Our Family Circus

I feel just like Julia Roberts in Pretty Women (except for the business transactions.) Since My Dear husband loves teenagers, we have been invited to attend the local prom as chaperons . Finally, I have gotten my dream date to the prom and you know how I like to dance! I thought of how fun this will be. Then it hit me, as it does every girl going to the prom WHAT WILL I WEAR? Since being either pregnant or nursing a baby for about 8 years, I stopped buying dresses unless they are maternity. I have a couple of ' stylin ' friends- one is the size of my leg but the other is pregnant with baby #6. I knew she would have a variety of sizes as she has been blessed with 5 beautiful girls (yes, they are beautiful) and the transition that comes after each of their births. Sure enough, Missi shows up with a variety of sizes, styles and accessories! See, I am Julia Roberts, minus the you know what. Here is what I have learned or have been reminded of in this "Mama sized" dress

My Favorite Hippies doin' their thang! Not so long ago, I read Matthew 25-the Parable of the Talents. I was challenged to check and see if I am using the talents that God has given me. The past 3 years I have been involved in a crazy, fun outreach event at our church called You Go Girl! Last year, I heard God, very clearly, tell me to step back from the planning team and to minister as a volunteer-which, I know is A LOT of work but is SO important! When I read this passage, I questioned God-in case He had forgotten, I guess-that He had told me to step back. I must say, it was hard not to be involved at times but at other times, I saw so clearly why He put the reigns on me. Later in my doubtfilled afternoon, I got a phone call from a planning member who was a little stressed. Her question was so simple, but it got my heart a jumpin' ! It was right in my "talent." She simply needed a song to open the event with. YEAH!!! I LOVE THIS STUFF!! I knew just the song! I took

Walking through the Old City of Jerusalem within the walls. Typical day of shopping for these folks-welcome to their Wal Mart, Kroger, and Mall where pushing, price negotiations, fast moving carts, and raw meat hanging around is all allowed! Did I mention I LOVED this part of the trip?! Of all the things that I learned in Israel and continue to learn now that I am home, this is the one I can not forget-the PEOPLE. I have a friend that prays for the people of Israel. She and her husband own a series of DVDs on the country. I have to admit, I thought it was strange to own such DVDs but as I watch them, I get it. Children are being groomed to hate. It is actually part of their education. That is sad to me but the hardest part for me is that these people live in the Holy Land. Only 2% of these people are Christians. I listened as my husband talked with our tour guide who professed to be a Christian. He was baptized as an infant. It is just what they do. He was born in the Holy Land, they

I have a confession. I love the Internet ! I keep up with our family and friends via email and now my friendships have expanded to Facebook where I am reintroduced to childhood, High School, college, and well, "I have seen you around" friends. When I need adult time with no adult around, I go to the computer to check on my friends. Yesterday was a blah day! Whenever I needed a moment, I plopped in the computer chair. What was to be 5 minutes turned into more and I got NOTHING done. I bet I was not very nice either. I was disappointed in myself because it was clear to me, there was a problem! This morning, the kids asked to play on the computer but I said no. I kept the computer turned off all morning. Morning turned into afternoon. Laundry and dishes were getting done. Teaching was done. Student willingly did school work. Baby was read to. Marble contraptions were praised and experimented with. Names were written in chalk on the driveway. Girls were pushed on

We don't do Easter baskets or eggs-freaks, I know! The more I learn about the way we celebrate holidays, I realize it is less about Jesus when it should be MORE about Him. My friend Lori has a great idea for teaching her girls about the death and resurrection of Christ. The girls took a doll and wrapped it in cloth. They laid the body in the tomb (clothes dryer) and sealed it (duck tape.) Two other dolls were placed to stand post as the soldiers guarding the tomb, Rescue Heros and army men have held this position in our home. This year is will be dollhouse men. The family reads the story together from the Bible or a children's Bible. If you can live without your dryer long enough, you can do this 3 nights prior to Easter. When our children come home from church on Sunday, they run to the tomb where they find that Jesus is no longer there! The soldiers are laying to the side and the cloth is nicely folded in the tomb and a gift awaits them. They know the story and know that Jesu

I had heard that a person usually has 7 contacts in their life before coming to a relationship with Christ. Out of curiosity , I decided to chart that. Those people included Mrs. Argo who greeted my parents when they were teenagers and came to church because it allowed them to legally miss school. Mr. Ed was another, my first boyfriend. He gave suckers to me on the church bus. I told my dad I had a new boyfriend and described him according to where he had hair on his head (I married a man with a similar hairstyle and Mr. Ed approved of him.) Most of the people were members of one church and involved in Children's Ministry. One of those ladies in the Children's Department was Mrs. Lykins . This was the 80s you know so we all met together in a large room to sing then divided into our small groups for Sunday School. Mrs. Lykins had her prehistoric Power Point poster boards she had written the words of several songs on. She enthusiastically led the sleepy eyed group in s

Little man baptized in the Jordan along with his cousin by daddy. He said it was worth the wait! Daddy serving his first communion at the garden tomb and getting to keep the Olive Wood cup!

We returned yesterday from a trip to Israel with our family! My head is FULL of stuff I want to follow up on and study more of. I have so much to learn! Of all that I saw and heard, this one mini-conversation is really on my heart. I do not even recall how the conversation started but Nana T., as our kids call her, shared how we limit God. Someone had shared this same fact with her. Have you noticed that when we pray, we ask God that He would just do this thing or that He would just give enough? We ask for JUST instead of allowing God to fully bless us! What if God wants to do more? You see, Nana T. went to the Holy Land in 2006 when someone in her church donated money for others to go. While there, she felt God calling her to bring her family. She knew it was a huge order and had no idea what God had in store to provide the finances for 10 of us, including our 7 year old son, to go to the Holy Land-but He did. I am pretty sure it was not a JUST prayer that Nana praye