Our Family Circus

So I have mentioned reading Rick Warren's Purpose Driven Life , again. I have been reading about obedience. When God calls us, we are to act and when we do it makes our fellowship with Him sweeter! I remember 5 years ago, the opportunity given to me to enter that sweet fellowship with Jesus at Save A Lot grocery store. A man was behind me in line. I had filled the conveyor while entertaining our children. I noticed the man behind me looked as though times were tough. He was purchasing bologna, a loaf of bread and another staple. I assumed it would take care of several meals for him. I felt the Holy Spirit prompting me to pay for his groceries. I was afraid and did not do it. Another time at Save A Lot, a mom was at the front of the one register open. She was constantly disciplining a child named Austin as she tried to check out and pay. The line was backed up with several folks waiting. I was at the front of the store and heard the loud booming voice of a man at the end of the line...

I don't want to forget what inspiration looks like! The temperature is getting cooler, bringing the kids indoors to play. They created these materpieces with their friends. They had to dig around to collect enough magnets to hang them. Note also that Clay's lost tooth and Blake's clipping of her first hair cut are displayed too. Who would have ever thought I would have hair and a tooth proudly displayed on the front of my fridge! I told Lydia I would clip her nails if she needed to have a baggie with her name on it too.

This week, I realized our house is dirty! The bottom of the walls have dirty hand prints and the top has dust. The ceiling fans are fuzzy and the fridge had spilled, (it that chili?), in it! Not to mention, I am hosting my family for Thanksgiving! I had contacted my sweet friend to see if she wanted to get together-just us girls-on Saturday. She agreed and then My Dear informed me of a place he needed to be until 2 that afternoon. I was home with the kids, so I decided to make the most of it. I did several loads of laundry, dishes, cleaned out the fridge-although Lydia wanted to clean the mystery chili out. Don't you love when that is fun for them! I straighted every room, fed children, baby to nap, then wiped down the walls in the kitchen. I worked like a MAD woman and the entire time I am thinking about me. I was pleased with the progress but in the back of my head, I resented it! I resented that I was home. I resented that my plans had to be altered. I resented that I was workin...

It has been a week (+/- a few days) of first for Miss Blake! First Oreo Cookie...that I recall although someone could have slipped her one without my knowing. Can I still call it an Oreo even though it is store brand or do I have to say "sandwich cookie?" It just is not the same! She also did a number in the bathroom but I did not take a picture of that, you can thank me later. I do appreciate her optimism in that she calls it "do-do." Nice isn't it, seeing she could have named it "No Way!" or "Won't-Won't!" Gives me hope! Oh, this is the BEFORE picture... Blake's first haircut!! The whole gang was excited about this one! I know the picture is fuzzy but I wanted to capture how all of "the firsts" are well attended! The big kids want to be there to capture her responses too. They had already had their turn in the chair so Blake was asking for a turn too! So sweet! She could not take her eyes off of herself in the mirror!...

Ruth and Boaz are my favorite biblical love story! Have you read it? It is 4 Chapters of love in the book of Ruth in the Old Testament. Her is my version in a nut shell-hopefully just enough to get you reading! Husband dies. She stays with Mother-in-Love. Return to MIL's homeland. Ruth goes to Boaz's fields. Picks up left over grain. Boaz ask workers to leave grain. Boaz is Ruth's kinsmen redeemer. Lays at his feet. He protect her honor. Learns another to be kinsmen redeemer. Talks to him. Happily ever after! Here is how this love story plays into my life! My mom had a less then a perfect home life. My grandmother eventually sent my mom to live with the Blake family (I love family names?) This family took my mom in as their own. They provided for her and shielded her from her painful childhood-or lack of. She moved in as a child and left a woman. Her cousin Ann (which is our Lydia's middle name) became her sister as well as a mother figure. Lucky for me, Ann married Mr....

Romans 15:4 For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us.... SO WHY did I think it was a good idea to do something other than rest on Sunday? But we needed groceries. I took Lydia to Dollar Tree as a little bonus in our shopping experience. Got home to the mess of lunch aftermath and groceries to be put away. I had missed those couple of precious hours when Blake naps and I enter a near vegetative state reserved for Sundays. God knows I needed that rest. I had made it a habit of not doing much on Sunday because in doing so, I was making someone else work. The servers and cooks in restraunts, the store employees, even the gas station attendant. But yesterday, this committement was reaffirmed! So next Sunday, I plan to make it my Sabbath. If you need me then, I will be found at home!

Ruth and Boaz are my favorite biblical love story! Have you read it? It is 4 Chapters of love in the book of Ruth in the Old Testament. Her is my version in a nut shell-hopefully just enough to get you reading! Husband dies. She stays with Mother-in-Love. Return to MIL's homeland. Ruth goes to Boaz's fields. Picks up left over grain. Boaz ask workers to leave grain. Boaz is Ruth's kinsmen redeemer. Lays at his feet. He protect her honor. Learns another to be kinsmen redeemer. Talks to him. Happily ever after! Here is how this love story plays into my life! My mom had a less then a perfect home life. My grandmother eventually sent my mom to live with the Blake family (I love family names?) This family took my mom in as their own. They provided for her and shielded her from her painful childhood-or lack of. She moved in as a child and left a woman. Her cousin Ann (which is our Lydia's middle name) became her sister as well as a mother figure. Lucky for me, Ann married Mr....