• Feb. 8, 2010
Homeschool Freebie of the Day!

Once again I'm pleasantly surprised with the free giveaway at Homeschool Freebie of the Day!  If you haven't signed up for this great little deal, check them out here.  Today they have a wonderful ebook about great artists; if you are reading this later, though, they'll have something else terrific!  Enjoy!

Homeschool Freebie of the Day

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• Jan. 27, 2010
Wonderful, pretty printable sheet of encouraging Bible verses!

Now here's a find! Thanks to Molly at The Old Schoolhouse magazine for the "heads-up" on this beautiful page, which will go straight onto my fridge!

 Doorposts Encouraging Scriptures

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• Jan. 27, 2010
"Preparations" article--at Heart of the Matter!

Just noticed that my newest article is "up" this morning! My formatting is still not coming up correctly, so forgive me for the past few posts being odd; I may need to switch templates or something. Anyway, here's a teaser from the article . . .

"We started strong . . . put up the tree joyfully, baked cookies with glee, shopped for presents with a list and a smile. Sometime about mid-December, though, I started to notice a tiredness creeping over me . . . a becoming-all-too-familiar weariness that seemed to center on a nagging feeling that it all depended on me, and that were I to stop for even a moment, all of Christmas–for my family, anyway, would grind to a halt. “It came without ribbons . . . it came without tags . . . it came without packages, boxes or bags” sounds great on a cartoon, but is quite another sentiment in real life."

You can read the rest here: http://heartofthematteronline.com/preparations Have a great day!

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• Jan. 25, 2010
Thoughts for today

"Education commences at the mother's knee, and every word spoken within hearsay of little children tends toward the formation of character." -- Hosea Ballou "Every word . . . " Wow. Lately I've caught myself . . . well, *catching myself* quite often as I'm about to say something I shouldn't say. I'm getting better and better at swallowing words! I downloaded a precious resource the other day which I wanted to share here in case you hadn't seen it. It's a book about the formation of habits in children, and is one I need to read over and over to make sure I truly get its message! You can find it here at http://simplycharlottemason.com/books/smooth-easy-days-with-charlotte-mason/ This website's not giving me what I need to edit my posts correctly for some reason, recently, so I may be making some changes around here. Please forgive me if this is hard to read--I'll fix it as soon as I can!

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• Jan. 24, 2010
We're converts!

Okay, so that sounds probably way more exciting than it actually is. :-) We're pretty major God-followers around here, and have been for a long time. And we haven't gone Hindu or anything, LOL. So what have we "converted" into, exactly? BEAN EATERS! That's right; my avowed bean-hating family (yes, that includes/ed all of us!) are now afficianados of beans. While I've tried to like beans for years, and have only had mediocre success (as in they'll eat kidney beans in chili) I've finally found a recipe that we like, and which I do think could allow us to survive in case of an emergency, since its main ingredient is that other-family-favorite-emergency-pantry -staple, dried pinto beans! What's the recipe that has worked such wonders? Here it is, straight from AllRecipes (one of my favorites because of the review feature, btw): Refried Beans--Without the Refry! Ingredients 1 onion, peeled and halved 3 cups dry pinto beans, rinsed 1/2 fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped 2 tablespoons minced garlic 5 teaspoons salt 1 3/4 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper 1/8 teaspoon ground cumin, optional 9 cups water Directions Place the onion, rinsed beans, jalapeno, garlic, salt, pepper, and cumin into a slow cooker. Pour in the water and stir to combine. Cook on High for 8 hours, adding more water as needed. Note: if more than 1 cup of water has evaporated during cooking, then the temperature is too high. Once the beans have cooked, strain them, and reserve the liquid. Mash the beans with a potato masher, adding the reserved water as needed to attain desired consistency. How simple is that? I put mine in yesterday while I was cleaning, and when they were finished last night, no one could keep out of them! :-) We're going to try them in some homemade tortillas this afternoon . . . mmmmm! Here's the link to the actual recipe site if you need more info. Bon Appetite! http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Refried-Beans-Without-the-Refry/Detail.aspx

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• Jan. 20, 2010
Sally Clarkson's new book on the way!

Sheesh, you know it's been too long since you last blogged when you can't remember your login information! Yikes! Apparently, I've been busy. But I wanted to tell you about an exciting event--Sally Clarkson's newest book is about to be released! Woohoo! For those of you who don't know, Sally is a gifted speaker whose heart is to encourage mothers around the world. She and her family have had a ministry to moms for many years. Her background in missions work makes her messages, books, and blogs both uplifting AND edifying, which is a wonderful combination! The newest offering is called Dancing with My Father, and she's actually doing a giveaway at her blog, www.itakejoy.com . I've learned so much from Sally, and never fail to feel uplifted and empowered to serve my family again after spending time reading her writings. Get this book! And if you've got a chance to attend a MomHeart conference, TAKE IT! It's worth every penny and then some. I'd love to hear what you think about Dancing with My Father after you've had a chance to read it, or any of Sally's other wonderful books!

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• Dec. 27, 2009
2 New Favorite Recipes for this year! Cinnamon Rolls and Peppermint Marshmallows!

So, the truth is, I don't even like marshmallows.  But I do like peppermint, and I heard these were good in hot chocolate (another love of mine.)  So I had to try them . . . oh dear.  They taste like clouds . . . of happiness . . . peppermint happiness, to be exact . . .  

Peppermint Marshmallows

Every year we have cinnamon rolls for breakfast on Christmas morning.  I love cinnamon rolls, and have tried multiple recipes over the years.  All are good, but none have been perfect . . . drumroll please . . . until now!!!  The best thing is, besides the fact that it's a *simple* recipe, it makes 7 pans of rolls--enough to share with your friends.  Give it a try--you'll win friends and influence people for sure!

PioneerWoman Cinnamon Rolls

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• Dec. 19, 2009
How to Emergency Quick Clean Your House!

My guess is that there's a good chance that sometime in the next 2 weeks, you will find yourself in the position of needing to get your house clean . . . FAST!  We're all so busy this time of year, and busy is great . . . except when it comes to keeping up with the messes being made while we're having fun!

I've sent my family out for a few hours (crossing my fingers--dh said "See ya in about 20 minutes!"  Ha ha, he is such a joker!!!  )  so I can try to find our floors, and I thought while I'm at it that I could share what I do, just in case you're like me and a list helps you, too!  I'm going to type each one as I do it, so come along for the ride . . . and make a better plan for next Saturday, will ya?  LOL! 

1.  Turn on some music and light a candle or two if you like them.  Seriously, if you're going to work hard, do SOMETHING that makes it more fun, first!

2.  Next, get your servants working for you!
Grab overflowing baskets of laundry from each room and head to your laundry room.  Fill the washing machine and start it!   Next, go room to room and gather any dishes that have migrated.  Toss them in the dishwasher and get that working for you, too.  Might as well have some help.

3.  Squirt some toilet bowl cleaner into your toilets and let it sit.  It can work while you do some other things, plus the smell will freshen up the bathroom(s) while they wait to be cleaned. 

4.  Go back to your kitchen and wash the dishes/pots and pans that wouldn't fit in the dishwasher.  Scrub out the sink when you're done, and make your way around the room clearing and cleaning all the level surfaces (countertops, stove, table, desk, etc.)  Okay, that took me 30 minutes.  Whew!!!

5.  Next, hit the kitchen floor with a broom, and take your trash out.  Looks nice, eh?  I'm not going to mop yet; I want to get some more rooms clean and then come back to that if there's time.

6.  Living room's next!  Grab a laundry basket and trash bag and go around the room putting things that belong in another room into the basket, and trash into the bag.  Just set the basket and bag down at the edge of the room to be put away when you're done.  Dust flat surfaces and Windex glass ones.  Grab the broom or vacuum and give it a sweep.  Ahhhh . . .

7.  Now for the bathrooms.  I'd hit the one that your guests would use first.  Spray down the mirror, counters and sink and wipe clean.  Hit the toilet with some spray and a sponge, and use your brush to swish out the cleaner that's been sitting.  A quick sweep around the room and emptying of the trash leaves this room good looking and usable!  Light a little candle if you have a safe one to leave on the countertop.  Now do the other(s) and take a quick walk through your house to admire your handiwork!

8.  Switch the laundry and if the dryer was already full, put the basket of clean clothes into a corner of your laundry room or on top of the dryer.  Reload your washing machine.  Empty the dishwasher if it's done.

9.  If you have time, go into the kids' rooms with another empty laundry basket, a trash bag, and a broom.  Use your broom to sweep everything out from under the furniture and around the room into a pile.  Get all their loose laundry and toss it into the laundry room.  Sort the pile, putting all "keep" items into the laundry basket and the trash into the bag.  The full laundry basket can be sorted and put away in appropriate places by your kids when they get home, but for now you could put it into their closet or maybe tuck it into your own room.  Dust dressers and make the beds.  Nice, hmm?

10.  And if you STILL have time, do the same in your own room!  I'm assuming there isn't stuff jammed under your bed (though ya know what they say about assumptions!) so you may be able to just gather laundry and trash, sweep/vacuum, make your bed, and dust off the dressers.

Lovely!  I'd start a pot of coffee and get ready to relax if I were you, because you're almost done!

Now, for that mopping we put off.  Once this is done, you should be ready for anyone to "surprise" you!  Hope you enjoy having a list and that it makes it easier as it does for me when my brain is going in a million directions!  Pat yourself on the back and enjoy a nice book before the masses once again descend on your newly cleaned home.  Good job!!!

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• Dec. 18, 2009
Being "frugal" or . . . not

Well, while I might have been extremely busy in the past month or so, I certainly can't say I've been spending time blogging!  Yikes.  It's looking a bit neglected around this site.  Definitely calling out for some Christmas decor!

I did, however, write an article for Heart of the Matter online.  Here's the teaser . . .

Last week I was online, chatting with my sister-in-law about menus and grocery shopping. At some point during our conversation she said, “We know how to be frugal around here.”

“Right! That’s great!” I said at the time.

But later, thinking back on our conversation, it left a sour taste in my mouth. . .

If you like, you can read the rest of the article here:

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• Nov. 3, 2009
On Turning Forty

It sounds like such a big deal.

I've been sortof dreading it--the big 4-0 -- as it's loomed.  It sounds so old.  I used to think that people who were forty were so . . . mature.  Somehow even the word "forty" just oozes stability, steadiness, solidity.  It seems that a person who is forty should be sure of themselves--never doubt, never vacillate, never question their decisions or options for behavior.  At forty, I thought, surely one would be done with becoming.

And yet, it's not so.

I'm more steady, certainly.  Not flipping from boyfriend to boyfriend, trying to find "the one," as I did at twenty.  And I'm definitely more sure of myself, less likely to struggle to squeeze into someone else's vision of what my life should look like, as I did at thirty.  Progress . . . yes, there has definitely been progress.  It hasn't been easy or painless, but progress has come. 

Maybe I've earned forty.

It feels different than I thought it would.  There are new mountains to climb.  Over the years I've managed to gain the proverbial "five pounds per child," which must be left behind so I can enjoy the second half of my life.  My eldest son has graduated and the second is hot on his heels, dragging us all out into new waters to navigate--strange waters, where I'm uncertain of exactly which star to head for and how deep I can put in my oar.  A new family business offers prospects and challenges still being defined on many fronts.  Opportunities to write come as welcome open doors yet beg the question . . . "Who am I exactly, and what do I have to say that's worth listening to?"  My children are growing up faster than I'd imagined possible, and it seems that in many ways they themselves are new people whom I must learn to relate to every day.

The becoming continues.

In the center of it all, of course, one thing is the same:  God, Himself.  It is incredibly comforting to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that He who is the Director of my life is the familiar Friend who has been with me through it all.  He's not surprised by today's challenges, scared of the obstacles I haven't seen yet, or shocked at the besetting sins we've yet to conquer.  The one determination I've made--indeed, the only one it seems right to make--is this: that in the next forty years, I must decrease that He might increase.  I pray that He'll keep chipping away, shaping me into Jesus' image so that I can fulfill the purpose He created me for . . . to reflect His glory to the world.

I pray that at forty, there's starting to be at least a little resemblance.

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• Oct. 29, 2009
Day at the Corn Maze

We had a lovely day today at the corn maze!  Even if Levi was the only one in our family who actually went *through* it.  These pics came from my phone, so forgive the size!  Here's how the girls had fun . . .


Yes, that's a giant bucket of corn kernels!  And then there was Micah, shown here here with Zach practicing his parkour skills . . .


and this is how Levi celebrated making it through the corn maze with his friends . . .


Josiah loves hay, too, apparently; especially as something to climb on . . .



Wow, look how little he looks!  I'm not sure why the size difference . . . oh well!

And here's how Baby spent most of his morning . . .



He loved taking it all in from the ring sling!  Cutie pie!
We missed having dad with us this year, and I know he missed riding the cow train . . .



Altogether a lovely, lovely day. 

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• Oct. 22, 2009
Permission Slips for Moms--at Heart of the Matter!

I've been praying for quite awhile about another avenue to pursue for writing.  Today is the first day of a new venture--writing for Heart of the Matter Online!  If you've not seen their website before, you will love this find--great articles on tons of ideas, issues, and products for homeschool families!  Here's an excerpt to hopefully whet your appetite! 

When I was a kid attending public school, there sure were a lot of papers to deal with. Math homework and essays for English, report cards and assignment sheets, all flew to and fro in a forest- obliterating frenzy. It's a wonder we have any softwoods left nowadays, as the hauling of paper from school to home and back again continues unabated for today's generation of schoolchildren, who have had to add wheels to their backpacks just to deal with the situation without consulting a chiropractor. While some of the papers were handed back to the teacher with hesitation (the research paper we left 'til the night before) and some with glee (that French exam we'd been studying for all semester) my favorites were always of a different sort . . . permission slips.

Read the rest here at Heart of the Matter!

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• Oct. 21, 2009
The Timeline--Daddy's Version

I know there must be other parents out there who use Veritas Press History cards. We use them as part of our Classical Conversations curriculum.  Of course, dads always have their own take on things.  So here it is: Rob's Timeline!

*Homer invents Egypt  *Birth of Santa *First New Second Testament*Joni marries Chachi *The Easter Bunny Converts to Christianity *The Unification of Hulk Hogan and Randy the Macho Man Savage *Herbie Hancock Releases a New Single *Acid Rain *Moses Builds the Ark *The Twelve Lords A Leaping *John Denver Sings with Kermit 

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• Oct. 20, 2009
Surprised at Communion

Sunday mornings have become a bit hectic since the newest baby joined our family.  In addition to that . . . addition, my husband also became a Sunday morning 9th-grade boys' Life Group leader, which means he has to be at the church by 9 am.  Now, I freely admit that part of our joy on Sunday mornings lies in the fact that our church is a mere 7 minutes from the house, and since the second service (which we always attended) doesn't begin until 10:30, we don't have to wake up at the crack of dawn and rush to get there.  Since Life Groups started this fall before I was ready to return to church with the baby and myself, this new responsibility  necessitated him bringing all the other children with him every Sunday in order for them to get to church--quite an endeavor for one dad! 

In the ensuing weeks we came up with a plan, and now it's become fairly simple to get everyone up, dressed, shoe-d (hey, there's a thought--wouldn't it be great if kids' shoes could be made permanent, like a horse's, so we wouldn't have to hunt shoes every Sunday day minute?  I may be on to something . . . )  Takes a lot of work, but it's doable.  So anyway, I shoo them all out the door by 8:40 and then I have until 10:15 to get myself and the baby ready to go, then drive to church to join them for the second service. 

Last week, Nicholas was very fussy all morning after they left and I could *not* put him down in order to get ready.  I was resigned to the fact that there was no way we could make it.   Finally, he calmed down enough for me to put him in his swing.  Glancing at the clock, I decided to go for it.  15 minutes later I was all ready to go.  I raced to the swing and picked him up . . . just in time to catch him spitting up all over his outfit and everything within range.  Since it was 10:37 at that point, I considered myself defeated and we stayed home for the morning.

This Sunday morning was typical.  I was actually thinking that preparing everyone else and not having to worry about myself was a great plan--I'd put in ponytails, found socks, and filled the diaper bag still in my own jammies.  No spitup emergencies.  I even had a cute scarf to try wearing in a new way.  The baby did cry for the last 5 minutes of our ride to church (ugh!) but Daddy met us at the door and took him while I parked the truck and came inside.  Papa and Magu were there to meet us, which was a fun surprise.  I'd arrived a minute too late to run around and greet friends, but that was fine; I found a spot on the end (just in case!) and Rob settled next to me with the baby on his shoulder.

We sang.  The music was great.  I kept glancing over to see if the baby was going to start fussing for me.   One song . . . two.   He fell asleep.  Ahhhh.  For some reason, loud noises put him right out.  Looked around to see where my son and his friends were sitting.  Finally found them, and noted the guy who's trying to snag one of his friends was sitting next to her, which made me giggle. 

Wow, the keyboard sounds great.  I love this song.  Is the baby still asleep?  I wonder if the sweet girl I've been praying for found a ride this morning?  Do Magu and Papa like the service?  Oh, we're having communion.  Seems like it's been a long time.  Wow, they're serving from the back of the room, and while the pastor has been sharing about communion they're almost to the front before you notice them . . . nice.  The platter is passed.  I take a piece of bread.  I'm so glad we don't use the peel-open communion sets I've seen in other churches that made me feel like I was having church in a drive-through.  Is baby still asleep?  The pastor says, "Jesus broke the bread, and blessed it, saying, 'Take, eat  . . .'" I put the piece in my mouth, bite down . . .

Surprise.

Tears come to my eyes.  Music begins.  This is His body.  He, the Perfect One, the One Who loved me while I was yet (yet?) a sinner.  Jesus . . . His body was broken for me.  In advance.  Before it all . . . before all my mistakes, all my blatant disregard for His law, before all the needs I would have.  He was there, in that moment, as He had been throughout eternity.  I remembered. 

I didn't realize I'd forgotten.

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• Oct. 19, 2009
Gratitude continued . . .

59.  a pink streaked evening sky
60.  all night grocery stores
61.  chubby wrists
62.  moms willing to share their stories so we don't feel alone
63.  chat with my distant son, even when it's brief
64.  communion
65.  kids' healthy friendships

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• Oct. 13, 2009
More of my 1000 gifts

There are so many . . .

39.  Lit sidewalks for night time walks
40.  Baby smile therapy
41.  A husband that makes me laugh
42.  Smart children
43.  An old friend who is a great encourager
44.  Paper and ink style letters
45.  Apple cake with maple cream cheese frosting
46.  Grocery stores filled with whatever you want
47.  Too many toys
48.  Kids who like to listen to bedtime stories
49.  Hot tea and sugar
50.  Legal homeschooling
51.  The abundance of curriculum, advice, and help available for homeschool moms
52.  Gliding rocker and ottoman
53.  Roses overflowing the sidewalk
54.  Opportunities
55.  Being an American citizen
56.  My wonderful pastor
57.  Mozart
58.  First voicings from my littlest one

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• Oct. 7, 2009
Sillies with Savannah

I heard a lot of smooching going on in the baby's general direction, and came over to investigate.

Savannah looked up and said, very seriously, "I'm not even married yet, and I kissed Nicholas on the lips.  Because little kids can do that to babies . . .  if they love them."

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• Oct. 6, 2009
New adventures

In a few weeks, I'll turn forty.  How do you spell that, anyway?  Whenever I think of that number, I never know whether it should really be forty or fourty.  No, fourty doesn't look right, LOL!  Okay, so now we've learned something!

I used to think 40 was very, very old.  Then, I thought it was pretty old.  Then I thought that perhaps when I turned 40, at least I'd be really mature.  Now I'm about to turn 40, and I know that one's not true!    I do think I'm much more wise, though, than I used to be at say, 20 and even 30.  No gray hairs yet (and I do get highlights, so perhaps we just won't notice them, right?) but the diminishing of emotional drama, extra-stupid mistakes, and perfectionism must count for something.

God has been incredibly good to me.  I don't find myself thinking much about being *older,* though the thought that OTHER PEOPLE will think I'm "old" doesn't thrill me.  Mostly, I'm noticing that I seem to be longing for change. 

It started when I began decluttering my house over the summer.  When I began picking paint colors and taking things down from the walls, I found myself enjoying empty space much more than ever before.  The absence of visual activity is really pleasing me lately!  I've changed the colors of every wall I've been able to get my hands on, and have plans for the rest of them, too.  That was fun.  The furniture is almost all in different spots, too.  And since we have a new baby in the house, our school year is much different than last year--Daddy is taking the kids to Classical Conversations on Tuesday mornings while I stay home with the littlest two, and Zachary is attending their Challenge II program which is definitely just that--a challenge!  Bo is still in Brasil for another month and a half, and I am more of a stay at home mom than I've been in the past couple of years as I enjoy the newest addition, often during hours I used to attend church services! 

But I've also been thinking a lot about having a need to express myself or something.  This blog was neglected for awhile while I occupied myself with the house and getting ready for baby.  Now that it's fall and he's here, there's more time for sitting (and nursing) . . . and thoughts of things to write about are running through my head like crazy.  I have to type one-handed many a time, but I've enjoyed pouring out what's inside once in awhile.  I've come across a couple of new opportunities that I'm really excited about; one is writing articles once in awhile for Rosetta Stone's eNewsletter, and one is doing the same for Heart of the Matter Online .  I just wrote my first article for HOTM, which will come out on October 22nd.  Exciting stuff!

I'm also considering taking a college class or two.  Crazy, hmm?  It's always been a goal of mine to earn a Doctorate in Theology (there, I said it in public!) and I do believe I'll do it one day . . . but when to fit it in, LOL?  Well, if I start now I may only be able to manage one or two classes at a time and it will take forever, but at least I'll be further along than if I don't ever start.  I am anxious to get that going; it will probably be January before I can actually do it but it will be wonderful to start the process.

We're so looking forward to having all our chicks back in the nest in a few weeks (don't tell Bo I called him a "chick"--I did use a "k" in there.)  His absence is quite noticeable and I know his friends are missing him, too!  Rob plans to head to Brasil in a few weeks for a visit, which I'm sorry to say I'm begrudging him since I REALLY want to go, myself.  They'll have a wonderful time, I'm sure.  What an adventure!

So in the meantime, meals are made, books are read, floors are swept, secrets shared.  We are enjoying life as it is, knowing how quickly things change and how blessed we are to be together day in and out.  Hope your school year has been a wonderful one, so far!

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• Sep. 28, 2009
Rusty's Great Adventure

(*My son wanted a copy of this story for his CC presentation tomorrow, and it made me giggle to re-read it.  Thought I would reprint it here since it first ran several years ago and some of you might need a laugh!*)

One morning, my kids were playing outdoors while I cleaned the kitchen.  My youngest son, who was two at the time, came in and announced, "Mom, I put Rusty in the hole."

 

"Oh?"  I asked, casually continuing to wipe a plate.

 

"Yeah, he's in the hole."

 

"Okay," I said.  I wasn't really alarmed, because the kids played with the hamster all the time.

 

Soon the older boys came in, and Levi shared the news that he'd put Rusty in the hole.  "What hole?"  they asked him.

 

And then the trouble started.

 

"In the car,"  Levi said.

 

"THE CAR?  Where in the car?"

 

"In the hole," he patiently explained, a little louder this time, as if we were all idiots.

 

"Okay, guys, lets go see where he is," I said, and we all trooped out to the car.  Levi went around back, and pointed . . .to the tailpipe.

 

"He's in there," he said.

 

For the next two hours, we tried to get him out.  We talked to him.  We tried banging on the pipe.  Once or twice we saw his little pink nose, but the pipe was too small for me to reach my hand in to get him.  I put some hamster food at the end of the pipe.  Then we tried cereal.  I should have tried calling  the pizza delivery hamster who used to deliver to his "pad" in the hall closet.  Anyway, after a couple of hours, we had to run an errand in our other vehicle.  Afraid he'd escape only to be eaten by a neighborhood cat, I taped off the end of the tailpipe with some masking tape.  (Yes, I left some space so air could get in--what do you think I am, stupid?)  When we returned, the food we'd put in was gone, but the masking tape was still there, so apparently Rusty was, too.

 

By the time my husband returned from work it was dark out, and Rusty was still in the tailpipe.  I was starting to worry, and the kids were pretty frantic.  We couldn't think of anything else to try.  Then, Daddy had a brilliant idea:

 

 Start the car.

 

 At this point, I was convinced that we'd never get him out anyway, and he'd get stuck somewhere up in the engine or something, and with it being hot here and all, well . . .it wasn't going to be pretty.

 

My middle child (the actual owner of the hamster) stood behind the car holding a kitchen strainer.  The other kids stood on either side, looking on in trepidation.  I went inside because I couldn't bear to watch.   Daddy got in the car and started it.

 

Out shot Rusty, flying over and six feet past the strainer.  He landed at the end of the driveway, dazed and covered in soot.  His little hamster eyes were looking at us, like, "What on earth was that???"

 

The boys brought him in to me with their hands black from the powdery ash covering him.  I knew we couldn't leave all that stuff on him, so I put him in the sink and broke out the strawberry-scented Suave shampoo.  In the sink, he shrank to one quarter of his normal size and looked like, well, a drowned rat, honestly.  So to add insult to injury, I blew him dry with my hair dryer.

 

Rusty was never really the same after that, though remarkably he did live for another several years.  He mostly stayed home and ran on his wheel.  Apparently, he'd seen enough of the world.

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• Sep. 24, 2009
Being grateful versus acknowledging a gift

2 Corinthians 9:8-11 (New American Standard Bible)

 ⁸And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed;

 ⁹as it is written,
         "HE SCATTERED ABROAD, HE GAVE TO THE POOR,
         HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS ENDURES FOREVER."

 ¹⁰Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness;

 ¹¹you will be enriched in everything for all liberality, which through us is producing thanksgiving to God.

We've been having some great talks around here in the mornings about gratefulness and what it looks like, and this was the Scripture scheduled in our daily devotional the morning I started my 1000 gifts list--don't you love it when God does that?  :-)  I was thinking last night about this list I've started, and something occurred to me:  we often sit and think through what we're grateful for.  You know the drill--you're in Bible study and the question is asked, or at Thanksgiving when you go around the table before dinner.  There are lots of things in life we know we're "grateful" for.

    Somehow, though, making this list feels different to me.  Because it's not supposed to be a list of things I'm grateful for (yawn,) it's to be a list of the gifts God gives me.  While I'm cerebrally aware that everything in my life comes from God's hand, somehow thinking of the details as gifts causes a different sort of awareness of that fact.  Maybe because when I say, "Lord, thank you for this gift you've given me," I'm acknowledging that the specific thing I'm thankful for didn't just come into my life because I was in the right place at the right time, or because I worked really hard, or because a friend chose to bless me, or because I just happened to be born in America.  The baby in my arms, a thank-you card from my son, and yesterday morning's fog are all gifts, directly from my Daddy's hand.

How's your list coming?

23.  baby coos

24.  a friend to chat with in the nursing moms' room

25.  cinnamon brooms

26.  watching my friend's kids grow up--and loving them

27.  my daughter's gratefulness

28.  a teen who gets up early to complete schoolwork

29.  Classical Conversations :-)

30.  my son's band

31.  the piano music coming from his bedroom

32.  people encouraging my kids to live for God

33.  dinner at church

34.  lemon cake

35.  down comforter

36.  fall quilts

37.  new mirror

38.  time

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