This event has passed, but the info is so good!

~ Lisa

Taken this morning before church...Julia (4) and Judah (10 months)!

Something that seems to really irk me is people who complain about money.  I don't mean those who have none for real, I mean those who have it and just blow it on nothing!!  My husband was talking with a man who makes in two days what we make all month.  This man was upset because he couldn't make it!!!    The man has a family, a house payment, and bills just like we do and we make it just fine on little more than minimum wage at a part time job!!  It just really irks me that this happens all the time!!!  And he's not the only one.  I have a couple of family members who brings home in one week what we make all month.  This one has only two kids compared to my 4, but still has rent and such.  His wife is now working part time to help meet their bills, and all I hear is complaining about how hard it is to make it!  Just makes me wanna scream!!  Here we are making it on something that puts us way below the poverty level and yet we are still making bills and other things.  It's just so unbelievable what people think they have to make!!  I guess it just goes to show you can't buy happiness.  We are doing wonderful here, well, enough to get by with anyway.  We may not go and do all kinds of running around, and shopping but we are fine.  We have yet to turn the heat on this year either.  I realize that it's almost December but if we can feel comfortable in sweats and long sleeves why use the heat if it's not neccessary!!!  We have learned real quick what we think we need and what we really do need.  I have found that a lot of our "needs" have actually been wants and we can survive without them!  Imagine that!!  I don't really need a new vacuum when my old one still works and then again, I do have a broom that will suffice!  We only have one room with carpet in it so a new vacuum is not a necessity.  I guess my rant it over!  I just need to get that off my chest!!

I'm usually excited about Thanksgiving each year. Family, friends, fun and fabulous food is something to look forward to.  This year it's not the same. It may be because I haven't focused on the what to do's and what to makes.  The only thing we've done around here is started Thanksgiving journals. Maybe over the weekend I'll get more excited about the whole thing. I could make some pumpkin bars and some eggnog bread.. that might help my mood.

I think we'll do a family craft together. We've done one when my eldest two where younger. Now that I have five children it will be more fun.

We'll make a Thanksgiving tree.
I'll cut out a tree base out of construction paper and then all my children, my hubbs and I can cut out a bunch of our traced hands in fall colors, and then glue them to the tree.
I think it'll look real neat this year with all the different sized hands.

What about you? Do you do any family crafts together?

Welcome and soon to be Happy Thanksgiving!  Are you like me and still in need of that last minute run to the grocery store? I have a list that is huge but I hesitate to get it. Why? After all the big day is just days away!

This year has been rough on me physically. I am spending most of my day in a wheelchair now due to possible MS. I am use to being up and cooking for hours on Thanksgiving day. I wake up early and cook through the day making all sorts of special side dishes, baked goods and of course the big turkey. This year I physically can't do it.

How many of you also deal with these restraints? Maybe not a mobility issues but a fatigue issue. How do we accomplish this grand plan without leaving us useless or not able to finish? For me Thanksgiving has highlighted a problem that I have been ignoring for a couple weeks now.

I need to realize my weaknesses and plan accordingly. I tend to plan with high hopes and higher expectations of myself. If I don't reach those I can get discouraged and guilty feeling. This is not how the Lord wishes me to be. Paul exhorts believers to be strong and run the good race.

I now realize that my race may be slower than others. I chose to keep running. I chose to not stop. I need to learn to pace myself. This Thanksgiving may not be like we have had in the past. I believe it will be better!

If you are dealing with physical problems stop blaming yourself for the differences between your family and the "normal" family. You are normal, for you!

So join me in being thankful to the Lord for where we are right now! Blessings to you and your family! Happy Thanksgiving

Heather lives in West Virginia. She and her husband have been homeschooling their 5 children for 8 years.  Due to a genetic disorder their children have multiple special needs. Living life to the fullest for the glory of God is their goal!  Visit Heather's page at  www.homeschoolblogger.com/gfcfmomofmany/ or at Special Needs Homeschooling.

At Christmas time, people sing the song, "The Twelve Days of Christmas," but few know  of the rich Christmas symbols behind the words of the song.  They often think that "The Twelve Days of Christmas" as the days preceding the Christmas holiday. In reality, Epiphany is the time of the Christian celebration that starts December 25 and lasts until January 6, a duration of 12 days. This marks the Church's celebration of Jesus as the Light of the world and its remembrance of the pilgrimage of the three wise men.

Beginning December 25 until January 6, each day was a part of the Christmas celebration. As a time to show mercy and compassion, each day was spent by doing selfless acts of giving and loving generosity. Other cultures show that gift giving was not entirely done on a single day, but in fact, as the carol goes, spread throughout the entire Christmas season.

The Church in England was prohibited from practicing their faith openly or in private from 1558 until 1829. It was then that "The Twelve Days of Christmas" song was written to be sung in public without fear of imprisonment. It became a type of catechism. The words to the song are an allegory with two meanings: the literal meaning and the figurative meaning known only to Christian followers.

Each word in the song represents something in a religious context. God is represented as "true love." "Me" symbolizes the members called upon to receive these gifts as a Christian. The partridge in a pear tree given on the first day as a symbol of Jesus Christ coming to save mankind.

Try and discover the meaning of the remaining days as you go over the words to the song:

On the first day of Christmas, my true love sent to me A partridge in a pear tree.

On the second day of Christmas, my true love sent to me Two turtle doves, And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the third day of Christmas, my true love sent to me Three French hens, Two turtle doves, And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the fourth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me Four calling birds, Three French hens, Two turtle doves, And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the fifth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me Five golden rings, Four calling birds, Three French hens, Two turtle doves, And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the sixth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me Six geese a-laying, Five golden rings, Four calling birds, Three French hens, Two turtle doves, And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the seventh day of Christmas, my true love sent to me Seven swans a-swimming, Six geese a-laying, Five golden rings, Four calling birds, Three French hens, Two turtle doves, And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the eighth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me Eight maids a-milking, Seven swans a-swimming, Six geese a-laying, Five golden rings, Four calling birds, Three French hens, Two turtle doves, And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the ninth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me Nine ladies dancing, Eight maids a-milking, Seven swans a-swimming, Six geese a-laying, Five golden rings, Four calling birds, Three French hens, Two turtle doves, And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the tenth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me Ten lords a-leaping, Nine ladies dancing, Eight maids a-milking, Seven swans a-swimming, Six geese a-laying, Five golden rings, Four calling birds, Three French hens, Two turtle doves, And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the eleventh day of Christmas, my true love sent to me Eleven pipers piping, Ten lords a-leaping, Nine ladies dancing, Eight maids a-milking, Seven swans a-swimming, Six geese a-laying, Five golden rings, Four calling birds, Three French hens, Two turtle doves, And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me Twelve drummers drumming, Eleven pipers piping, Ten lords a-leaping, Nine ladies dancing, Eight maids a-milking, Seven swans a-swimming, Six geese a-laying, Five golden rings, Four calling birds, Three French hens, Two turtle doves, And a partridge in a pear tree.

How did you do?

____________________

Copyright Stephen Beck, 2009
You have permission to reprint this article as long as you don't make any changes and include the bio below.

Kerry Beck offers free advent calendars with daily Christmas projects to prepare you for Christmas. You will discover a lot about Epiphanythrough her projects.  You can get her FREE Advent Calendar countdown at http://www.ChristmasCelebrationIdeas.com.

I have had this blog since June of 2005, way back when homeschoolblogger was in beta. I was invited by two dear friends, ByHisGraceInColorado and HomegrownHearts and became hooked. For three years I blogged almost daily or at least three to four days a week. I had many readers and I met a lot of neat like-minded folks. This year was different. I didn't have the energy. I spent my days drained and even though I had creative learning ideas to share I would sit here and stare at my computer. The words just could not flow out the way they used to.

That is changed! I am back. I have my energy back and I feel great!

I haven't thought much about Thanksgiving this year. We will be going over to my grandmothers home. I'm supposed to make mashed potatoes and eggnog bread.

Kids learning: I started my two eldest on Time4Learning. I figure it will give them something different to do plus it will give me a bit more time to focus on my little ones. I have two more that are learning to read.
I'll let you know what my kids think of time4learning in a few weeks when they've been doing it for a while. The nice thing about it is there are no contracts and we can go month to month.

The Power of Thank You!