Derr Happenings

Almost done, this time

2011-10-19T06:33:00.001-05:00

I have to say that I am getting extremely excited. It seems like I have had these moments every year for quite a while now. I am 17 days away from completing my 3rd Army service school since 2009. I am relieved that my next school can be put off for 3-4 years. Whew! The decision has already been made that no matter the cost or trouble, my family is traveling with me next time. Parse this with the already known requirement that I must deploy to Afghanistan in mid-2012.

Yes we have forgotten!

2010-07-11T18:21:00.001-05:00

Sorry to all that have watched this page......We have been wrapped up with life that we have neglected to keep you all posted. More to follow: :-)

Hello from Kuwait

2009-07-18T17:21:00.003-05:00

This is the first time that I have felt the need to create a post. Revelation I know!!!

I am sitting here at the Crowne Plaza hotel in Kuwait City bored out of my mind. I just completed an update to the "linked in" page that I started back in the 2007. Then of course I found many invites from old co-workers that were neglected. Yes I contacted them and hopefully my neglect won’t hamper a reunion.

As my time winds down here, I feel that the last 5 days will blow by with much sand and heat. It is awful hot here! It has been over 120+ with the wind and sand. That is a recipe for the wonderful grinding of sand in your mouth, no matter how hard you try to keep it shut! How do I explain how hot that is? As I told Rebecca, Preheat your oven to 200, quickly open it up and "carefully" insert your head in and when you can take it anymore, stand up and throw sand in your face!!! That’s the closest I can get! They are forecasting 130-140's this week. No better time to leave!!

After my last year in Kuwait, I forgot how wonderful it is to know that the dollar isn’t worth much here. The exchange rate is about 3.6oUS to 1KD. It is so easy to forget the actual worth of items when you see a hamburger for 3KD, Kuwaiti Dinar. Then a 1.250KD water (and it was small) and the lovely automatic 15% gratuity, I just can’t get over the fact of a $20 hamburger! It is just amazing. I can’t wait to visit a Cinnabon back home because I am willing to bet that they are not $3.60 each! For you coffee lovers as I am, that is probably the only thing that is the same. And boy do they love the coffee!!!!!! Every store has a lovely 2 or more group head espresso machine. UMMMMM I am in heaven!!!!! ......And in they are everywhere!!!!!

I know that I can’t wait to get home to those that have loved me and care for me the most. I love you Rebecca for being my rock and my angel on earth. I am so blessed to be next to you in life. The Lord, My Savior, Jesus Christ definitely knew that I needed you!! To my lovely daughter’s Rachel and Sarah and my son, my buddy Seth; you are all growing, and growing….. up to be stunningly beautiful children of the Living God. I am blessed that I was chosen but Jesus to be your earthly father. Blessings to you all!

I will be home soon,
Love Daddy

The "C" Word Again!

2009-06-30T16:25:00.003-05:00

I have tried to email most of you already, but our family is facing the "c" word again.

Though he is not a smoker (never has been), my brother is facing the diagnosis of lung cancer. My mom had breast cancer twice and my brother had testicular cancer twice. This is his 3rd time to deal with cancer.

The cancer seems to be isolated to one lobe of his lung, so he will have a lobectomy on Aug. 6th. Recovery will be 4-6 weeks. My parents will be there for the surgery, along with my sister. I will come a few days later and stay a couple of weeks. We'll all be there to help out as much as we can.

We do not know what the next step will be...whether he will have chemo, radiation, or a combination.

We are praying the cancer was found in the earliest stage - so far every indication is such.

While no one wants to hear they or a loved one has the "c" word, our family is clinging to the hope we have from our heavenly Father. We know He is sovereign & there is not a single detail that He does not ordain. We are in His hands.....my brother is in His hands....there is no better place to be!

I've said it over and over again.....the Lord's faithfulness and goodness does not hinge on our circumstances. I believe that wholeheartedly.

I pray this will be a time to draw everyone in our family closer to the Lord, that this will be a testimony of God's grace and goodness, and that the Lord will receive all of the glory and praise.

June Update on Russ

2009-06-30T16:14:00.002-05:00

Many of you have been asking for an update on the situation with Russ, so here ya go...

Russ completed Phase 1 of his MOS school, but there were no openings for Phase 2 or 3. He has heard he may not get into the other classes until as late as 2011! No, that's not a typo! It doesn't make any sense to us that they have so many people waiting so long for schooling, but....there's only so much we can do about it.

As for the Active Guard Reserve and Active Duty options - the Lord has been closing one door after another. He was told there was a "hold" on the AGR opening, meaning they are not hiring anyone right now.....door closed. Then, he found out the Active Duty Army is not taking anymore in his MOS because they are over-strength in his MOS. He is still going to put a packet in, but it appears that door is closed as well.

For now, we are very content to remain here & Russ will continue with his current civilian job (still working for General Dynamics C4 Systems as a Systems Engineer). We realize how blessed we are that he HAS a job and has a good job which he enjoys. He continues to excel in his current job. We've also been blessed by him being home and actually working here at Ft. Campbell this summer. It's looking like he'll continue to have work here - except for a quick trip to Kuwait in July. We are blessed & feel this is where God wants us right now. When so many doors close (ones we never imagined would close), it gives us the peace that God is in control.

Warrant Officer Derr...and more!

2009-03-29T21:51:00.004-05:00

I know, I know...I'm terrible about keeping up with this blog.

Let me fill you in on what's been happening in our family.

At the end of January, Russ went to Fort Rucker, AL, for Warrant Officer Candidate School. The kids and I drove down there the first week of March for his graduation. (We witnessed a horrible accident about an hour before arriving - but that's a story for another day.) My parents also drove there from FL to surprise both Russ and the children. Boy, were they shocked to see Grandma and Grandpa!!! Russ teared up - he was so moved to think they came so far to support him and be there for that momentous time.

Graduation was wonderful for many reasons. First, it was fabulous to see Russ accomplish this goal. Becoming a Warrant Officer is a great step for his career. Second, it was wonderful to be together as a family again. WOC school is tough on him & tough on the family - he was limited to one 30 minute call a week. That is hard when you're used to talking whenever you want (usually many, many times) throughout the day. Even when he's been deployed overseas, we were able to talk through email or instant messenger. So not talking much made the time apart harder, yet it made our reunion that much more special. Third, there is a pride - a good pride - you feel at a military event. There is such pride knowing we have such brave men and women who serve our country. They are special people & I am so grateful to be associated with the military through my father and husband!! I was filled with pride to have my father (a Retired Army Chaplain) there to help me pin Russ as a newly appointed Warrant Officer.

So many are asking, "What does this mean for you all now?" Before I answer that, I need to remind you that Russ is currently working in a job which directly supports the military. That's why he's been deployed to Iraq twice, Kuwait once, and why he's gone supporting various exercises around the country. He's been serving our country - just not wearing "the uniform" or earning a "badge of honor" for his service. As for his military service - He has been on Active Duty, but he got out shortly after Rachel was born. Currently, he in the Army Reserves (he serves one weekend a month, 2 weeks in the summer). But, with his promotion to Warrant Officer & evaluating our lack of time together, we are considering our options....trying to determine what would be best for our family.

As I write this, he is gone - again! Unfortunately, the nature of his civilian job has kept him traveling even when he is stateside. Home for him has not meant "home" but just "in the USA." That's just not good enough when you have a family! We are doing well by God's grace - both in our marriage and our family - but we are praying for a change. I read a book recently called "Family Driven Faith" by Voddie Baucham. Russ & I have started to read it together. This book has changed me & is changing us. We see that we have to make changes to get our family to the place God desires for us.

Crazy as it may sound, the "change" we are looking at making is Russ returning to Active status....that means either Active Duty Army or Active Guard Reserve. Both would provide retirement benefits (including medical at retirement) which are incredibly valuable right now. We are leaning towards AGR for a few reasons. AGR would provide a permanent duty station. With an AGR position, we'd still have the benefits of Active Duty, but we would not have to move and he would/should deploy less often. We have prayed for an opportunity which would provide for our future, yet keep him home more. Honestly, this is that opportunity. I know it sounds crazy to think the military would keep him home more than his civilian job, but it's true.

Of course, with the good there are often challenges as well. From what he's heard so far, there are no openings here. So, yes, that means there is a possibility we'd have to move. Yes, that STINKS, but it stinks not being a complete family for the majority of the year - year after year!!!! I love my friends here and I love that my children have great friends here. But, even more, I love when my family is together - when my husband is with me to be a husband to me and father to our children. I wish we didn't have to sacrifice one to get the other, but we have to put our family first.

As I write this, I am happy and excited about our future, yet I am crying and sad. I have made this my home and have planted myself here. As I have grown, my roots have grown deeper. Friendships have strengthened. I've put my "all" into the homeschool ministry to see it grow. I'm very involved in church and our homeschooling community. The children have their own roots - friends, church, soccer, music. It's painful to uproot and try to replant somewhere else.

In the midst of the pain, however, I am holding steadfast to the truth that God is sovereign. His ways are best. We desperately want His will for our family and we firmly believe His will is for us to be together as much as possible - where ever He wants us. We have put this situation in the Lord's hands and know that He will work out His will in our lives as we continue to seek His face. He will gently care for us and will allow us to grow again and blossom again where ever He chooses to plant us. It is all in His time...He knows where we are to be and when!

What now? Russ still has another school to attend for the military - this time at Fort Gordon, GA (near Augusta). This school is required regardless of whether he goes Active or not. There are 3 phases. He begins phase 1 on April 6th (he heads there this Saturday) & it ends May 15th. He hopes to make it into phase 2 & 3 immediately following phase 1, but that is not confirmed yet. If he does make it into 2 & 3, he will be gone until August 18th. I know, apart for months again! Since he'll be in GA, we will visit him as often as we can work it out - possibly even for most of the summer. If he does not make it into phase 2 & 3, he will have to wait until 2010. This would push everything off a little longer. But then it opens the door for his civilian job to send him back overseas - ugh!

There are so many variables which will determine our future....will he make it into phase 2 & 3 now? Or in 2010? If he makes it, will he find an opening in AGR? Where & when? Or will there be a local opening for Active Duty Army by then? If we have to move, how long will it take for the house to sell?

As you can see, there is a lot going on in our lives and there is the possibility of some major changes in the upcoming year or so. Please pray with and for us in regards to all of this! I will try to do a better job of keeping this blog updated as things become clearer!! :-)

Still Alive!

2008-11-14T22:34:00.002-06:00

Wow! Is it really November? I have really slacked on my blogging. I guess it's one of those things where you wonder if anyone is really reading it, then think, "Is this worth the time and effort?" I know a couple of you faithfully check it.....sorry I let y'all down! :-) I'll try to improve. Thanks for your concern...we're all alive. I'll try to give a little update.

Even though Russ was home from Iraq, he continued to travel almost constantly (not at our choosing, of course)! I found that caring for the children, the house, the bills, and still doing school, ministries, church, then adding in sports, music lessons, appointments and other unexpected disruptions....I just couldn't seem to find an extra moment in the day to blog.

Soccer season went well for both Seth and Sarah. It was exciting to see how much they've improved over the last year. They're still too young for the competitive leagues here, so we continued with the county league. Seth probably averaged 3-5 goals per game, sometimes a lot more! He was quite impressive. When my friend came to one of their games, she was shocked at Seth's playing. Typically, Seth is a pretty shy boy. She couldn't believe how aggressive he got out there on the field. That's where he shines! Sarah really has an eye for the game, too. She scored some, but she had a ton of assists all year. Even at this young age, they both seem to understand and have a good ability to pass the ball. I am bragging now (isn't that my job?), but that's something a lot of 7 year olds weren't doing! They are showing a lot of maturity in their playing. Sarah also played defender quite a bit, another area she excels. They are still practicing (indoors now) with Sarah's coach even though their official season ended.

Softball went better than I anticipated. I wasn't able to be there as much as I would have liked which was tough for me. I was impressed with Rachel's lack of fear on the field. I was scared to death the first game, but she did very well. She hit the ball very consistently - had lots of single hits all year. I think she only struck out once or twice all season. I thought that was pretty good for her first year!! Her throwing and catching improved a lot by the end, too. Most of all, she had a blast!! She absolutely loved it!! She also got her first trophy.

Rachel still continues to pursue music & she'll be singing on Monday at a Women's Club.

Let's see.....other highlights from the last couple of months????? The kids rescued a stray kitten. I'm not a cat lover at all, but this little guy really got to me. He was white with blue eyes and ended up being deaf. He lived in our basement/garage for about a month!! I know it might sound really odd, but this little kitten just opened my eyes to the evil world we live in. What kind of person dumps a deaf kitten off on the side of the road? That little guy actually made me pray for the lost world we find ourselves living in. We finally found him a good home. It meant a lot to the kids to help an animal.

The homeschool group I'm co-directing is growing faster than I imagined. We continue to have a large turnout at each meeting (over 100) or event. The moms and children really seem blessed by the group. I know it's a blessing to me. Seeing the moms and children enjoying themselves makes it worth all of the effort! Seriously.....it's easy to lose sight of that if I focus on the "work" involved, but I do think it's worth it.

The girls tried out for the church musical and each got a part. Rachel got an acting part which she desperately wanted! Sarah, surprisingly, got a little solo part....a couple of lines in a song called, "Jesus in Me." (Surprising because she's not the one taking voice lessons, but she does very well at singing, too. Definitely a trait from their daddy!!) They don't perform until February, unfortunately when Russ won't be here. :-( I'll have to video tape it, for sure!!!

Rachel participated in the Kids' Choral Connection again this year (there were 250 children from across TN that gathered together to create a CD). She tried out for a little solo & got the part! It's only a line or two, but she'll have her solo debut on the CD they made!! That was exciting.

Hm....I feel like I haven't said much about Seth. He just isn't into music yet. I think he'll have talent like his dad and sisters, but he is just too shy right now. He's too busy being a boy - antagonizing his sisters or the dog, trying to play soccer in the house, wanting to build or fix something, or just playing!! He continues to be a gentleman for me, often opening and holding doors for me (or for other people).

We're headed to Kansas for Thanksgiving - at my sister's house with my parents and brother's family as well. For Christmas, we're making a trip home to Naples, FL! We'll visit with my in-laws there and hope to see some friends also.

Phew! Are you still reading?!! :-)

I'll try to write again soon. Let me know you stopped by and read....so I know I'm not just typing to myself!

A Math Lesson

2008-09-19T19:39:00.006-05:00

School Started (homeschooling Rachel in 5th grade & Seth & Sarah in 2nd grade)

+ Soccer Season Started (4 practices & 2 games a week between Seth & Sarah)

+ Softball Started (Rachel's first year & games often overlap with soccer)

+ Support Group Started (the homeschool group I coordinate - 32 families so far)

+ Sparkies Started (AWANA at church - I help out there, too)

+ Spouse Returned (from Iraq)

+ Spouse Left (he continues to travel & is gone most of the time)

= Stressed Out Momma & No Posts since the 4th of July

At least I can still add! :-)

4th of July

2008-07-06T22:51:00.004-05:00

We went to a 4th of July celebration at the home of a family from church. The kids were able to swim, walk in the creek, see the animals, and play with friends. We all had a nice time. The food was great & it was a good time of fellowship.

We then went up to Fort Campbell. We arrived in time to see the parachutists jump from the helicopter. There were 3 of them & they connected to each other. They displayed the flag in the air & landed near us.We listened to the Army band until it was time for the fireworks. I always enjoy being on the military post for the 4th of July.

It was also a lonely day in some ways. It just didn't seem complete without Russ. Even the kids commented at Fort Campbell that "this just isn't the same without daddy."

We miss you, Daddy!

New Kids on the Field

2008-07-06T21:59:00.003-05:00

(I am so behind on posting....I'm trying hard to catch up!)

For the past few years, Seth and Sarah have played in the non-competitive soccer league in our city. Sarah had a different coach every season & they weren't teaching her anything. Then, last fall, she was placed on a team with a coach who played semi-pro! Finally - a coach who knows the game and who is really teaching the skills!! She's played with him for 2 seasons now.

After the season ended, her coach wanted the girls to try playing in a competitive 3 vs. 3 tournament. He wanted the girls to experience competitive play, the parents to see what competitive games are like, and he wanted to see how they stacked up compared to those girls! He split the team into 2 smaller teams for the tournament (Sarah's team only had 4 players).

At first, it was a bit rough. It was very different from what they were used to. The girls were a lot faster and a lot more aggressive. As parents, we observed our girls learning so much in such a short amount of time. It wasn't a great first day, but it was good enough to make it to the second day. (although the 2nd team did not make it beyond day one)

On the second day, the girls were ready to fight hard! The very first game went into overtime.....then a shootout! We won by one goal in the shootout!! It was incredible!! That win kept us in the running. The second game was against a nationally ranked team that we played and lost to on the first day. We fought so hard and did very well, only losing by one goal! Not bad for our girls' first tournament! There was one more game - this one to determine if we finished in 3rd or 4th place. Again, we played a team we lost to the first day. The girls were exhausted at this point. It was 90 degrees outside...blazing hot....and this was their 3rd game. It was immediately after their 2nd game. The other team took a quick lead. We went into the 2nd half losing, but we made an amazing come-back! We ended up winning by 2 goals - which meant Sarah's team finished in 3rd place!! The other team was not happy to lose to "the new kids on the field"! (Yes, I realize I said "we" as if I played on the team..."we" parents just get so excited, you'd think "we" were on the team!!)

By finishing in the top 5, Sarah's team qualified to play in the Regional Tournament which is held right here in our town in August. That is a great advantage for our girls! The exciting thing is if they finish in the top 5 in the Regional's, they will get to play in the National Tournament held at the Disney Sports Complex in January!! I would just LOVE to see her team make it to Disney!

It is definitely different being the parent instead of the player. I know how Sarah feels - hearing me scream and cheer - because my parents used to cheer for me, too. I am one of those crazy parents who jumps up and down and goes crazy with excitement. I just can't sit down when I watch them play. After they won the shoot-out game, all of us ran onto the field and hugged and celebrated. I think the girls didn't know what was going on - it was all so new to them. I am sure it was a great feeling for the girls to see the excitement in the parents.

Since then, her team continues to practice to prepare for the August tournament (and they'll add 2 more girls to make it a 6 person team). Only a few more weeks to go!! Another nice bonus about Sarah's coach is his willingness to teach Seth also. Seth can't play in this tournament, but he has been able to practice with the girls & is learning a lot from Sarah's coach. It has been so good for both of them. I am so thankful God brought a good coach for them. It will make a difference in the course of their game and whether their future could involve soccer or not! (Hey, I'm thinking of soccer scholarships already....anything to help pay for college, right?!)

I'll let you know how August goes...if they make it to Disney or not! I pray they do. It would be so awesome. But we will take this as a learning experience, make the best of it, and prepare for a new year no matter what the outcome. These "new girls on the field" are aiming for a great goal though....DISNEY!!!! ;-)

Sarah is #11 - my number in college for volleyball. :-)

The Internet Truth

2008-06-29T05:15:00.004-05:00

Well, this was just sent to me and I thought it was worth posting! (click on the title of this post to view the video)

A long time ago I was sent a picture of this "typical black man" not covering his heart while the "NATIONAL ANTHEM" was being played. Now before you think I have a single racial bone in my body, please watch the video. Also, if you know me, you would know what is truth!

HUM I said!!!! I was always taught that you stood and covered your heart our of respect for your Nation.

Well, being the skeptic that I am, I didnt give that photo much traction in the age of "Photoshop". Since this video piece has the actual video from which someone captured that image, you can't photoshop that one fellas!

So as you all look at this video, please parse the information and verify what is truth BEFORE you vote!

Click on the title link and it will take you to the video!

Standing to the Anthem,
Russ

Prepare to Believe!

2008-06-24T22:03:00.013-05:00

Prepare to Believe! - That is the theme at the Creation Museum in KY http://www.creationmuseum.org/.

(Yes, I'm months behind on posting this blog.) We went there with my parents and sister and her girls. It was very impressive & moving! We spent the entire day there. The quality of the museum far exceeded our expectations. There's no way I could post every picture, but hopefully by what you see, you can get a glimpse of the quality of the museum. Hopefully it will spur you on to visit the museum yourself. I promise, you won't be disappointed!

Upon our arrival, we met Ken Ham (author, founder of the museum and founder of Answers in Genesis) right away! I think we were all "star struck"! (us with Ken Ham below)

Later we also met Buddy Davis (author, singer, and designer of many of the dinosaurs on display). I love listening to my kids singing the truth about God's Word as they sing along with our Buddy Davis CD's. (the kids with Buddy Davis - below - by the dinosaurs he made)The museum is like no other museum I've even heard of or been to because it is based 100% on the Bible. You move through the major events of history based on Genesis through Revelation! Despite what the world and evolutionists want us to think, there is undeniable evidence to back up the truth of God's Word. Yes, we accept His Word is true based on faith, but there is also evidence - physical evidence - to prove it's true! There will still be skeptics who will doubt the evidence....because their starting point isn't the Bible. Rather than trust God (who was there before the world began), some people continue to trust man's ideas. Sadly, the consequence is eternal.....either a reward of spending eternity with the Creator Himself or an eternal separation from Him by spending eternity in hell.

The journey through history is presented in 7 C's.

CREATION....There is evidence to support the Biblical account of a literal 24 hour, 6 day creation (day 7, God rested), which included dinosaurs when God created all of the other animals (day 6). And, it wasn't "millions of years ago" either.....there is evidence to support a young earth!
Everything was perfect....no pain, no thorns, no death, animals/dinosaurs and man lived in peace.....until......

CORRUPTION....Genesis describes the fall of man, which began with one man & one woman (the serpent is in the tree). When Adam and Eve sinned (disobeyed God) for the first time, the world changed. Mankind from then on is born in sin. Pain, suffering, death, thorns, weeds, animals turning against animals - the perfect world was no longer. Adam and Eve (and all mankind) were separated from God & in need of a Savior. When Adam and Eve realized they were naked, God provided the first blood sacrifice to "cover" them. This animal used to clothe Adam and Eve was a picture of a future Savior who would shed blood to "cover" our sin!

Sin has left it's stain on our culture, the church and the home....

CATASTROPHE....Genesis describes a world-wide flood and the faithful man named Noah. Again, there is physical evidence to support this Biblical account. God judged mankind for his sinful ways & destroyed everything (except Noah, his family, and the animals on the ark). The physical geography of our land today can be explained by believing God's Word about what happened in history - there was a global flood! The displays on the ark were probably one of my favorites. I have only included one photo because you just HAVE to see it yourself in person! The details were incredible!!

CONFUSION....Genesis also explains how the earth became populated, how languages came about, how we have so many different peoples now. It all goes back to the Tower of Babel when man was trying to build a tower to heaven to make a name for themselves. Rather than bring glory to God, they were building up "self"! So God "confused" their languages & the people scattered.

CHRIST....The Bible tells of our Savior, Jesus Christ, the Promised One who came to bridge the gap of separation between man and God. He came, lived a sinless life...with only one purpose. His purpose was to be the Sacrificial Lamb, to shed His blood & cover our sins for us - once and for all!

CROSS....The Bible tells how Christ died on the cross for us. But, unlike any other religion that exists, He did not remain dead! He rose again 3 days later. We are sinful, so we certainly do not deserve it, yet He became obedient to death on a cross so we may have life with God - it's a free gift. He endured the suffering we deserve & by the shedding of His blood, He has covered our sin! There's nothing we could do to earn or gain salvation, it is free - because of the cross!

CONSUMMATION...The word consummation means "fulfillment, an ultimate goal or end." The Bible tells of the end. As believers in Christ, it isn't an "end" with no hope - we can look forward to a new heaven and new Earth one day. The choice we make on this Earth - to follow Christ or to reject Him - Choose this day whom you will serve!

It is my prayer that all who read this do BELIEVE!!

Here are some more pictures from our day.

Even the gardens were just gorgeous! It made me think "this must be what like the Garden of Eden was like."

Russ's Perspective

2008-06-19T01:30:00.006-05:00

I have finally gotten around to add something from the "other half"! This is the view that I have seen for the last 60+ days. Of course, my "juice machine"! You can see where my coffee pot is and I sit directly in front of it. Chief to my right and the server stack to my left. Kind of cramped, especially when Chief relaxes in his chair, he tends to lean left. I will be taking more pics soon to add but I have to take all this blogging technology slow!!!! :-) The internet here is slow but it only took 20 minutes to upload this blog!!

Gaylord Opryland Hotel

2008-05-26T10:30:00.003-05:00

Another beautiful stopping point during my family's visit was the Gaylord Opryland Hotel. The gardens inside are just GORGEOUS!

The Parthenon in Nashville

2008-05-26T09:44:00.006-05:00

We visited the Parthenon - a replica of the original Greek temple. The neighboring gardens were beautiful and the size of the structure itself was quite impressive.

Honoring Another Hero

2008-05-26T09:31:00.002-05:00

As I've shared previously & many of you already know, my mother has survived two bouts with breast cancer. Surviving breast cancer alone isn't what makes my mom a "hero" to me, it was the manner in which she handled the disease. Her faith in the Lord, her reliance upon Him, and her understanding of His sovereignty were evident to all who observed her.

Mom had a mastectomy followed by chemotherapy. A few years later, the cancer returned on her chest wall. She had surgery followed by radiation treatment. She has been cancer free since then! Praise the Lord!

In honor of my mother, I hosted a Pampered Chef "Help Whip Cancer" Cooking Show. Several friends came & we had a special time. I also had a few friends who ordered things in honor of my mother, even though they couldn't come.

It was very special to host this evening while my mother and sister were here. Every guest here was given the opportunity to share how cancer has touched their family (my brother was also mentioned as a cancer survivor as he has also survived two bouts with cancer).

I am so thankful for a mother who loves the Lord & it is evident in her life - in the good times and the difficult times! Trials don't shake her trust in God....the trials have been a mirror to reflect Jesus to all who see her.

Honoring Our Heroes

2008-05-26T08:49:00.004-05:00

Next stop (when my family was visiting) was the museum on Fort Campbell. We were able to see several military vehicles, planes and helicopters, many monuments to honor those who have given their all for our freedom, and a walk through history highlighting the heroes from Fort Campbell.

While stationed here at Fort Campbell, the Army experienced a devastating loss. On December 12, 1985, 248 members of the 101st Airborne Division and 8 flight crew members lost their lives in what we now know as the "Gander Crash." One of my friends, a neighbor, lost her father Cpt. Eastman to the crash. The soldiers were returning home from peace keeping duty in Egypt when their plane crashed during take-off from Gander, Newfoundland. It was a memory we will never forget. A few days later, President and Mrs. Reagan came to grieve the loss with the family members. This painting is in remembrance of that day. The emotions of that disaster were revisited while seeing this display at the museum.

For a complete story on this event, go to:

http://www.fortcampbellcourier.com/articles/2005/12/09/news/news1.prt

Memory Lane

2008-05-26T08:37:00.003-05:00

The first place we visited when my parents and sister were here was Fort Campbell, KY. Dad was a Chaplain in the Army & retired from Fort Campbell. It's been just over 20 years since my sister had been on the Army post, so it was fun taking that trip down "memory lane."

Here's the house we lived in on post. It looks so much older and so different with all of the mature trees! (Grandma and Grandpa, my sister's girls, and my 3 kids)

This is my dad in front of "his" chapel from his years here at Campbell.

A Full House

2008-05-26T08:30:00.003-05:00

Yes, I am a bit behind on posting. I'll try to catch up! We had a full house - my parents were here from Florida and my sister was here with her two girls from Kansas. It was a special time to share with family. Here are a few pictures...more to come in separate blog entries.

Seth and Sarah - up early reading encyclopedias. Yes, by choice!! ;-) Too cute.

Grandpa and Seth worked together to put together a new bookshelf. It was great to watch them together....Seth is quite handy! He gets that from his daddy!!

Besides mommy and daddy, Grandma is probably Sarah's next favorite person on Earth! She just adores her "Grammy"!

Expelled

2008-04-27T22:06:00.002-05:00

One of my friends kept the kids for me on Saturday after soccer. I decided to use that time to go see "Expelled" - the movie. If you haven't seen it yet, I do recommend it. It's a documentary, but it is very interesting and eye-opening - not boring. I never realized the links between Darwinism and Hitler (although I now know it's really nothing new - I just hadn't learned that before) and the modern links of Darwinism to abortion and euthanasia. The connections make logical sense. I could never explain it accurately, so I won't attempt. See the movie and you'll understand.

Some of the theories associated with evolution just made me laugh. One guy says we originated from crystals! Of course, there's the BIG BANG, or we evolved from muck and slime.

The movie looks at the complexity of a single cell....and to think people believe it just evolved from nothing! Something so elaborate and sophisticated, something designed so perfectly - it only makes sense there had to be something or someone who "designed" it....thus the term "Intelligent Design." While we might say that Intelligent Designer was God, some do not agree as to "who" the "designer" is. The question evolution fails to answer is where the first cell came from.

It was also quite shocking to find out how much scientists who even mention "ID" have lost their jobs. I did not realize how much of an outsider one would be in the science world if one believes in ID or even attempts to find answers to the obvious questions that surround evolution. Or even journalists who stray from the only acceptable view have been shunned.

The saddest thought for me is the millions of children growing up learning about evolution in school, growing up with that worldview, and the influence that world view has had and will continue to have on our society.....the negative influence.

There were several quotes I hoped to remember - can't remember a single one now! I should have been taking notes. ;-) Honestly, it's a great movie. It's not a "Christian" movie. However, it's worth seeing behinds the scenes a little on science and the role it plays in our country.

Go see it - it won't be in theaters too much longer.

An Attack on My Character

2008-04-27T20:51:00.003-05:00

Growing up a Chaplain's daughter, and being raised in a Christian home, I was fairly sheltered. In some ways, I am naive to the ways of the world. (I don't think that's a bad thing.) I know it shouldn't shock me to encounter people who are merely reflecting the world (because the Bible talks about people like that), but sometimes their intentional deceit does shock me.

Here's a quick version of what happened. First - the history...

Jump back to the first soccer practice - A soccer mom (first year on our team) came to the first practice "telling" all of us parents to pay her for the trophies because she already ordered them, pay her for the coach's gift because she is getting --, and "Don't call the coach. Call me. His job is the boys. I'll let him know if you can't make it to a game or whatever. Don't bother him." This was at the first practice & she was asking for money to be paid to her at the next practice! The other parents were not happy because we always vote on the trophies and decide together what to get the coach. I became the voice for all of the other parents (I'm not sure where I got that boldness from!). I was never ugly to her, but I gently explained that we usually vote about the trophy. She claims the coach told her she could order them. And, the real kicker is the coach wasn't aware of what she was saying because she always talked to parents while he was busy with the boys. I tried to keep him (coach) informed & he was often shocked at the things she said - many of which were lies. He never authorized her to say not to call him, for example.

Jump to a couple of weeks ago - we're at a game and she calls the boys over and shows them the trophies! (they were not the actual trophies for our team, but the same ones she supposedly ordered) The season still had about a month to go!! Parents were so upset! That's like showing your children their Christmas gifts before Christmas. Then, at one game, I calmly told her the "other parents & I would like to get the coach ----." I never raised my voice, she never raised her voice, & that was it. She even offered to see if she could find it cheaper. Enough history....

Jump to our games on Saturday - Well, after the game on Saturday, she was talking with the coach & she intentionally lied about me to the coach. The coach said he knew she was lying when she told him I used the "f" word and told her to "go to h*ll." He knows me, knows my character, knows I am a Christian, and knows I never talk like that. She proceeded to raise her voice, demean me (to the coach) but in earshot of other parents and children at the soccer fields, and she was using foul language. I stayed out of it & didn't jump in to defend myself. I knew the coach knew the truth. I think the bottom line is she was angry because no one was paying her for the trophies or the coach's gift....and since I spoke up for everyone else, I became the person to "blame."

It didn't feel good to drive home that day knowing someone said such horrible things about me.....even if they were all lies. I didn't hear everything she said, but I know I was the focus of her anger. I hate feeling like someone is so angry with me when I really did nothing wrong. I think I struggle with this on a deeper level because I am a Christian. I questioned whether I really reflected a Christ-like attitude through everything. And, as a Christian, what now - with her?

I can't say I'm really "over it" yet, but I feel a little better about my testimony after getting a message from the coach. I don't think my testimony is totally ruined! Coach told me he was actually impressed at my ability to stay calm & not let her get to me. He complimented my character by saying he knew she couldn't be telling the truth about me because he knows I'm not like that. Essentially, I walk the talk....or at least I try very hard to!!

Please pray for me and this situation. I pray God will be glorified in my life.

A Different Perspective on Socialization

2008-04-24T07:21:00.001-05:00

I found this and it's too funny not to share.

Author Unknown

Two women meet at a playground, where their children are swinging and playing ball. The women are sitting on a bench watching. Eventually, they begin to talk.

W1: Hi. My name is Maggie. My kids are the three in red shirts --helps me keep track of them.
W2: (Smiles) I'm Patty. Mine are in the pink and yellow shirts. Do you come here a lot?
W1: Usually two or three times a week, after we go to the library.
W2: Wow! Where do you find the time?
W1: We homeschool, so we do it during the day most of the time.
W2: Some of my neighbors homeschool, but I send my kids to public school.
W1: How do you do it?
W2: It's not easy. I go to all the PTO meetings and work with the kids every day after school and stay real involved.
W1: But what about socialization? Aren't you worried about them being cooped up all day with kids their own ages, never getting the opportunity for natural relationships?
W2: Well, yes. But I work hard to balance that. They have some friends who're homeschooled, and we visit their grandparents almost every month.
W1: Sounds like you're a very dedicated mom. But don't you worry about all the opportunities they're missing out on? I mean they're so isolated from real life -- how will they know what the world is like --what people do to make a living -- how to get along with all different kinds of people?
W2: Oh, we discussed that at PTO, and we started a fund to bring real people into the classrooms. Last month, we had a policeman and a doctor come in to talk to every class. And next month, we're having a woman from Japan and a man from Kenya come to speak.
W1: Oh, we met a man from Japan in the grocery store the other week, and he got to talking about his childhood in Tokyo. My kids were absolutely fascinated. We invited him to dinner and got to meet his wife and their three children.
W2: That's nice. Hmm. Maybe we should plan some Japanese food for the lunchroom on Multicultural Day.
W1: Maybe your Japanese guest could eat with the children.
W2: Oh, no. She's on a very tight schedule. She has two other schools to visit that day. It's a systemwide thing we're doing.
W1: Oh, I'm sorry. Well, maybe you'll meet someone interesting in the grocery store sometime and you'll end up having them over for dinner.
W2: I don't think so. I never talk to people in the store --certainly not people who might not even speak my language. What if that Japanese man hadn't spoken English?
W1: To tell you the truth, I never had time to think about it. Before I even saw him, my six-year-old had asked him what he was going to do with all the oranges he was buying.
W2: Your child talks to strangers?
W1: I was right there with him. He knows that as long as he's with me, he can talk to anyone he wishes.
W2: But you're developing dangerous habits in him. My children never talk to strangers.
W1: Not even when they're with you?
W2: They're never with me, except at home after school. So you see why it's so important for them to understand that talking to strangers is a big no-no.
W1: Yes, I do. But if they were with you, they could get to meet interesting people and still be safe. They'd get a taste of the real world, in real settings. They'd also get a real feel for how to tell when a situation is dangerous or suspicious.
W2: They'll get that in the third and fifth grades in their health courses.
W1: Well, I can tell you're a very caring mom. Let me give you my number--if you ever want to talk, give me call. It was good to meet you.

Ouch!

2008-04-23T22:39:00.003-05:00

Tonight we got home from church. The kids got ready for bed & I tucked them in. Everything was calm and fine. I came back downstairs and began checking email. A little bit later, Seth came down and came up to me sobbing. He grabbed onto me. I was worried he got hurt or felt sick. I asked, "What's the matter, buddy? Are you ok? Did you get hurt? What happened?" He's just crying hard....He said, "I just want daddy!!!.....I miss him......when is he coming back?" OUCH! Those big crocodile tears and a cry that says "I'm hurting" were tough to hear tonight. I can't change the fact that daddy is gone. All I can do is comfort him, love him, hold him, hold him more, and let him know it is ok to feel sad....and pray for him! I asked if he wanted to sleep in "Daddy's spot" tonight. He said, "Yes!" He's now curled up and cozy in my bed, sleeping soundly.

I also saw him earlier today staring at a commercial where a dad and son are playing ball in the yard. He just stared at the TV and smiled, as if he was happy for that little boy.

Pray for Seth. He's really missing his daddy. Moms - you know it's hard to see your child sad and not be able to take the pain away.

What is the blessing in this? I realize I am blessed. Seth is blessed. I have a husband & Seth has a Daddy who genuinely LOVES and adores his family. Russ is very close to the kids. That IS a blessing!

Dealing with Deployments

2008-04-22T21:20:00.003-05:00

Recently, I've had several people say, "I don't know how you do it," referring to dealing with deployments. I've received emails, phone calls...many people who are on the outside observing assume that this must be the lowest point in our lives. This must be the "valley" rather than the "mountain top" experience. It must feel like God is stretching us so thin, like He is giving us almost more than we can bear. People assume it has to be the saddest, hardest time....just one of the worst things they can imagine going through. Well, let me explain how it really feels....as the one on the inside, experiencing it!

First of all, God doesn't give us more than we can bear & He knows who can bear each load He gives. What might be a heavy load to you might be a light load to me and vice versa. I do think God has ordained my days & my families' days. He knew that this was a burden that wouldn't overwhelm me. It wouldn't leave me feeling like I'm drowning and don't see a life preserver in sight!

Second, I believe like Paul said in Philippians 4:11 "... I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content." So whether I'm in Florida or Texas or Tennessee, I'll be content. Ha!! Seriously, I believe God has brought me through many different "states" in my life and in all of it, He has taught me to be content. It's not always easy, but it is so relieving to trust God's plan and be content!

How can I be content? Because, thirdly, my first love is Jesus Christ. And He will never leave me or forsake me. I am not alone. Hebrews 13:5-6 says "...be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we may boldly say: “The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” (I do not feel that Russ has "left me or forsaken me.") My point is that I know I am not alone!!

Fourth, deployments forced me to face the question, "On Whom do you depend?" God asks, "Do you depend on man or do you depend on ME?" Or "What gives you security?" If I could not function without my husband here, I would have to wonder if I were fully dependent upon the Lord. I have been there....dependent upon people to give me security and fill that void. But God has brought me to a place in my life where I can say with assurance that HE is my rock, He is my shelter. It is the Lord who sustains me. (I mean no disrespect to my husband - please don't think I am saying I do not need him. It's just that my husband is not and cannot be elevated to a place of importance above the Lord.)

Fifth, I am not focused on the things about this deployment that are sad....the so-called "negatives." I'm not so calloused that I don't have feelings or don't miss Russ. I don't look at my kids when they miss daddy and say, "Aw, get over it." I'm not that cold! I just think God has taught me that focusing on those feelings will get me nowhere. Rather, He would have me shout with thanksgiving for all He HAS done for us! I have too much to be thankful for that I can't sit around and wallow in self pity! I've seen people do it....it's horrible!

I'm thankful that Russ has a job which can provide for our needs so that I can stay home and educate our children at home. I'm thankful that we are able to communicate daily. I'm thankful that Russ can still help with decisions (major ones). I'm thankful that Russ enjoys his job. I'm thankful that I have friends to fellowship with, to help the time pass. I'm thankful and proud that Russ (and the many other soldiers and civilians) is willing to sacrifice to help in this war. I'm thankful for three strong, wonderful children who have shown amazing strength and trust in the Lord. I could go on and on...truly I have so much, so many blessings.

Sixth, I know that when we go through tests, it makes us stronger. I would not be who I am today were in not for the trials and tests I've been through over the years. I am but clay in the Potter's Hands. I can't wait to see what He makes out of me. I love knowing HE is the one who is shaping me. I've put my life in His hands. There is no greater Potter than the Lord. Sometimes He has to mold us & it's a bit painful. Sometimes He has to trim away the mistakes. Sometimes we're off balance and He has to level us again. Sometimes He's smoothing the rough edges. I trust Him...I trust Him in the good times and hard times!

Before Russ left, we talked to the kids about Job. Job lost everything, yet he said (Job 2:10), "...Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?" We tried to explain to the kids that we have to trust God in all circumstances. I wholeheartedly believe that and try to practice it in my life.

Seventh, I have peace because I know that Russ, all of our children, and I know, love, and have chosen to follow Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. The assurance we have as believers in Jesus Christ is an eternity with our Father in heaven. I also have peace knowing that all of our days are numbered and when He desires to call us home, it will happen whether we are in Tennessee, in Florida, in Iraq, at home in bed, in the car, or in a hospital bed. Again, don't get me wrong. I would be very devastated if I lost my husband or children...I can't imagine the pain. Yet, I believe I would have to cling to the hope that believers have of being together again in eternity.

I realize I can only speak for myself. I know every woman left behind goes through different emotions. We're all at a different place in our lives. I just know that this is where I am right now. I don't want anyone to feel sorry for me....truly, there isn't anything to feel "sorry" for! God is sovereign & I believe it. He has blessed us. He has given peace and strength in my weakness. It's not me, but Christ at work in me, who gives me strength. Trust me! I am flesh & I am weak. I am a fallen being. It is only His grace and mercy that gives me life!

Where ever you are in life.....Be content, my friends. Trust His sovereign will. Know He is with you always. Make sure your complete dependence is on the Lord, not man. Count your blessings. Experience His peace. And most important of all....Make sure you know where you'll be for eternity! Once you step into eternity, it's too late to change your mind.

Safely There

2008-04-21T22:16:00.003-05:00

Russ called tonight. He finally made it to his final destination! He was stuck at Camp Victory due to the weather and limited visibility for flights. Today the weather was clear, so he was flown to FOB Loyalty where he will remain the next four months. He was anxious to get there & get settled. Continue to pray for his safety....FOB Loyalty is in Baghdad.

If you care to mail a letter or card, here is his mailing address:
Russell Derr (GDC4S)
C co. BSTB 4/10 MTN Unit 41546
APO AE 09390-1546

I can't guarantee he'll write you back, but I know he'd love to hear from you. :-)

Monkeying around at the Zoo!

2008-04-18T20:37:00.006-05:00

The weather was just perfect for our home school group's field trip to the Nashville Zoo. We enjoyed a rainforest class as well as seeing all the animals. Here are some pictures of our day.

Rachel - touching an animal (I think it was an albino hedgehog)

Sarah about to touch the albino hedgehog (or whatever it was) :-)

Seth's turn to feel his prickly back...

Rachel - holding a bird - I have no clue what kind of bird! I just know Rachel was thrilled as can be!! To Seth's disappointment, the little bird wasn't so thrilled about jumping onto his arm. Another boy was lucky enough to have a bright, colorful bird land on his head while he had another on his arm! That was pretty cool!
The zoo has a HUGE play area for the kids. Sarah and Seth are on top with their friend & Rachel's in the mouth with her friend.
Seth found his own excitement - picking up a caterpillar. He said, "It's a monarch!" One of the last issues of the "Answers for Kids" had butterflies - they matched the caterpillar with the butterfly. He must have remembered what the monarch caterpillar looked like.

Rachel with one of her good friends. All of the children thought it was so cool to be in the bamboo. I've got a really cute shot of most of the kids in our group in the bamboo. I don't feel comfortable posting pictures with other people's kids though without their permission.
If you look closely, you can see the giraffe behind Seth and Sarah. He really blends in with the trees though.
That's it for now. :-)

Daddy's Departure

2008-04-16T09:04:00.006-05:00

Russ took off yesterday for Iraq. The airlines allows us to go to the gate with him. I think it's great that they allow that for families.

Sarah seemed to be handling things okay until she had her last 3 minutes with daddy at the airport. She hugged his neck so tight and couldn't hold back her tears. Once he was on the plane, Seth wanted to wait & watch until it left. Once it rolled away from the gate, he wanted to wait until it took off. Once it took off, he wanted to wait until the airplane was totally out of sight! I was doing alright emotionally until I watched Seth. He stood at the window with his hands on the window very quietly saying, "Daddy.....daddy....daddy....." He wants to be tough, so he tried to hide his head to conceal his tears. Rachel promised daddy she would go to her window every night and whisper "Good night, Daddy." Then, every morning she would go to her window and whisper, "Good morning, Daddy." It choked me up to see her at her window last night.

While being apart is never easy, we are so thankful this is only for four months. I do feel like the time will go by quickly for us as we have a lot planned....family coming here and us going to see family. I know the deployments are especially hard on Russ. He is the one who is alone. We had a special time of prayer in the van before walking into the airport....calling upon the Lord is what will sustain us.

Here are some photos of this past week and yesterday.

WE LOVE YOU, RUSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We miss you already!!!!!!!!!!!!!! xoxoxoxoxo

Kidz Blitz

2008-04-16T08:35:00.006-05:00

Our church had an exciting evening for the kids called Kidz Blitz (http://www.kidzblitz.com/). It's sort of like a Nickelodeon show with a Christian message. For example, the speaker shared about sin (called it "that prickly stuff") as he displayed a pineapple. He had a huge sword to represent the Bible, God's Word, which is sharper than and double-edged sword. He then demonstrated how we can use God's Word to get rid of the sin in our lives. He took the sword and chopped the pineapple.

The majority of the evening involved several games in which the kids participated, and again, they all had a Scriptural message. For example, he talked about the power of God...so the game (which Rachel was called on stage to participate) was taking balloons and stuffing then in this huge, over sized sweat suit worn by another child to make them look like they're full of muscles. (Rachel's in the white t-shirt.) Sarah also was called up, but I don't want to post her picture because there are too many other children on the photo.

It was a really fun night. The kids had a blast. I was very impressed with the presentation of Biblical truths in a fun way which easily engaged both the children and the adults.

We were there with some friends. Here I am with my friend.

We had a "GRAND" Night

2008-04-12T13:51:00.003-05:00

We had a few friends over last night for dessert and games. We (adults) played a game called Compatibility which Russ & I haven't played since we first got married. The other couples had never played. It is a really, really fun game. We haven't laughed that hard in a LONG, LONG time. I think everyone had a great time. We definitely made memories to last years. Russ & I were even impressed at how awesome the kids were. We never had to stop our game to deal with any arguments or problems. I am so thankful for an enjoyable evening like that before Russ departs for Iraq. Those memories are one thing that helps sustain us.
(The title for my post is really for those who were here....one of the words from our game was "grand" - I won't go into it now, but that word was the center of a lot of laughter.)

A Tale of Two Sons

2008-04-12T13:39:00.005-05:00

Russ & I had the privilege of listening to pastor/author/teacher, Dr. John MacArthur, this past week. He was promoting his new book "A Tale of Two Sons" (typically called the Prodigal Son). He is so insightful & certainly gave us a whole new understanding of that parable. It was a wonderful evening. We thoroughly enjoy the teaching of Dr. MacArthur, so it was such a joy to hear him preach in person. If you aren't familiar with him or his ministry called Grace to You, go to http://www.gty.org/. Cheesy pic of me, I know. Had to have it though so my dad can't be the only one with a picture with John MacArthur. ;-)

Pictures & Video (Talent Show)

2008-04-06T21:31:00.011-05:00

As promised.....

All of the home school participants for this year's

Home School Talent Show & Exhibition

Rachel singing

"Part of Your World"

From The Little Mermaid

Rachel playing "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross"

Sarah reciting Psalm 23

VIDEO of Rachel & Sarah's Talent Show Performances

(the video's not perfect...Russ is playing with a new program that allows him to edit - I had him take me out ;-) !!! Keep in mind, Rachel had been sick for a week, so she did have to cough while singing. And, due to nerves, I went ahead and allowed her to hold the words even though she knows this song by heart. I'm very proud of both of them!):

Seth's crayon resist painting called "Under the Sea"

Sarah's crayon resist painting called "The Sea of Life"

Rachel's crayon resist painting called "Under Sea Adventure"

I know this is blurry, but you can see my Uncle Dale Laun's painting above our fire place. It says "THE LORD REIGNS" - look closely, you'll see it. His style is what inspired the girls and me to paint 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18. Mine is unfinished, but I wanted to show them altogether so you understand where we got our inspiration.

Sarah's painting is 1 Thessalonians 5:16 which says, "Be joyful always." Sarah is our joyful child - who wakes up joyful and goes to bed just as joyfully! She wanted to make the word joyful curved like a smile. :-) The circles are to indicate a bubbly, joyful spirit which comes from the inside...the overflow of the joy we have in Christ!

Rachel's painting is 1 Thessalonians 5:17 which says, "Pray continually." The purpose of the word continually being a circle is because a circle represents something that goes on continually. The other circles repeat the idea and also tie it to Sarah's painting.

Together.....

1 Thessalonians 5:16-17 "Be joyful always; pray continually..."

Once I finish mine, we'll add verse 18 which says, "Give thanks in all circumstances for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

Be sure to leave a comment for the kids! They'll be thrilled to know what you have to say.

Home School Talent Show & Exhibition

2008-04-05T21:15:00.003-05:00

It was a HUGE success!!!!!! The children were wonderful. The evening started with one family (5 of their kids) displaying their Tae Kwan Do skills, even breaking boards. It was cute to hear the other children "ooow" and "aaawwww" when the boards split in two. There were several piano performances - from children who've been playing for years and children who've only just begun to have lessons. The style varied from classic pieces to hymns. There were a few vocal performances. One little 7 year old boy sang Aaron Shust's song "My Savior, My God." It was very moving to hear him belt out "My God He was, My God He is, My God He's always gonna be!" There were several who recited poetry. One child impressively recited The Gettysburg Address. A beautiful young lady displayed her ability to worship through ballet. Her heart of praise was evident as she danced to "Hallelujah to the King." The final performance was a group of 6 who worshiped through Hebraic Dance.

There were a few occasions where I had to regain my composure as tears flooded my eyes. It was very moving to see how heartfelt the performances were. It was quite impressive to see the composure the children displayed as they stood before a pretty large crowd under the bright shining lights! I know how nervous I was & all I had to do was introduce the next child/group! ;-) Following the performances, we moved into the gym for the exhibit and refreshments. My friend, Kristi, did a great job decorating the gym. Several parents helped her get it set up and it looked wonderful. I was very honored to be a part of such a wonderful event for our homeschool community. We had a great turn out as well. It was also a blessing to see how many willing parents contributed to make the evening possible - helping with the program, making the certificates, setting up, cleaning up, and more.

Now, let me get a little more personal....(for the sake of grandparents, aunts, uncles,...)

I'm a little biased and have to say I absolutely LOVED one little lady's vocal solo and piano solo....Rachel. ;-) And I just LOVED another little girl's recitation of Scripture....Sarah. ;-) And, Seth and the girls displayed artwork which I LOVED as well.

Originally, Rachel was going to sing On Eagle's Wings, based on Psalm 91. Then we took a spur of the moment trip to visit Russ and she didn't have enough voice lessons before that trip to work on that new song. So we decided she'd sing "Part of Your World" from the Little Mermaid. Then she decided to get sick! Due to her sickness, she didn't rehearse on Thursday night because we thought there was no way she could sing. Then by Friday she seemed a bit better. I thought she could at least try to sing. I hated to think I've put all this work into this talent show and my own daughter can't participate! And I didn't want her to look back and be disappointed she didn't try.

By this point, she was extremely nervous...."What if I cough?" I told her I would let everyone know she has been sick and it is perfectly fine if she has to cough. I said everyone will understand! My words didn't convince her too well, so I resorted to good old-fashioned bribery. ;-) It worked. So I promised all 3 kids a new Webkinz for their willingness to participate in the talent show. Ugh! (They got them today.)

When we arrived at the church, she rehearsed quickly before people started to arrive. She was so nervous, so I allowed her to hold her words during the actual performance...considering all she'd been through! So, during the performance, she got up - beautiful as can be - and sang so impressively. She coughed a couple of times, but it was really NO big deal. Everyone understood, as I knew they would, and they all cheered and clapped for her. This was actually the first time Russ has heard her perform. Since he's the one in the family with the ear for music, his opinion matters! He was very impressed! A few people commented afterwards on her voice, some recognized that she takes voice lessons, saying they could tell. I thought she sang beautifully, especially after the week she had of being ill. I am so, so proud of my young lady! (if Russ can figure out how to get a video clip on here for me, I'll get a clip of her singing - he used the video recorder)

Rachel also played "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross" on the piano. She hasn't had lessons for long, but she's doing great at that as well. Her piano teacher is actually my friend's daughter who has been playing for years! She's a phenomenal pianist at 15 years old. She came up to Rachel afterwards and complimented Rachel, saying she did a great job and she was very impressed.

Sarah is our other child who isn't afraid of the spotlight! At 7 years old, I was thoroughly impressed by Sarah's confidence & clarity as she quoted Psalm 23. She spoke fluently, loud and clear, and slow enough to be understood. She looked at the audience, smiled on occasion, and made her mommy and daddy so proud. Oh, and before we left the house, she was quite impressed with herself - showing off her hair to daddy and Seth. I just curled it a little more than usual, but she thought she was just gorgeous.....you could see it in her eyes.

We are proud of Seth, as well, even though he is not ready to perform or get in front of crowds. He may never be that child...and that's okay. He's our little soccer star. The grassy fields is his stage. ;-) He did, however, make a crayon resist painting of an undersea scene. It came out really cute.

The girls made paintings inspired by my Uncle Dale Laun, an artist and retired art teacher. We have a painting of his above our fire place. They painted 1 Thessalonians 5:16 & 17. I'm working on verse 18, but I wasn't part of the talent show...so mine's not finished yet! ;-) Sarah did verse 16, "Be joyful always." It's very fitting for her personality. Joy is a character trait that is definitely a part of Sarah. And, from the time she could talk, "Joy, Joy," as she called it, was one of her favorite songs ("I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy, down in my heart..."). We have a tape recording of her at about 2 years of age singing, "Joy.....joy.....joy.....joy....." It goes on and on. I finally say, "That's enough joy, joy, Sarah." She says, "No, mommy. Sing joy, joy." And she keeps singing the same word over and over and over!

Rachel painted verse 17 which says, "Pray continually." Again, this verse was very fitting for Rachel. Over the years, I have observed her faith through her prayers. And she will often say, "Mommy, can you pray about......now." Both girls did a very nice job on their paintings & I think their great uncle would be proud and honored.

Hopefully, I'll have pictures and video clips to put on here in a few days.

Taking a Breath!

2008-04-01T20:33:00.002-05:00

Ahhh! That title is for me. Life has been a whirlwind recently. And, honestly, I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed. It seems like so much has happened since I last wrote.

Let me catch you up....Russ has been gone for almost 8 weeks (in North Carolina). We found out he's deploying to Iraq but only had 10 days home before leaving. Since he's still stateside and we homeschool, I gathered up the kids & dog & drove 10 hours to see him! We stayed with his sister and spent about 10 days with him. We were able to spend Easter together. It was a wonderful time....long drive but very much worth it!

I would have stayed longer, but I'm coordinating a couple of home school activities here and had to get home to deal with the planning. First is a Home School Talent Show & Exhibition. There are 42 children participating. The talent performances will include piano, violin, keyboard, vocal solos, duet, ballet, Tae Kwan Do, Hebraic dance, and recitation of memorized Scripture, poetry and the Gettysburg Address. The exhibit will have paintings, drawings, sculptures, and academic projects. It's been a lot of work, but my passion is for children and supporting homeschooling. There are several moms (and a couple of dads) who have pitched in to help make the event possible. The work is worth it because this is an opportunity for our children to shine!

Rachel is playing the piano and is supposed to sing a solo. However, she came down with a fever last Friday & it hasn't gone away yet (almost 103 today)! Now she has a bad cough, too, so I'm not so sure she'll be well by the performance on Friday (yes, grandma and mom mom, I took her to the doctor). :-( Sarah is going to recite Psalm 23. Seth wasn't ready to get up and do anything, so I didn't force it. They are each putting a painting and small project in the exhibit. Russ will be home on the rehearsal night - just in time for the performance night! We're all so happy about that!

I'm also coordinating a field trip for our support group. We're just going to the zoo, but the coordination was a bit more entailed than I expected! I've got that work taken care of now, so all we have left is to go on the trip & enjoy it!

Our support group also had our monthly meeting on Monday. We had 48 children!! Depending on your perspective, that may or may not seem like a lot....it is!!! It was great to have so many new families!! But, again, there's a lot of work involved in coordinating a support group.

I am reminded of Psalm 46:10 "Be still, and know that I am God." God wants me to be still, even in the busy, crazy times of life. Sometimes it's hard to be still (for me, at least). But I must be still! I must...knowing He is God. He will see me through it all. He has...He will.

Magnifying Glass (my rambling thoughts)

2008-03-05T07:39:00.008-06:00

Last week, I had an opportunity to speak with a Muslim woman about homeschooling. Her reasons for educating her children at home are very much like mine. We had a lengthy conversation, which surprisingly, led to a discussion of our faith. She grew up in a Baptist church, but three years ago she converted to the Islamic faith. That hit me hard! As we talked, I asked why? How?

So how does one grow up learning the Bible is the only source of truth, sitting in church week after week hearing about Jesus, being taught salvation is through Christ alone, knowing the gift of God is eternal life in heaven, believing rejecting Him leads to hell....how does one turn from that foundation? I asked, "What led you to turn away from Christianity?" These are not her exact words, but essentially, her answer was the hypocrisy of the church.

I hear this over and over and over, "If that's what a Christian is, I don't want anything to do with that!" While she may have grown up learning the foundational truths of the Christian faith, it was nothing more than mental knowledge. Nothing more than words and "teachings" shoved into her brain. She heard it, but she didn't SEE it. The knowledge never made it from her head into her heart!

She said she knew where to find people when they weren't at church....bars and clubs. Purity? What's that? Modesty? What's that? She did not see a difference between the church and the world. Aren't Christians supposed to pray? Aren't they supposed to be set apart? Should Christians dress just like the world?

Praying five times a day, covering her body - they seemed like noticeable differences she wanted in her life. Thus she was drawn to a faith where people noticeably pray and visibly dress modestly. The outward "rules" of the Islamic faith caught her attention. And she liked it! To her, they were living their faith in observable ways. Finally, she could "see" it.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying I'm happy about her decision. I'm not saying they (Muslims) are right. I quoted 1 Thessalonians 5:17 to her, "Pray continually." The Bible does say we are to pray...not just "five times" a day, but we are to pray continually. But again, she did not witness the Word in the lives of those who claimed to be Christians.

Were they in church regularly? Sure, but that was it! When they walked away from that building, their claims were left at the door, ready to be retrieved the next time they walked through those church doors. And, regretfully, some of their claims weren't even evident when they were in church! Love? What's that? Kindness? What's that? Sure, it's there among some, but is it extended to all? Cliques here, cliques there. Gossip here, gossip there. Women dressed to reveal, not dressed to worship. She thought, "You're teaching me one thing, but I'm seeing the opposite!"

Again, don't get me wrong. I'm not trying to say everyone in church fits into this description. However, I think if we're honest, there are too many people in our churches today who fit that description and beyond. What broke my heart most was pondering the fact of all these souls - all these people who are fooling themselves. They're fooled into thinking they can pray one time, ask Jesus into their heart, then live as they please as long as they regularly come to church. They have not chosen to follow Christ, they have not truly submitted their lives to the Lordship of Christ, making Him the "boss" of their lives.

I told this woman, "There is no such thing as 'fire insurance' and unfortunately, many people in our churches today are in a false sense of security." It is sad. I told her she witnessed people who were claiming Christianity, but probably were not really Christians! I explained that salvation is through Christ alone. But being a Christian is not just praying a prayer. Christ died to be our Lord and Savior. You can't just accept the Savior part and reject the Lord part. You either choose to follow His Lordship and accept His saving grace, or you reject Him completely. But, nonetheless, this woman's search for authenticity led her away.

Authenticity means "undisputed credibility." That is lacking from our churches. It is lacking from those who merely give verbal ascent to Christ. Their lives attest to the fact that their credibility is unreliable! I say authenticity is lacking from our churches because of the number of adults turning away from the church. (Granted, there are other reasons people leave the church, but this is the issue I'm focusing on now. Another reason is discussed in my bio on the right side of this page.)

Do I expect perfection? Absolutely not. Should we aim for it? Absolutely! 2 Corinthians 13:11 says, ".... Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you." How do we aim for perfection? We've got to reflect genuine faith through obedient living. But, you can't be obedient when you don't even know what God expects!

In the Pentateuch, we find the Law, over and over again. God wasn't just listing a bunch of rules to make the Israelites suffer. The laws were a means of causing God's people to be "set apart." If they looked like and lived like those who practiced idolatry, how would anyone see that they followed the one, true God? Let me give an example. In Leviticus 17:13-14, the LORD says, "Whatever man of the children of Israel, or of the strangers who dwell among you, who hunts and catches any animal or bird that may be eaten, he shall pour out its blood and cover it with dust; for it is the life of all the flesh....." Why would God make such a specific "rule"? To set the people apart! John MacArthur explains, "It was customary with heathen hunters, when they killed any game, to pour out the blood as an offering to the god of the hunt. The Israelites, to the contrary, were enjoined by this directive and banned from all such superstitious acts of idolatry." God did not want them to practice the ways of the idolatrous heathens! He did not miss a detail in His expectation for His children so they would live authentic lives, indisputably proclaiming that their God was the LORD. Deuteronomy 18:9 “When you come into the land which the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominations of those nations." No, they were to follow His ways! And, believe me, I believe this is relevant to us!!

Countless times (over 50 times in Leviticus), we read, "I am the LORD your God." He wanted their lives to reflect that HE is the LORD, that HE is their God & HE is holy. HE is worthy to be praised! HE deserves all honor and glory! Leviticus 20:23 says, "And you shall not walk in the statutes of the nation which I am casting out before you; for they commit all these things, and therefore I abhor them." Later, in verse 24 it says, "...I am the LORD your God, who has separated you from the peoples."

As I read through Deuteronomy, the truth that hit me most is that God wants obedience originated in our heart. Deuteronomy 10:12-14, 16-17, 21 says: “And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments of the LORD and His statutes which I command you today for your good? Indeed heaven and the highest heavens belong to the LORD your God, also the earth with all that is in it. Therefore circumcise the foreskin of your heart, and be stiff-necked no longer. For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality nor takes a bribe. You shall fear the LORD your God; you shall serve Him, and to Him you shall hold fast, and take oaths in His name. He is your praise, and He is your God, who has done for you these great and awesome things which your eyes have seen."

I firmly believe that God still expects us to be "set apart" and desires our lives to reflect our hearts. Romans 12:2 "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."

Ephesians 4:22-24 "...put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness."

1 Corinthians 5:6-7 "...Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us."

And how much clearer can it be than in 1 John 2:3-6 "Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked."

Unfortunately, for this woman I spoke with, outward obedience leads to salvation. So she has followed a false teaching and is believing a lie. The truth is, observable obedience is a reflection of salvation which comes from the heart. Salvation is a gift of God through His grace and not by our works. However, the point I have attempted to make is the eternal consequences of our lives not matching up with our words. If salvation truly has occurred in our lives, it should be evident...that way we may know that we are His child. Likewise, those who observe will know we belong to Him. And, with God's grace, they may be drawn to Him as well. He wants our heart first. He wants us to circumcise our heart - cut away the sin from our heart. Then our lives are to be the magnifying glass to our heart.

What was meant as a simple conversation about homeschooling led to an honest discussion...which spoke to me deeply. It led me on to ponder the issues she addressed. There is some truth to what this woman said. This should be a wake-up call to those who claim to follow Christ. May we all take out that magnifying mirror and look at what others are observing. Do they see an obedient life? Do they see a life set apart for Christ? Or do they see a reflection of the world? Do I act different from the world? Do I appear different? What are the consequences of my actions or lack thereof? Am I drawing people to the Lord or pushing them away?

If anyone actually reads this, you'll have to let me know!! ;-) I don't really expect anyone else to read all of my ramblings!

Update on Holli

2008-03-04T13:00:00.002-06:00

Thanks to those of you who read my previous post and prayed for Holli. Here are the latest updates.

I received this Monday, March 3rd. This is written by Holli's mother:

“Holli’s disease is called mitochondrial disease (more specifically, Complex I Defect with Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Deficiency) but “mitochondrial disease” is fine. It is one of the neuromuscular disorders that are covered under the umbrella of muscular dystrophies. Holli has two components….mitochondrial myopathy (which is the component covered under the MDA and involves muscles) and mitochondrial encephalopathy(separate component not under the MDA involves the brain). Confusing, I know.

…She was very happy when she woke up. She is continuing to do better. Now, she is vomiting but that is from the infection and not from the reaction. I can handle an infection compared to what we have been through. She has been sleeping a lot but that is really to be expected with her disease after the body goes through stress. She goes back to the doctor tomorrow…just to check all the things that stopped working and make sure they are working fine. Today is the first day I will not be giving her the medication to loosen her muscles…I do not think she needs it anymore. If she tightens up, I will give it to her but I do not think she will. Thank you also for the prayers. Things were happening so fast that I could not concentrate long enough to even pray so I am very glad that there were others who were praying for her. It made a difference for sure."

This is the email I received today, March 4, 2008. Again, it is Holli's mom.
".... It is great to hear that people are/have been praying. Please thank everyone for me. Holli went to the doctor this morning. Her heart is fine now so that is good. We were worried about damage there, especially since they thought there might be damage in the hospital, but as she has recovered so has her heart. She should be able to go to school tomorrow. She is almost back to her normal self! We are very grateful for all the prayers. I honestly do not believe Holli would have made it if not for the power of prayer. She was in very, very bad shape but there were tons of people praying for her and it made a huge difference. THANK YOU!
Heidi"

**********************************

Romans 8:26-27 “Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannon be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”

Our pastor said on Sunday that when words fail us, we have the assurance the Holy Spirit is interceding for us. He said, "Sometimes our silence speaks more than our words." I think of Holli's mom. When the words failed her, the Holy Spirit intervened and was praying on behalf of Holli. How comforting is that?!

Pray for Holli!

2008-03-02T21:38:00.003-06:00

Many of you know of my niece, Laura. Laura will be 14 years old this month! She is globally delayed and is a "special needs" child. As only God could do, He brought Laura a very special friend. Though their conditions are not the same, they are very much alike in the way they communicate. They have a unique and truly special bond. Sadly, however, Holli has a condition which will not enable her to live a long life. Actually, she has already surpassed her life expectancy! I have had the joy and pleasure of watching Laura and Holli together. It brings tears to my eyes to see them and the special relationship they have. I don't think my words can adequately explain it. For one of Laura's birthdays, Karen (her mom) took the girls to Glamour Shots (or some place like that). They were treated like princesses...dolled up and had their pictures taken together. I cried when I saw the pictures. Again, how do words describe the bond those two special girls have? Their relationship is evidence of the grace and mercy of God.

It is through tears that I type this message, for my heart is so heavy. I received the following email from Karen (my sister-in-law) asking for prayer for Holli. I'm just going to put the whole email in here. I hope you will take the time to read it & pray for Holli. Here are the girls at my nephew's graduation luau in May 2007.

Karen's email:

Some of you are aware of what has just happened, others will hear for the first time but all of you know Laura’s best friend Holli. Her condition has steadily deteriorated. Her energy level has deteriorated and she is only able to get through a half day at school. Upon all the complications with her major systems over the past year, she was recently diagnosed with malnutrition- meaning her body has not been absorbing and processing her food. She looks like Laura- to see her and her current weight you would never know that she suffers from this condition. They are both “chunky”, but it’s like the children in Africa -they are malnourished and starving to death but yet have the extended bellies.

Her doctor at John Hopkins started her on a new medication and Holli had a severe reaction, this was compounded by the fact that the doses sat in her stomach and compounded the reaction rather than be absorbed into her system. Holli was acting a little “out of it” but went to school with a call to the teacher to keep an eye on her and call if anything happened. It wasn’t long and Holli’s head was cocked to the side and she was drooling. Heidi rushed to school and in route to the Pediatric clinic she stopped breathing. Folks at the Peds clinic were incredible, she crashed but they got her stable enough to call an ambulance to get her to the hospital.

At the hospital they waited three hours with no help! They couldn’t get her local pediatrician who had given her the medicine and they were supposed to be trying to reach Holli’s doctor at John Hopkins - they said they couldn’t get any return calls but as soon as Heidi called on her cell phone (she has it programmed and can always reach him) he answered right away.

They thought she might be through the worst and she was supposed to be admitted and more test run- but they sent her home. They were home just a short time when she started seizing, she couldn’t talk, walk, and hold her head up. They rushed her to a different hospital where things continued to go from bad to worse. The antibiotics they started finally after two days began to work and she is slowly recovering. Heidi says they weren’t sure what skills she would have after more then 50 seizures but she is talking (and wanting to talk to Laura) and sitting up. Her fingers and toes are still curled and her swallowing is an issue but they are hoping her body just needs more time to relax and get the rest of the antibiotics absorbed into her system.

Please, I know many of you have been praying for Holli this past year, please continue. She has surpassed her life expectancy and now they seem to be out of drugs that are approved by our government. They aren’t sure what lies ahead, can’t think of anything but getting through the next couple of days at the moment. Prayer is what she needs…and is getting from hundreds of people and its working. Thank you all.

Please pray for strength for Heidi and Barry (her parents). Heidi is having a bit of a hard time that this happened as a result of medication she gave her. She has such incredible strength and they have all been through so much.

Please pray for Holli, Heidi, Barry, Holli's brothers, and for Laura!

Snow....just enough!

2008-03-01T12:55:00.007-06:00

We finally got enough snow last week for the kids to be able to play in it. When the snow just started to accumulate, they went on the back deck to play. If you notice, there's barely any snow and Sarah says she's making a "HUGE" snowball.

So here they are, showing off their "HUGE" snowballs!

After it was dark, they went out again and were able to make bigger snowballs. Here's Rachel showing off her big one. When there seemed to be enough snow to attempt to sled, Rachel wanted try.

The next day, we drove to the school by our house because it has a few "hills" the kids could sled down. They had a blast. They don't know any different!! After all, it was just enough snow for them!!

Smiling Dog

2008-03-01T12:45:00.004-06:00

OK, so maybe he wasn't really smiling, but we sure were having a good time laughing at him! ;-) Trooper kept showing his top teeth, so it was just like he was smiling at us. No, he wasn't growling either.He also got his first hair cut (pretty much just his face and paws). He looks all grown up now! He's gained 4 lbs. since we got him. He's growing fast.

Happy Anniversary, Mom & Dad!

2008-03-01T12:25:00.005-06:00

(I'm a couple of days late posting this.)

What a privilege to say my parents have been married for 48 years!!! Wow! Thank you, mom and dad, for your commitment to the Lord, your wedding vows, one another, your children and your grandchildren. Your marriage is a testimony to what marriage can be with lives dependent upon the Lord. With Him, it IS possible!! I love you both!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, RUSS!

2008-03-01T10:03:00.005-06:00

Happy Birthday to my faithful husband!! (Forgive me for being a few days late on posting this. You know I've been very busy in your absence!)

Probably the strongest adjective I can think of to describe Russ is faithful. In our world, having a faithful spouse is like finding a rare gem. Due to his work with the military, we have experienced deployments - both short and long. Yet, the Lord has strengthened our marriage, despite the time apart. Russ has remained faithful to our wedding vows & that is a unique quality in our lost world.

My husband is also very hard-working and sacrificial. Russ is eager to "get the job done!" He is willing to sacrifice his time & energy to do what has to be done. Even the sacrifice of time away, though difficult, is one he is willing to make to provide for our family & help our country.

Belief in God and country - those are the driving forces behind Russ. His relationship with the Lord began 12 years ago. I have had the joy of seeing him grow in his relationship with the Lord. Yes, it is a journey - through valleys and atop mountains. But, we are on this journey together! His love for our country continues to keep in him the military (reserves) and in a job working with the military! He wholeheartedly stands behind our soldiers.

There is a song which has been special to us over the years.

FAITHFUL FRIEND
by Steven Curtis Chapman and Twila Paris

(Twila)

Everyone knows you as a man of honor.

I am glad to know you simply as a friend.

You've always taken time to be my brother,

and I'll be standing by you in the end.

But I will never put you on a pedestal.

I thank the Lord for everything you do.

I'll be there to pray for you and for the ones you love.

I believe that He will finish all He's started in you.

I will be an open door that you can count on,

Anywhere you are, anywhere you've been.

I will be an honest heart you can depend on;

I will be your faithful friend.

(Steven)

I am one of many whose path has been made clearer

by the light you've carried faithfully, as a warrior and a child.

God has used you greatly to encourage and inspire.

You've remained a true friend all the while.

So I will never put you on a pedestal

cause we both know all the glory is the Lord's.

And I'll be there to pray that He will keep you by His grace,

And I always will remind you to be seeking His face.

(Together)

I will be an open door that you can count on

anywhere you are, anywhere you've been.

I will be an honest heart you can depend on.

I will be a faithful friend.

(Twila)

Should it ever come your time to mourn, I will weep with you.

And every single time you win, I'm celebrating, too!

(Together!)

Oh, I will celebrate with you…

I will be an open door that you can count on,

anywhere you are, anywhere you've been.

I will be an honest heart you can depend on.

I will be a faithful friend.

I will be faithful. I will be a faithful friend.

Happy Birthday, Russ, and thank you for being MY Faithful Friend!

Busy Bakers

2008-02-15T21:22:00.005-06:00

Rachel had a grand idea that we should take dessert to our friend's tonight (we went for dinner). She wanted to bake a cake to take, so I told her I had heart shaped cake pans that she could use - keeping with the theme of Valentine's Day. Well, that stirred up some jealousy from Seth and Sarah. "Rachel always gets to bake the cake!" So, being the crazy mom that I am, I offered for them to each make their own special dessert as well! I guess it's the "peacemaker" in me! Needless to say, I was busy being Betty Crocker with the kids today helping them with their unique dessert creations.

Rachel made a 3-layer heart shaped cake. It was a swirl cake, which she made on her own. Really, the only thing I did was put the cake in & out of the oven & took them out of the pans. She decorated the cake entirely on her own. She's getting quite succesful in the kitchen. She was very proud of her design.

Sarah made waffle iron brownies and used a heart stencil when she sprinkled on the powdered sugar. They're so easy to make and are so delicious! Every once in a while, she'd forget to put the stencil on. We'd say, "Oops! Guess we'll have to eat that one!" She did most of the measuring and mixing, but I had to work with the hot waffle iron. As her smile proves, she was having a blast & feeling all grown up as she was following the recipe. I thought she did a very nice job on her sprinkling as well. I think she'll follow in Rachel's footsteps...loving being in the kitchen with momma....and oh, so proud of her creation, too!

Seth did a good job making his rolled out cookies, but was really more interested in eating the dough! He was cutting out his cookies saying, "This is SOOOO tempting!" I can't say I blame him. It's a lot easier to just eat the dough than roll out, cut out, bake & decorate those cookies! He decorated a few, but he said I could finish for him. ;-) He gave me permission to use pink. He thought he was pretty big stuff being able to work momma's mixer, too...but again, that's because he knew the dough was almost ready....to eat!

They were all so proud to carry in their desserts at my friend's house. After dinner, we had a full plate of dessert! They've had enough sugar today to keep them awake half the night. Oh well, it's days like these that make memories that hopefully last a lifetime.

Our Big Snow Day!

2008-02-13T18:00:00.010-06:00

We had a little snow today.

Yes, if you look close enough,

there really is snow on the ground!

Rachel & Seth insisted on trying to sled.

(The picture of them just cracks me up!)

I told them it wouldn't work, but they had to try!

Trooper thought the snow tasted pretty good.

It was beautiful watching it fall...

there just wasn't enough.

Of course, schools around here were cancelled

(moreso because of the ice,

but you northerners must laugh

thinking this amount of snow

results in school cancellations).

I'm not sure if we'll get enough snow this year

for the kids to get to really play in it.

I guess we have to be thankful for what we get...

and we are very thankful!

Valentine's Party

2008-02-13T17:49:00.004-06:00

We had a little Valentine's Party with our friends today.

We met for lunch, then went to one friend's house.

The kids played with their animals

(chickens, goats, dogs, newborn puppies, and cats),

decorated Valentine's boxes, exchanged cards, and ate cupcakes.

Our Puppy Bowl!!

2008-02-09T09:03:00.000-06:00

On Super Bowl Sunday, we watched part of "The Puppy Bowl". It was cute. So, here's Seth and Trooper playing Puppy Football! Trooper was so proud of himself carrying around this big, stuffed football. I think Seth enjoyed pretending he was a puppy.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOM MOM!

2008-02-08T15:12:00.000-06:00

Happy Birthday, Carol!!

Today is my mother-in-law's birthday! When I think of my mother-in-law, I can't help but think of her love of animals. She has invested a great deal of time, money and energy to foster dogs. She and her husband give the animals they receive the love, training, and medical care they need to be ready to find a new home.

Carol is known as "Mom Mom" to the kids. She is loved very much!

Mom Mom, we pray you have a blessed day & many wonderful years to come!

Spoiled Rotten!

2008-02-03T12:55:00.001-06:00

Trooper is quite relaxed....enjoying a belly rub from Rachel! Can you tell he's loved?!

Caught a Bug

2008-02-03T12:43:00.000-06:00

I wish I was referring to a creepy, crawly bug.....but, nope! We've been hit by a bug that's going around. Rachel was first, then Sarah, then Seth, now me. I'm not bad...yet...just a mild fever, cough and sore throat. With the kids, it's been the 2nd day that is the worst. Seth's fever was almost 104 with vomiting (yesterday), so he was feeling pretty awful!! He's still out - asleep now on the couch - but at least his fever isn't so high. Russ feels ok today, but time will tell if he shall escape! In ten years of marriage, Russ has never thrown up. He wants to keep that stat climbing. ;-)

My Latest Project

2008-01-26T21:30:00.000-06:00

Rachel's best friend asked if I would make her a Webkinz Wheel of Wow birthday cake. I said I would because she is a dear friend. (Webkinz is the craze among most kids these days.) Now other moms are putting in orders for their kids' birthday cakes (not sure if they're joking or serious)! I'm not sure what I've gotten myself into!! ;-) Not that I like to boast, but I think my Wheel of Wow cake is much nicer than the one on the Webkinz website.

Here's the cake (double layer chocolate)....

Congratulations, My Love!

2008-01-26T21:20:00.001-06:00

I am very proud to announce that my husband was selected by the Army to be a Warrant Officer!! Once he successfully completes his training, he will be promoted. For those of you who understand the military, you know that this is a HUGE deal! If you aren't familiar with the military, just trust me when I say this is HUGE!!! If you're confused, thinking he is not in the military....Although he is not on Active Duty, Russ is still in the Reserves, so he serves one weekend a month.

Becoming a Warrant Officer is a goal that he has had for many, many years. I am so proud of this accomplishment. His years of civilian experience proved to be beneficial, I believe, as they evaluated his qualifications. He is very deserving of this honor. He loves serving our country, he is hard-working and loyal, and he has the technical experience to be a top notch Warrant Officer!!

Congratulations, Russ!! You deserve this!!!! We are all extremely proud of you and grateful that God has blessed you with this...finally!!

It's A Boy!!

2008-01-26T20:58:00.000-06:00

....The new puppy, that is! Yes, after much searching and praying, God led us to our new baby. His name is Trooper because he is a rescue dog & the kids felt like he was quite a "trooper" to have such a rough start on life. We wanted a poodle & found him at a rescue group near St. Louis, MO. We drove up there a week ago and picked him up. It was a quick trip up & back, but we did make a quick stop at the Arch...just so the kids could say they've been there! ;-)

He's been a great puppy so far. He's GREAT with the kids - very compliant and easy going, yet he can be a bundle of fun and excitement when we get him playing.

Rachel's prayer after we got him was so precious. She just thanked God for leading us to the right dog. She said, "We just know you led us right to him." The kids are so, so, SOOOO happy!!!! I have to admit, I'm pretty happy, too. He's so adorable & he loves to snuggle. I also take great pleasure in simply watching the kids laugh and play...seeing their excitement is worth everything! Oh, and he's already sleeping from about 10pm to 6am most nights!!

So, here's our little guy.

Our Florida Vacation

2008-01-21T16:36:00.000-06:00

Here are a bunch of photos from our trip to Florida. I know, it's long overdue!

Our first Sunday there, we had professional pictures taken. Here's the whole gang (my side of the family - my sister is in the blue shirt with her girls & my brother is in the back with his sons and daughter).

We were blessed by having my in-laws there as well. Russ's mom and step-dad....

This is my parents with my brother and sister.

Here's grandma (my mom) baking cookies with the kids - a tradition from when I was a child. And, if they weren't baking, they were busy working on crafts. Never a dull moment with Grandma! ;-)

One day, we went to a pottery place called "Pottery By You" and the kids painted something.

We got a Wii for Christmas, so everyone had to give it a try...even Grandma and Grandpa went bowling on the Wii! ;-) The boys were addicted to it!

Matthew's (my nephew) birthday is Christmas Eve. He had a spiderman birthday party with his cousins.
The weather was perfect, so we were able to spend a couple of days at the beach. The water was very, very cold, but it didn't keep the kids out!

Another tradition from when I was a kid is being buried in the sand by my brother. Uncle Tim buried all the kids & they had a blast.

Seth and Grandma having a sweet conversation....
A newly formed tradition is digging deep holes in Grandma and Grandpa's yard. This is the 2nd year the kids have enjoyed this.
Christmas day....singing...
All of the kids (cousins)....
Rachel was reading the Christmas Story....
Swimming in Grandma and Grandpa's pool on Christmas day....brrrr! Not too cold for kids, of course. The adults enjoyed talking while the kids swam.

Then dipping in the spa to warm up....

The Big Boys playing with the little boys' toys - sling shots. Russ hit the target!
The men had an ugly beard contest. The kids were going through & feeling their beards, then they voted. Russ & Uncle Tim tied! The men were just happy to get away with a week of not shaving.

Grandma bought some pots for the kids to paint. The only criteria was they had to put a fingerprint on their pot. She's going to take all the pots & put them by the pool with flowers in them to create a "Grandkid Garden" - fun idea.Their smiles say it all!!

Double Sadness

2008-01-13T14:27:00.000-06:00

As you saw from a previous post, we picked out a puppy for the kids for Christmas. He stayed with the breeder while we went to Florida for a couple of weeks. Russ was supposed to bring him home once he returned from Florida. Well, that never worked out. The litter of puppies all got sick. All of the puppies recovered and made it to their new homes except ours...he passed away last week while in vet care. The kids are sad, but they are handling themselves very maturely. It is an awful thing to go through, but it would have been a whole lot more traumatic had the puppy already lived with us. The kids didn't develop that strong attachment yet, so we can pick up, accept this as God's plan, and move on.

Rachel is praying diligently for our search for a new puppy, asking God to lead us to the right puppy. She asked me yesterday (when she saw me searching on the computer), "So, mommy, is God leading you? Is He helping you find the right puppy?" We haven't found the exact one yet, but God is closing doors and opening others. I'll keep you informed when we find our new baby! ;-)

Also, as you saw from a previous post, our little fish took quite a fall a while back. He managed to live 2 long years (pretty good for a fish), but he also passed away over Christmas. We had a funeral for him when we got back (a friend was taking care of him, but his death wasn't a big surprise).

Definitely not how we planned our Christmas, but we know God is in control of everything...even the tiny details of losing a pet and getting a new one! We trust Him in the big and the little things of life! ;-)

Update on my Mother

2007-12-19T17:45:00.000-06:00

The results are in....Praise the Lord! My mom's blood work was NORMAL!!!! Her doctor says she must have been fighting some sort of infection, even though she felt fine. That may be true, but God may have chosen to heal her. We're so thankful!! Thanks to all of you for your prayers and emails. My first reaction was to plea with others for prayer. I'm so appreciative that I have friends who will bear my burdens with me....and now you may REJOICE with me!!!

By the way, the kids got in my parents' pool this afternoon, here in sunny Florida! ;-)

Pray for my Mother, please!

2007-12-18T09:38:00.000-06:00

For those who know my mom (or read my blog a few weeks ago), you know she has survived 2 bouts with breast cancer & that she is a strong woman in the Lord. Since her last surgery and radiation, she has never had an abnormal test....until now. Please pray! Her blood work is evaluated every 6 months. Her recent blood work (2 weeks ago) showed her platelets and white blood count to be low. They repeated the test & her white blood count returned to normal, but her platelets went lower. They will repeat the test tomorrow (Wed., 12/19). She'll know the results right away. If her platelets are still low, they will test for bone marrow cancer. We arrive in Florida tomorrow as well...for that, I'm so thankful!

I'll update with results....

Thanks!!

...a Tender Tennessee Christmas....

2007-12-16T19:26:00.000-06:00

Since we're heading to Florida for Christmas, we decided to open gifts here rather than drag everything to Florida. The kids will get a few things in Florida on Christmas day, but we did the majority yesterday.

Here are some of the pictures from our Tennessee Christmas....

Do you think Seth was excited about his Good and Evil book? Or his spiderman suit? Sarah was happy about her new littlest pet shop animals.

Rachel was so thrilled by her American Girl book - she read the whole book yesterday afternoon!

Like many kids today, they are very "into" webkinz!

We had a blast playing with the Wii as a family after we opened all the gifts. That was daddy's big idea for the family this year.

But, our biggest "WOW" gift was from my parents. They gave us money & we used it to get the kids a puppy. Since we're leaving for Florida, we just went to pick the puppy, but he'll stay with the breeder until we get back. It was a surprise to the kids. They've been asking for a dog for years. Finally, it is going to be a reality!!!

He's a poodle. Russ calls poodles yap dogs. He'd rather have a lab, but since Sarah is allergic to dogs, he agreed that a poodle was the best option. A poodle was my choice anyhow. ;-) We did some "tests" and had Sarah spent time with dogs (large, shedding dogs) and slept on the floor where the dogs roam....and she did not have any adverse affects. We felt we were safe to get a poodle.

He remains nameless....any suggestions? We're going to create a list & narrow it down until we find something we are all happy with.

Home School Group Events

2007-12-16T19:06:00.000-06:00

Our home school group (CHARA - www.orgsites.com/tn/chara) had a craft day in November. This month, we delivered the crafts to a local nursing home. Rachel and another boy in the group played the piano. We sang carols. The residents seemed to enjoy seeing the children.

Also this month, our group rang bells for the Salvation Army. We rang for 6 hours, splitting up the time into one hour shifts. We had the first shift. By the last shift, the bucket was so full, people had to literally shove their money in the slot! I was impressed at how giving people were!! My friend's baby even rang a bell...until she fell asleep exhausted from her hard work. ;-)

'Tis the Season to be....BUSY!

2007-12-16T18:32:00.000-06:00

The month began with Rachel's recital for the choir she's in at Austin Peay University. She's in the choir with her two closest friends. Rachel also had a recital with her voice teacher. All of her teacher's students performed - they either sang or played piano. (no pictures from that event)

The next musical event was the kids' church choir performance. This picture was taken that evening.

The kids were also involved in the "Living Christmas Tree" performance at our church. Sarah was a mouse, Seth was in the "band" and Rachel rang bells & carried a flag. The theme of the night was taking the message of Christ to the world. (this picture is the tree without the singers in it - if you've never seen a Living Christmas Tree, the singers stand in the tree to sing. The tree also lit up.)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SETH & SARAH!!

2007-12-03T21:59:00.000-06:00

Seth and Sarah turned 7 years old on Saturday! Wow! I can't believe how quickly time goes by. I'm a couple of days late posting. I'm having problems posting pictures tonight - I'll try again tomorrow.

Though twins, Seth & Sarah are certainly very unique. They share a special bond, look out for each other & do get along extremely well (most of the time), yet they have their own individual qualities.

Seth is becoming a wonderful gentleman. He's always opening doors or holding doors, often impressing strangers for whom he's holding the door. He's very inquisitive - wanting to figure out how things are made or how they work. He loves cars, trucks, airplanes, helicopters - a typical boy. Recently he's been very interested in building with his legos. I love listening to Seth pray. He definitely has a passion for people to come to know Christ. At church, he heard a talk from former missionaries in Venezuela. They encouraged the kids to pray for the people in Venezuela. So, Seth never forgets to pray for them! He always prays "for the people in Venezuela that they will repent and get to know you [Jesus] and the people in China that they will repent and for all the bad guys that they will repent, too." When Seth is serious about something, his face shows it & you can hear it in his voice. He loves to play around, loves to wrestle with daddy, and even enjoys antagonizing his big sister. He's one of the best soccer players on his team. He makes me so proud & I am truly so thankful God blessed us with Seth!

Sarah is our princess. She is a morning girl, wakes with a smile and is ready to start the day (unlike Seth - who loves and needs his sleep). She is full of questions or comments - she can talk! She's quite shy at first, but once she knows someone & feels comfortable, she will talk & talk & talk. ;-) Every day she's full of a million questions (how does this...., why does this...., why do you...., etc). She is a joyful, happy girl & very easy going. She loves pleasing mommy and daddy - what a joy for us! She is a very compassionate girl - especially if it's Seth who's in trouble or hurt. She is going to be a great mother some day. She just adores my friend's baby & is so precious with her. She's a tough & brave little cookie - she got her ears pierced at age 3 without shedding a tear, she loves roller coasters (real roller coasters), and she handles pain amazingly!! Though tough on the outside, she is very sensitive on the inside. She will cry watching a movie or cry thinking about missing grandma. She looks up to Rachel immensely. If Rachel does something, Sarah wants to do it, too. She is following Rachel's footsteps in many ways. She's always the first to finish her school work & she is excellent in school. She learns a lot of Rachel's music songs (since she's not old enough for the chorus or voice lessons) while Rachel is practicing at home. She also makes me so proud & I am so thankful God blessed us with Sarah!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOM!!

2007-11-30T18:31:00.000-06:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Today is my mother's birthday! She is 72 years young!!! I am so blessed to have Ione Doerbaum as my mother. She is one of 12 children, has 3 living children (she has twins in heaven), and 8 grandchildren!

Probably the best word to describe my mother is servant. Throughout the years, she has exemplified a life of service to the Lord. From teaching Sunday School to coordinating post-wide VBS to preparing dinner for an entire church on a monthly basis to buying Christmas gifts for those who can't afford them to baking mounds of cookies for prisoners to having her handicapped brother live with her part of the year to preparing home-cooked meals for us at home....I could go on and on with examples of ways my mom has served others. Many times people have told her she needs to "retire" from working at church, but she has always said that she will serve until she can't! She says, "You don't retire from serving the Lord."

Another word to describe my mother is survivor. When Rachel was a baby & we moved back to Florida, my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. She had a radical mastectomy & went through chemo. While in the hospital for the surgery (day surgery - how crazy is that?!), she was sharing Christ with the nurses. Everyone who watched her deal with her cancer was amazed at her attitude. One of her famous sayings is, "We have to thank God in everything." No matter what, she thanks God. She thanked God for her cancer & didn't allow it to destroy her hope. She used her cancer to be a testimony for the Lord & she strived to glorify Him through her trial.

A couple years later, she discovered a lump on her chest wall. The doctors assured her it was very unlikely it was cancer. They were wrong. This time they removed the cancer & she went through heavy radiation treatments. The twins were babies at that time, but we'd often pile in my van and take Grandma to her treatments. Again, she was a testimony to everyone - demonstrating a strong faith and trust in a sovereign Lord who reigns and rules over ALL! She didn't mourn over her situation saying, "Why me?" She again thanked the Lord & He used her as a tool to further His Kingdom. Despite enduring cancer twice, she has never slowed down in serving and doing for the Lord!

My mom has taught me through her words but mostly through her life. Mom has always served first and foremost in the home. I know I am a better wife and mother because of her example. She is loved more than words can say by me, my husband, our children, and all who come to know her! Rachel recently wrote a composition about her. She said the best thing about grandma is that she has Jesus in her heart. Rachel said, "I know we'll be in heaven together someday!" That's a heritage that is like no other!!!

Here are a couple of pictures, although not recently taken (for recent pictures, go to my blog about my parents' visit with us earlier this month):

Russ and my nephew, James, were not able to make it for the family reunion (below).Grandma is always busy entertaining her grandkids! (below)

OOPS!!!!

2007-11-25T19:26:00.000-06:00

Yes, that is a fish bowl......or should I say was! Yes, it used to be full of water. Yes, it used to hold a live fish (who's almost 2 years old)! It was quite a sight in our house last night. The bowl was accidentally bumped (I won't say which child did it) and CRASH! The water came gushing out of the hole on the side like a water fall & our fish took a trip down the waterfall. The water and fish ended up on the kitchen floor!! The kids are screaming, "The fish! The fish!!" I quickly grabbed a cup of water, filled it up, then attempted to pick up the flopping fish. It took me a few tries, but I knew I had to be the hero and save their fish. You'll be happy to know, he's now safe and sound again in a new bowl. I never knew how thin the glass was on that fish bowl - the rim is deceiving. I'm amazed it lasted 2 years before being broken! ;-) We had a good laugh afterwards.

(I accidentally posted this under Russ, but I typed this. Rebecca)

Mom, what does.....mean?

2007-11-18T16:17:00.000-06:00

Russ, Rachel & I are in the process of reading through the Bible (Seth & Sarah are reading, too, but they can't keep up with our pace). We finished the New Testament in Oct. Now we're working on the Old Testament and today we finished Genesis.

With the reading of Genesis, Rachel has been asking a lot of questions. I'm thankful for her innocence & I hope it stays this way for a while. But, there are a lot of new concepts for her in the book of Genesis! "Mom, what is....?" "And what is.....?" Several mornings, she asked questions!! (I'm not surprised she asked, but it was harder to find the right answer than I thought it would be.)

If you aren't sure what I'm talking about, take a few days and read Genesis. You might be shocked at what is in there....procreation, murder, incest, rape, homosexuality, and much more! I did my best to give appropriate answers for a 9 year old without too much information. For example, "Circumcision is a surgical procedure." She seemed happy with my answers, so we left it at that!!

The joys of raising children! ;-)

Seth's Sentiments

2007-11-16T16:04:00.000-06:00

Below are a few conversations with Seth....hope they make you smile. ;-)

When my mom was here, she & Seth had a memorable conversation. Background info: As babies, we used cloth diapers as burp cloths. As Seth got older, he would carry them around. Over time, it was his security blanket. He'd often sleep with one or cry into it when he was upset.

His conversation with my mom:
My mom went in to say good-night to Seth. He showed her his "blanket" and said, "It's torn, but mom won't fix it."

Mom said, "You mean, that diaper?"

He was shocked! "Diaper? You mean this is a diaper?"

She said, "Yes, I know you've used it like a blanket, but it's really a diaper."

"You mean a diaper...like a diaper that goes on a baby?!!"

"Yes, a diaper."

So he THREW it to the ground!!! "Yuck! I'll NEVER use that again!!!" He was just disgusted!

The following day, someone asked him about it. He smiled and said he was going to throw it away....NOW! So he ran and got the blanket and headed outside to the big trash can outside! Mom asked why he was going to that trash can and not using the trash can in the kitchen. He said he wanted to make SURE he got rid of it!!

llllllllllllllllllllllll

Today Seth asked me, "Why do those Chinese people want to hurt us?" (he's aware of the recent recalls on toys made in China) He added, "Mom, I think next time we go shopping we need to check to see if something is made in China before we buy it.....good thing our food isn't made in China." ;-)

YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

A few weeks ago, Seth received an invitation to a birthday party for a boy on his soccer team. Well, not knowing the family at all, we did not feel it was wise to attend. You never know in today's world. Our observations of this child were not great. Seth asked why he couldn't go to the party, so we tried to explain that we don't know his parents. He still didn't seem to "get it" so I said, "Well, what if we get there and his parents are smoking and drinking alcohol right in front of you? You don't need to be around that, so we're not going!"

So, last night was Seth's team soccer party at Pizza Hut. He sat next to the little boy who had the birthday party. Apparently the little boy asked Seth why he didn't come to his party. Seth told him, "My parents thought your mom and dad might smoke and drink alcohol." The little boy said, "They do." ;-) Seth goes on to inform the little boy that that's not good and "those things can kill you." The boy said, "Oh, I didn't know that." (Russ & I did not hear this conversation, but Seth told us about it later. Yes, we had a conversation about being careful about what you say to other people!) In some ways, it is embarrassing, but in other ways, I'm very proud of him for standing up for his convictions at such a young age.

eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

One day Seth said, "Mom, I think you and daddy should stop giving us our allowance. You're wasting your money & you should keep it for the things we need."

Another day he said, "You know what, mom, people have to waste money when they buy clothes for their kids. It is just a waste of your money when you buy us clothes because they don't fit us for very long. I think it's terrible!"

Isolated, Exposed or Insulated?

2007-11-14T20:41:00.000-06:00

I was listening to a CD by David Hazell (he & his wife are the author's of My Father's World curriculum). He made a comment about how we train our children; they are either isolated, exposed or insulated. He didn't elaborate on that thought extensively, but I couldn't get those words out of my mind. So, here I am pondering the thought of being isolated, exposed, or insulated.

Isolated....Isolation implies being alone, set apart. Imagine a horrible winter storm with freezing conditions. Imagine going into a basement, unable to view the storm, and thereby protecting yourself. You would be isolated from that storm. When teaching in a public school, I would sometimes isolate a child who had ADHD and couldn't focus with too many distractions. When my dad worked as a prison chaplain, there were prisoners who had to be isolated from others due to their extremely violent behavior. Isolation, in and of itself, is not enough though when it comes to child training. Merely isolating from the world doesn't teach them how to live in the world. Isolation just keeps them from evil; it doesn't train them in righteousness.

Many homeschooled families are accused of only isolating their children. I have even stated that I am isolating my children from much of the world. I believe I am! Again, isolation isn't entirely a bad thing. However, I think we need to go a step further.

Exposed....The opposite extreme to isolation is exposure. Many, many, many people who oppose homeschooling say that "children need to be exposed to the real world so they know how to handle it." I just don't see the logic in that. Exposure to smoking doesn't teach me whether it's right or wrong. Exposure to improper attitudes doesn't teach me whether they are right or wrong. Exposure to deceitfulness doesn't teach me whether it's right or wrong. Exposure to evolution doesn't teach me whether it's right or wrong. Exposure to immodest dress doesn't tell me whether it's right or wrong. Exposure involves revealing something. Something that is exposed is open and without any shelter.

Back to my winter analogy, imagine going outside in the freezing weather with shorts and a t-shirt and flip flops on....you'd be "exposed" to the elements. Along with that idea of exposure comes a lack of protection. Too much exposure to the freezing elements would leave you numb. Staying out too long in the freezing temperatures could harm you physically. There are consequences to being exposed...both to cold weather and to the sin of our world!

So what happens when our children are exposed to the real world? They get a taste for sin. Sometimes sinful things are momentarily satisfying, but the consequences last a lifetime. They see, hear, touch, and experience the real world. But without proper guidance and training, they don't have the spiritual maturity to know how to handle those experiences. And, sadly, sometimes their exposure to the real world will only fuel a hunger for more. After all, we are all born with a sinful nature & a sinful drive that we have to crucify!

We need to develop a hunger and thirst for righteousness before we add the temptations of the world. I think of my friend who was trying to introduce baby food to her infant. She was trying to help train her child's taste buds to enjoy different foods. Success....her baby loved bananas. But, then she had a problem. Grandma came to visit, and grandma gave the baby tastes of ice cream. In an attempt to help her baby acquire a taste for carrots, her desire was thwarted. Since she had tasted something more appealing, she spit out those carrots. She spit out the sweet potatoes. She wanted ice cream! This is like allowing our children to be exposed to the world before they've acquired a taste & hunger for righteousness. They'll be left confused and unable to recognize what is best for them (like the baby couldn't recognize which was the best for her in the long run). They will desire more....sometime more of the world.....because it "tastes" good!

Exposure alone is not the answer in training our children because it doesn't teach right from wrong - it just reveals. Exposure is allowing our children to see immodest dress, to be immersed in foul language, to lose their innocence....and all too often, mom and dad don't even know an ounce of what their children have really been exposed to - academic untruths, spiritual lies, and moral deceptions! All too often the damage is done from exposure and mom and dad don't know until it's too late.

Exposure alone doesn't teach discernment. It doesn't teach holy living. Too much exposure to the world will leave our children numb to sin! They'll be so used to their exposure to sin that sin will no longer appear to be wrong anymore. It will be the norm.

Where is the logic in thinking our children "must" be exposed to sin (the world & the ways of the world) in order to know how to live a holy life before the Lord? Where in the Bible does God teach that we must be exposed to sin in order to be successful for Him?

Proverbs 22:6 is a popular verse for parents to quote: "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it."
Notice it says to train our children in the way they should go. It doesn't say anything about training them in (exposing them to) the way they should not go! I think many parents are willingly subjecting their children to "the way they should not go," yet wondering why their children are "departing" from the way they "should go"!! (I'm not saying mom and dad are sitting down blatantly exposing their children to the way they should not go (though sometimes they are), but this exposure happens through school, wrong friends, television, the Internet, etc. Many of those influences mom and dad are willingly allowing!)

I think that to be successful in training the next generation to live godly, holy lives, we must teach them to be "set apart" from the ways of the world. We must be isolated in the sense that we are noticeably different. If we are "of" the world, looking and acting just like the world, how can we possibly make an impact on our world for eternity? But, in addition to isolating our children, we must protect them from the world and we also must prepare them for the world.

Insulated.....We need to insulate our children. Insulate means to protect something by surrounding it with material (protect against sound, heat or cold, electricity, etc)....that process of surrounding something is the preparation for protection.

Ahhhh, now you're out in that freezing weather, but this time, you are prepared! You're going out in a warm, insulated jacket with insulated pants! You are protected from the elements!

What a beautiful picture of our job as a parent raising children to have an eternal impact on our world! It is our job to protect them, to surround them with the proper training, so they are fully equipped to face the world. Just like we wouldn't send our kids into the freezing weather without proper clothing...we take the time, effort, love, and energy to help prepare them for the freezing temperatures. Once they have their layers of warm clothes on, their hat, scarf, mittens, boots, and warm jacket, then they can go out into the cold. We've kept them isolated for a time while we prepared them adequately. Then, we let them go outside. Of course, we don't let them go out for too long at a time. We teach them to recognize when they need to get inside again to warm up (discernment). As they grow older, they learn to put on their own hat, scarf, mittens, etc. to prepare for the weather. We've trained them about the dangers. At some point in life, they'll be fully trained and fully capable of handling the cold weather completely on their own because they were properly trained....not by flagrant exposure but by a little isolation while being perfectly insulated!

Children need insulation - to be covered and thus prepared. We need to cover them with the Word of God, protecting them by exposing them to His truth. Once they are properly insulated, they will be fully capable of facing the world. They'll be equipped to handle the world, and they'll be successful at making a difference within the world. They won't be hiding from the world and the won't be so numb that they look and act just like the world in which they hope to influence. They will live with eternal purpose, impacting the world for Christ!!

Are your children being isolated, exposed or insulated? May God grant us the strength to fulfill our calling as parents for our innocent children.

Daffny is safe but not home yet!!! (She IS home now.)

2007-11-14T08:09:00.001-06:00

Daffny has been found. The latest report I heard was that she called home last night & said she is safe but is with strangers. I haven't heard any other details. It is unclear why she is staying with strangers & not returning home. Whatever has happened, the family still needs our prayers as they heal from this ordeal.

Praise God, Daffny is safe! Pray she will come home soon!

Update: Daffny IS home!!

Pray!!!

2007-11-13T10:10:00.001-06:00

Please pray for Daffney Velder and her family. Daffney was walking her dog Saturday (Nov. 10th) afternoon but never returned. The dog came home about 30 minutes later. Daffney is a homeschooled senior in high school. She comes from a Christian home and her family is very close. Daffney is from Independence, MO.

My sister used to go to church with the Velder family. As a parent, I can't imagine the trauma this family is experiencing - her parents, her siblings, those who know her. The greatest help we can offer is prayer!

Her father said on their local news, "I gave her to God 17 years ago. She was never mine. She's His."

For details, go to:
http://daffnyvelder.com/

A Godly Heritage...Believe & Be Baptized

2007-11-12T10:38:00.000-06:00

There is no greater gift that one can pass on to their children than the gift of knowing Jesus as their Lord and Savior. I am so grateful to have been raised by godly parents who taught me about the Lord & who modeled for me a life of service to Him. I'm thankful they gave me an eternal gift that no one can take away when they introduced me to my Savior. I know that I am so blessed....many children are raised in a home where they never know who Jesus is, they never see their need for a Savior, and they never come to know Him through the influence of their parents. A safe home is nice, new clothes are nice, toys are nice, college education is nice....but those things will fade away. There is only one gift we can give to our children that will last for eternity....and that is the gift of knowing Jesus!

Ken Ham, in his video called "Raising Godly Children in an Ungodly World" shows a picture of a child in front of a house. There's a car, pet, toys, and lots of "things" in the picture. Ken asks the question (not exact quotes)...."Which one of these things can you take with you to heaven?" Then, the challenging question for parents, "Which one of these things are you taking with you to heaven?" Obviously, our children are the only "things" from the picture that we can take to heaven! The reality hits home with the second question. Do you know for certain that YOU will be in heaven someday? Are you training your children in the Lord so that they will be in heaven with you?

This godly heritage is the gift Russ & I strive to pass on to our children - through prayer and dependence on God's grace. Russ & I have had the privilege of seeing all three of our children put their trust in Jesus - asking Him to forgive their sins, confessing their belief in Him as their Lord and Savior, and choosing to follow Him. We have had the delight of seeing the Lord work in their lives, guiding them to make decisions to honor Him (no, they aren't perfect kids & sometimes their decisions don't honor Him - they have lots of maturing to do, but this blog is about one of their wise decisions). :-)

Seth and Sarah, though young, wanted to follow God's Word by being baptized. They wanted to be baptized....they wanted people to know that they are Christians! We go to a large church, which could be quite intimidating, but their desire to be obedient and follow Christ took away all fear. What a joy to see our "babies" come to know Jesus & to see their desire to obey the Lord through baptism! It was an added blessing to have my father baptize them!! I know he was very honored & I know the twins will always cherish that day.

We eagerly look forward to watching all of our children grow in their relationship with the Lord in the years to come.

(I'll have more pictures to add on later - this was all I have at the moment)

WHY ARE WE BAPTIZED?
We believe the first act of obedience for a follower of Christ is baptism. Jesus modeled baptism when He was baptized by John. Peter preached, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized...." Philip met the Ethiopian who asked, "What hinders me from being baptized?" Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart, you may." So the Ethiopian confessed his belief that Jesus Christ is the Son of God & then Philip baptized him. We believe baptism is for believers (which is why we don't baptize infants who cannot confess their belief yet). Jesus, in the Great Commission, told the disciples to go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them and teaching them to obey. Isn't it interesting that baptism is the one "action" Jesus stressed in His command for the new believers? He said to make disciples and baptize them. He expects obedience, but the one specific command given in this passage is baptism. Baptism is a believer's first step in identifying with Christ. Going under the water symbolizes our identification with Christ in His death and burial. Rising again from the waters symbolizes our identification with Christ in His resurrected life & our new life in Him. As a Christian, we are no longer slaves to our sin, which was crucified or put to death. We walk in newness of life, free from the bondage of sin. Baptism is the public profession of our faith in Christ. Baptism is not what saves us from our sin. It is simply our public means of declaring that we are believers and followers of Jesus.

Maybe a good comparison would be a wedding ring....wearing a wedding ring doesn't make you married (anyone can put on a ring). It is simply a symbol to show that you are married. You are identified as a married person to observers. It is the first step at a wedding of identifying yourself as being married. Your life will reflect whether that identification was genuine. Being baptized doesn't make you a Christian. It is simply a symbol to show that you are a Christian. You are identified as a follower of Christ. It is the first step in identifying yourself as being a Christian. But, it is just the beginning, and a person's life will reflect whether that proclamation and identification was genuine.

Good Times with Grandma & Grandpa

2007-11-12T08:27:00.000-06:00

Although our time was brief, we were so blessed to have time with my parents. We had a full schedule! Enjoy the pictures!

Grandma had to go see Sarah's last soccer practice on Friday. Grandpa spent most of the day on the Army post. Then Seth and Sarah had their last soccer games on Saturday. They both played well and each scored a goal! It was plenty chilly for our Florida grandparents, so it was especially nice that they braved the cold to cheer for Seth and Sarah (blue shirts & pants).

After the games, we went to Sarah's soccer party where she got her trophy & her coach said a lot of wonderful comments about her (that's her coach in the picture). Seth was a bit disappointed Grandma and Grandpa couldn't be here to see his trophy...his party is later this week. He said, "Can't you stay just 6 more days to see my trophy?"

Sunday was the big baptism day (see the baptism blog). Sunday afternoon, the big boys watched football, when they were awake. At least the Buffalo Bills (for Russ) and Dallas Cowboys (for grandpa) each won!

....and the kids, grandma & I went bowling! Seth actually won (of course, the kids used the bumper guards). Grandma & I needed the bumper guards a few times. ;-) Grandma was a good bowler in her younger years, but she said she was afraid of falling so she took it easy. She was a good sport for being nearly 72 years old (her birthday's in a couple of weeks)!

When we weren't out and about, the kids played games with grandma, worked on crafts, and made a gingerbread house. Seth lost interest in helping with the gingerbread house and said, "I'm just interested in eating this icing!"

Oh, and I can't forget the wrestling match the kids had with Grandpa & Daddy! Sarah, once wrestling with grandpa, then turned to grandpa to protect her! ;-)

All of this happened in just 3 days!! We're already counting the days until we'll see them again in Naples for Christmas!!!

Remember the Soldiers

2007-11-01T13:25:00.000-05:00

I just received an email with a great idea. I figured I'd post it here to spread the idea.

When you are making out your Christmas card list this year, please include the following:
A Recovering American Soldier
c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center
6900 Georgia Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20307-5001

Be a blessing to those who have blessed us with FREEDOM!

Generous Blessings

2007-10-22T15:36:00.000-05:00

Rachel was blessed by a very generous gift. Her best friend asked her grandfather for only one special gift for Christmas....she wanted to be able to go horseback riding with her best friend (Rachel). He generously decided to give the girls enough money to have 4 horseback riding lessons each! The girls were ALL smiles & have absolutely loved every minute of it. The girls are so thankful for this generous blessing!! Christmas in October - how cool is that?! ;-) Really, I was awed by the generosity of her grandfather.

(Oh, and don't look too closely at the pics on here - all of them have the wrong date. That has been fixed for future pictures.)

And....yes, it's a tiny pony & it looks like Rachel can almost tough the ground, but that was a perfect starter for the girls. The memories these girls are making will last a lifetime!

Sarah enjoyed holding a baby at the lesson. She's so good with babies! Aren't they beauties?!

Field Trip to the Farm

2007-10-20T19:36:00.001-05:00

Our home school support group went on a field trip to Christian Way Farm in KY. http://www.christianwayfarm.com/

We had a blast! The weather was perfect & the farm is such a beautiful place. The pictures show....the kids with me, Rachel with her best friend, Rachel in the hay castle, kids picking their pumpkins, Sarah crushing the corn, Seth shelling the corn, and feeding animals.

Family Time

2007-10-20T15:17:00.001-05:00

We've been busy with family visiting us recently. We had a surprise visit from Russ's brother, George. We all had a great time! We're so glad Uncle George came to see us; hopefully, next time he'll have Aunt Michele with him! Here are a few pictures of his visit (George with the kids, then George with Russ).

Then, we were surprised with a visit from Grandpa Derr, Russ's dad. We hadn't seen him since Russ left for Iraq, so it was another wonderful surprise. It's always a treat for the kids to see their grandparents.

Speaking of grandparents, after Grandpa Derr left, my parents arrived. The kids spent a few days soaking in the love from Grandma & Grandpa Doerbaum. They were headed north for a few weeks - they're going on a Mission's Trip with their church & they'll also visit other family along the way.

My mom's sister, Elaine, is dealing with the effects of 2 strokes. It is a good time for my mom to get to see her sister. Aunt Elaine is a strong woman & her mind was not damaged by the strokes. However, she is now paralyzed on one side of her body. She cannot sit up or walk on her own, she can't eat solid food, and has lost her independence. It is very hard to be fully competent, yet unable to do the normal things of life! She knows the Lord & is ready if He says it is time for her to come home. We are trusting His will with her life. Please remember her & the rest of the family in your prayers.

Monday Night Madness!

2007-10-09T09:53:00.001-05:00

The BIG family rival game was last night....the Bills vs the Cowboys. I married a big Bills fan, but my dad, brother and sister are huge Cowboy fans. I have never had strong feelings for any particular team, but last night, I was loyal to my husband! (sorry dad, Tim & Martha)

What a game?!!!! If you saw it, you know what I'm talking about. The highlight was when the Bills were winning (which was the entire game except the last second, literally) and Rachel said, "But daddy, don't the Bills usually lose?" I about died laughing!!!! It was so hilarious! She was confused that they were winning. ;-) Russ says the "Bills" stands for "Boy I Love Losing Superbowls" since they went 4 times but never won. Unfortunately, I've seen this happen so often where the Bills seem to lose in the last seconds of the game.

Anyhow - the family rivalry is fun...just more fun for my dad, brother and sister last night!

Soccer Fun!

2007-10-08T13:58:00.001-05:00

Just a couple shots from last Saturday. (Sarah & her team, Seth kicking the ball, and Seth at the end of the game) I didn't really get any good actions shots, so I'll try again this Saturday. I also tried really hard to get some video clips, but it was so hard! When I had the camera recording, the play wasn't too exciting. Then when I had the camera off, they'd do something great! I'll keep trying - maybe by the end of the season I'll have a good clip. I guess I was too busy cheering to keep staring at the game through a camera. I had enough of doing that the last 2 seasons since Russ was overseas.

Seth scored a few goals. I lost count. He had a great assist, too. He was running around like crazy, which meant by the 4th quarter he was pretty wiped out. He was the only player who didn't get a quarter to rest. I know I'm his momma, but I do think he's one of the best players on his team. He also got hit in the face with the ball, but he just kept going like a real trooper...didn't even flinch. At home, he'd be crying, but not out there in front of everybody!!

Sarah had a good assist as well and a couple of attempted goals. She's doing well...I'm just too critical. The girls are still stuck in the "choo choo train" mode where they follow each other though. Rather than spreading out so they can pass it, they tend to run around following the person with the ball....like a train! ;-) I have to realize she is only 6 and stop expecting her to have the understanding of a 16 year old! Her coach says she is great. I just have to be realistic with what I expect.

I'll add pictures after future games if I get any decent shots.

Father Son Bonding

2007-10-05T20:41:00.000-05:00

Seth and Russ just got home from a cook-out for the young boys & dads from church. They had a BLAST!! They built a fire together, roasted hot dogs, and even saw them put the pig in the pit to roast overnight.

"I'm a Soccer Star!"

2007-10-05T19:57:00.000-05:00

Seth: I'm a soccer star.

Rachel: Oh? Do you have a national award?

Seth: No, but I'm still a soccer star. My coach told me I am!

Tragedy in Tennessee

2007-10-05T19:08:00.001-05:00

I'm sure you've probably seen the news by now and heard about the man who committed suicide at the City Council Meeting here in Clarksville. I was shocked to hear the news...and that it has made national news. I went with Russ a few times to Bo's Barbershop while he got his hair cut. I did not know "Bo" personally.

Many say he was trying to send a message that Clarksville is run by the "good ol' buddy network" - something Russ and I felt when we first moved here! I don't know the validity of those statements in regards to his situation, but I know it happens to a certain extent since we experienced it when we attempted to have a home built here.

A big thing I see from this tragedy is the role the military deployments have on our city, specifically the small business owners. I don't think most of us know the affect it has on businesses when 90% of your customer base is gone! The soldiers from Fort Campbell are deploying for their third time (many left in Sept). So this is the third time Bo's business would deal with this loss of income. And deployments aren't just a month or two - these guys are leaving for a year, most of them 15 months this time! Bo was a soldier, so I know he supported the work those men are doing in Iraq. But his support didn't negate his need for income.

I understand that Bo was in a financial bind, perhaps some mismanagement on his side, but perhaps it was from trying to have a business that caters to soldiers.

I'm not saying the City Council is to blame. I'm not blaming the war and the soldiers' absence. I think this man, who many say was a pillar in Clarksville, felt desperate. He saw no escape for his problems. I don't think what he did was right; I'm just saying what I think led him to that point. My heart certainly goes out to his family, his co-workers, those who knew him well, and even those in City Council who will deal with this trauma for some time.

I wish Bo knew this truth....which perhaps could have offered him hope:

Psalm 46:1, 2a, 10
"God is our refuge and strength.
A very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear....
Be still and know that I am God,
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!"

There is a void that only Jesus can fill.

Cherished Chats

2007-10-03T13:08:00.000-05:00

Seth: (in a disgusted voice, after coming in from getting the mail) They gave us our neighbor's mail!

Mom: They did?

Seth: Yes!! Look (as he points to the Bed, Bath & Beyond mailing addressed to "Our Neighbor")

Mom: (Laughs)

Later that day.....

Mom: Seth, maybe we need to take that mail to our neighbor.

Seth: It's not our neighbor's mail. It has our address. (must have talked to one of his sisters and got an explanation)

Amazing Grace....was blind, but now, I see!

2007-10-03T10:12:00.000-05:00

Last week, the words to "Amazing Grace" seemed all the more real to me. I woke up around 2:30 am feeling slight cramping. Nothing major, but enough discomfort that I couldn't sleep. I decided to go to the bathroom to see if it would go away. Once I got in the bathroom, I started feeling worse. I felt like I was going to throw up. I was feeling hot in my head. I decided to call Russ, but he sleeps so soundly that he didn't hear me. So I sat there longer, hoping I'd suddenly feel better. Instead, I was getting worse. I could tell my vision was doing strange things, my head felt like it was on fire, now I was hearing loud ringing in my ears. I felt I definitely needed Russ, so I kept calling until he finally heard me.

He came in and I told him how I felt. The lights were off, but I could see his silhouette. I said I felt so hot. He felt me and said I felt cold. Then I noticed his silhouette disappeared. Everything was completely black....I was blind! I told him to turn on the lights to see how my face looked - red or pale. Little did I know, he had already turned on the bright lights. He was waving his hand in front of my eyes & I never flinched. I kept saying, "I can't see! I can't see! I'm blind!" He was telling me he could see my pupils dilated huge, so huge he could barely see the color of my eyes. He didn't know what was happening to me, neither did I.

We continued to talk about how I was feeling, he was making sure I was still coherent. I rested my head on him, imagining the rest of my life being blind. In my mind, I was asking, "How will I take care of my family? How will I continue to homeschool the kids? How will I do the simple things like cooking? I won't get to see how my children change over the years."

This went on for about 5 minutes. As I leaned back again, the light started to come in again & I faintly saw his silhouette and the bright lights above the mirror. I was shocked the bright lights were on. But then, the light disappeared again. I said, "It's coming back...." Then, "It's gone again! I can't see!"

Russ wanted to try to get me back into the bed. The next thing I remember, he was saying, "Stay with us, Rebecca! Stay with us! Come on, Rebecca!" I was out & at that point, he called 911. We went to the ER, they ran a blood test and did an EKG. Everything came back normal. They just said I passed out & they can't pin point why. "It happens." So, we came home & Russ stayed home the following day, very worried about me. I took it easy. Since then, I've felt fine.

I think the biggest thing I realized is my need to slow down. I go and go and go from the moment I wake up until I hit the bed at night....7 days a week. Like the song the kids sang at Kid's Choral Connection said, "Be still and know that I am God." I need more times to be still.

While I was only blind 5 minutes, that was undoubtedly one of the scariest moments of my life. This week in our homeschool curriculum, we read the following poem written by Fanny Crosby. Fanny wrote it when she was 8 years old. Fanny was blind and went on to become a well-known hymn writer. Many of the hymns we now sing were written by her.

Blind But Happy
by Fanny Crosby
O what a happy soul am I!
Although I cannot see,
I am resolved that in this world
Contented I will be.
How many blessings I enjoy
That other people don't.
To weep and sigh because I'm blind
I cannot and I won't.

Wow! What an amazing perspective Fanny had as an 8 year old. I am not blind, and since you're reading this, neither are you. Can you say that you are resolved to be content in your circumstances? A couple of days ago I was reading in Philippians 4. Paul wrote this while incarcerated....(verse 11) "....I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content." I know I am challenged....to be still & be content....and to be content in being still!

Kid's Choral Connection

2007-10-03T09:43:00.000-05:00

Last weekend I joined Rachel and about 40 other children from our church for a music trip to Columbia, TN. There were about 400 children there from various churches in TN. They gathered to create a music CD of worship songs. The kids had been working on learning the songs for the past several weeks, so they simply had to fine tune them, working on parts, etc. In the end, they created beautiful music which gave me goosebumps many times. One of the songs is titled "Be Still" and it was very moving to hear 400 children singing "Be still and know that I am God." It was a reminder to me specifically to take time out of my busy schedule to sit still & remember that He is God, always with me through the good days and the trying days. He wants me to rest in Him, to reflect on Him, & to consciously rely on Him. Yet another song was "Abba Father" and was a precious reminder of God's love for us as "Daddy"! Oh, the comfort of daddy....and how God wants to be that comfort for us.

As a chaperon, it certainly wasn't all roses. I may have gotten about 2 hours of sleep...maybe! One of the girls in our room snored, talked in her sleep, sounded like she was gagging & about to throw up a few times in the night. Then the mattresses were plastic, so every move was magnified. Then the bus ride with a bunch of 3rd thru 5th graders...well, use your own imagination! Needless to say, I think it took me a good 2 days to recover! But, it was worth it. It was worth it to hear the words of praise to the Lord. It was worth it to see the joy in my daughter's face. It was worth it to see the bond she has with her best friend. Now, I just can't wait to get the CD they created! ;-)

A Sign of the Times

2007-10-03T09:21:00.001-05:00

I guess I have arrived....whatever that means! After enjoying reading many of my friends' blogs, I thought it was about time to start my own. So, let me see if I can figure this out & get mine to look as nice as many of yours do. Hopefully it will be a fun way to stay connected with friends and family.