Happy Holidays and traditions

This Christmas season when I was getting out the decorations, I found my Christmas Journal. Several years ago, I started a Christmas journal. I am not even sure where I got it... a gift I think. Anyway, I put it away every year with my decorations. This year, as I got it out, I thought..."I want to sit down amidst all these decorations and read this to the boys."... So we all sat down and they let me read it to them. I know this won't last and probably not even till next year. So I thoroughly enjoyed reading and sharing my personal Christmas thoughts with the boys! Actually, I would love to make it a new tradition.

So there we sat, sitting there in a little circle and I started reading. They sat there so quietly, only a question or 2. Most of my journal is trip prep, family interactions, the times we started new traditions, and what we received as gifts... I also have been known to a tiny bit Scrooge-like. So there are bits of what I feel like God has done in my heart over the Christmas season(s)... They endured all of that and seemed somewhat pleased with it.

I noticed that I ended up skipping several years in my journal. I guess I got busy (or Scrooge or Grinch-like) and just didn't do it. But I really want to keep it up...for myself and the boys, O and Tim if he wants ;)

Here's a list of a couple of our favorite newish traditions--we don't have that many, and not all that original as I truly used to 'just get by' at Christmastime. I love the true meaning of Christmas, just not all the trappings.
...I would LOVE have you comment on what yours traditions are, since I could use the ideas

-We fill stockings every year
-We get out the Christmas plates and table decor
(this is big for us, cuz we basically use paper plates)
-We read out of the Christmas journal (new one :)
-Tim usually buys me slippers
-We put up a nativity scene
(in years past this was instead of a tree, one day we hope to add the tree back in)
-the boys always help me decorate
-we have shrimp and snacks on the night before Christmas with Tim's parents
-God usually teaches me something new about the Season and it's Reason :)

Travis is 12!!

Last night we celebrated Travis' birthday. We have a couple of traditions for Bday's...I always make them a birthday banner and we make cards for each other. As a tradition, we let them choose which restaurant they want to eat at and than we come home and open presents. Travis would have picked Ponderosa for their mac and cheese, but I made him mac and cheese for lunch, so he settled for KFC ...much to my relief! :)--another story, another day :)

My favorite part of the day was singing Happy Birthday to him. He gets the BEST little look on his face... He loves it and is embarrassed at the same time! He always gets that cute little look and I love it! We really enjoyed our day (except for the normal fighting) and it was fun to celebrate! They are getting SO big! Travis has passed me in height already!

Andrew at 13

We took Andrew to Bass Pro Shops in Portage Indiana for his 13th Birthday on Saturday! It was really fun... We ate lunch, and shopped for Hunting gear and shot at the shooting range. He spent a good amount of his Birthday money on hunting things. The other 2 boys want to got there for their birthdays ;)

Pre-Airsoft war

We had a weekend airsoft war with Michael and Katie. No pictures of the actual war, but we had to have a pre-war fuel up.

We played a game of capture the flag and a killer free for all! SO FUN! It was a beautiful and perfect day for this. A little chilly for sitting at the table, but perfect for running in the woods! :)

What my boy's did

We went to get
our boys after of week of them being gone... a friend sent me these pics of one of their nights while they were gone. They had a bonfire and roasted hotdogs and marshmallows. I almost wish I would have been there ;) --almost.

I highly recommend a getaway (or stay-at home) without kids if you can manage it. I am always sooooo appreciative of Tim's parents, my parents and sisters taking the boys on random occasions. I think it helps my marriage in HUGE ways!

*In these pics are my dad and mom, my sisters and Ryan and Jimmy*

Brrrr!

Tim and I went to Lake Michigan yesterday. The water is cold, but the air was WARM...Tim bet me I wouldn't walk into the water, here's my proof ;) It made my feet numb. But it was warm outside, so I warmed up quickly.

It was a very peaceful time as my parents have the boys. We greatly enjoyed the water, the sun, the conversation and the weather! I highly recommend it!

Airsoft again

We have officially transitioned away from the beach to the park for airsoft.

It's definitely the time of year to roam the woods in sweatshirts with guns that shoot little plastic bullets.... Isn't that what you all do in the fall? :)











There was grumbling along the way, ouches and shouting... but overall, we had a good time. Good food, good competition and family ;) We didn't have as much time as we needed to play, but we had a game of Free-for-all and a game of our version of capture the flag. Afterwards, we walked to the big bridge in the woods and watched Andrew balance on the big log. I also spent a couple pictures on pure silliness ;)

Resources

I was talking to some friends recently about the sensitive issue of abortion. We were discussing how appropriate it is to publicly show photos/video of abortion. It is a very difficult thing. The answers to our questions, is not the where I am going with this post. I wanted to put this testimony (of one women's "secret") out and the site for the Pregnancy Care Center in Niles...I may have done that before, but it is really good and I love it! It is a great resource!

The thing is... I hate abortion, but the women...the women! I love them! I want them to have healing if there has been an abortion... Healing and not Hiding! I hate that women have to hide this sin, because it is in some minds a 'worse' sin. Yes, it is a sin, but that doesn't mean that God doesn't forgive AND remembers it no more! (post-abortive women also have to deal with all this)

I remember when I first saw the photos/videos of abortion. I have told many about this, so it may be familiar. I was watching a very graphic video and I started crying, weeping, bawling! It was hard, and horrible! Here's what God said to my heart. It is so clear to me. Even though I did not hear a voice in the room. In my mind, my heart, whatever...I heard this: "Lisa, your sin looks like this"...It made me realize that my sin is ugly. My sin looks just as ugly as abortion. I wish we/I did not categorize sin. I wish I saw my sin always before me as God does, than maybe, I wouldn't look down on others. Maybe than women wouldn't have to hide anymore. God isn't about guilt. He loves to forgive and grant repentance. O how beautiful repentance and forgiveness are! Not ugly, but Beautiful!

A Prayer

"O Father of life, ... we praise you that you will one day take your poor crooked creatures and give them bodies like Christ's, perfect and full of light. Help us to grow faster--as fast as you can help us grow. Help us to keep our eyes on the opening of your hand, that we may know the manna when it comes. We rejoice that we are your making, though your handiwork is not very plain yet in the outer man. We bless you that we feel your hand making us, even if what we feel be pain. Always we hear the voice of the potter above the hum and grind of the wheel. Fashion the clay to your will. You have made us love you and hope in you, and in your love we will be brave and endure. All in good time, O Lord. Amen


This was a prayer I found in this book. One of the characters has physical difficulties and I love how he processes through them. This book is fiction, but it can be like reading a devotional. I have another quote that I loved coming soon.

A Letter

Dear Lisa,
I think God wants you to know this:
God created you, so don't be afraid of the circumstances that surround you. God saved you and called you by name, you are HIS. Are you still concerned? I know you are going through some really hard stuff, but God won't leave you there. I feel like it's as if you have waters rushing all around you in a big ocean, but God won't let you drown! He promises to be with you remember?! Do you feel like the river is rushing and taking you away? It won't! Do you feel like you are in a burning building and can't get out? God promises you that the circumstances will touch you, but not crush you or burn you...to stay with the analogy :)...God is with you...I promise!
Your Saviour, Jesus

P.s. Don't forget, this part is HUGE! I gave up so much for you...Lives have been sacrificed so that you could be free. Why, you ask? Because you are precious to me and I love you!



I decided to take this verse and put it in my own words...when I first read it, it felt like a letter. I read the ending where it said, "For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, Your Saviour. " I felt like God wrote me a note and signed it...."Your Saviour"

This passage Isaiah 43:1-4 came to my attention at small group this week as we were talking about worry. I love it and it means alot to me. I did not get to voice my particular worries during small group, but being a mom...and a wife, I have a lot...They aren't all consuming ones, but nagging, daily ones. Sometimes the thought of failing my kids at homeschooling will keep me awake at night. Sometimes I worry that I can't be the wife I need to be or that no one really cares about me. Sometimes it's just about money and that can make me crazy! Sometimes I can't shut the worries off....that's why God wrote me a letter and that feels good! I love that He is with me IN the difficulty, not that it is pretended that they aren't there or that I am being un-spiritual in my worry.... God is with me...Stuff is hard, but God is making sure that I am not destroyed by that stuff and that I will come out of it on the other side.

Week 3

We are on week 3 of school. While it hasn't gone as smoothly as week one and two...It is fine. We are hopefully getting used to our schedule. I am enjoying the breaks as 'my time' and that works really well. I have really been doing good about the exercise because I know it is relieving stress. I also have been doing fairly well with squeezing in quiet reading time in the mornings for me. All in all, it is really nice to just 'be with' my boys. Especially as I realize they may not be here next year, or at least one of them. Remind me of this when you hear me all stressed out!


My favorite part is morning reading time with them. I do read-alouds with them. We are reading through some fun science and Lewis and Clark.

Newish things

I have been absent from my blog for very good reasons-- if you know me, you may know them. Mostly 1. School and 2. Catching up on laundry, dishes and house 'things'

We were all dreading (maybe not Tim) the start of school and I think I topped that list. But God....(that' s my favorite way to begin a sentence by-the-way) has had other plans for this year. At least I hope the whole year goes this smoothly.

Here's what happened. God gently spoke to my mind with ideas. These ideas still seem to be coming. I love that! One of the main ideas in my mind has been a schedule for the day. I still have some flexibility, but I try to stick to the schedule quite strictly. THAT is WEIRD for me! I feel like I have a real job! I have NEVER been a schedule person and I would always sleep as late as possible... I now get up a good hour or 2 earlier than I would have last year! And I am not really tired! Part of the schedule is before school exercise, which helps me with energy, lower stress, sense of well being, and hopefully weight loss ;)

anyway, long story short...This schedule seems easy to stick to and, I am enjoying school and having a good time with my boys...I am really glad they are here and NOT somewhere else... I thought I was ready to send my little kiddos away, but I am not! We'll see what God thinks about next year.

O By the way... we miss summer terribly...but I am glad for the cooler weather because it makes it easier to stay home and realize that summer is over ;)

One last beach day?

Well, I hope it isn't the last one...but I guess it could be with school coming up next week. But I do think I am going to sneak one more in if I can... for now, enjoy our fun photos :)

Beach/park picnic... could not have been a better day!

Intense Reading

I was thinking about this story yesterday. It is next in line in my reading. I usually spend an amount of time meditating on a scripture before I go on. Well, some of you know that I enjoy 'intense' literature, movies, etc. Well, I would call this 'intense'... It is easy to just read over it as I do some scriptures (to my shame)...but it really is a big deal, if I stop and think about it! The next passage (in chronological order) after this, numerous people are killed. Either of these stories would be HUGE if we heard them on the news.

30 Then Jehu went to Jezreel. When Jezebel heard about it, she painted her eyes, arranged her hair and looked out of a window. 31 As Jehu entered the gate, she asked, "Have you come in peace, Zimri, you murderer of your master?"

32 He looked up at the window and called out, "Who is on my side? Who?" Two or three eunuchs looked down at him. 33 "Throw her down!" Jehu said. So they threw her down, and some of her blood spattered the wall and the horses as they trampled her underfoot.

34 Jehu went in and ate and drank. "Take care of that cursed woman," he said, "and bury her, for she was a king's daughter." 35 But when they went out to bury her, they found nothing except her skull, her feet and her hands. 36 They went back and told Jehu, who said, "This is the word of the LORD that he spoke through his servant Elijah the Tishbite: On the plot of ground at Jezreel dogs will devour Jezebel's flesh. ^[e] 37 Jezebel's body will be like refuse on the ground in the plot at Jezreel, so that no one will be able to say, 'This is Jezebel.' "

emphasis mine--excerpt from the Message Bible

God's Joy and Mine

I have been so excited about this verse since I memorized it from my seeds cd

What a blessing!!!!

Zephaniah 3:17
the LORD your God is living among you.
He is a mighty savior.
He will take delight in you with gladness.
With his love, he will calm all your fears.
He will rejoice over you with joyful songs."

I wish I lived in Texas on September 27

For one day, I wish I lived in Texas :D

Andrew's motorcycle

Well, Andrew got a motorcycle! Kinda... :)
My aunt has been cleaning out un-needed items from her house and barn and this motorcycle was one of the things. It is quite old.
He had to work on it with Grandpa to get it going, but now it runs! I told you we were obsessed :)

Mini-Vacation

My parents and in-laws have been watching our kids for us to have a mini-vacation/anniversary celebration! We soooo enjoy these these times together! We were able to get a free hotel this year and where we stayed happened to be by the Bass Pro Shops. So we checked it out! It was really great! I told Tim though, that if we go again, I am going to wear camo, so I don't fee so out of place.
They were doing workshops on Waterfowl. They had a grassy area out back where they were demonstrating dogs retrieving, etc. So it was a fun experience.

Our other adventures have included the fair and several motorcycle rides! Yay!

Stephen Curtis Chapman on GMA and CNN

I am sure you all remember hearing about Stephen Curtis Chapman's daughter getting killed. encouraging to see them talk of there faith so publicly. Here and Here is how they are doing. They are very real and honest.

You must try this!

I was checking my homeschool newsletter, so this is slightly educational...but also WiLd...you must try it!

****you have to use headphones when you listen!!!!!******

Humor at my House

This is what we find funny at my house

Worth Reading

I think I found this from Ben's blog, or maybe it was Chuck's but I couldn't find the specific post. Anyway, the one I read today was so good and worth a couple minutes...so passing it along to you!

It made me think about the class I have done with people at the PCC. It talks about giving your child eye contact and how it communicates love. I am remembering what I want my moments to look like... Like Love, not like selfishness...why is the love option so hard? anyway...check out the blogs and if you have a chance...check out the PCC site...I haven't seen it for a while and it's pretty cool!

ps...If you have a LOT of time..."Bring the Rain" blog (as linked above) is a very good blog and there are a lot of good God stories in it!~

New Obsession

We are having a blast with our new summer (fall/spring/winter?) toy .... Travis and Jacob got their first ride the other day ...Travis keeps asking for another ride!

Beach Day ;)

We finally got a chance to go to the beach this weekend as a family! Yay!

We tried a new route through 'mosquito land' and over several sand dunes to the beach (we don't prefer that route :). When we finally saw the water, I felt like I had been rescued. *smiling*--I didn't really get any good beach pictures...maybe next time

We had a fun time and than to our favorite cookout spot...notice the boys in the distance ;)--or can you???? This is almost like a mini-date for us and the boys enjoy themselves. Andrew likes to fish and Travis and Jake just amuse themselves at the playground or bugging Andrew. They also frequently come to ask when supper is ready. All in all a very fun day...incidentally, we ended up going to the beach again on Sunday. We went up to St. Joe this time and had Sherry with us. I think she thoroughly enjoyed herself! ;)

So I guess you would say it was a BEACH WEEKEND!

4th Pictures

us all around a fire--me hiding my face ;)








dad and my boys shooting off fireworks--they couldn't wait till dark ;)





Me with 2nd cousin Julia









My dad with 2nd cousin Nathan, riding the 'tractor' they were a little to scared for a real tractor






My sister with Nathan and Julia