Dec. 21, 2009 - Early Christmas Surprise

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Dec. 21, 2009 - Today's Daybook for Dec 21

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Dec. 20, 2009 - Joyful Greetings to You and Yours

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!

 

Christmas week is upon us and I couldn’t be more blessed.  All the decorations are up, all the parties have been had, and all the shopping has been done.  Now, we relax and enjoy the holiday season.

 

The girls will be very excited about their gifts this year.  They will be receiving some highly-desired items – one of which will be given to them tomorrow.  We have finally gotten the girls a puppy, and we will pick it up and bring it home tomorrow.  I am so excited, I can hardly wait!  A home school family wanted to give away puppies to good homes.  We are so blessed to have this little girl pup.  She is cuddly, cute, and truly addicting.  I was with her for only 20 minutes and hated to leave.  The family is so sweet.  Their children have learned so many valuable lessons from this experience: childbirth, death of one of the pups, and the joy of giving.  Since our girls will be going to their grandparents the day after Christmas, I decide to get the puppy earlier – so they can spend time with her before having to leave.

 

School and work are both on hold for a couple of weeks, and I’m so looking forward to this break.  My calendar is literally empty this week!  Yay!  Terry is on vacation this week too, so we should have some good quality time before the girls leave with my parents on Saturday.  There are still some papers of Rachel’s that I need to grade before semester’s end, but I may do that when they’re gone next week.

 

I’ll be taking and posting pictures for sure.  I love you ladies and I love our calling!  You and your families will be in my prayers.

 

Have a beautiful week!

 

Love,

Karen

 

 

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Dec. 21, 2009 - A Few Lessons and Memories of my dad--January 26, 1943 to December 18, 2009

 

Lessons I learned from my dad:

My dad was all about hard work and duty, doing well what you know you’re supposed to do before relaxing. Through his example, he built within each of us a strong work ethic and a stoic, uncomplaining attitude.

As he grew older, his emphasis became more on the eternal and soaking up spiritual truths. Our phone conversations when I was an adult usually centered around something he was studying on his own or learning in a Bible class. I realized that spiritual growth was ongoing as my dad imparted new spiritual lessons to me and I heard his heart for each of his children and grandchildren to spend eternity with God.

Memories:

My dad loved to read aloud, and he was pretty good at it. I remember being regaled with Thurber’s “The Night the Bed Fell,” Twain’s “The Frog Jumping Contest of Calaveras County,” and Ralph Moody’s “Little Britches” series. Typically, he would read these to us right after supper. He took such pleasure in sharing his favorite poems and stories.

As a young teenager, I remember my dad crying after watching a video by James Dobson. He regretted not spending more time with my brothers and me and realized we would not be at home with him much longer. As a result, he offered to take us to the park to play. Now, we were all a little old for that, but I thought, “Hey, I’d better take what I can get while it’s being offered.” And we laughed and played at the park—climbing, sliding, chasing, and swinging. I’m glad I didn’t miss that memory.

I remember one particular summer vacation when I was a teen. My dad used some of the time with us to study through the book of Nehemiah. In a chapter on rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem, he particularly emphasized the passages that speak of people building that part of the wall next to their homes. He wanted us to understand how much more care they would have taken in making the wall strong, since a weakness at that point would have allowed the enemy to breach the wall right next to their homes.

As my dad matured, I think he understood more clearly that the Enemy was seeking to destroy his home and that prayer, Bible study, and right fellowship with his family would fortify the protection around it. He did pray for his children and grandchildren, that they would each come to know the Lord.

Growing up, I wasn’t always as understanding and respectful of my father as I should have been. Thankfully, he didn’t hold that against me, but loved me anyway, often expressing his pride in the woman I had become. I’m thankful for the many memories I have of my dad through the years, and I look forward to making many more with him when I one day join him in eternity.

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Dec. 19, 2009 - Not a very Christmassy post MOM

Unless you believe that Jesus came to set us free, to rescue us and make us whole.

In which case, this is an awesome Christmas post.

But if you can't cry right now, please go away, and come back and read it when it doesn't matter if you weep.  Because some people need to be saved, set free, and made whole.  And right now they are tiny, hurting, and horribly mistreated.

I found a link to a youtube video today (from a United Families email) about a woman who is making    a difference right now in an area that i find hard to think about, and helpless to do anything about.  Here is her video (warning - it made me sob)

 

 

After watching her video, i went to the website, signed up to make a chapter of MOM here where i live, and wrote this letter to the PM, Stephen Harper.

Please feel free to copy, paste, personalize, and send this letter as well - it's on their website (only mine is personalized, so feel free to add/subtract from it as your situation and feelings dictate)

Dear Mr. Harper,

Nothing is more important to Canada, and to Canadians, than our children. I am a mom to seven children from 14 down to one year old, and to think that across our nation, little ones like mine are misused, terrorized, raped, and abused, makes me sick to my stomach and makes me weep.

Yet right now, across the country, 45,000 men are trafficking in computer images

of young children being sexually abused and violated. Research consistently

shows that 40 per cent of these men are also actively abusing kids, which means

there are at least 16,000 child abusers across the country.

This is a national epidemic. It is staggering.

Internet child abuse traffickers leave electronic footprints that trained experts

can follow, right to their computer terminals. But the number of trained police

experts that can track down Internet child abusers, and rescue the children being

abused, is woefully inadequate in every province and territory. Right now police

can only catch only a few dozen child abusers a year. We need to be catching

thousands every year.

I know that you believe, like I do, that we must do everything possible to protect

children from child abuse aided by the Internet. That is why I am asking for your

help.

We urgently need many more expert internet child abuse investigators in every

police service across the country, from the RCMP to the smallest municipal police

department. I urge you to make this a priority, and to work cooperatively with

every other level of government to make it happen.  This is the most important thing i think police could do.  More than catching thieves, more than parking tickets, and speeding, more than bylaw enforcement.  Catch the perverts.

We can solve these terrible crimes against kids. We just can’t solve them fast

enough. So we need your help.

Our children deserve no less.

stephanie fehler

hinton alberta

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December 19, 2009 - Whiter Than Snow

Dec. 19, 2009 - The Holly and the Ivy

I have been reading to the girls before bed out of an old Christmas book full of different short stories and poems.  This is one we liked

The Holly and the Ivy

The holly and the ivy,

When they are both full grown,

Of all the trees that are in the wood,

The holly bears the crown:

The rising of the sun

And the running of the deer,

The playing of the merry organ,

Sweet singing in the choir.

The holly bears a blossom,

As white as the lily flower,

And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ,

To be our sweet Saviour:

The holly bears a berry,

As red as any blood,

And Mary bore sweet Jesus Chirst

To do poor sinners good:

The holly bears a prickle,

As sharp as any thorn,

And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ

On Christmas day in the morn:

The holly bears a bark,

As bitter as any gall,

And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ

For to redeem us all:

The holly and the ivy,

When they are both full grown,

Of all the trees that are in the wood,

The holly bears the crown.

Merry Christmas From our Home

Blessing Crystal

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Dec. 18, 2009 - Christmas Party

We attended our Co-op's Christmas Party this year ~ like we have for the past 5 years. It's a fun gathering of the families to sing Christmas Carols together, watch and listen to children perform their talents and we always finish off with a yummy potluck. It's a fun way to say Merry Christmas to everyone before our break.

 

Last year Ashley sang with her choir, that was so wonderful! This year she wasn't able to because she didn't have a voice :( she was pretty sad ~ but she did a good job smiling (even though I know it was hard for her) and supporting her class. 

 

Even though she didn't sing ~ she was able to perform, with Noah! She really wanted to sign Silent Night and so we learned together. (I learn so much homeschooling!!!) Well one day while she was practicing Noah was moping around. When I finally got him to tell me what was wrong he said that he wanted to sign Silent Night too. So I told him to ask Sissy if she would teach him! She did teach him ~ he was so so so happy!!! They practiced over and over and over and over again ~ I didn't mind, in fact no one did we just LOVE Christmas music! At the Christmas Party they both got up there and performed. My heart was filled with absolute JOY as I watched my babies ~ sign beautifully together.

 

Isaiah & Luke performed together too! This was the first time either of them have performed at the annual Christmas Party ~ and to be quite honest it wouldn't have surprised me if they decided not to at the last minute. But they did it and they did a WONDERFUL job! They actually wrote a Christmas Poem together and added Scripture at the end. I'm so PROUD of my boys! I can't even describe my feelings watching them share what they created. I am truly blessed.

 

CANDY IS SUPER SWEET

SANTA IS A FUN TREAT.

 

BUT JESUS IS THE REASON

FOR THIS HOLIDAY SEASON.

 

ONCE ON A DECEMBER NIGHT

A RADIANT STAR SHOWN BRIGHT.

 

IT SHOWN SUPER BRIGHT

SHEPHERDS SAW ITS LIGHT.

 

MARY COULD NOT FIND A PLACE TO STAY

EXCEPT FOR A MANGER AND SOME HAY.

 

THERE WERE LOTS OF DONKEYS, CHICKENS AND COWS TOO

IF JOSEPH HAD ALLERGIES HE’D GO AHH….CHOO!!!

 

WISE MEN FOLLOWED THE STAR

IT WAS EXTREMELY FAR.

 

SHEPHERDS SAW THE ANGELS SING

IT WAS QUITE A GLORIOUS THING.

 

EVERYONE TRAVELED FROM ALL AROUND

TO SEE THE BABE BORN JUST OUTSIDE TOWN.

 

WHEN THEY CAME TO WHERE JESUS LAYED

THEY ALL KNELT DOWN AND SOFTLY PRAYED.

 

GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST,

AND ON EARTH

PEACE TO MEN

ON WHOM HIS FAVOR RESTS.

 

 

Absolute Perfect JOY is what my children bring to my life. It was truly a blessing to be able to see my children get up in front of everyone and show their love for their Lord.

 

 

Merry Christmas,
EMichelle

 

 

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Thursday, December 17, 2009 - To My Love...Dec 18th, 2009

Today is my hubby's birthday!! I love you very very much.

Happy Birthday Glitter Graphics.

 

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December 17, 2009 - Do You See What I See?

I was putting some laundry in the washer in our *NEW* laundry room (YAY!) and lifted my head and saw this:

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