Be Careful What You Pray For

What an interesting week we’ve had! (Life is never really boring around here anyway, LOL!) It all started because of a prayer request I mentioned at the last prayer meeting with our local homeschool group. I first asked for prayer that the kids (especially our youngest) would adjust quickly to a new school routine. Aside from that, I also told the group how I wanted to spend less time on the computer. During the summer months, I became used to sitting at the computer on a daily basis as I finished up my book about Communion and began the advertising process. It has been hard for me to break away from the computer at times. My housework, and other things, had been neglected. So, I asked that my time would be used more wisely. I don’t want to completely give up my computer time, but I DO need to start having a specific time set aside each day to be on.

Lo and behold, shortly after that prayer meeting, I found out our cats were loaded with fleas! Aaaggg! I ended up spending most of the week bathing the cats, giving them a flea treatment from the Vet’s office, and thoroughly vacuuming and cleaning the entire house. I also set up an appointment for an exterminator to come out and spray the house. We had to vacuum again thoroughly before he came, and move items away from the walls and off the floors as much as possible. Then, we all (including the cats) had to be out of the house for at least 4 hours while the treatment dried. (Thank you to my friend, Rachel, for allowing us to crash her place for a few hours!) When we got back home, the floors needed to be vacuumed once again before we could let the cats out and move furniture back into place. Ugh! What an exhausting week! Has anyone ever told you to be careful what you pray for? Well, this is a classic example of that! LOL.

Oh well.... I’m so thankful we found the fleas before all their eggs hatched and we had thousands of little hopping, biting black bugs all over us. God is good.... ALL the time.



Poor kitties.... No more going outside for recess....

Sunsets

Like many others, this week was the start of a new school year for us. It has been a bit challenging at times, as we all try to settle into a new routine. But, I think this year is going to be one of the best we’ve had. I’m looking forward to seeing what God has in store for us. Our son is in 1st grade this year, and is expected to do more work than he did last year, so I’m not too sure he has the same positive thoughts as me. LOL. But, we are working on having a cheerful attitude, even about the things we don’t really want to do.

The verse we have chosen for our school theme is:

Ps 113:3 - From the rising of the sun to its setting the name of the LORD is to be praised. (NAS)

You may already know this about me, but I am absolutely in awe of sunsets. There are several reasons for this. One is the obvious - their beauty is magnificent! Who can deny that a sunset is very pleasing to the eyes (if you really take the time to notice it, of course).

Another reason is the fact that God’s paintings of the evening sky remind me He is still there, watching over me, and holding my right hand. It reminds me to continue praising him, no matter what kind of day I’ve had.

It is my prayer that my family and I will praise the Lord in all things, even in the trials that come our way. I hope this is your prayer as well.

(Note: I took the above sunset picture when I was a teenager, visiting a Christian camp in Minnesota. This is where my love of sunsets was first realized.)

The Deer Park at Grant's Farm

Our vacation is over, and I’m finally getting a chance to post another entry on my blog...

Our vacation was made up of visiting with both sides of our family, celebrating 3 birthdays, doing some fun activities in Springfield (IL), swimming in various pools, and going to Grant’s Farm in St. Louis, MO. It was a full week and a half, but it was fun, and even educational on some occasions.

One of the most memorable events for me and my family was the tram ride at Grant’s Farm. As we rode through the deer park, the animals came so close to the tram that we could almost reach out and touch them. It was really neat to be so close to them in such a wide, open area.



As my husband and I discussed this later, he brought up a good thought... If there were no sin in the world, and we had been able to stay in the Garden of Eden, life could have been like that for us. We would be walking with and touching the animals on a daily basis. They would not be afraid of us, and we would not be afraid of them. We may have even been able to feed them from our own hands.

Unfortunately, sin did enter the world, and we don’t have many chances to safely commune with wildlife anymore. So, I’m glad my family and I had the chance to at least get a glimpse of what it could have been like for us in the Garden. And, I look forward to the future, after the Lord returns, when I know the animals will be a special part of our environment.

Isaiah 11:6-9 "The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, The leopard shall lie down with the young goat,The calf and the young lion and the fatling together; And a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze; Their young ones shall lie down together; And the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play by the cobra's hole, And the weaned child shall put his hand in the viper's den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord As the waters cover the sea." (NKJV)



If you ever get a chance to make it to Grant’s Farm, I recommend it. But, be sure to get there EARLY! The parking lot fills up fast!

Illinios Symbols

My family and I were on a little vacation get-away this past weekend. We spent some time visiting with family, and also did some fun things in Springfield, IL. One of the interesting things we did was visit the Illinois State Museum. The picture you see is a metal statue of a white-tailed deer, standing near the Visitor’s Center. At first, I wondered, “Why is there a statue of a deer here? What significance does it have?” I later found out the official animal symbol of IL is the white-tailed deer. Aha! Then, I also found out several other interesting facts about IL. Let’s see how many you know...

State Flower: Violet (chosen in 1907)
State Tree: White Oak
State Bird: Cardinal (chosen in 1928)
State Insect: Monarch Butterfly
State Fish: Bluegill
State Fossil: Tully Monster (a soft-bodied marine animal)
State Mineral: Fluorite
State Snack: Popcorn
State Dance: Square Dance
State Amphibian: Eastern Tiger Salamander (chosen in 2005)
State Prairie Grass: Big Bluestem
State Song: “Illinois, Illinois” written by C.H. Chamberlain & Archibald Johnston

Lessons from a Bee

This past Tuesday, as I was setting up the kids’ slip-n-slide in the backyard, I had the unfortunate occurrence of stepping on a honey bee. He was minding his own business, quickly going about from clover to clover when, out of the blue, this human lady steps on him and he lets her know he is NOT HAPPY about being stepped on! Talk about hurt! Its been years since I was last stung, so I forgot about the sensation of a hot needle piercing through my skin. I hobbled over to the back steps, all the while saying, “Ow, ow, ow, ow!” Two wide-eyed kids followed closely behind me, wondering what was going on. I sat down and removed the stinger out of my little toe. No, I did not take a picture of the stinger, but I did show it to the kids. (Even unfortunate events like this can be learning experiences!) I placed the thin black stinger so it was sticking upwards on the tip of my finger, and we watched as the venom sack continued to pump, moving the little stinger back and forth. Amazing. Good thing I acted quickly and removed the stinger within a short amount of time. I have read how the longer a stinger is in, the worse the reaction can be. But, even with quick action, I have still had to endure unpleasant side effects these past few days - redness, pain, swelling, intense itching, and a loopy head from the Benadryl I’ve been taking.

This got me to thinking... I guess sin in our lives can act the same way as that bee sting. Just one sin can cause many consequences (side effects) in our lives, and those effects sometimes take awhile to disappear - sometimes they never do. However, we know that God does forgive us when we ask Him; and he uses these consequences in our lives to make us wiser, while drawing us closer to Himself. If we are unwilling to quickly make amends (pull that stinger out), our spiritual lives will suffer. But, confessing our sins brings healing and a renewed relationship with the Lord. Here is a passage I found that talks about this very thing...

Ps 32:1-5 - Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the LORD does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit. When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. Selah. Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD"-- and you forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah (NIV)

Creative Works

I had a simple, black tape recorder when I was growing up. I can remember making tape recordings with my friends - singing on them and telling stories - and I know my brother and my husband both did the same type of thing. It is so fun to listen to those old tapes and hear what we used to sound like.

Last summer, Dave and I found an old tape recorder at a garage sale, similar to the one I had as a child. So, we bought it for our kids. Our son is quite the little story teller now, and enjoys making stories on tapes, just as we both did. He has included his big sister in the productions and she enjoys taking part in them as well.

How can something so simple be so much fun for kids? Because most kids love to hear their voices, and most kids LOVE to create. This creative nature normally carries over into adulthood as well. Our labor, and even our pastimes, include architecture, various types of artists, authors, musicians, carpenters, designers, seamstresses... and the list goes on. This creativity is one sign that shows us we are made in God’s image, as God also loves to create.

Here are just a few verses which mention God’s creative works. As you read these verses, think about why you were created by God. What is your purpose for being here on earth?

Gen 1:31 - Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day. (NKJ)

Rev 4:11 - Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. (KJV)

Eph 2:10 - For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (NIV)

Make Time....

Each day, as I sit at the computer, I get the privilege of Aggie’s company. She is such a dear cat, who has been a part of my life for over 12 years now. She and her sister, Dutchess, came to us as only 6-week-old kittens, before we were blessed with children of the human kind.

I have to admit, Aggie sometimes gets on my nerves, always wanting attention and nudging her nose up against my fingers as I try to type. It takes me a few times of lovingly (and sometimes not so lovingly) pushing her away before she finally either settles down on my lap, or on top of the computer desk next to my keyboard. On occasion, she will even lay on the floor near my feet. When David is home and is working on his computer, she is then blessing HIM with her presence. She will even follow him around the house from one room to another, wanting his attention.

Despite how adoring Aggie is, David and I have often complained about how “needy” she seems to be. But, you know what? On the occasions when she isn’t there, we wonder, “Where is Aggie?” It is odd to not have her around, and we actually miss it.

It’s the same between us and our heavenly Father. He desires fellowship with us and always wants to be near us, even to the point of following us around from place to place. But, how often do we push Him aside and say, “Not now, Lord. I don’t have time for You.”

Sometimes it takes something drastic for us to realize we are not close to the Lord, and then we miss having that closeness. I hope you are not feeling this way. But, if you are, please take some time today to strengthen your relationship with Him. Spend some time with the Lord in prayer and be comforted by his presence. He adores you!

My Garden is Producing Fruit

In my entire life, I have never planted a vegetable garden but, this year, I decided to give it a try. I planted several tomato plants in 3 different varieties, zucchini, cucumbers & green beans. We also let our son plant some lettuce, watermelons and pumpkins. Unfortunately, out of all we planted, only the tomatoes and zucchini have produced any fruit, and it doesn't look good for the rest. I’m a bit disappointed that some of the items our son and I planted together did not even show any signs of growth. But, I figure this year’s garden is a learning experience for both of us. Next year will hopefully be different. At least I have tomatoes and zucchini, which I'm very excited about! Those plants have definitely produced, as you can see by the picture.

So, how is your garden growing? You may be thinking, "I don't have a garden." But, if you are a Christian, you have a spiritual garden. Its up to you to keep it cultivated, allowing it to produce good fruit:

Gal 5:22-23 - But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.(NAS)

On another note, we are not the only ones enjoying our garden. My family and I came home late a couple nights ago and found this deer standing in the middle of it, chewing on the leaves of the tomato plants. This picture isn’t the best, but she sure was a sight! One of God’s creatures right there in my own back yard. I hope she enjoyed her meal.

Happy 4th of July!

The sun is not shining here today. Actually, it is cloudy and raining. I'm sure many 4th of July picnics will be very wet or brought indoors. Regardless, I hope your day is a good one as you celebrate what Independence Day really means.

You can find the following quotes, and many more, at The Quote Garden: http://www.quotegarden.com/fourth-of-july.html

Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom, must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it. ~Thomas Paine

This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave. ~Elmer Davis

We on this continent should never forget that men first crossed the Atlantic not to find soil for their ploughs but to secure liberty for their souls. ~Robert J. McCracken

If our country is worth dying for in time of war let us resolve that it is truly worth living for in time of peace. ~Hamilton Fish

Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves. ~Abraham Lincoln

And I'm proud to be an American,
where at least I know I'm free.
And I won't forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.
~Lee Greenwood

Praising God Today for His Protection of My Other Mother!

My husband's mother was in a car wreck last night. Someone sped through a stop sign and hit her car on the tail end. Mom's car turned around and ended up rolling at least 2 or 3 times. All the windows were broken. Mom was wearing her seatbelt, like always. The hospital kept her for observation last night but, so far, she seems to be okay (aside from a goose egg on her forehead and a few other bumps and bruises.) The Lord's angels were definitely watching over her. Mom saw the other car coming and veered away. If it hadn't been for that, she could have been hit square on the driver's door. Things would have been a lot worse. Thank you, Lord, for your protection!