Getting real for a minute

by ⋅ 5 Comments

Our pastor has been teaching us out of James for awhile – I truly love that book! It’s so practical. Last Sunday the sermon was out of James 5:7-11 “Be Patient With One Another”. But the last point was “Be Patient With God”. And the Scriptures talked about the endurance of the prophets and Job.

The notes went like this…

B. Example of Job (v 11)

1. He lost everything.

2. He endured (showed great patience)

3. The outcome – The Lord’s compassion and mercy

and my additional notes included Job 42:10 “The Lord restored the fortunes of Job when he prayed for his friends, and the Lord increased all that Job had twofold.” I underlined the two part. I’m not sure what my thinking was – but I identify with some of the things Job dealt with – not all mind you.

Today I got a card in the mail. It was from my secret sister. It was a Get Well Soon card … which sort of cracked me up. But then I read what she wrote inside.

Job 42:10

Dear Amy,

I think God has blessed you even more than Job – Job got a double portion from God; but you have been given a triple portion in your 3 boys – REJOICE!!

2 Samuel 12:20-22

Your pain of losing Joshua is real. But, because of your faith in Jesus you will be with him again – for all eternity! Take comfort!!

Only our Lord Jesus can heal your heart – trust Him to do so.

Love, Your Secret Sister

And, you know – I have thanked the Lord for giving me the boys. Not only did I have to keep going – get dressed every day and try to function – but they are/were so loving to me – drying my tears and giving me reason to laugh again.

But I’ve never considered the truth that He provided the blessing of them BEFORE the trial! Isn’t that like God – He knew what I needed and provided it before I needed it!

Thanks Secret Sister for helping me to see that today!

First Day of School

by ⋅ 2 Comments

Yesterday was the first day of school. Eric is teaching fourth grade again 😉 , J1 is in 5th grade and J3 is starting kindergarten. Here are our first day of school pics:

After taking pics, J3 waited outside with the neighborhood cat. He was so excited!

As soon as they left, J2 and I headed out for our traditional “not-back-to-school” breakfast. We will start school next Monday morning.

MIA

by ⋅ 1 Comment

I’ve been missing in action…and it’s hard to start up again!  While I was gone – Eric worked his butt off on that tent trailer…someone gave us another one (going to use for parts) and a van to haul it with!! PTL!

I had a birthday of signifcance 😉 and my mom rented a house at the beach for all of us to stay together at the Beach.  My mom and my family were there for the whole 7 days, my brother and his family came for about 4 days and my sister and her kids for about 3 days.  We missed my BIL who could not get away from work.  I’ve got pics to share – but that will have to be another day!

I’m working on getting organized for our new year of homeschooling J2 (J1 and J3 will attend the school where Eric teachs 4th grade – J1 will be in 5th grade this year and J3 is doing K). One area I want to work on with J2 this year is independence.  I’d like to move away from me sitting beside him as he goes through each lesson.  I’d like him to gain the confidence to realize he can do this!  (He’s a slow learner and had many challenges)

One thing I’ve done is moved us away from the dining room table and created a work station for him.  And, I’m considering an assignment sheet/book that we can review and then refer to for daily assignments (for instance, Monday – Math: Lesson 12).  He’ll still need me to read certain parts to him but I really want him to realize he knows more than he thinks he does.

Does anyone have any suggestions, ideas?  If it helps, my son is going to be 10 in about two weeks and doing 3rd grade work – except on language arts and then we are working at a 1st/2nd grade level.

Oh!  One more thing before I go – I’m having an Usborne Book party online!!  If you don’t know about these books, you need to check it out!  If you are like me and drool over these books everytime you see them, well, go see what specials Tricia is sharing with us this month!!  The Eshow will last only until August 17th – so don’t put it off!  If you order you will help me be able to afford the Ancient History book I want! 😉

Before

by ⋅ 3 Comments

Here are the before pictures – and I pray that we actually can share some after pictures someday! 🙂

Here is a view of the side – see those dark spots – it’s mold – ugh!
Another angle
Looking through the camper

A closeup on the mold outside..

…and inside

The camper obviously last went to the beach – we don’t think they tried to clean it out at all afterwards. 🙁

No more gum in church for us!

by ⋅ 1 Comment

Yesterday during the sermon, I let J2 chew some gum.  What neither of us knew was that we were going to be partaking in communion.  As the plates for the bread and juice were being passed he turned to me and whispered, “Where do I put my gum?”

“Put it on the side of your mouth.” I replied.  Meaning, of course, INside his mouth!

However, he proceeds to grab his gum and slap it on his cheek!  I about died trying not to laugh!