Radical and Crazy Love

**now I'm back. Kids are asleep. Fred is gone. House is quiet. Maybe I can think. And publish this myself when it's done. **

As I was saying, Lately I've been putting so much effort into house, school, crafts, behavior, that I'm finding myself drained when evening rolls around. It seems that all of my updates are roughly 400 words; I can only think in facebook posts now? Sad, yes.

Okay, and, really, it's partly because I don't know who reads this. I know that about 80 peeps visit this online home a day, but I don't want to take the time to find out who (and, really, I consider that an invasion of privacy anyway, but don't get me started.) I share things on FB with approx. 500 "close friends." And somehow THAT makes me more comfortable? I don't know. Weird logic.

This is what's up lately:

I'm reading several new books that I've bought through Amazon and Paperback Swap:

Radical by David Platt, Crazy Love by Francis Chan, Raising a Spirited Child by Mary Sheedy Kurcinka , Seven Habits of Highly Effective Families by Stephen Covey, and A Kick in the Seat of the Pants by Roger Von Oech, to name a few.

Yep, I'm working on many areas of my life simultaneously. I do this so I can grab whatever sounds right at the moment. I can't live out my life in each area separately-- God, marriage & parenting, homeschool, art, mental & emotional health, relationships and ministry-- and I can't put all else aside to get one area perfect. They work hand-in-hand; I may need that "kick in the seat of the pants" for artwork, but it has to come with the raising of my spirited children, while I live radically and effectively for a God who crazily loves me, and I Him.

Phew, mouthful.

Have you read any of those? I'm being challenged in several areas, and would love to discuss the books with anyone who is interested.

I have several things heavy on my heart: adoption is at the forefront right now. We're not financially stable or able. We don't have the space to even qualify. But it weighs on me. I know there are kids out there who need a home desperately and here we are WILLING, open, but unable. It's a sad thought. And when I think of orphanages, mental institutions overseas... all the kids who just need hugs and kisses, safety and warmth and food... that breaks my heart. And here I am, in my quaint little "cottage," living "below poverty" in America, but I have two vehicles paid off, no debt except my house... I have heat and air, plenty to eat, too many clothes and shoes... and yet I'm considered poverty? Really? C'mon, I have a computer. Two actually. And a camera. Cell phones. A tv and dvd player, and so, so, so much more that I don't need. While others go without the very basics.

Guys, I want to go. Part of me desperately just wants to get rid of everything, pack up my family, and take off to care for children who need it. I may not have the money to send, or the ability to adopt right now, but I know I could help if I was there. Ah, and here's where I've crossed the "safety line" on voicing my thoughts. Too much already?

In other perhaps disjointed thoughts, I'm all over the map with what to do in my home. I've been getting rid of a lot of things, and really wish I could live an extreme minimalistic lifestyle at times (if Fred would let me!) Less to care for, less to clean, less to worry about, more room for Real Things. I'm trying to keep what really matters to me, things that make me happy and fill our lives with joy. No more of the "this is what it's supposed to look like." Who cares if wicker is "in" (and I don't know if it is or isn't, just sayin'.) I like bright colors, textures, my own artwork and my kids', hidden joys to find, memories around.

I want reminders, here and there, of what we're really here for. So the other stuff is going.

And on the parenting front, I'm trying so hard to teach with love and patience. I believe in making learning fun and hands-on, challenging but not frustrating. I believe in going at their own pace, but giving enough of a push to show that I hold great confidence in their abilities.

I'll share a recent conversation that I posted on facebook, though:

O (3-year old): "T, I don't LIKE you!"
T(6): {gasps} "Mommy, he says he doesn't LIKE me!"
Me: "For crying out loud, yes you do. O, go to time-out and apologize to T."
O: "FINE. I'm SORRY that I DON'T LIKE YOU."

{sigh} We're not perfect. I'm trying. I'm trying to teach them how to respect & respond, but sometimes I'm just exasperated, you know? I often ask them, "Do I treat you like that? Then why would you treat your brother like that? Is that how you want to be treated?" The boys seem to love each other to pieces one minute and fight like cats and dogs the next. We're working on it.

Now onto my next thought (kids -->school-->art)

I love art. As do my kids. I believe God made us this way, fitted together perfectly,

to take pleasure in it, encourage each other, and develop these skills.

But I ask myself, "For what?" For pleasure? In part, certainly. But I believe there's more.

Did you know that an average elm tree has 6 million leaves? wow.

God was detailed, delighted, amazing... the mountains, sunsets, dandelions blowing in the wind... it was all to shout His Name. Isn't that why, at least in part, he equipped us with creative abilities? For delight and to shout His Name? How can I do that??

And last, for now, I've been thinking again and again about this: The Awe of God. Who am I? I mean really, who am I? One more face? One more tiny little person, among billions. Can I really do anything at all? Well, certainly not as one detached cell. But as a part of a magnificent Body with a purpose, place, and call? Yes! I want this one little cell here to be alive and well, acting in conjunction with the rest of the parts to do something worthwhile. I just need to remember that my part won't be the same as so-and-so's part.

I might be a star peg, but God has a star-shaped spot just for me, as insignificant as I may feel at times.

And so the nightly rambling comes to an end. This is what happens when you turn off the filter for a few minutes. ;)

Thoughts?

Overbooked, yet overjoyed

I'm so ridiculously behind. I know.
Remember how I was trying not to overschedule? Yeah, well, the holidays totally cramp my isolation-style. ;) The calendar somehow filled to the brink.

How do you say no to so many wonderful things? I'm not good at that.

I said yes.

A lot.

Here's the lowdown on my last two-ish weeks:

Awesome home group with amazing people, singing, eating, playing games.

Jetta and Isabelle, two beauties!


See the line Tate drew? What would you guess?

The answer was "floss." :D

(We didn't get it.)

And Kate had her baby TODAY, two days after this picture was taken. The hysterical laughing helped, I'm sure.

Ryan and Nicole, I'm going to miss you.




My fantastic friend Rochelle had her beautiful blonde baby Jasper last week

Love this pic!

Papaw took us all to the Candlelight dinner and service. Amazing. Thanks to all who planned, directed, and sang!

And my Man had a birthday on the 15th (I won't disclose his age, but he does have gray hairs now...shhhhh!)

Lots of playdate fun with friends...
My awesome sister, Julie, dyed my hair. Thank you, woman of many talents!
Fire red streaks are making me happy.

My other amazing sister, Amy, turned ...umm...27 (? that's right... right?)
some artwork of mine, for girlfriends and for my etsy:

Plenty of messy indoor play--here the boys are playing cars in the snow (flour)

Last, but not least,

Amers bought a new house, and will officially sign papers in January!!

One of my other dear friends was finally able to move into her new home TODAY.

YAY Tracy!

We're missing Papaw, as he travels to California and Colorado to visit family over the Christmas season. How many 77-year old fly around here and there, hanging out with family?

And, most importantly, we've been together a lot as a family, able to talk, sing, and worship.

So very thankful for the Reason for the Season.

Oh, God, thank you for sending us Your Son.

On Divorce of a Christian

I'll be upfront. I have a bone to pick.

One of my dear, dear friends is in a bad situation, and has been for nearly 10 years. She's been ignored, emotionally abused, insulted. She was abandoned for over a year-- and I mean abandonment in the full sense of the word. Her husband left. Moved out. Provided zero financial assistance, and very little correspondence. There were vague promises to return "sometime soon." For me, that would have been the straw that broke the camel's back.

Gosh, no, who am I kidding? The second, third, fiftieth time that her husband left on a Friday and failed to return for days, or even call... I would have changed the locks.
Just being honest.
Love does not mistreat and abuse. Love does not intentionally cause pain. That is not love.



Like me, my friend is a Christian. Unfortunately, she is married to a man who has never professed any kind of faith. He holds himself to no "rules" or morals. And, c'mon, even unbelievers can hold themselves to standards and be good spouses. Unbelief should not be used as an excuse for rotten behaviour. And I do hear that argument quite often, "oh, well, he's unsaved, so how can we expect anything different?" Hogwash. I've known many non-Christians who were intelligent, respectable people.

My bone is that supposedly well-meaning Christian friends comment in passing that they will pray for her... that she should stay "because that's what the Bible says," and then they carry on their way. They don't see the damage, the destruction, the aftermath of the storms. They didn't see a woman sobbing for days, weeks, years. They didn't watch this woman crying out in labor, whose husband had just left to catch a plane for a party (YES, while she was in LABOR.) They don't see the children who are growing up fatherless...but emotionally abused when he is actually in the picture.

Here's the kicker. He says he doesn't want a family anymore. He's not "in love" anymore. He wants to leave.

What does the Bible say about this? Well-meaning Christian sites, like Got Questions, quote 1 Cor 7, to back up their Stay Married Advice:

"12To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If any brother has a wife who is not
a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. 13And
if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with
her, she must not divorce him. 14For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified
through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her
believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they
are holy. "

Ah, yes.
But the next verse has been conveniently left off:

"15But if the unbeliever leaves, let him do so. A believing
man or woman is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in
peace. "

Her husband wants to leave. For crying out loud people, give the woman sound advice: LET THE MAN LEAVE. Give her no guilt trips. No superficial comments. Offer good advice or no advice at all. Never guilt someone into staying in a bad relationship, if you can't possibly know the devastation of the family.

Though by no means God's desire "from the beginning," it will likely be best for all concerned if he does leave. Scripture gives room for this. God's heart is for us. For our protection.

We can't be legalists with the law. How biased and prejudiced can people get?

Some people will believe and push anything but the text, and "a text without a context is a pretext."

My heart breaks for this woman and her children. And my blood boils when I hear others encouraging her to stay, endure, and "do the right thing." Doesn't she deserve a chance at a normal life? Should she worry every day about whether her husband is even coming home? And if he'll be sober when he does? Does she need the credit card debt piling up on her, when she has been the only breadwinner for years, sometimes working 2 or 3 jobs to pay the bills? Should she try to make a man stay, who says that he wants to leave?

Now, really stop and pray for her. For the kids. My prayer is that the man will either shape up or ship out. God is in the business of performing miracles... but He doesn't change people without their willingness. Saul had a rude awakening and some convincing signs, but ultimately he had to open his heart, before God would work that metamorphosis in his life.

Mimi's Memorial Service

Mimi's Memorial Service was just as she would have wanted. It was a beautiful celebration of her life. I just can't write out how I feel about it now, or what I'm processing.

It was wonderful to see so much family, lovely friends, and be with my sisters and Papaw during this time.

confessions of a pharisee

I have Thanksgiving pictures to post, crafts to tell you about, and the perfunctory hand turkeys to display.

However, I've been an absolute chicken with my blog. Oh, yes. I play it safe. Don't want to rock the boat.

Have you ever participated in one of those" Words that describe me" emails or facebook things? You send it out, and people have to respond with ONE word, that describes you. Great way to fish for compliments, right? For me it was eye-opening. I received "cautious" or something synonymous quite a few times. This would probably surprise my family and in-laws, as they get the unedited version of me on a daily basis. In "real-life settings," I am very cautious about what I do and say. So much so that I get on my own nerves.

So I'm hoping to branch out, use this not just for a homeschool scrapbook, but also to share and sort my thoughts occasionally. Might as well start with a confession. Good for the soul, right? Okay, here it is:

I've worked very hard for the past 10 years to *redeem* myself. Yep, you read that right. Everything in me knows that I can't do that. God saves by grace alone. I say that with all seriousness and conviction, yet my mind was tacking on "grace, yada yada yada." That couldn't be enough.

So I went to church, got actively involved, taught Sunday School, went to the women's Bible studies (all great things, by the way, but not always motivated by the right desires.) I abstained from alcohol, wore "plain clothes," had my babies and acted like the Christian mommy I was supposed to be. Seriously, a ponytail was my daily hairdo, because it just didn't seem "right" to dress up and priss around when I was now a mommy. All silly notions in retrospect. I let some of them slip early on. After all, I have two very fashion-conscious sisters that wouldn't let me slide too far. Love you, girls.

What happened with my activities was not a redemption, by any means, but rather a Pharisaical standing. I had adopted legalism as a way to live. One day the realization hit me: pride was my plank. I was being "good"; I had turned my life around; I was not doing "bad things." Therefore I was "okay." Or maybe more than okay.

I, I, I... It wasn't about Him anymore. The Light that I had been following had been exchanged with such a faulty and poor substitute somewhere along the way; one flickering and fading bulb hanging over me, offering very little real light to see with. What I could see didn't look too shabby.

My life has been shaking over these past few years. My foundations were/are shaking, as God always shakes that which can be shaken in order to leave behind that which is eternal. There are a lot of eternal things left; but the judgementalism/ legalism/ hypocritical ways are falling away. The truth isn't as hard to share now. I have a testimony that is there, and has never been shared. Why? Because someone could judge me. That doesn't seem so scary any more. Still scary, but not crippling.

I am a black and white thinker. In my mind, things have always stood starkly black or white, wrong or right. I was good as a child. Bad as a teenager. Good as a married wife and mommy. And so forth. The blacks and whites are falling away as well. There are certainly absolutes. No question. Some things are sinful. Period. Some things are truly good, noble, praiseworthy. No doubt. However legalism takes things that are okay and twists them into something bad. Rules and fences get set up where there is supposed to be freedom.

Clearly, it is important for Christians to do what is right and to avoid what is wrong. But it is also important not to be so intimidated by "legalism" (the practice of turning Christianity into a system of behavioral rules which are not found in scripture,) that one is no longer free to serve the Lord in whatever way we have been called to serve Him.

And where does legalism start to affect others? The person who holds himself to those unscriptural standards holds others to them as well. My husband was raised in a family that believes in "the rules." You go to church when the church doors are open, you abstain from this and that, people who inter-racially marry are wrong (he no longer believes this, thanks to my sister and her husband...) ...on and on it goes. And they believe that if (when) you mess up, you lose your salvation. It's an odd mix of supposedly believing in grace, but also believing that our works control our eternity; That somehow screwing up in this life, even if accidentally, can remove them from the hand of God.

I'm tired of the games. It's not about any of this. And even if someone is doing something sinful, an absolute no-no... it is still not our place to judge. It's God's and His alone. We can use discernment, try to reach out, vote against what we know to be wrong, but leave the throne to the one who sits there.

An example? How about teen pregnancy, as this is the one I hear about most often, being in Arkansas. Yes, we're up there in the top ten states with teen pregnancy. Way to go, Bible Belt. Sex outside of marriage is wrong. But what do we do when someone comes to the church for help? Judge them? Accept them and help them, doing everything to act Christ-like? Why is it that most teens would be scared to go to the church for help? Why do so many Christian teens end up having abortions? Shouldn't we be a shelter for them? But it's so easy to slip into self-righteousness, even unintentionally. How can we possibly reach people for Christ, when we're on pedestals?

Even those of us who have testimonies to share... can't. Won't. Is the pain self-inflicted, guilt and shame brought on by God, or perhaps from our own brothers and sisters in Christ? Who is more likely to judge you: a Christian or non-Christian? Or, a better question: who do you perceive more likely to judge? We're here to reach the world. How others perceive us DOES matter. Why do so many non-Christians want to stay away? Is what we're offering (eternal life, joy, purpose) unbelievable when surrounded by our attitudes and legalism. Does it seem like just a set of rules to follow? Who wants to give up having a good time, playing Nintendo, watching TV, having a drink, dancing and singing, playing cards (just a few things that some churches think are wrong... and none of these, by the way, are actually sinful.)

One of my favorite books is Philip Yancey's Soul Survivor. Amazing book. Read it, if you haven't. Another interesting one I've read lately is Un-Christian, about how the unsaved world perceives Christians. One of the best: Mere Christianity by CS Lewis.

Just thoughts. Feel free to share. I haven't elaborated much, as I scramble around here and there, but those of you who know me will know what I mean. Feel free to ask, if you are unsure. Please *try* to take things the right way. I'm casting off the cautiousness, in attempt to be real. it's harder for me than you might imagine, so don't strike while the armor is down.

We joined!

Sunday we joined a fantastic church.

I've been to my fair share of churches all over the country. I've visited the deep southern Baptist churches in South Carolina, with paper fans next to the hymnals. I've been to reverent Episcopalian churches with liturgy readings, real wine passed around in one large cup, and organ music. I've been to Catholic baptisms and Presbyterian lock-ins and everything in between. The only church that I've ever enjoyed as much as our new home church was Santa Cruz Bible Church. Loved that.

Now, granted, I know it's fine and dandy for people to worship in different ways. But for us, this church is just perfect! I'm still awed by the genuine people, incredible music, and the BIBLE being consistently opened, read, taught, and applied. L-O-V-E that!

I was even more astonished when the pastor broached the "difficult subjects" in church. A lot of pastors wouldn't touch election topics with a 10-foot pole. Or they might take the easy way out, with a vague prayer and no solid leadership.

But not our pastor.

He brought up three major voting issues.

First the lottery. Did you know this is the 6th time since 1990 that we've voted on the lottery? Now it comes with a tacked on promise of college scholarship money... bwa ha ha ha. As if we'll fall for that. This has failed 6 times for a reason. It is bad news.

As our pastor put it, "I'm not going to tell you how to vote, but vote AGAINST Amendment 3!"

Next up, he talked about an act that will prevent adoptive and foster care children from being placed in homes with homosexual couple and other individuals who are cohabiting with a sexual partner.The sanctity of marriage is under attack. From our pastor: "I'm not telling you how to vote, but vote FOR Act 1." Amen, brother.

Now for the biggie: Abortion. Yes, it's the horrid topic that no one likes to talk about. Why? Because the liberals like to call it "women's rights," as if that somehow masks what is actually taking place, and Christians just get sick to their stomachs. And we should. But we should also do something! Every one has a voice. Together we are the body of Christ. We can't possibly stand as one unless everyone is willing to do their part. No side liners in this game.

"First they came for the Jews, but I did nothing because I'm not a Jew. Then they came for the socialists, but I did nothing because I'm not a socialist. Then they came for the Catholics, but I did nothing because I'm not a Catholic. Finally, they came for me, but by then there was no one left to help me."

– Pastor Father Niemoller (1946)

Yesterday we studied Matthew 18. The littlest ones are the concern of our Father. Again quoting our pastor,"What must God think when Christians vote against His eternal principles?"

On January 22, 1973, five men in robes, in a judicial system gone wrong, legalized abortion. Since then 50 million babies have died. Because of five men. This was not a vote by the people. (And, by the way, Norma McCorvey, known under the pseudonym Jane Roe, never actually got an abortion. In fact, she is now a fierce pro-life advocate who founded the Roe No More ministry .)

The next president will be appointing supreme court justices during the next four years. Right now 5 of the 9 justices are over 70 years old. This may be the only chance we have to overturn this law.

Vote based on principles. Get out of your circle. Talk to people who may not agree with you. Be loving, respectful, but passionate and knowledgeable about the topics. Educate others about what these candidates stand for. Get out of your comfort zone a little. If each one of us could change one person's thinking (and their vote,) we could redirect this nation. Lives truly are at stake here.

Regardless of the outcome, God is in control.

I'll get off of the political bandwagon soon, but this has been on my mind. And where better to vent than my own blog? :-)

This is not a debate. This is not open to criticism. These are simply my thoughts on my blog. Take it for what it is.

A friend of a friend wrote this. Funny, witty, English professor post on the same topic. :-) Enjoy!

Do Hard Things (Guest Blogger-- my sister)

My sister Julie just read and recommended a book called Do Hard Things, which I am now reading (and loving.) She is my guest blogger for the day! Enjoy!

Do Hard Things
I have a mean little censor that follows me around, and has for years. My censor is an actual person, a person in my life who at times has made me feel torn-down, stupid, small, and laughable. At least, my censor started out as this person, and then morphed and grew into something a bit different, a bit twistedly combined with other things, maybe a bit meaner. It's hard to admit about my censor because I'm embarrassed that I've let them bother me for so long--more than bother, actually; more like stunt, hinder, discourage. And I am sure for certain that this person has no idea how much they have impacted my life in some ways (and I know that's not their problem but mine. No one is responsible for my decisions but me, and I can't blame them or anyone for my own actions or inactions. Still, I wish people would realize how they really can and do affect others in good or negative, and often lasting ways...and I need to remember that, too. I've done my share of damage with careless actions and words.)

I'm tempted to think that none of you are following what I'm saying right now. But I don't believe that, actually. We all know that a hurtful remark can stick with you for days, years, or even all your life. If someone defines you in an unkind way, that label has an awful way of bonding to you like krazy glue (which Owen put on his cheek last week, but the way, but that story is for another post on another blog!). I gave my censor some of that power, (power I'm convinced they had and have no idea of) and when I let that become part of the fabric of my thought and my self-image, it became something that affected me often. It, in part, contributed to preventing me from taking risks, from doing things that I might fail at (because then I was sure my censor would be out there laughing somewhere, and letting others in on the joke). It often kept me from speaking out boldly, because my censor might label me this or that according to what I stood for or spoke up for. I often (not always) let myself allow this embellished, ever-present, exaggerated censor cause me to take the safe and boring and pitiful and unadmirable route to places in life.

And my censor still hangs around. It's a lot quieter, a lot smaller, a lot more irrelevant to my feelings than it ever was before, but it sometimes still wiggles its way in before I even realize what's happening. I'm having to ignore my censor right this moment, in fact, so that I can write my real, true thoughts on this blog.

A couple of days ago, while reading a book, I was filled with some conflicting emotions: part of me felt sad and ashamed, and part of me felt joyful and inspired. I'm reading a book called Do Hard Things, written by teenage twin boys who are challenging their generation to rise above the low expectations of society (I can hear my censor snort skeptically). When I heard about it, it really appealed to me, though it's written for teenagers; in fact, I think that was part of its appeal. Because, honestly, though I may not look like I'm 15 any more, I sure do feel like it in terms of my spiritual and intellectual growth, and many of my life experiences (or lack thereof)(in the area of motherhood and marriage I feel more mature, and so very blessed to have been able to have and experience these wonderful things, but here I'm talking about me as a part of society, as a person, and as a child of God.). I didn't expect as I read the book to come across a wonderful answer to a prayer I began praying back in May.

The book writes about a 16 year old girl named Katrina Martin who loves clothing and anything to do with it, and always has (sounds like me!). She wants to go into fashion when she grows up, but there's a catch: she wants the clothes she designs to be modest. She said that first she had a desire to dress well, and then that grew into a desire to please God with how she dressed. But she had a little problem: She really couldn't figure out what modesty meant. The book writes, "She knew modesty was a heart issue, but also a clothing issue. She was puzzled by the lack of resources, and she was especially frusterated that nothing she found presented views on modesty from Christian guys' point of view." Reading that reminded me of my own question to God that I started asking several months ago. "What is modesty, really? How do you pin it down? It seems to be different for everyone. How do I figure out what you want of me?"

It's like I wrote in my first Whatever Is Lovely post: "We live in a world where there are so many pressures, so many things pulling on us. We live in a gray world where there are some tough questions that need to be asked and answers to be sought. What is right, what is wrong? I know my husband is created by God to be visually stimulated and I want to be attractive for him. Where’s the line of how to be beautiful for your husband without being a stumbling-block to other men?"

Where's the line? How could I know, if it's such a hazy area? (Plus, what would my censor and others like them say? Won't they laugh at me and call me extreme? Won't they think I am legalistic? Won't they say that I want to be modest because I'm a judgemental baptist and this has something to do with the church I go to? Maybe the "real person" censor would say that, maybe not. But the hybrid, exaggerated, twisted censor that is reading this over my shoulder is laughing scornfully in my ear. But what I know is that I'm not doing this to impose unnecessary rules on myself. And I'm definitely not doing this to please anyone at my church, where I certainly will never win a popularity contest. And I just don't think of myself as a "baptist" or any denomination. I go to a baptist church because it matches most closely with my own interpretation of the bible, but I disagree with a few things our church generally believes. I find my pastor's sermons to be wonderful, intelligent, interesting, and founded on the words of the bible, and I feel that I learn a lot on Sundays (sunday school is great, too). But if my pastor were to say something that I felt conflicted with something the bible says, or was added as a side-note but not based on scripture, then I would reject it in the first case and take it with a grain of salt in the second case. My relationship with God is my motivation and truth--my censor is laughing here saying "Sure it is." and is calling me self-righteous--but anyway, I don't need a pastor or a church to be my conscience or my brain, because God gave me those things for my own. My censor would say that I don't watch certain movies or tv shows or read certain books because I'm baptist. I say that I want to do or not do things to please God, and I say if the bible tells me to do or not do something, that's good enough for me; I don't need it confirmed by a pastor to make me want to do it or not do it. My censor is labelling me but I'm sick of being labelled. I'm a person who wants to follow God. Label me that, and that's it.)

Well, I prayed what for me was a difficult thing to pray--for something that seemed impossible to get an answer to that I could actually apply to my life. But God proves as always that He's way bigger than the impossible.

Katrina, with the help of others, took the initiative and made an anonymous survey for guys and girls to take, posing statements like, "Low cut-shirts are a stumbling block." and then letting people rate that statement on a scale from "Strongly agree" to "strongly disagree." Then the voters were also allowed to comment on each particular statement and their reason for why they chose what they chose. It's an awesome survey and it's presented just as-is, as the results and statements were. In the first 12 hours the survey went online, it got 420,000 hits and actually caused the server to shut down. In other words, lots of people put in their two cents on this.

When I found the survey, I felt like God handed me a very practical reference to how Christian guys feel and what they struggle with. Now I can let my conscience and my daily prayer be my guide. (My censor is saying, "You must think a lot of yourself to think that every guy wants your bod." (-: There's one survey comment that I really liked that I feel explains my take on that. Here's what he wrote: "The most beautiful woman I know doesn't cause me to think impure thoughts about her through her dress. Dressing immodestly is actually less beautiful, and more sexual. A plain woman (not ugly or beautiful) can put on a skin tight pair of pants and a low cut shirt and cause just about any man to lust after her. That doesn't mean she's caused him to think she was beautiful." That's how I think about it. I don't think I am so irresistable that I must be a stumbling block to all guys. But I do think that if I dress in certain ways, I'm going to cause a guy or two to struggle or stumble, simply because of how guys are wired and the fact that I have female body parts. I used to try to get attention from guys with my clevage or short skirt or etc., but now I realize that I may have gotten attention, but I didn't get true admiration. I want to save my seductive side for Adam and Adam only, and try to convey lovliness to the world around me.)

I said I felt a little sad and ashamed when I read about Katrina and her survey. To be honest, I didn't so much feel ashamed because of the way I used to try to get attention because of my poor self-image, as because I didn't actively seek an answer to my question the way Katrina did. The past is in the past and I can leave it there, but I didn't really do anything to move forward from it. I think I know why, too. Because the issue just wasn't quite important enough to me. And because when I'm unsure about what I should do, it's easier to do nothing. If I had sought answers, I'd have had to do something about the answers that I found. I'd have that responsibility on me. I'd have to make a choice. And I only half-heartedly wanted that responsibility. But God helped me anyway, because he loves me so much, and because He's working for my good. He gave me the answers I needed though I barely sought them. He's pushing me to a place of responsibility in this area. Because He knows I'll be so much happier His way than mine.

I felt joyful and inspired when I read about Katrina, first because it was an answer to prayer, and also because it was an encouragement that there are other women out there seeking answers to these kinds of questions--she's ten years younger than me and yet I look up to her for her heart and her persistence. And I believe she will start her own clothing line, and that, with God's help, it will be great.

I know there are probably lots of people who will have differing opinions on this subject, people I totally love and admire. I value and respect those opinions and would like to hear them if anyone wants to say something. I don't want to debate or argue, just to hear and understand where you're coming from, if you have something to say. I still feel like this subject is different for everyone according to what God lays on their heart. I do feel that God has laid this issue on my heart and has given me answers specific to me and my motives and etc., but I believe at any given time God is doing good works in everyone He loves (which is all of us!), and they may not be the same good work at the same time. Maybe he's growing us in different areas at different times. What I know for sure is that 'He who started a good work in each of us is carrying that good work to completion'--each in the way He knows is best. (Also I could say a bunch more on why it's so hard for me to want to dress modestly sometimes, and why I feel like the men in our lives are in part at fault for our struggles with that, but I'll save that for another post, because this one is already frighteningly long!)

Here's a link to the Modesty Survey if you're curious. Click on "Survey Results." Don't be confused when you read a bunch of statements--those aren't the results. You have to actually click on each posed statement and then scroll down to see the consensus (I was confused at first. I was like, "hhhhuuuhhh??") .

Every day, I want to keep trying to figure out what is lovely; how to be the woman God wants me to be. I can see that God is and will keep helping me in this.

I want to, as one person wrote in on the survey,

"Walk like you are a princess of the Kingdom of God."

Love, Julie

Fireproof gets an A

/see movie/

I am not usually a crier in movies. Call me cold-hearted, but I'm just not a romantic, sappy chick flick kinda-gal. I've always preferred some action and suspense. However, Fireproof took me by surprise.
For one thing, it is realistic. This is how couples actually fight. (At least from my experience.) Television shows generally show the stupid white guy doing stupid things and his sassy wife disrespects him and "wears the pants in the family." Right?

But this movie shows both sides. It shows the feelings, underlying emotions, the misinterpretations. It shows the ugly truth about how slowly parasites form in our relationships, such as the "overly friendly" coworker and, yes, it even addresses pornography. It's about time that the truth is coming out:

"A Promise Keepers survey found that 53 percent of its members consume pornography. A 2000 Christianity Today survey found that 37 percent of pastors said pornography is a "current struggle" of theirs. Fifty-seven percent called pornography the most sexually damaging issue for their congregations. A Barna Research Group study released in February 2007 said that 35 percent of men and 17 percent of women reported having used pornography in the past month."

Yikes! Does that freak anyone else out? But yet the makers of this movie know how disturbing, diseasing and prevalent this is and they are addressing it openly. I applaud that!!

I think they also do a great job of not placing the blame squarely on either spouse's shoulders. The underlying theme is to love unconditionally. Whether someone deserves it or not.

The makers of Fireproof also have resources available that are remarkably low in price!! They are selling the Love Dare book, the novel, a 6-part study, and more. You know I'm going to be in line for that stuff. Every marriage can benefit from a little extra lovin'! *Ü*

bloggie updates

I know I've been relatively quiet lately. There are so many things in life all the time to think about, write about, deal with, enjoy.

I've been coming to grips with the fact that I'm only in control of me. I can pray and be careful, but I can't absolutely control whether or not I have physical problems. I can do my best to be patient and kind to others, but I can't control how they perceive me. I'm not perfect, what can I say? And, even if I serve healthy foods to my kids, I can't actually make them swallow it, if they choose not to. This hasn't been a battle lately, but we've dealt with it in the past.

We've had some ups and downs lately. The best thing that has happened lately is our new-found church home. I just can't describe the peace and joy I feel now, being fed God's Word in a body of believers that is so open, kind, genuine. Emotional worship may fade. Programs come and go. But the Word of God stands firm and strong always. A church built on that cannot falter. I'm so happy to be there!!!! (I also love the music! A church that sings 2-3 heartfelt songs--without repeating the chorus 50x--and then they preach God's WORD-- WOW!)

Our family has been going through some health challenges lately. Not my kids, but my sisters... and maybe me, too. They tend to deal with these struggles better than I do. I believe, for the most part, that knowledge is power. So I look everything up: every medication, symptom, treatment option. Then I get thoroughly scared before I have the sense to turn it over to God and pray about it. Maybe I should start with prayer, huh? Something along the lines of "God, let me find what will be beneficial for me to know, and information that I should use."

Oh, and another UP is that Mothering Matters has started back up. I truly do love this ministry of women mentoring each other, gathering together to pray for and encourage each other. I was pretty intimidated about being a care group leader this year, but I'm hoping that my group will treat me with grace while I tried to lead the discussions. I'm not used to this, and I've never been a public speaking kind of gal! (My husband might disagree, heh.) Our theme is butterflies to represent transformation (courtesy of Mrs. Smiley,) so let me know if you have any craft/ food/ decor ideas that could go along with that theme!

On a side note, I painted all the doors in my house. Yes, I realize this is random news. Still, it's NEWS for me. Little Lad's door is green and blue striped. The Artist's is green with huge pink polka dots, Mine is green with white flowers, the bathroom door now has black branches painted on it. Pictures coming soon. I think painting is so therapeutic!!

The church hop ends!

For the last 8 months we have been without a home church. From the time we got married, and through the births of all of our children, we attended the same church. Upon leaving in December, we began the "church hop." Some people seem to do this for life, just hopping around every few months, depending on the sanctuary temperature or the church solos. We, however, are very unaccustomed to doing the whole church-swap thing, and it's been rather trying.

The kids also began to drag each week, asking "where are we going today?" But last week we found what we were looking for...three very basic and necessary things: Care for the kids (safety and teaching,) Teaching from the BIBLE, and joyful worship by genuine people. Doesn't seem like those things would be too hard to come by, does it?

And, actually, the hardest thing to find is expository preaching. I guess some pastors have found that it can be easier or more "entertaining" to preach from the Reader's Digest jokes, or just pick a sweet feel-good thematic approach for each week. Yeah, that's nice. Those fluffy little things can be cutsie to read. Yeah, they give me warm fuzzies and sometimes make me think about.... whatever. But the Bible is what feeds. It's the Holy Spirit that empowers, and we can get that direct link through true worship, prayer, and God's Word. Why settle for anything less when we have the very best thing available?! :-) Anyway, I am overjoyed to have found a place that we all love.

It is over an hour round trip for us, but it's worth it. In fact, I think hubby has been working ovetime just so we can get to this church and back each week.

The service today was from Matthew 13. (from the BIBLE-- I still can't get over that, and I'm thrilled!!)

And, Tob, thank you. Thank you for leading us to such a wonderful place. You invited us months (maybe years?) ago, and you never gave up. We resisted for so long because of the drive. Also, habits are hard to break. It's like we were eating plain rice for years and had no idea that increcible fresh and flavorful food even existed...

What "Good Girls" do and other rambling knockin'-about thoughts when I'm tired

I am one of those mom's who doesn't go out without make-up. Why? Because I usually feel most comfortable with make-up on. Sure, there are those days that I wish I didn't feel the "need" to put it on. But on the whole, I enjoy dressing up. For me, make-up and clothes are almost an art form. It's fun to experiment, dress-up, and "play pretty." Besides, it makes my husband feel special when I take a little extra effort to look nice for him.

On those days that I just don't feel like it, though, I feel obligated to stay home. The make-up thing, while being enjoyable and fun for me, also turns into a crippling weakness at times. When I really look a mess, I feel a mess. If I don't look pulled together I don't feel put together.
And I feel judged.
Women have a bad habit of judging everything from clothes to hair to parenting choices. So your best friend dyes her hair every other week? So what? Does that hurt anyone? Does it ruin her testimony? Does a nose ring mean you aren't a Christian? Does an extra long hem-line mean you are better equipped to serve God? Long hair or short hair? Dyed hair or natural? Public school, private, or homeschool? House immaculate...or a mess? Live by a schedule, or just one moment at a time? Why do people, especially women it seems, get so defensive when others live differently?

Hmmm....I just wonder what compels women to judge, judge, judge each other?

We should be cheering each other on, not judging and demeaning. We should be helping each other.
Mentoring each other.

Jealousy is rife among girls and women. Women frequently react with thinly veiled jealousy when they see other women come into unexpected blessings or succeed in some way. (A success they either don't know how to, or don't feel able to claim for themselves.)

I know there are many women out there who are emotionally starved. And it must be hard to see other women being fed well, when they are starving for that. The reaction to criticize, to put down and to tell other women that they are behaving in an unacceptable manner makes sense at some level if you are famished and desperately crying out, desiring attention, needing help. So I guess the next time I am criticized, I will just look at it as a cry for help! :-)
(Heh heh-- Not that I am ever criticized for anything!! )

Anyway, I've mentioned before how much I LOVE Mothering Matters. I've never been involved in a group before that so purposely puts Titus 2: 3 and 4 to work. (Older women are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children...) Older women, for the most part, seem to be past all the pettiness. We could learn a lot from that. All the "little stuff" doesn't matter so much. Life is about glorifying God, right? Living for HIM. Banding together to worship, to reach others and be a light for the world. Each of us, in our own walks, can live for Him. We can reach others the way no one else can. If we were all alike, just Christian cloned robots, how could we possibly reach and relate to anyone different?

No, it's the blue-hairdo spiky Christian that can reach other blue-hair spiky people. (Or people who think that hair is "totally awesome"...)It's the public school Christians that other p.s. people can relate better to. It's the homeschooled Christ-followers that other homeschoolers might be interested in talking to. So why do we judge differences? I want to be who I am supposed to be...and if that means I have a bright green living room and short red hair and lots of beautiful children who are homeschooled...well, maybe I can strike up a conversation with someone else who likes bright green in their living room!

At any rate, I know God will use me. For me. And I am trying NOT to care what anyone else thinks. Not that I have been let down by people lately, but I've just been thinking a lot about how we tend to stick to standards, live by the norm, and judge anyone who walks a to a different tune, on the same path.
Romans 12: 4-6 "Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith."

Together we are a force to be reckoned with. We are Christ's body. We can make a difference.

Tonight I had a fantastic night with an awesome family. The lovely lady is not only amazingly equipped to reach others, but she desires to with her whole heart. And she equips others to "go and do likewise" simply with the power of encouraging words and a hospitable heart. Ah, what sweet relief it is to be around others who just love others for who they are, differences and all. (Even though I did pull her down with my pathetic attempt at playing Mad Gab. I warned you I was no good!!)

I'm a leper, hear me roar!

The kids have been going to HABC VBS this week. On the first day, The Naturalist came home and told me all about "playing leopard."

He said they put on spot stickers.

And they were sick.

And couldn't see their families.

Aha! Do you mean "leper," Honey?

My sweet Naturalist. It made perfect sense to him that they would have him pretend to be a sick leopard for awhile.

Going Up?

This morning Live Wire ran into the living room completely decked out in prison garb, with a Darth Vader mask, and a cowboy hat on (at least he's clothed, right??) He shouts, "Look at me, Mommy, I'm Elevator!"

By the way, yesterday was a MUCH better day, despite the bad sunburn on the back of my neck. Can't believe I missed getting sunscreen on that much skin! And despite the horrid bee sting on my left foot. On the bright side, I got to spend a couple hours with a dear friend at the pool. And The bee died after stinging me.

(Just so you know, ice and toothpaste are the best remedies for bee sting.)

The Secret to a Lasting Marriage

"One of the people has to be sane, and the other one is only allowed to be insane occasionally. We take turns on who gets to be which person."

-Actor Christopher Meloni

Fred was the sane one yesterday. And today. Do I have to take turns???

Seriously, though, I feel like I've been under oppression lately. Too many things crowding in at once. Instead of being my normal energetic and rather cheerful self (right??), I've become a mess of blubbering curls.

So what do I do with this new development? Pray? Read my Bible? Cry? Call friends? Well, all of the above, but not in the right order. I'll let you in on my not-so-successful coping strategy: I bawl. Yep, I just sit somewhere and eat cookies and bawl my eyes out. Great, huh? I like to cook when I'm anxious, so there are plenty of breads and desserts abounding right now.

*edited*
Some people offer wonderful advice. Some people think they offer wonderful advice...it's well-meaning, but totally the WRONG thing to say!! I had one of those conversations today. So I called someone else, naturally (actually my Mimi, to pray, and then a friend to come over.) Thank the Dear Lord for friends when you need them. This dear friend drove right over and helped, while I took a time out with the Bible.

And you know what? THAT helped. Duh. So why don't I do that immediately?? WHY? I can't claim the new-Christian-syndrome, because I don't even remember when I was saved. Why do I wait so long to run to my Father's arms? Possibly because I feel foolish crying over such little things when there are so many BIG things that other people deal with. You know, who am I to disturb God, right? Sounds foolish. I tell my kids just the opposite all the time, but then I wait and wait and wait before I work up the courage to knock on that door.

I have two verses on my computer desk: 1 John 5:14 "Now this is confidence we have before Him: whenever we ask anything according to His will, He hears us."
and Psalm 144:2,3 "He is my loving ally and my fortress, my tower of safety, my deliverer. He stands before me as a shield, and I take refuge in him. He subdues the nations under me."

I can believe that. I do believe that. Yet I crumble so easily. Argh.

So, I'm setting some goals, and putting them out here for all to see. Why? Because, like Adelia, I believe that sharing your goals with people you love will help you achieve what you desire. I need prayer, encouragement.
First, I need to stop worrying. I know this isn't easily gauged, and everyone worries to a certain extent. But, specifically, I need to release the worry over things of which I have no control. That does no good.

Second, I need to redeem my time. A line in a book last night suddenly struck me: "A person rescues what he loves." Yes, how obvious. But, really, I tend to let the most important things in my life slide while I take care of "everything else." I need to rescue what I love. I need to focus.

Third (and this is directly related to every other goal), I need to get back on a schedule. How can I redeem my time and reduce my worry if I don't have a game plan? I'm overwhelmed. I need my structure back. Right now I feel like I've lost it from every area: church life, finances, homeschool, housework, you name it. Everything has slid away from me. My darling little sister is helping me work on my Home Keeping Binder, which I plan to put into effect on Thursday. Pray on Thursday. ;-) I know it won't be --KABOOM-- change, but that is the start of my implementation!

Fourth, dang I'm tired. I forgot. Oh, yeah!! I need more sleep. I just *think* that I can get away with 5 or so hours of sleep, but I'm not doing so hot apparently. So I'm setting a curfew. And I'm planning to get up earlier than the kids (no small feat), and have my Bible time ALONE. The kids can read in bed until 7am.

Okay, enough for now. Bible time in bed. I need it.

PS Am I stressing anyone out lately? Didn't someone recently comment about me being upbeat or something? Yeah. Sorry about this, guys. "And this too shall pass."

playing hooky from church

Yesterday we went to a nearby National Park for some hiking and a picnic. Yeah, we just skipped church to go. Sometimes I feel so much closer to God while we rejoice in His creation, rather than sitting in a building. It's great to fellowship with other believers, and also necessary...but there's just something missing sometimes. I need the joy back. I need to look up at the sky, face to the sun, and smile, "thank you, Lord, for this indescribable, amazing beauty!!"

Besides, we had to take advantage of the awesome weather yesterday. It's dropped 30 degrees since then. Argh! I reeeeaaaallly need sunshine. Really. Days like today just start to wear on me pretty fast.

So, anyway, I got to talking to a young mother at the playground area, after our picnic and hike. She was nursing a baby girl, while she watched her 2-year old son play. This woman was very sweet...very talkative, and I soon discovered that she is a cross country runner for NSU, and an early education major. She is about to gradate, but wants to stay home with her kids. Only problem is that hubby wants her to go right to work. Hmmm...

I promised to pray for her, for God's leading and guidance. I really feel for her. I'm so thankful that I have my husband's support to stay home and educate our children.

I mentioned to her that we homeschool and really enjoy that. This opened a whole new can of worms. Apparently she had been "homeschooled" for two years, 8th and 9th grade...except that she "did nothing." She said she literally did NOTHING. It was boring and she got terribly behind her public school peers. They had NO curriculum or assignments, field trips, etc. This is was a total shock to me. WHY would someone keep their kids home, with no intention of teaching them? Wouldn't it be so much easier to send them to school?

Anyway, this is now the view that she has of homeschoolers. Do others share that view, I wonder?
Because I can tell you that the vast majority of homeschoolers work their tails off. It's a never-ending, amazing, complicated, tiring, stressful, but completely joyful and satisfying job. Seems like an oxymoron, but that's the only way I can describe it. I wouldn't give it up, even after stressful days like today. It is fun, rewarding. And I learn as much as the kids do! Most of the homeschool moms that I know share this same feeling. We may get overwhelmed, but we stay the course. I do know of a few out there who just don't make school a priority. To those I will say: put your kids in school or make school at home a priority. Not to say that we don't take days off or get behind sometimes...I'm talking about the people who "do nothing" for two years. That just isn't acceptable.

We talked about a few other things: breastfeeding, church, childcare (which is what she is so concerned about, possibly going into the workforce soon.) Fred laughed about it on the way home. Men get to know each other slowly(talking football for 6 months?) , but women just jump right up on their soap boxes and go to town. :-)

Again, it's LATE and I'm TIRED, but need a quick update on here so I don't feel like a total slacker!

Quick version (maybe), and then more later.
And, sorry, people but I don't have time for links, so you'll just have to look things up for yourself. I know, I'm so considerate.
So, here goes.
The 15th was my hubby's bday! Wow. Time flies by. Next year I'll be able to really tease him about his age. And I'll be throwing him a surprise birthday party then, too. You are all invited. Just remember that. This time next year.

Every year really has gotten better. Not that it started out badly, but we were young and stupid. I know people always say "naive", but we were just stupid. We got married, fought, had problems, and then grew up together. Having kids helped that whole process along! So, anyway, now he's my best friend. He makes me laugh all the time. I can't wait 'til he gets home from work, and I look forward to that 1:30pm call every day. I know, it's all silly, but I love it. And I love him, and it was very fun to celebrate another birthday together!!

What else? Well, the Christmas tea was GREAT! I realized I never posted a sequel to the last post about it. There was no speaker!! YEA-- and, just to be sure, I showed up 20 minutes late so as to miss any unpleasantness. Actually, I just missed the prayer and devotional. Oh, well. The food was the important thing anyway, right? And the singing was fantastic!! Good job, youth girls!

Hmmm... Umm...Oliver has been waking me up every 3 hours at night, so I'm having trouble thinking.

Tomorrow is a cookie party at a friend's house. So the kids and I baked cookies today, some to decorate for tomorrow and some to share for snacks. That was fun. We also did a lot of our schoolwork outside today b/c the weather was GREAT. When it started to get chilly, we started a fire and had "recess" (aka digging time and Frisbee.)

OH-- And yesterday I took Isabelle and Ethan to a movie for the first time!! (Yes, they are 8- and 6- years old. I'm not big on spending money to watch a big TV screen.) But we saw Enchanted, and it was quite good. Thanks for the review, Ann-Marie!! It's one of those movie that makes you want to leave singing and dancing. LOVE it. And there were only 4 other people in the theater with us. Unfortunately, our movie stopped abruptly twice and we had to get someone to turn it back on!!! New theater and I guess they had some glitches. If I'd been in one of my feistier moods I probably would have demanded a refund. But it was a happy movie, so I was happy and the guy lucked out.

Okay, gotta hit the sack... only to be awakened in a few hours, I'm sure... pray for me!! ;-)

the cough

Well, the dreaded cough has made it to our home. Thankfully, no fevers or stomach bugs. Knock on wood. But we have the snot noses and the cough. Isabelle has a strong gag reflex. So, what does she do? Cough, puke. Cough, puke. Give her cough medicine and she pukes again. How many times should you give a kid cough medicine? I give up after two usually.

I enjoyed a "down day" today. No running around, unless you count the library. Tomorrow should be fairly calm also. We have a reading-intense week and that seems to help the calmness somehow. During science experiment weeks, it get a bit crazy.

Friday night the fun and craziness of the Christmas season really begins. Double birthday parties. Saturday is the Christmas Tea at church. Please no speaker this year. Please. The content of the last ones was inappropriate. Enough said. Not that I dislike the speakers themselves, but it was just not well-planned at all. I will have to run out on this one if someone gets up to talk!! Besides, the next Lowe's workshop is at the same time. It's my back-up plan.

So, anyway, after the tea, Fred will be rushing off to poker. Yes, we are Baptist and my husband plays poker. He's actually quite good, and won a tourney once. :-) You can blame my brother-in-law for getting the family into that! (And you know I'm just jealous because I can't play worth a lick.)

Saturday night ladies Christmas party and Sunday brings us back to church. Church. I really like the book we're doing in Sunday School. It's called In His Presents (play on words, I'm not misspelling anything, Sherrill!) The last chapter was about personality types. It doesn't get too detailed, and maybe it's methods are a bit vague and out-of-date compared to the Meyers Briggs and others, but it's still good food for thought. Fred and I (well me, really, who am I kidding) decided that he is a Peaceful Phlegmatic and I'm a weird mix between Choleric and Melancholy. Would you agree? He laughed outright when the SS teacher said something about Melancholies arranging their closets according to color. But, hey, it makes sense! I know I need a black shirt to wear, so I don't have to spend an hour looking. Of course, they are also arranged according to type. My husband's closet... sheesh... he loses pants and finds them two years later.

Okay, so this was going to be a short post and I got to the rambling again. Talkative...another characteristic of cholerics. What can I say? A lot apparently.

weekend wrap-up

It's been a fun and busy weekend. I know I've been posting a lot more than usual lately. I hope you all can keep up! :-)

On Saturday I had some friends over in the evening, to relax around the firepit. Fred took the kids to my parents house to watch a movie on the big screen.

Don't worry, I'll only post pics of ladies who said it was okay. :-)
Lindsay, Angela, Tob

Sherrill and Lori

When they got home, Isabelle and Ethan peeked out of her bedroom window for a few minutes, before running outside to say goodnight. Fred put all four kids to bed, too. What a sweetie!

October and I used the self-timer to take this picture. We were the only ones left out there at 11pm. (Ann-Marie, you have GOT to make a trip down here!)

On Sunday morning Isabelle sang with the First Praise Choir in the morning worship service. I really like the songs they did, and the sign language that went with it. Izzy is the one int he back row, all in red, with braided hair.


After she sang, we rushed home to change clothes and load up the van. We went to the Tulsa Zoo for the day. We had planned to go out to eat with Mom, Dad, Julie, and Amy after they finished the marathon, but they were too tired and headed home instead. Can't say I blame them! Dad finished the marathon in five hours. Mom did not train AT ALL and finished in less than 6 hours. Just crazy! Julie ran her race at a 9 minute-pace. Impressive!! And she just had a baby a few months ago! So congratulations to all of my family... and, no, the running gene did not pass to me...
Here are some zoo pics:





We did this one in the rain forest, with the self-timer.


So it was a fun, but very busy, weekend. Today I am not going ANYWHERE. I had planned to do MUMs (Moms Uplifting Moms), but Fred is going to go to Man Night at church. Just as well, because I really need to catch up on the housework when I finish school today. We're having more company over tomorrow night... Fred's sister Kayla and her fiance Eric. Then the Thanksgiving meals begin... so you know more pictures will be coming soon. :-)
Oh, and one more thing! Speaking of pictures, I will be in Decatur all day on December 1st, doing packages. I have a great location to use, thanks to Tob. So let me know if you want to book an appointment over there. I know that would be more convenient for a few people.