~Thinking Thoughts~

1. Sunday church was about peace in turmoil (am) and grace to endure (pm).

2. A sweet post here about children and warning labels and instructions for raising children.

3. I found this Child Training Bible idea... it made me realize how often I don't train correctly. Too many "that is bad" and "stop it" I need to focus on the name of the sin and show them, in scripture, what God says about it. This way of marking your Bible would be excellent!

4. I'm reading about the special feasts in the Jewish year. It is really interesting to read how they started, how they changed and how they are now. The author is also showing some prophetic things... that is hard for my brain to grasp.

5. Also in my book, I'm still thinking about the idea of "counting the cost" (Luke 14:25-33) We normally look at this passage as we need to count the cost of following Jesus. What if it is actually Jesus counting the cost?!!?? I know, my brain hurts! If it is Jesus counting the cost... and he has decided it is worth it... we should just trust and obey.

My pastor is going to be teaching through this book at some point. The reading is easy but the thoughts are deep. I'm looking forward to further explanation in some areas! I'm so glad I read it once before he teaches... it will give me some extra brain power to keep up with him!

~Zinnias and Sick Days~

It has been a busy week!

Monday - one of our local malls had race cars showing all week. I was looking for suits for Jordan and thought we could combine the trip. The boys hate clothes shopping and I normally do it without them, but he had to try on a suit.

Tuesday - Eric and Nathan were invited to go bowling with a friend.

Wednesday - we attended a funeral for a gentleman from our church. He was a man who had a life change when he met Christ. We have only known him for 5 years. The kids and I enjoyed assembling John and Romans with him on Thursday mornings all summer. He leaves behind his wife of 48 years and a rock solid testimony for Christ.

Thursday - All five boys went to the dentist in the mornning. We went back to the mall after supper to see the race cars, get a suit for Jared and I shopped at Joann's across the street. This Joann's is moving across town so they had almost everything on sale. I found a few great deals!

Friday - I woke up feeling like my head was going to explode, so I didn't do much all day. I supervised school and made lunch. That was the end of my energy. I put the two little ones down for a nap and let the older boys watch a movie while I dozed on the couch. They chose Princess Bride... the best sick movie:-) I woke up feeling a little better so I got out my crochet hook and make these cute zinnias.

They are made out of scraps of different yarns. You can find the pattern here... and there is a video tutorial!

Anybody have a favorite?

Update... here is a picture of the smallest zinnia in Kiersten's hair for size reference.

~Thinking Thoughts~

1. This blog post about the respectable sins we allow in our lives (and the lives of our children). They may seem like nothing... but they truly damage a good foundation.

2. Listening to this CD on my Tuesday walk... The song entitled Did you Learn How to Love really impacted me. Here is the chorus...

"Did you learn how to love?

Did you dig beneath the surface

and mine that vein of gold

the treasure found in souls?

Did you choose the best part?

Did you give to them your heart?

Did you lay down your desires for souls?

Did you learn how to love?

I listened to this three times in a row. I kept thinking, fail... fail... fail! My love is so selfish. I totally miss opportunities to mine treasures found in souls... I don't lay down my desires... I have not learned how to love.

3. This blog post about marriage!“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” We need to invest in this earthly treasure called marriage!

4. This blog post about children. A funny and creative way to help you make decisions:-)

5. I really liked the way my book of the month (Through Jewish Eyes) brought together passover and communion. In God's timing, we have communion tomorrow!

6. Thinking about the ways I can walk worthy of the vocation (motherhood) wherewith I was called... lowliness (no room for pride), meekness (emotions under control!!!!), longsuffering (enduring to the end). From my devotions in Eph 4.

~Sewing Fun~

I saw these on pinterest and couldn't help myself!It is a rice filled heating pad. You stick your little owl friend in the microwave for a minute and it is really nice and warm! Kiersten claimed this one right away! I liked the idea behind this too. She has several grandchildren and this was her way of giving them a hug:-)

I looked around her blog a little and found these... here we go again!

This little chick goes in the freezer. I made a square rice bag for the freezer for the boys and it works so much better than trying to use ice! Kiersten, again, claimed this one! It hasn't made it to the freezer yet:-)

Here are the buddies together... until Kiersten came to snatch them away...

So, I made my own owl! I am going to take this one to bed with me on cold nights! I put a little bit of mint oil in mine:-) (when I find my lavender I'm going to put a splash of that in too!) I used flannel for me and cotton for Kiersten.

I love small projects!

Thank you Suzanne for sharing these!

~More Birthdaying~

We didn't have enough birthday celebration for Nathan yesterday, so we enjoyed my birthday today!

I was sitting in bed finishing up my devotions when the phone rang a little after 8am. That is early for people to call but I thought maybe someone wanted to call and wish me a happy birthday! Haha! It was a recording about sewer systems in the area. I guess the whole world doesn't stop to celebrate my big day does it!??!? haha!

We only had one incident early in the morning but then the school day went well. We finished school around 12:30 and I started working on lunch. Gregg came home with these...and this...

Pretty! I thought it was so very neat that he had picked this out before I even started making these. I love this one! It matches so many colors and it fits very well! Oh, and some perfume! I don't think he has ever done that!

He also went to great lengths to purchase a serger for me. Long story short, I need to go pick it out next week!!!! So excited!!!

My guys gave me two cookbooks too:-) They are both clones of restaurant hot items... can't wait to look through them!

My secret sister at church gave me this big basket filled with peanut butter and chocolate treats! I packaged most of them up into freezer bags... my mom made me some really yummy treats too that I am enjoying! It is fun when someone else bakes for you:-) My secret sister also gave me some fun birthday gifts... one thing was homemade powdered cream of soup mix!

We had some sunshine and warm weather so I snuck out for a walk before dinner. Love, love walking outside in the sunshine!

Our neighbors watched the kids while Gregg and I went out for dinner. Since it is my birthday, I got to eat for free! We both ate way to much but had a good time and actually got to talk to each other without interruptions:-) I got these carnations there.

I received a few emails, a phone call, and a few snail mails that really capped off the day! I have wonderful friends and family!

It was a great birthday!

~My Nathan~

What a happy Birthday Boy! Nathan has been counting down the days to his 5th birthday all month.

He gets so excited! I just have to laugh and get excited with him! I made him a special breakfast... those totally unhealthy sausages on a stick wrapped with a pancake:-) He loved them!

We did have to get school done but he got some toys out and played very well... until he realized dad said he could open his gifts. I was not going to start that... we wait til dad gets home. I had to keep him busy then!

He got to lick the icing off the beaters.

I inflated some balloons.

I let him play computer games... finally dad came home and he was ready!He was so excited to open a top... now he can play with all the boys!

And we found this fun set on clearance after Christmas...

He wanted chicken nuggets and potato salad for dinner. We just learned how they make chicken nuggets and that pretty much grossed me out... so I made them. Yum! Gregg made his famous chick fil a sauce to go with them! Double Yum!

He asked for chocolate cake with peanut butter icing...

Nathan is such a joy to have around. He is constantly talking... but he truly wants to have a conversation and he really does think a lot and he asks great questions. He has the best laugh too! He is our tallest boy at this age! I love to hear Nathan pray. Sometimes it is silly things but he also prays that he will be a godly man and that mom and dad will be faithful. He prays for Kiersten... that she would be a christian too. Nathan is sensitive to emotions and does get scared (something we really haven't dealt with before). He loves to sing and memorize verses with me.

Nathan takes things very seriously too. My parents gave him a card that said he was the best 5 year old in the world. The day after he got the card he said to me, "Mom, isn't that neat that Grammy thinks I'm the best five year old in the world!" I think it is too funny that he actually remembered what the card said and that he totally believed it!

What a privilege to be his mom.

Thank you, Lord, for Nathan. Thank you for giving him a soft heart and a joyful countenance. Use him mightily for your work!... and help me to not get in the way!

~Thinking Thoughts~

1. The difference between translation and transliteration... yes, my brain did hurt. (Through Jewish Eyes)

2. The reason why God chose the Levites to be sanctified (Ex 32) when he had before said it would be all the firstborn. (Through Jewish Eyes)

3. Paul said he was made a minister, "according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power." (Eph 3:7) How else could any of us minister!

4. How to let Christ "dwell" in my heart (dwell is to be at home in). (Eph 3:17)

5. Praying for me and mine to "know (experience) the love of Christ." Once we experience the love of Christ we won't want to walk away from it. (Eph 3)

6. Wondering how my faith is without works... (James 2:15-17)