Today's Randomness

We're still recovering here from our Luke 14 weekend (set up Wednesday evening through clean up Saturday at 11 pm), a day at Dollywood with my parents b/c they were in town and bought us our passes, then Jacob's birthday the following day, then 2 days of "normal" every week stuff.  But today we're home!!  Jacob hasn't done anything formal for school since last Wednesday, but has spent hours building and rebuilding all of his birthday LEGO and Hero Factory sets.  Today for school we're going to do piano practice, a Math lesson and read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory together today for as long as the kids want to.  I never read that book as a kid, and because I'm stubborn about seeing movies before reading books, have not seen either of the movies yet.  So I decided to read it with them today instead of giving it to Jacob to read alone.

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I will try and get some Luke 14 stories and photos up, though in the administration I "missed" a lot of the actual event this year.  Three years of that is enough!  Next year someone else is going to have to take that job so I can just be and drink in this huge thing into which I pour so much of myself.  

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On another special needs note, I'm so proud of one of my "students" at church, Gabe.  He's my age, but is mentally retarded and has cerebral palsy.  He used to be hard to get to church because he didn't want to leave his mamaw (his primary caregiver) though his parents are Christians.  Lately he's been coming to church consistently with his dad, because his Mamaw passed away a few weeks ago.  Because Gabe was quite spoiled by Mamaw, we're working hard on him sitting quietly during our lessons, listening to others while they speak and I'm throwing in there challenges to think about what others are saying even if it's a boring Sunday School lesson.  :)

When I ask Gabe a question he usually says he doesn't know or gives me a blank stare because his medicine makes him sleepy, but I've been working really hard to help him memorize some of the important spine truths of Scripture.  This month of course, Easter is a natural spine issue!  (We do one lesson for an entire month over and over, so between Wednesday nights and Sunday mornings they've heard it 8 times before we switch.)  So tonight when I asked Gabe all of our lesson questions (in a catechism sort of way) he answered EveRy oNe of them correctly!!!  I was so proud of him!  He knows Who died, why He did, and that Jesus is ALIVE today!  Most importantly, Gabe knows that he can spend forever with Jesus just because God loves him that much, and that Easter is the day we get to celebrate it all.  That is why I love what I get to do so much!

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And I know I've sent you to this blog before, 

but this post is one you have to read!  

It's very touching in a totally non-Hallmark way.  

Inspirational, disturbing, convicting, etc.  This girl is my hero. 

now is all we have

life with Pepper and random pictures - third try!

If it doesn't work this time you guys are just going to have to imagine what these photos look like.  I don't know if this is a Picasa problem, a Firefox problem, a Blogger problem or a virus or malware problem.  Argh!

 
Bath time!  I had no idea the excitement that would ensue following a bath.  The kids were hysterical!

 
Mattie loves Pepper. Pepper tolerates Mattie.  But Pepper can't ever complain that she doesn't get enough attention.

Jacob loves Pepper.  I think Pepper almost loves Jacob.  ;)

 
Mattie and her wares.

She had $30 of her own money to spend from her birthday.  We went to a consignment shop and she got all of this plus 2 more things that were in the laundry basket b/c they were on her body within minutes of being home!  She picked it all out herself, and I only vetoed when it was a modesty or fitting issue.  She was a very happy camper.  It was delight in the true sense of the word.  :) 

I get a kick out of all of her skirts.  I'd be happy if I never had to wear a skirt again in my life, and have pretty much felt that way for all 34 years of my existence, I believe.  Mattie prefers a skirt or dress every day.

 
I'm so thankful for "climbing trees!"  My kids (and the neighbors) spend hours each week climbing this tree.

 
I think it's just hot when you have this much hair!  Why she chooses the hot bricks instead of the cool grass is beyond me. 

 If it's hot out, what better to do than play in the dog's water?  What else would it be there for, you know?

 
And can someone tell me when a fifteen year old moved in to my house? 
Mattie LOVES to pick out her own outfits.  Some are really cute... some are horrendous! But all of them are totally Mattie.

Bible in 90 Days ~ I'm Finished!

I finished up last night!  Woohoooooooooooooo!   Amy over at Mom's Toolbox has asked those of us who wrote about our journey to sum it all up for others to read about.

I decided to read this way, because I felt the Lord nudging me to do so.  I knew it would be a challenge, so I chose the winter as a time to do it, because I leave town the least!  Over all, it was a challenge in discipline.  With an assignment of 45 minutes to an hour a day, I knew catching up wouldn't be very easy! so I had to stay on top of it in order to not be discouraged.  I had to choose to have calm weekends, so I could catch up if need be.  I had to choose to get out of bed when I didn't want to.  I had to choose to keep my eyes open when I wanted to close them.  I chose to read the Word instead of any other books during this time.  I had to choose to read instead of write (which is why I have a few weekly gaps to fill in on my Bible in 90 page)!  But all of those were worthwhile sacrifices and God gave me the desire to make every one of them!

I have read the Bible through before once, but it was slow and disjointed.  This time was far more enjoyable.   This is the best way I know to describe it:  You know how people are all excited and close when they come back from a trip together?  They can tell you all of their stories, and you can laugh and look at their scrapbooks, but you are quite clearly missing major pieces of the puzzle.  So then the next time you go along and all of the inside jokes, struggles and successes make sense because you are there in the middle of the action this time.  Well, this time I was "in the middle of the action" instead of counting on others to "feed" me.  This time I got to read it, soak it in and let it change me, because I was there in person - engaged, committed and hungry.

Reading large portions at each sitting allowed me to see the verses in context which offered a much more appropriate application.  Reading it as a whole in such a short time period afforded me the opportunity to remember what I read in Genesis and Exodus so I could relate it to what I was reading in Revelation without having to look it up again.  Spending this much time in the Word gave me time with Him that I had been spending on otherwise worthless tasks, and I believe that's just a blessing to Him.  And the best part?  Reading it all in 90 days makes the celebration in Revelation all the more victorious as I've been "pulling" for His people all the way through!  He wins!  There is a triumphant end to this story we're living!!  I knew that when I started, but it's a lot more fun to read it this way. 

I have a list of things I want to research now that I'm finished.  I understand the big picture in a whole new way than I did 90 days ago, but a small growth in understanding has left me seeking answers for new questions that have arisen as others were answered.  I like this unsettled feeling though.  I think it's called hunger.  

I'm starting off with a word study on my word of the year: grace.  I really wish I knew Hebrew and Greek, but I'm going to have to stick with a word study for now.  As far as a daily plan, there was kind of a big hole today without a big chunk to read, so I'm going to have to jump back in with a plan!   I have learned I do much better on one than if I'm just reading randomly.  

If you've read along this time, I'd love to hear about your experience!  And if you haven't read the Bible in 90 days, I would certainly encourage you to do so.  Amy at Mom's Toolbox is starting another group July 11, 2011.  Don't just "read my stories and look at my scrapbook"... get in on the trip!  Let me know so I can be praying for you and encouraging you.  Maybe I'll just do it again with you.  :)

Click here to read all about my Bible in 90 Days Journey.
I read with over 1000 people this round! Go see what they have to say!