-read this, instead of "worry" I saw this:
"These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers."It's not that we shouldn't think about these things. But when they dominate our thoughts, that's when it becomes worry. Instead, we are exhorted to "Seek God's Kingdom first."
I'm still thinking about that one...
Bible Reading
I actually didn't read today! I'm posting this confessional so that all my blog readers can keep me accountable. (Or, should I say, "both" of my blog readers, lol.)
Anyway, if it helps, I was doing productive things like visiting with good friends and getting food for my family. So, tomorrow, I will catch up and let you know the thoughts I've been having about Job.
We watched OU lose the National Championship tonight. It was a sad day, but I'm very happy for Tim Tebow - he's an awesome guy personally, and a very good quarterback. Also, thanks to the Hagameiers for joining us for the game, and inviting us to their house, too! We kind of had a "progressive football party" where we started out and their house, and ended up at ours. It was a lot more fun than watching it alone!
Bible Reading for Today
Okay, so I'm not numbering anymore. I'm not sure what day we're on. Noah and his family just left the ark, Job is determined he should never have been born, and Jesus is preaching commandments that no one could EVER keep.
I think the main thing I'm seeing in Jesus' teachings is like a culmination of hundreds of years of the Law. It's like He was saying, "You know all those 600-something laws that you've been trying to keep for centuries? You know how they were basically impossible to keep, but you've managed to figure out how to look like you're keeping them all even when you're not? Well, I've got news for you - it gets harder!"
"You thought not killing people was hard? Try not even getting ANGRY at someone without cause. Adultery? Try not even LOOKING with lust. You thought it was enough to look righteous on the outside? I'm telling you that if you're not PERFECT - that's right: Perfect - then you're basically screwed."
Okay, so that's not exactly how Jesus said it. But I think you get what I'm trying to say. He took something that was 100% impossible to do and added even MORE to it!
There are also echoes of Job in Jesus' teachings: "God causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good." Job said something very similar, though his thoughts were much more cynical. Job's viewpoint was that no one could stand before God. Even if you're innocent. Basically, since He made the world, He can do whatever He wants.
There are also echoes of Job in Jesus' teachings: "God causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good." Job said something very similar, though his thoughts were much more cynical. Job's viewpoint was that no one could stand before God. Even if you're innocent. Basically, since He made the world, He can do whatever He wants.
What's difficult is that the PREMISE is true, but not the heart. Yes, God can do whatever He wants, but He doesn't delight in punishing us or smooshing us like bugs whenever we get out of line. That was proved by Jesus. But, I do know what it feels like for God to feel so far away that He seems to be the arrogant, condescending Judge instead of the loving, beautiful Father.
The Climbing Stage
Well, evidently the Climbing Stage has started. I hear Jacob in the game room calling me: "Ma ma! Ma ma!" This is what I see:
He looks happy in these pictures, but that is only because the camera is pointed at him. He really wanted down. He knows how to get UP but not how to get DOWN.
Kids Chores & Allowances
I have been trying to decide between two options: an allowance that the kids receive because they're "my kids", and a wage that they receive for work they have done. I finally came down on the side of wage-earning. I want my kids to understand where money comes from, and I don't want them getting the idea that all they have to do is hold out their hand, and money will fall in it. Not that we've ever given that idea, but you know what I mean.
So here's the system we've developed. I've given them several cards on which I have written the chores that they have to do. Being 7, 6, and 3, these are things like "make your bed," "pick up all the dirty clothes," and "pick up toys." Matthew has a job of taking out the trash and feeding the dog and straightening up the bathroom. Annie has to take the clothes out of the dryer and vacuum. Some of these cards I give them once a week, other cards they have every day. (It's nice because I can just hand them the cards whenever I want them to do the job.) Each card, when turned back in (with job complete), is worth one token. They also receive a token for each school subject they complete.
Tokens can be taken away, and they are not given when the job is done in a grudging manner, or with whining. At the end of the week, we pay them for each token they have. Each token is worth $.05. They have the possibity of earning around $3.75 per week. It's not much, but is probably in proportion to our income, lol!
We have envelopes for them to divide their money. We insist that they use 10% for tithe, and %10 for a long-term saving. They also put %10 percent into an envelope towards something they are saving for (Matthew wants a Nintendo DS). The rest is theirs to spend, or to put towards whatever they are saving for.
So far, this is working really well. It gives them all a motivation for the work they have to do, and has given me and Jeremy an excellent consequence to put into effect for misbehavior. Matthew is drooling over this DS, and so it is very effective to remind him that we will take a token away for "x" behavior. Andrew even understands that tokens get taken away for whining.
I really am praying that they can learn to be more wise with their money than Jeremy & I have often been.
Bible Reading #4 & #5
Okay, I've got to write about yesterday's and today's reading. Yesterday, the sermon that our pastor preached corresponded DIRECTLY to the our reading in Matthew 4. It was about the temptation Jesus faced in the wilderness, and it was very insightful. The main thing I gleaned was that each of the temptations Jesus faced were things that would one day be fulfilled - but in God's time and manner. It would not be done the easy way, nor any shortcut taken.
For example, he tempted Jesus to jump all off the temple to prove to everyone He was the Messiah. How tempting that must have been...He could have proven to all within sight of the temple that He WAS Messiah. If He did not "take the bait", He would instead have to endure the cross, and STILL not convince all of His status as God's Son. That won't be fulfilled until His Final Return. This quote struck home with me: "What Satan promises in partiality, God fulfills in totality."
So when we're tempted to take the easy way out, trying to get to something that we firmly believe that is God's will, we should remember that it's God's will when the Right Thing happens in the Right Way, at the Right Time.
Bible Reading #3 (Part 2)
It's late, so I'm just going to make a few comments about Job, and then go to bed.
I've always viewed Job's "friends" as the antagonists in this book. You know, the poster children for "how NOT to comfort a grieving friend." But, in this read-through, I noticed something that surprised me: a lot of what they had to say was True! How do you deal with the fact that a lot of the thoughts and beliefs that they had were 100% accurate - but they ended up with a conclusion that was completely false!
Do you have a friend like that? I have a couple of people from whom I don't want to hear ANYTHING. In fact, I've gotten so used to tuning them out, that I don't even hear when they have things to say that are true. So, how do I keep listening, keep acknowledging the fact that God could be using them (yes, even "them") to speak to me, and at the same time, disregarding the things they are saying that are NOT in line with what I know about God and His Word?
Okay, that wasn't a rhetorical question - I really am asking. What do you think? How do we balance these conflicting truths of believing that we are right, and also being open to the possibility that God may be speaking to us even through someone who is wrong?
Catching up? Here's what you've missed so far:
Getting Ready #1 and #2 #3
Bible Reading #3
Previous posts on my Bible Reading Adventures are here and here.
Today, Matthew & I did our reading together. He actually read Genesis chapter three. I'm very proud of him for taking the initiative to do this. He's reading very well. Of course, the King James version is a challenge for him. We're going back and forth between versions. It's been fun reading with him today.
So, basically, today Adam & Eve sinned and got kicked out of the Garden. Later I'll write about the cheerful chapters of Job.
Jakey's First Haircut
Mommy is NOT happy - we had to give Jacob his first hair cut tonight. It's been coming for several months (I've been putting it off for AT LEAST three), and it was just time...he looks so sweet! Here's before:
And here's after:
