A Blessed Christmas.

Are these not the prettiest little maidens you have ever seen?

This is my Granny and Aunt

This is my Nana and Dad

My Brother and his wife.

Be thankful we did not get your childs name at Christmas. This little one got a goat! (She was so excited, I am not sure about her parents.) My Granny insisted that we bring it in the house!

Jenna loves her Uncle Donald

At Church

This is my Mamaw with Maddie

Jessie and Daddy

My Mom and Dad

Jessie holding Maddie

Greg with his Grandmother and Mother

Cousins

My SIL and her family

Greg's Parents

Although it can be challenging to get to 6 family gatherings in 2 days. I know that I am blessed to have this much family this close together that have as much fun as we do when we get together.
You should have seen my uncle adding his name to all of the gifts to my Granny. I have a video. I should post it. The gift tag would read something like this:
To: Granny From: Greg, Melanie & kids & Ray.
To: Granny From: Donald & Debbie & Ray....
You get the point don't you? It really is funny just anticipating what someone is going to come out with next. It was a great Christmas. Now the clean up begins........ugh!

The Man and the Birds by Paul Harvey

Here is a link to a story I heard today on the radio. I love to listen to Paul Harvey. I thought you would like to hear this.
Click here

As Christmas day approaches I find myself thinking more and more about Mary and how she must have felt. The word of God tells us that Mary was highly favored among woman. No doubt that she knew the prophecies about the coming Messiah. What must she have been feeling when the angel spoke to her and told her that she would carry the Promised One in her womb.

I hold my children tight and pray prayers for them, sometimes I become so overwhelmed that silent tears stream down my face when they are in my arms. I agonize with the Lord over the life that lays before them. I beg Him for their salvation. I want them to live long happy lives, don't we all want this for ours? Yet, if Mary believed God and knew the prophecy, then she very well knew what lay ahead for that dear little baby that she held in her arms. Just as we rejoice over every little thing ours do, don't you think that she had the same feelings? I have thought about this for several days. God has so much love for us, far greater than anything we are capable of feeling. He knew what was ahead for His precious Son. If anyone hurts our babies we get all feisty like a mother hen, but for me and all of the world God watched his humble, precious Son take on our sins and be beaten, spat upon and mocked. I cannot even begin to understand. I know that I am the least among the least and I am amazed that an old sinner like me has been made the child of the King.
Merry Christmas.

I'm Davy Crockett....King of the Wild Frontier

That is exactly what Jenna said when she came to me with Josh's hat on.



Can you tell that she is trying to smile....she is at that stage : )

Vision Forum Givaway

Doll Carrier

Does your little girl love to pretend she is a mommy? This doll carrier is sure to make her feel just like Mom.

One carrier will be given away to a Treasures Unseen reader. To enter leave a comment on this post & I will randomly choose a winner on 12/20. The winner will receive the carrier, shipped from Vision Forum in 2 to 3 weeks. Make sure you leave some information that I can use to contact you should you be the winner.

She's Too Funny

Can you tell what Jenna has attached to her little board book?

Around here bedtime means get the booklight, and she did.

My Jessie

My daughter is a huge Titanic fan (the ship, not the Hollywood movie) She can tell you who survived and what lifeboat they were on. She is keeping a journal of her thoughts as she reads about the ship and the people who were aboard it. She shared her entry with me. I wanted to share it with you.

"UNSINKABLE"
Will you look at the word unsinkable? You will see "sin" in the middle of the word.
It was a sin to call TITANIC unsinkable and to say that "God could not sink it"
God can and did.

This tells me that she fears the Lord and the Word says: "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever." Psalm 111:10

I am trusting in this promise: "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." Proverb 22:6

"Dead-Eye Josh"

What do you think would cause a smile this big?

Of course it would be when you have shot your first squirrel!

A letter to the mean mommy.

In the midst of stress and frustration, God has sent exactly what I needed to hear. In the following letter that I received this morning through an email from Homeschooling Today, the words that my heart was crying out (but my head would not let them through) were made real. When I sat down for a break to read this email I could not believe that it came today. It has been a busy week and many things are behind, this evening is busy as well and I really want to get caught up to put my greatest effort into school before Christmas. This morning everything I needed to do seemed overwhelming I am glad I was able to put it into perspective before mean mommy stayed too long at my house. You see, I know I am not alone because the person that wrote this poured her heart out to help someone else. To the author I send thanks and gratitude for her honesty.

A Letter: To Whom It May Concern

by Kara Murphy

Dear Mean Mommy,

I am writing, once again, to protest your visit to our house yesterday. I would have thought that my last litany of complaints would have given you pause before you returned, but no. You seem to come and go at will. Well, I have had enough.

First, you never give me any warning that you are coming. If I knew you were coming, I would be able to prepare for you as I do all my other guests. Why must you always arrive when the house is in such disrepair? In general, we do a fair job of keeping things picked up, but without fail, when the house is at its messiest, you show up. Not only that, but you time your arrivals when I feel my worst. Your last visit was after a sleepless night with our newborn. Before that, it was during a stressful time when the bills were late. No one should feel free to visit at tax time, especially when I have put off important record-keeping until the last minute. I suppose you would not think twice of arriving at our door immediately after we have just had back-to-back company. These are not the times to make unannounced appearances at our house!

Even if we were aware of when you were coming, I would still not appreciate your attitude. Must you whisper those words to me all day long? You can’t do this. You are failing. Another woman would do a better job than you. What are you doing to your children? It isn’t enough that you pick on me, but must you also be so grumpy toward my children? All day long, you nag and complain about them. Do this. Do that. Hurry up. Get back to your work. You are a broken record and you need to be replaced! Don’t you realize that children are not finished products, yet? They are adults-in-training, but they’re not there yet. And must you be so impatient with them? Sometimes, you are like a steamroller, plowing through the house. I would hate to get in your way! You are running us all over.

But the worst of it is your appearance…you look so much like me, my children may not realize the difference between us. They might actually think that you are me! I have had to apologize repeatedly for your troublesome ways.

This is it. Your reign of terror must stop. Please leave and never return.

And should you be tempted to come back, just remember that I am onto your tricks. Your wiles will not fool me any longer. I am going to fight to keep you away. And I know the best way to do that, too. God’s word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against Him. —Psalm 119:11 First, I have determined in everything, to give thanks seeing that this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning me. (1 Thessalonians 5:18) I will rejoice in the Lord always (Philippians 4:4) for I am learning, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me. (Philippians 4:11, 13) When those doubts begin to creep in I will be confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in me will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. (Philippians 1:6)

If you could just stop blustering and ordering everyone around long enough you might see an eternal perspective. You would realize that there is so much more to life in Christ than the day-in-and-day-out ups and downs. Step back for a moment from the immediate stressors. Why, there isn’t a hair that falls from my head that the Father is unaware of. He cares for birds and flowers in the field. How much more does He care for me and my family? (Matthew 6:25ff) Not only that, but He is working every circumstance in my life for my good and for the good of my children who love Him. (Romans 8:28)Since I know that I must be sober, to love my husband, to love my children (Titus 2:4), I will be gentle among my little flock, even as a nursing mother cherishes her children: So being affectionately desirous of them, I will be willing to have imparted unto them, not the gospel of God only, but also my own soul, because they are dear unto me…even when I must labor night and day. (1 Thessalonians 2:7-9a) And most of all I will remember that charity—an antiquated term for our word love—suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity—or love—never faileth. (1 Corinthians 13:4-8)

If I have to, I will get really radical. When you show up, I intend to meet you at the door intent on bodily harm. For I see who you really are. You are the old (wo)man that Scripture speaks of so clearly. But I know this, that my old woman is crucified with Christ, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth I should not serve sin. (Romans 6:6) I will likewise reckon myself to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So I will let not sin therefore reign in my mortal body, that I should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield my members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield myself unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and my members as instruments of righteousness unto God. (Romans 6:11-13) Because I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20)

Prepared to do battle,

A Loving Mama

Jesus Talks with Mary While Martha Does Housework

Glory to the New Born King

A gathering with wonderful friends and watching children play. Plenty of coffee and conversation. This was just a great day to gather together and celebrate the birth of our precious Saviour. It is not hard to count your blessings when you are surrounded by so much love and joy. I am so blessed by these people. I am so amazed by God's love. I am humbled by the Saviour's humility and His love for me. So overwhelming. Why He loves me so?

We had a beautiful cake (of course Tara made it)

Here we are gathering for the blessing and lunch. Four moms with 18 children between us. 17 of them were with us today.

Thank you to our lovely hostess and her daughters for make everything beautiful and welcoming for us.

No computer= No blogging

My computer got the "blue screen of death" (as my computer savvy brother calls it) one too many times and I have dropped it off at his house (computer E.R.) to be resuscitated. So.......it may be awhile before I blog again.......life without a computer?????? whatever is a girl to do??????
I know......LAUNDRY!

The fun part of short winter days

I am amazed at how the children can remember all of the rules of Chess. The shorter days are a blessing in that we spend more time together in the evenings. You can tell they are really having to think hard to beat their dad. Beating their mom at this game is a breeze.....I just can't remember it all!

Christmas Canon (Trans-Siberian Orchestra)

I found this on another blog and just had to share it with you. This is one of our favorites. Enjoy

Happy Thanksgiving!

We always take a trip to the Christmas tree farm to look for that perfect tree. It is a tradition we have had since we married. We had a wonderful day. Visited family, had good food and the Lord even sent some rain last night. I have so much to be thankful for. By the way, I hope you like the Christmas music.

The best part of the trip for Jenna.......the candy cane that the sweet little woman always gives the children.

Precious Girlhood

I ran across an article that fully articulates everything I have been learning about how girlhood is viewed in today's culture. It is everything I am trying to protect my two precious daughters from, and in this day that is no easy task. It takes a lot prayer and strength to go against the mainstream, but I have already seen the fruits of my labor in my dear firstborn. (Don't get me wrong, it is not of my strength or wisdom, only the Lord) She is a treasure and through God's grace she will continue to grow and embrace an innocent girlhood that will lead her into biblical womanhood. Click on this LINK to read the article.

The TePee (again)

They are still playing in the TePee and always wanting me to come see it.

If you don't know about the TePee, see this earlier post.

With this weather it is not hard to get me to walk down the path to visit them.I just love their imagination. I am thankful that they do not know that it is not cool for a 12 year old girl to enjoy playing with her 8 year old brother and neither of them think that their 2 year old sister is a bother.

Jessie, making acorn mush.

~

Josh, showing off his fence.

Care for tea?
~


Jenna's looking for the cat.

I guess you know by now, I love songs. This is the one on my heart today.

Still Blessed

Sometimes I wake up in the morning,

I see I made it through the night,

I listen for my family, sure enough their alright

As we gather 'round the table, bow our heads in thankfulness

With tear filled eyes my heart cries, Still Blessed.

~

Chorus

There's never a day he doesn't give me all I need

Even when I wake up to a storm, my soul has peace.

Sometimes I try to count them, there too many I confess,

so with arms up raised I just say, Still Blessed.

~

Now I don't want to leave my family,

I don't want to leave my friends,

Oh, but lately my hearts been homesick how I long just to be with Him

So in the morning should you find me with my eyes closed in death, what victory, what glory, Still Blessed!

Sweet Moments

History Day 2007

This day was a blast and since History is our absolute favorite subject it was not even like work!

Presenting Priscilla Mullins, Davy Crockett and a little pilgrim girl with a gun (I don't know how historically accurate that is)

Stonewall Jackson stopped by

Sacajawea lead them on an expedition after lunch

These little Crusaders have to have the cutest dimples of any other Crusader that ever lived!

Do you recognize that smile?

We also had George Washington and St. George visiting with us. Oh, I almost forgot, we had Mrs. Olson from The Little House on the Prairie. (Catherine, you are a good sport!) The fellowship was wonderful and the day was beautiful. I am truly thankful to have the freedom to Homeschool my children. There are parents today all over the world fighting for that freedom.