focus

This post has been through several titles over the course of a couple of days as I have tried to decide what to post about this week.  In the end, I have decided to share the blessings of the week and let the rest fall by the way.  I will admit to having run the gamut of emotions this week and allowing circumstances to overwhelm me, but rather than choosing to focus my attention on my bad attitude I am going to focus on how God has blessed my family and me this week.

• My mom received wonderful news from her scan this week and will have a month off of chemo before they evaluate again.  This is a direct answer to many prayers that have been offered on behalf of Mama and all of our family.
• God provided an answer to a question that has been hanging over our heads off and on for several months now.  The answer is a little different from what we were hoping for, but we are claiming God's promise in Roman's 8:28.  We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. We are thankful that God has answered our prayer and provided the answer that we needed ... and, in light of other things that have been happening this week, we are pretty sure that we can now see why the answer had to be what it is.
• I am thankful for the answer God has provided for us to get D's dental work done.  This issue has caused quite a bit of emotion in this house this week and I believe that God used our emotion to send us to the place where we could get the answer we needed.  I won't pretend that it has been fun, but I do believe that the solution we are working on now is the right one.
• I am thankful for family and friends who have been there for me this week when I just needed to vent my frustration.  I am not proud of all of my reactions this week, but I am thankful that God has put people in my life who can help me look past the moment and look to God for all of my answers.
• Finally, I am simply thankful for the little things in life.  Things like the fact that no one in our family has gone hungry this week and we have clean running water and showers and heat.  I am thankful that my kids are all healthy ... this fact was driven home to me as Ronnie and I sat with D this week waiting for his dental consultation and watched the children who were waiting for surgical procedures on their eyes.  Most of them were there for repeat surgeries.  In other words, I am thankful for a new perspective on my children and the blessings of health.

God has reminded me this week that He has not left us, even when we can't see where things are going or what the answer will be.  This song brings that truth home to me in a special way.  I may not always (or ever) understand circumstances in my finite mind, but I can trust my Father, in His infinite love and wisdom to guide us where we need to go.  What an awesome promise.

daybook

#4 for 2010

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Outside my window ~

it is dark and cold.
I just checked the weather report for the week and it looks
like we will get a few days of sun, for which I will be truly grateful.


I am wearing ~
black dress pants and a wine colored shirt ...

just got home from church and haven't changed into my pj's yet.

I am hearing ~

the Saints and the Vikings in overtime ...
what a nail-biter

I am going ~

to stay home and try to get in two days worth of school
 work on Monday since we won't be able to have school on Tuesday.

I am noticing that ~

I have been neglecting making menus lately ...
I think I'll let the kids help with this week's planning.

I am thinking ~

about D's dental consultation this week and what we will find out there.

I am hoping ~

to get a little more information as Ronnie and I struggle with a major decision that just won't go away. We thought we settled this issue a while back, but it keeps coming up again.

I am reading ~

Total Money Makeover
by Dave Ramsey

I am creating ~

a list of curriculum I want to use next year.

I am remembering ~

my resolve to get a better handle on bedtimes this week.

Counting my blessings ~

laughter, sunshine, rain, time spent with a good friend this weekend,
Ronnie's willingness to step out in faith ... even when I am afraid,
the time spent reading and praying with our children.

On my mind ~

Mama and the scan she is having this week to see what is happening with her cancer.
We are praying that there won't be any change from the last scan.

Words that I am pondering ~

Peter answered him and said,
Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.
And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship,
he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.
But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid;
and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.
And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand,
and caught him, and said unto him,
O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?
Matthew 14:28-31

From the learning rooms ~

I am hoping to catch up on some notebooking in the kids' science notebooks.  
I printed a couple of story starters from the internet and I plan to use those with LB this week.
I also need to choose a new book for our rather unstructured time together first thing each morning.

From the kitchen ~
we are really trying to eat healthier,
so that will be on my mind as I plan our menu for the week.

Around the house ~

LAUNDRY is taking over! 
 I must begin to get a handle on it today!


A few plans for the rest of the week ~

D's dental appointment on Tuesday, a trip to the library,
 and hopefully a haircut for me.

One of my favorite things ~

when D wants to "snuggle" with me before going to sleep ...
which means his arms wrapped tightly around my neck and his face under mine on the pillow. 
I am storing up these memories for the days that I know are coming.

A picture to share with you ~
Mama showing me how to attach a facing on LB's jumper.

My verse for the week ~
And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not;
I will lead them in paths that they have not known:
I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight.
These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.  
Isaiah 42:16

Please take a moment to visit The Simple Woman's Daybook. 
Thanks Peggy, for hosting this each week!

I hope you all have a wonderful week!

a look back

This is my 100th post. 

It is hard to believe that I have found that much to say in a little under 11 months.

Well, maybe not that hard to believe.

Anyway .....

It truly is hard for me to believe that a couple of years ago I had almost no knowledge of this thing that has become a such great outlet for me.  I like feeling connected to the world outside of my own and this little blog helps me to feel that connection.  Part of the reason is that it keeps me exploring other blogs, but another part is that I know that this blog can be read by anyone from anywhere.

During the relatively short time that I have been reading blogs and even shorter time that I have been blogging myself, I have come across several really innovative 100th posts.  Most recently, one of my college room mates posted her 100 favorite words.  It was an impressive list, but it would take me far too long to compile a similar one.  If you are interested, feel free to jump on over to Ruth's blog ~ Graphite Free ... just finish reading my post first!

So, here's what I came up with for my 100th post ... since this blog is about connecting my children to my childhood, I thought I would share the things from my own raising that I hope my children get to experience in theirs. 

In no particular order ...

I hope my children find a way to create lasting relationships with each other. 

I have 3 brothers ... two older and one younger.  My relationship with each of my brothers is as different as the men themselves.  As we were growing up we spent much of our time figuring out how to torture each other.  Actually, that only applies to the 3 youngest of us ... my oldest brother was grown by the time he was five and pretty much ignored the shenanigins of the rest of us.  Still, I have great memories of our childhood and young adult years, and the connections we made during those years are still in play today.  We may not always agree, but, now that we are all grown, I am happy that I can call all three of them friends.

I hope my children get to experience an extended family road trip. 

When I was 13 my parents closed down the family business and picked us up on the last day of school  with our big red and white van loaded to the gills and complete with a raised bed in the back with storage underneath.  From there we headed to Montana.  It is a long drive from Mississippi to Montana and we enjoyed every minute of it.  The whole trip lasted about 2 weeks and along the way we saw more of this country than we can possibly remember.  We visited the Royal Gorge, saw Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park, were introduced to the majesty of the Tetons and discovered little stops along the way that we still enjoy visiting today.  One of my favorites is a place called Split Rock in Wyoming.  Basically, Split Rock is just a really big roadside park.  It has historical significance but I can't remember exactly what it is right this minute.  What I do remember is climbing the rocks while Mama and Daddy cooked breakfast on a Coleman stove.   I also remember playing frisbee in roadside parks along the way and then using that frisbee to gather snow to throw at my brothers while we camped at a KOA in Dillon, Montana.

In 1994, when I was 20, we went back to Montana to go backpacking in the Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness Area.  We had worked and prepared for over a year and it was the trip of a lifetime for me.  This time the trip lasted 18 days and it was amazing.  We went back to many of the same places we had visited in 1987 and this time we added Glacier National Park and Mt. Rushmore to the list of sights.  The backpacking itself was unlike anything I had ever done and the whole trip is still one of my most cherished memories.  I don't know how my kids will get to experience this since my parents had the "luxury" of owning their own business which afforded them the ability to close it down and take these kinds of trips.  Ronnie and I don't have this "luxury" but I still hope that we might someday find a way to make a trip like this a reality.

I hope my children learn the value of working together as a family.

Summer was a busy time when I was growing up.  My Daddy believed in living off of the land so to speak.  Besides, when you have 3 strapping boys to feed you learn to be creative ... and frugal.  So, every spring we planted a garden and then in the summer we not only harvested what we planted, we also bought from local farmers to supplement what we grew.  Canning was the story of summer.  We usually put up somewhere around 200 quarts of what we called tomato relish ... which we used as a base for any tomato dish, like spaghetti, soup or chili.  It was (and still is, since I still try to put some up every summer) a mixture of tomatos, green bell peppers, celery and onion.  We also canned tons of pickles, jelly and green beans.  We would grow or buy peas (Mississippi purple hull were Mama's favorite) and butter beans (otherwise known as green lima beans) and freeze these.  My uncle raised corn, so every summer we would get somewhere between 500-800 ears of corn that would all have to be shucked, silked and cut off the cob for cream corn ... and we did them all in a week.

I am boring you with sharing all of these details just so I can tell you that I didn't particularly enjoy all the work that summer brought and it is probably no wonder that I actually enjoyed going back to school every fall, BUT, looking back, some of my fondest memories of my childhood come from these times of hard work.  I guess it is because I now recognize how important those times were to the survival of our family in the winter when Daddy's business was much slower.  I want my children to experience this pulling together to do what it takes.  I don't expect them to be overly excited about it, but I'd be willing to bet that the time will come when they will appreciate the experience more.  Or maybe not ... I can't predict how they will react, but I can hope, I suppose.

This is not a complete list, of course.  It is just a glimpse into the legacy given to me by my parents.  There are parts of my childhood that I wouldn't want my children to experience.  Besides that, there are some things that my children are already experiencing that I wish I could have.  While I know I can't recreate my own childhood, I do think that it is important for Ronnie and me to give our children experiences to look back on and claim as special enough to pass along to their children.  Who knows what they will find special ... I hope someday I'll get to see what they choose to pass on to their children since that is most likely the best way for me to know what was special to them.

this one's for Granny

Thanks, Granny!

"b says /b/ as in bell"

Alternately - b says /b/ as in battle. 

You know the kind ... where the will of a 4 year old meets head on the will of his 30 something mother who is trying to maintain the image of a happy Monday in her little homeschool, all while considering locking the children in their rooms until their Daddy arrives home from work.

Okay, so maybe I am exaggerating.

Or maybe not.

It doesn't really matter though, because in the end, Mama won and the 4 year old went through his entire alphabet repeating the name of the leter and the letter's sound.

And, nobody got locked in their room ... yet.

daybook

#3 for 2010

Outside my window ~

the sunshine has returned, but everything is still soggy from the weekend's rain.
The temps are still pretty cold right now, but it is supposed to warm up nicely today.

I am wearing ~

black sweats and a gray Bass Pro Shops t-shirt

I am hearing ~

silence ... a rare occurence in this house!

I am going ~

to make some bread this morning.

I am noticing that ~

I am really enjoying the warmer temperatures.

I am thinking ~

about the week ahead.

I am hoping ~

to get more information today about D's dental appointment set for the end of the week.

I am reading ~

we are still in Genesis and Matthew on our reading through the Bible adventure with the kids.

Reading through Genesis has raised some interesting questions from the kids,

but I think we are all enjoying it, except for D, who usually falls asleep before we are done.

I am creating ~

I finished my apron and LB's jumper this past weekend. 

I'm not sure what I'll attempt next, but it was kind of fun to see her
wear the dress I made to church yesterday.

I am remembering ~

the kids' trip to the creek at my parents' on Friday. 
I am so glad that they have learned to enjoy the place where I grew up.

Counting my blessings ~

singing in the choir; hearing, seeing, touching, tasting, smelling the world around me;
music; old friends; my brothers; my Mama being my best friend; our Sunday School class;
the wonderful ladies who teach the kids' Sunday School classes.

On my mind ~

the possibility that D may have to have major dental work done on Friday.

The worst case scenario will include him being put to sleep for a 2-3 hour procedure.

Words that I am pondering ~

A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger. Proverbs 15:1

From the learning rooms ~

nothing much out of the ordinary, except that LB will have to look up what a blacksmith is since she didn't know when our music director asked her last night at church.  Also, we will continue with both of the older children doing their own notebook version of daybooking. 

LB is disappointed that we aren't observing the the holiday today!

From the kitchen ~

who knows?  I really need to sit down and write out a menu for the week.  I must admit that I would rather cook ten meals than to make a menu ... for some reason this chore stresses me terribly.

Around the house ~

just the usual ... housework and laundry.

A few plans for the rest of the week ~

Tuesday night is our homeschool group's Mom's Night Out meeting. 

This is one of my favorite activities and I have missed it the last couple of months.

One of my favorite things ~

a hot shower.

A picture to share with you ~
the last time we painted the boys' room ... now it needs to be done again. 
I can't upload any new pictures at the moment, so I just went looking for something old to share. 
I can't believe how little the kids are in this picture!

Our verse for the week~
the kids' memory verse for Sunday School
Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give;
not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

2 Corinthians 9:7

If you would like to join me in daybooking, visit Peggy at
The Simple Woman's Daybook to get all the information you need.

Have a wonderful week!

bits and pieces

Have you ever had one of those weeks? 

I'm not saying that this has been a bad week ... just a hard to define one.  I don't have anything really specific to write about, but I really wanted to post today, so I'll just be sharing some random happenings from the week.

Monday afternoon I went to Mama's to work on the jumper I am making for LB.  I didn't have everything I needed, but I did manage to get the pattern out and ironed and the material cut out.  Unfortunately, that is as far as I got.  I am planning to work on it today, while the kids finish up the week's school work at Mama's.  This may or may not be a good thing since my parents are out of town and I'll be own my own.  Mama did tell me to call her if I have any questions, but I am not sure that a phone conversation will be the best help.  We'll see how it goes.

I have learned to really dislike Tuesdays.  JW goes to speech in the morning and LB has dance in the afternoon.  It seems as if we can't get anything done, school wise, on those days.  We did manage to get math lessons finished a few minutes before Ronnie got home from work.  I absolutely hate doing school that late in the day.  On the upside, taking a suggestion from my friend Marie's blog, I had LB do her first daybook.  I used some of the same prompts that I use for my blog and wrote them in a notebook for her to answer.  She loved the concept, and finished it quickly ... which is amazing since she generally hates writing.  The only problem was that she doesn't want me to read it!  I plan to have her do this a couple of times a week at first and am hoping that she will want to do it more often on her own.  I may even work on a shortened version for JW to do.

And, speaking of Marie, I would like to suggest that you visit her blog and read her post entitled  Jesus wept for Haiti.  I think you will be blessed ... I was.

The biggest story of our week is the stray dog that wandered into our yard on Wednesday afternoon.  Much to my surprise, I allowed the kids to play with the little guy and even gave him a little food.  I am not usually moved by strays, but he looked so hungry and seemed so sweet.  He had obviously been around children before since he wasn't bothered by D's wild antics.  He hung around in the yard until the kids came inside and then he ran off.  They were disappointed that he didn't stay.  He did come back yesterday.  The kids think that we need to try and catch him and keep him.  I am not sure that is such a good idea.  I'm not sure what you have to do to make it safe to keep a stray dog, but I figure it would involve a pretty healthy sum of money.

I haven't really wanted dogs in the past, mainly because I don't want to deal with the messes that they make.  BUT, after seeing JW's face and how quickly he attached himself to this dog, I am thinking that maybe it is true that every boy needs a dog.  I don't know how we'll do it, but I have a feeling that pet ownership is definitely coming in the near future.

So, how about you guys.  How has your week been?

daybook ~ # 2 for 2010

Outside my window ~

the sun is shining and frost is glistening everywhere. 

It is in the teens now but our forecast high is 50 ~ the highest in a week.

I am wearing ~

blue knit pants and a purple and white striped t-shirt.

I am hearing ~

LB's cd player and the TV going up front, even though no one is watching it.

I am going ~

to stay home today, I think.

I am noticing that ~

 I am not really in the "mood" for school today. 

I don't think I'll tell the kids that though.

I am thinking ~

that I am glad it is going to warm up this week. 

I am not much of a hat and gloves kind of girl.

I am hoping ~

I get to go to Mama's and do some sewing today.

I am reading ~

nothing at the moment. 

I don't really have the time right now, but I won't be able to stand it long, I'm sure.

I am creating ~

still sewing ... I bought a pattern and material to make LB a jumper last week.

I would love to get it made this week.  She is hoping I'll make some doll clothes for Chrissa as well.

I am remembering ~

two precious ladies from church who will be undergoing surgery today.

Both will need much prayer as they recover,
especially C. who will begin treatment for cancer this week..

Counting my blessings ~

vehicles that run, having been taught to cook as a young girl, central heat, learning to sew, living in the south, living in the city where I grew up, friends, letting the kids sleep late on Mondays, coffee.

(This is going to get harder, since I am trying not to repeat the same blessings each week ~ be prepared to see some unusual things listed here and remember, these are in no particular order!)

On my mind ~

the fact that I need to get the weeks school planning on paper and

make a menu for the week sometime today.

Words that I am pondering ~

"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:  ...

He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end."

Ecclesiastes 3:1 & 11

From the learning rooms ~

besides the regular work, we are going to be doing some mapping this week and in Bible the children will begin keeping a list of the blessings in their life ... this should be fun!  I will continue to work with D on his letters and sounds this week as well as writing his letters.

From the kitchen ~

yesterday's mess ~ yuck.  I hate having to clean before I can begin the day! 

Of course, I have no one to blame but myself!

Around the house ~

I need to tackle the bathrooms today for a thorough cleaning and

my own bedroom needs lots of attention!

A few plans for the rest of the week ~

just a normal week around here.

I do have a Women on Mission meeting on Thursday evening and 

I am looking forward to the night with just the ladies.

One of my favorite things ~

choir practice.

A picture to share with you ~

something to look forward to when warmer weather comes ...

Find more daybooks by visiting The Simple Woman's Daybook

I hope you have a great week!

an afternoon date

This afternoon, I had to take JW out shoe shopping.  Normally, I despise shopping for shoes, but today I found out that it isn't bad if you only have one kid with you while you shop.  We started at Payless and I was happy to find a pair that we both liked and in his size.  Even better, they were less than 20 bucks! 

I guess our shoe-shopping-success put me in a good mood.  Even before we got to the shoe store, JW had already told me he was hungry.  I wasn't surprised.  So, when we finished buying his shoes I asked where he wanted to get some lunch.  We discussed a couple of fast food places before he settled on Wendy's ~ I would have picked Arby's, but I promised to let him choose and he wanted to go somewhere where the kids' meals come with a toy, not just a cookie!

I must admit, that the idea of this had crossed my mind earlier in the day.  I don't remember very many times that JW and I have been anywhere together without any other kids, and I am pretty sure that we have never gone to a restaraunt alone.

Once we got there and got our food, I noticed that JW was smiling at me in an unusual way.  All he said was that his cheeseburger was good, but I could tell that he was feeling special and it made the whole day a little more special for me.  There were no deep conversations and no grand discoveries about this middle child of mine.  Just a relaxed afternoon during which he didn't have to compete with a bossy big sister and a very busy 4 year old for attention. 

All afternoon, I tried very hard to overlook his fidgeting and enjoy his quirkiness.  I didn't complain when he drummed his fingers and banged his feet the entire time we were eating.  Those of you who have met my child might be able to appreciate better how much restraint that took!  I let him "drive" the buggy in Sam's and Walmart.  He loved it and I am happy to say that there were no casualties ... a few close calls maybe, but no damage.  I did draw the line at taking him to the Bass Pro Shops.  He's just going to have to wait on his Daddy for that trip.

He decided, somewhere around the end of the cheeseburger, that we should repeat this on the second Saturday of every year, but I think we might try to do it a little more often than once a year.  As a matter of fact, maybe this needs to be an event we put on the calendar so that we can both look forward to it.

my new hobby

I have always wanted to learn to sew.  In the past I have managed to make a few pillows, a skirt for a Sacagawea costume and a shirt for a Meriweather Lewis costume (or was it Clark?  I can't really remember).  In other words, I could sew a seam, but not really follow a pattern.

When we pulled the Christmas stuff out this year I remembered how worn out the kids' old stockings were and I really wanted to make them new ones instead of buying them.  So, I did.  I didn't use a pattern, exactly.  I just traced an old stocking on a piece of construction paper and then transfered that to the fabric.  I am pretty happy with how they turned out, though I wish I had bought the fabric earlier when I could have found a bigger selection of Christmas fabrics.

LB's

JW's

D's

As proud as I am of the kids' stockings, I am much prouder of what I made for LB this week.  I actually followed a pattern for this one.  And, I think it turned out great ... even if I do say so myself!  I have cut out one for myself, but haven't had time to sew it yet.  For those of you who really know how to sew, please don't be too critical of my first attempt!  Next, I am going to try to make LB a dress, but she wants me to sew for her new American Girl doll.  And, JW is begging me to make something for him.  I am really getting excited about the prospects.

daybook ~ new for 2010

Outside my window ~

it is cloudy and very cold and there are two stray cats snuggling on our trampoline.

I am wearing ~

jeans and a fighting okra t-shirt.

I am hearing ~

You Changed My Name by Travis Cottrell

(another new favorite of mine)

I am going ~

to get school off to a good start today!

I am noticing that ~

our bedtime "routine" has gotten completely out of hand ...

it is time to bring some discipline to this craziness.

I am thinking ~

that I am looking forward to getting back to a more normal schedule

of school and other activities.

I am hoping ~

that the kids are ready to get back to normal!

I am reading ~

I just finished Washington's Lady - a great book! 

I'm not sure what is next, but we'll be going to the library tomorrow.

I am creating ~

an apron for LB ~ maybe this will be the week I'll get it finished!

I am remembering ~

the challenging sermons preached yesterday.  Especially the text from Joshua 3.

Counting my blessings ~

A loving husband; three healthy, happy children; Ronnie's job; our parents and their
willingness to be there for us; a church family who loves God and challenges me to serve Him better;
a warm home; the ability to stay home and homeschool my kids

On my mind ~

Mama

Words that I am pondering ~

"Marilla, isn't it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet?" 
 ~Anne Shirley, from Anne of Green Gables

From the learning rooms ~

back to the real world today! 

D will be working with us at the table today as I
begin teaching him to write his letters.

From the kitchen ~

peanut butter and honey sandwiches for lunch and

cranberry beans, rice and sausage for supper.

Around the house ~

I need to catch up on laundry and I have to finish putting up the Christmas stuff,
 before I can do a full cleaning of the living room.

A few plans for the rest of the week ~

school, school and more school sandwiched in between speech and dance tomorrow,
book-it on Wednesday and co-op on Friday.

One of my favorite things ~

a relaxing, Sunday afternoon nap.

A picture to share with you ~

JW's first slam dunk ~ with a little help from Daddy!

Our verse for the week ~

But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.  Matthew 4:4

Thank you for visiting my blog.  I hope you have enjoyed my first daybook of 2010.

You can find many more daybooks by visiting The Simple Woman's Daybook.

I hope you have a wonderful week!

resolution

1. The state or quality of being resolute; firm determination.
2. A resolving to do something.
3. A course of action determined or decided on.
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/resolution
 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I don't much like New Year's Resolutions.
 
My reasoning is simple.  I don't like the idea of taking a fresh, untainted new year and then deciding on January 1st what I am going to feel guilty about on December 31.  I create enough guilt throughout the year without choosing it on New Year's Day.
 
Despite those feelings, I am setting some goals for this year ... not necessarily goals that are fully attainable, just things I want to work towards.  And in the interest of keeping myself accountable, I am going to share a couple of these goals with you.

1.  This year I want to work on being content in whatever situation I am in.  Too often recently, I have found myself battling the green-eyed monster of jealousy.  I am not sure that I would label my emotions this way in the moment I am experiencing them, but I can't deny that is the source of my discontent.  My prayer is that I will be more like Paul.   Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, [therewith] to be content.  I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Philippians 4:11-13

2.  I do have one goal that I absolutely want to accomplish this year.  Ronnie and I have decided to read through the Bible with the kids this year.  We have chosen to use The One Year Bible plan. This is something we haven't done before but I am excited about having a plan for our Bible times together.  In the past we have been somewhat random, so this should help us to be more focused in our reading. 

So, that is it.  My plan for 2010.  What about you ... do you have a plan for the new year?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

2009 ended on a good note.  We spent the first part of the evening with our church family eating wonderful soups and listening to a great group of guys sing for us.  We finished off by observing the Lord's Supper.  It was a wonderful time of worship.  Our pastor reminded us of his sermon on Sunday night when he challenged us to make 2 Peter 3:18 our verse for 2010. 

But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

We ended 2009 at the home of our friends, Brad and Amy, where we listened to their neighbors shoot fireworks and watched the ball drop in New York - which is somewhat anti-climactic if you don't live in the Eastern time zone - but nevertheless, still tradition.  The kids had a wonderful time staying up late and playing with each other and even joined the adults for a toast at midnight (with grape juice, of course). Overall, we had a great time saying good-bye to 2009.

Out with the old, in with the new.

Happy New Year!