Now where do you think we would be while looking so cute?

The doctor of course!!! On Christmas Eve! Ugh, will we ever get well?






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Like Mother, Like Daughter

I heard my computer making lots of beeping sounds.....








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I is for Israel

Little Jenna in our Christmas program. She looks forward to the Christmas programs all year long. She is not shy like my oldest two, we are still waiting to see about Janie Elise, I feel that she will be as outgoing as Jenna. What precious gifts!

Day.....uh, I've lost count

Anyway, little Janie is the latest victim of the dreaded stomach bug. Last night was long and horrible. Those pitiful eyes looking at me wondering what was going on. All I could think of is a family I know who are handling life threating dieseases with 2 of their youngest children. So while I prayed for my little one my heart cried out great petitions to the Healer for those children and for the parents who are facing so much more than a virus.


Thankfully the past two hours have been better and she is able to take an half ounce of liquid at a time and keep it down.

Giving Thanks

Well, we have been sick around here since Thanksgiving. Jenna was in the hospital with the croup, then Janie got sick, then I started that coughing thing that just will not go away. And just when I thought we were all better Jenna coughed all night long, I am not kidding, all night. Janie ran a fever and pulled on her ear and man does she have the runny nose thing going on....like a faucet. Then Josh has had a stomach bug all morning. I think Jenna is picking it up. UGH!

So what is there to be thankful for?

One: My wonderful husband who cared for the 4 year old while I took care of the toddler. He is at work right now in the pouring, cold rain with no sleep.


Two: A mother that would interrupt her only "free" day to come and get prescriptions, take them to be filled and pick up other comforting things for the children. Like these peppermint sticks to go in Jenna's warm peppermint tea.


Three: And a friend that always remembers my birthday and gives me such wonderful things as an antique percolator that makes the best coffee. Coffee that I so much need on this cold, rainy day. It is so cute. Reminds me of my childhood (giving away my age?)

Just trying to count my blessings. It has been a little tiresome, but nothing like what it could be.

Now, I smell the coffee.......yum.......

Influence

But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.

And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.

Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.

KJV 2nd Thessalonians Chapter 3 vs. 13-15

Last night Greg preached on verse 13 and I began reading over the rest of the chapter and those last two verses really stuck with me. I thought a lot about it. How many times do we join in with the brothers and sisters who are not obeying the word as to not make them feel bad? You know, just be passive and not stand on our convictions. I believe this way is a pressing way and that we should ever be striving to be more like Him. Some are farther than others in this journey and it is our duty to the one who saved us to ACT like we are HIS rather than giving in to the culture or wanting so much to fit in that we compromise on what His word has taught us. I don't want to back step, too much is at risk....the souls of my children and the lost loved ones I am in contact with. I don't want to seem unapproacable to them, but I do want them to know that I am not going to compromise. I remember hearing many preachers preach that there was a time when a lost person would cross the road in order not to have to walk past a saint of God just out of sheer embarassment by how they live. Now sinners and backsliders sit in our congregations and shake the preachers hand declaring how much they enjoyed the service. Where is the conviction? If we are saved we MUST be set apart enough for them to know there is a difference. But there is a balance, we don't want to seem pious, we must be humble and extend the grace that God has given us to others. Wow, what a responsibility!

Precious Lord, please help me find that balance and let my life be so that others really want what I have in you.

Graditude

As I was working in the house last night enjoying the Christmas in the air, I begin to think of Christmas past and was once again completely overwhelmed by God's goodness in my life. So I thought I would share some pictures and tell you a little about that memory so you could understand maybe a little why I get so much enjoyment from be a "Keeper at Home" esp. this time of year.

My life was not always like this. Once upon a time my brother and I lived with a very strong single mother. My mother is the epitome of strength. My father died tragically when I was ten. She was left with a huge emotional hurt that to this day I can't fathom being in her shoes. So I remember her going out and finding us a place to live. It is kind of funny to ride through town with me as I tell "we lived there"....."oh yeah, we lived there" and on and on. So on this one particular Christmas we were in a rental house and I can recall that the Landlord was not too reliable to say the least. The pipes in that old house would freeze all the time. Mom was fed up, especially after the pipes froze and burst at Christmas. So after not getting any help from the owner we loaded up all of our things including the Christmas tree, fully decorated, in the back of a truck. I will never forget holding that tree as we crept across town to my Aunt and Uncle's house. It was a hoot!

So, as I was enjoying my home I was thinking of this time and how life is so different now. I think that is why I am so content with this home. Greg and I bought this land 6 months before we married. We purchased a new mobile home to go on it. A small 14x60 Fleetwood. We were in our castle. We were happy. Our plan was to live in it five years then build a house. That is exactly what happened. To top it off we sold that mobile home for exactly what we paid for it new! Never lost a dime and that is amazing seeing as how everyone declared that "those things just depreciate!" I know they do, but we were blessed. So we built our home and have been here every since. Nothing is like coming up the driveway to me. I just love it! It is home and has been since 1992. Amazing coming from a girl who lived in at least 15 different houses the first 20 years of her life. Needless to say, I was counting my blessings while taking some snapshots of the house. I did not decorate everything that I could have this year. I have a toddler, remember. But, I have got some things done and the family is enjoying it.

So I post these not as a brag but as a praise to God for what blessings he has given. For where he has brought me from, for the husband he gave me, for the children he gave me and for the family and friends I am blessed with. By the way, a wonderful man came into our lives and married my Mom when I was 14 years old. He brought stability and joy like we had not know before.

Here is one of my Nativity Scenes. Greg bought it for me Christmas '02

The snowman tree in my kitchen

Our live tree. We always go to the tree farm on Thanksgiving.

Cowboy with his "Cowboy" tree ( that Janie re-decorates)

My MIL painted this for us when we got married. I have enjoyed adding names to it as the babies came. : )

My little songbird playing the piano where my growing collection of Nativity scenes are.

So we will not make the cover of The Teaching Home with this picture. I was TRYING to get one of those picture perfect poses~

So there is a lot we did not do. I did not put my tree in my room. I did not get the musical tree decorated (it don't actually make music, I have music themed ornaments) Jessie's pretty pink tree did not get up but we are enjoying what we were able to do considering the fact that we have all been sick for the last few weeks and Jenna was once again in the hospital with the croup. We are blessed. We are together. We have our health today and we have the Lord Jesus in our hearts and home.

One more picture.Here is my Mr. Steady coming across the barnyard. I love that man!

Merry Christmas! ( if I don't get another blog post up before then.)

Folks are fed up!

I spotted this truck on my way to the grocery store. Love it. I hope you can see it clearly. TOO MUCH GOVERNMENT! Amen.



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