We’re going to catch a whole den

We’re not scared…

OH, YES WE ARE!

 Yes, we have snakes or did. I not sure if they are still out there (in the backyard) or not. We spotted them last Saturday – not all together, but here and there throughout the yard – uncomfortably close to the house. Little baby snakeletts.

We tried to catch the first one we saw…but he was fast and escaped…we weren’t prepared. The others were spotted later in the day…one by the yard guy and another by my hubby. Mark claims he actually saw two at a time…I personally hope it was the same snake. I’m not very fond of snakes…and where there are little snakes, there is a big snake….yikes!

Later that night I told Mark that he would have to do something.  I told him that I couldn’t live peacefully with a den of snakes in the backyard and possibly living under my bedroom. So Sunday after church (and football) he gathered the kids, armed them with swords, light sabers, and other assorted implements of play destruction, put on his yard gloves, grabbed a pillow case (I think he planned to catch it/them) and went on a snake hunt.

I’m sad (or is it relieved) to say that no snakes were found (or even seen) although they did find a snake skin, several lizards, a few geckos, a very large toad and…Mark finally threw away last year’s Christmas tree (Praise the Lord!).

Hee, hee, hee…here are the pics.

(Bethany drew chalk hearts and crosses on all the windows. Nice huh?)

(Yes, we have a beautiful, yard enhancing electrical box in our backyard. I wouldn't be surprised  if a few snakes live under there.)

(This is where last year's Christmas tree has been turning into compost...along with half of the boxes from last Christmas. Don't ask!)

(This is what we found underneath the Christmas tree after my dear hubby very bravely removed it and half a dozen half-way decomposed boxes. Believe me it was a huge relief considering what we expected to find.)

Today the weather has turned beautiful again (after a rainy, hot week) and Bethany is refusing to go outside. I guess if I want them to go out I’m going to have to take them on another snake hunt…or run around with a stick thrashing the grass. Isn't that how you scare snakes off? Hmmm....

And this in the burbs!

If you have any thoughts on how to get rid of these beastly things, please send them my way. Btw, I have no idea what type of snakes they are. They or rather it (the one I saw) was brown with dark brown/black rings. I couldn’t really see the tail, but it looked to be all one color - brown.

blessings,

dani                     

Be strong and courageous. (Joshua 1:9)

Are you good at wasting time?

I am. I’ve been sitting here waaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyy too long staring at my computer…wasting time.

There are, of course, a lot of things I need to do. Here is a partial list:

1. Go to the grocery – I need some chicken for dinner.

2.  Clean up the house                        

3. Put away school supplies

4. Clean the bathrooms – my least favorite thing to do after paying bills.

5.  Plan

6. Read

7. Go and look at where the ants are coming in under the door – per Bethany who wants me to come and look.

Luckily, Mark won’t be home early tonight…so I should be able to finish most of these things before he arrives – or at least looking at the ants.

I guess I’ve been feeling a little blue. School didn’t go well this morning.

I often feel like I’m not allowed to complain when I have a horrible day. I guess I'm in need of a little encouragement today…it was a bad day. Getting back into the groove of schooling is hard…not only for the kids, but for me. I thought I might find some encouragement on the world wide web…but twas not so…I should have known better and curled up with a good book and a cup of tea or better yet - my bible.

Maybe I should have started this with, “Dear Diary…” Hmmm.

I should have spent some time in prayer.

Sorry. Guess I’ll go get busy. Bess is waking from her nap and I’d like to have the house clean before we leave for the store. If we do…maybe I can find something else that we can eat…Hmmmm...maybe some kind of Taco Soup.

Today we read about Benjamin Franklin so I guess I’ll follow his advice and “Never leave that till tomorrow which I can do today.” (Grin).

blessings,

dani

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” –Galatians 6:9

Postscript: I did make Taco Soup – my version (sans a recipe) with what I had on hand…here is what I did...cooked low-fat grain fed ground beef approx. 1lb, one can of organic pinto beans, one can of organic black beans - both drained and rinsed, one can of organic diced tomatoes with garlic and onion, about two cups of marinara (spaghetti sauce organic - no sugar), about 11/2-2 cups water – to fill the saucepan…don’t use too much or the soup will taste watery…and a few dashes of salt.  Mix all in a large sauce pan and heat until hot and the beans are tender. As I was making this I thought that it would have been a great bean soup as well…just omit the beef and increase the amount of beans. Note: Real taco soup has taco seasoning and corn…but I was in a hurry and didn’t cook mine that way. It tasted great without it.

Brandi, I thought you might like to see this.

Caleb practically begged me to plant the bulbs that you gave us last February.  I have to confess that I put it off for the longest time because I didn’t have anywhere to plant them and I’ve never had any luck with bulbs before. (I didn’t do a garden this year and without a bed I was afraid that Mark would mow them down. When I told my mom – Green Thumb Lady – that I’ve never had any success with bulbs, she laughed at me and said, “Bulbs just come up.” Guess she was right.) But, Caleb is nothing if not persistent and, as often happens, I finally gave in. So, one beautiful day last May we all went outside and dug a few holes in the ground and shoved the bulbs into the ground. I honestly didn’t think that any of them would come up, but many of them did. So far, this is the only one that has bloomed. I think it is the Spic & Span Gladiolus. It started blooming last week. Bittersweet.

A few more pictures of the same flower...

By the way, despite the fact that it took me so long to plant these, I love your idea of giving them as take home gifts after Abby’s (Was it Abby?) B-day party. You might tell the kids that we also have a little wild rabbit living in our back yard that is enjoying the flower as well. I’ll try to post a picture of him if I can get one.

blessings,

dani

“The Lord is faithful to all His promises and loving toward all He has made.” (Psalm 145:13)

Well, I’m back. I hope everyone had a wonderful, blessed Easter. I know we did. Here are a few Egg Hunting pics. The weather was dreary. There were a lot of Littles, but for some reason I only took pictures of a few of them. I think that once the bigger Littles started hunting they went so fast I didn't have time to take their picture.

(This is a picture of Abigail - the kids second cousin?)

Now, yesterday, was another thing altogether…it was informally titled by me as Grumpiest Day EVER! Everyone was so disagreeable and I mean everyone…except me of course. (Grin) This morning seems to be going better. (Praise the Lord!) The kids are quietly playing UNO by themselves…so nice.

Anyway, I have to get busy, but I wanted to share a wonderful whole food site that I stumbled upon last night…it’s called Harvest Eating. Check it out. Once you sign up (for free) you have access to lots of wonderful cooking videos, recipes, and health related information. (Kid friendly recipes too.) If you haven’t switched to organics yet, this site may induce you to do so. We are still gung-ho over here. If I knew the slightest thing about farming, which I don't, I think I would love to try it - organic farming - myself. Oh well...on a slightly different note, I have added a link on my sidebar to a blog about Asperger Syndrome – which some of you may find helpful.

blessings,

dani  

“Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.  He is not here, for he has risen, as He said.” (Matthew 28:5-6)

My life has been a rollercoaster ride lately.  Last week, was it just last week?  I think it started around November 3^rd, Bess started getting sick. (My kids haven’t been sick in a very long time.) By Tuesday of the following week I had four sick kids. At the same time, I was supposed to be preparing to speak at our Sunday school ladies night about Christ in Our Traditions – November 10^th.

On Tuesday morning, as I was reflecting on how it could be worse…for example, I could have a house full of kids with stomach flu, and I only had a house full of kids with really bad colds,…Caleb walked into the bathroom and, well, you can guess what happened next. Let’s just say it wasn’t pretty.

At the same time M had been going through a lot of craziness at work. All of a sudden the whole structure of his organization had changed and he is now reporting to a completely new boss that he doesn’t know and who doesn’t like his branch of the organization and doesn’t care that he has been working hard for eight long years. So M’s raise, his whole position is in jeopardy. Friday, the day of the ladies night, M met with this new boss and had a terrible meeting…he was basically told that he is out of a job and so are the numerous people he supervises. It devastated him.

And unfortunately, he got home from this horrible meeting and I had to rush out of the house to the ladies night. (So typical of how things work.) He had to stay home with the kids and Bessie cried the whole time I am gone. Needless to say, by the time I got back, which was late, he was frazzled…my poor dear husband. Please keep him in your prayers. We know that this battle isn’t about us…it is a spiritual battle. I keep telling him, that we must be doing some good somewhere, if Old Spotty (name taken from Thee, Hannah) is trying so hard to knock us down. Today will most likely be one of the hardest days that he has ever faced at work. His old boss has basically abandoned him. The numerous people who work for my husband have no idea what is about to befall them and I know M’s heart is very heavy for them. He is a man of honor and this underhandedness is very hard on him.

“Now Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom.  At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct…but they were unable to do so. …

The royal administrators, perfects, satraps, advisers and governors have all agreed that the king should issue an edict and enforce the decree that anyone who prays to any god or man during the next thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be thrown into the lions den. …Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem.  Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.

And he is thrown into the lions den…but is NOT devoured.

Daniel answered, O king, live forever! My God sent His angel, and He shut the mouths of the lions.  They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in His sight.  Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, O king. …And when Daniel was lifted out of the den, no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God. …At the king’s command, the men who had falsely accused Daniel were brought in and thrown into the lion’s den, along with their wives and children.  And before they reached the floor of the den, the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.”  (Daniel 6:3-4, 7, 10, 21-22, 24)

At the same time, on November 5th, around 8:00 p.m. the doorbell rang and a court servant (I can’t think of what this person is called) served us – apparently, we are being sued by our homeowners association because we have a tiny bit of mold way up on our chimney (we have a two story house and tried to clean it, but we couldn’t reach up high enough, and we haven’t had the money to hire anyone to come out.) and apparently it is a “nuisance to the neighborhood.” So, they are suing us for an enormous amount of money…crazy. God is good, though, because we do have numerous lawyer friends and one happens to work for a large prestigious firm in town and the minute M asked him for advice he told M that he would handle it. Praise God. And someone offered to clean our house – so it is now spotless.

We know that God is fighting this battle. It is His battle not ours. After all, Gideon won his battle without a fight, Joshua won his battle without a fight, Moses crossed the red sea and the Egyptians were destroyed without a fight and Daniel was protected in the lions den without a fight. God will fight the battle for us…M is not Gideon, or Joshua, or Moses, or Daniel, but he does love the Lord, and he does serve Him with his whole heart, so I am trusting that God will fight this battle for us…and if we have to be in the den with the lions for awhile…God will still be there with us. And if, like so many brave and godly people, He asks more of us…I know that good will come out of it…even if for a while we can’t see it. May He be glorified!

blessings,

dani

P.S. On a lighter note, over the next few days (God willing!) I will be posting what I shared the other night about tradition, so if you need a little boost to get you through the holidays, stop by and be refreshed.

“All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s and He will give all of you into our hands.” 

 1 Samuel 17:47

“Mom, you have to come outside, there is something out here. I think it's a skunk or maybe a puppy.”

I say, “A skunk?" I'm doubtful.

“What is it? Is it a skunk?”

“Ohhhh...no honey, they are kittens.”  They were jumbled in a heap and looked like a black and white fluff ball. The reason the kids thought they were a skunk.

Three of them curled together behind the electrical box in our backyard.  I guess they crawled through the hole under our fence. There is an electrical box in the back corner of our yard where our fence and the neighbors fence meets. What to do? There are very few cats around. Where did they come from?  I called M. He said to leave them where they were as mommy cat might return. We left them until the skies threatened rain and started to drip, then I ran them over to the Vet to ask how old they were and what I should do with them. The Vet said, “Put them back. Best case scenario mom will come back and feed them.  They are only about two weeks old.” We put them back – still in the box and waited. I decided to wait until 4:00p.m.  If mom didn’t show up by then, I would go out and buy some formula for them. About 3:30 p.m. she showed up. (We found them at 11:30 a.m.) I tried to get her to come out from behind the fence, but finally I sent the kittens through the hole in the fence to her. She hid on the other side and nursed them. I assumed that once they were done eating she would take them and find a new home, but oddly enough once they were done the kittens tumbled back through the hole in the fence and went back into their box.

Now what to do?  The kids were/are begging me to let them keep them, but the kittens need their mom and she seems to be a stray. M checked with the neighbors. One of them said that the mother cat comes by and sleeps in their garage. They agreed to keep the kittens for awhile in their garage so that the mother cat can nurse them. They said that the mother cat is not friendly and that they have never been able to catch or pet her. My kids are sad.

The kittens are the cutest little fellows. I think I've become attached to them too. I think we will be adopting soon. M said, "maybe." He told the kids to pray about it.

blessings,

dani

"The earth is filled with Your creatures."  Psalm 104:24 

Once again…scroll down and read parts 1 & 2 first.

Women who work often tell me they can’t afford to stay home. I have a hard time with this. I can’t help but wonder if it isn’t really about trusting in the Lord and being willing to sacrifice.

I look at situations like this (see previous posts) and I see God’s blessing. He doesn’t always keep us safe, He doesn’t always deliver us out of the problem, but He cares for us in the midst. He provides when we think there is nothing and no way. I can’t count the times we’ve been dead broke and God has provided. With the birth of each child He has blessed us…given us not just the joy of the child, but the money to provide for the child. It is amazing. It humbles me and floors me.

He calls us to walk in obedience…to trust…to be keepers at home, lovers of our husbands, and our children and when we do we are so blessed.

When I decided to stay home, we had nothing. We were stepping out on faith. I was leaving my job so we went on half an income. M was still in school. We lived in an apartment and had no idea if we could really pare things down and make it work, it certainly didn’t work on paper. It has been nine years now.

We were at a point recently where finances had reached a breaking point…not due to debts so much, but just everything costing too much and honestly not having enough income to make ends meet. And we only use cash – so if it isn’t there, it isn’t there. We had considered selling our house, but we live in an area where a lot of new homes are being built and homes like ours are not selling. We would have had to sell for a loss and we really did not want to do that.

I had been praying about getting a job or taking in a child…but I’d also been praying that God would provide supernaturally. That he would provide a reliable second car that would cost us nothing. (We have had one car for 8 years.) And He did this recently.  Praise God! I was also praying that He would give M a raise…a sizable raise. I wasn’t praying for piddles. And before all this mess with the toilet happened we found out that his raise/position had been grated. (Praise the Lord!) Beyond even what I had prayed for! (Praise the Lord!)We haven’t felt the blessing yet, but it is coming. By mid-November it will be in effect. Once again God has provided supernaturally…Great is the Lord and worthy to be praised. I had to pray a long time…but God is faithful. His timing is not our timing. Don’t tell me this can’t be done…I’ve seen it over, and over, and over again. 

May showers of blessings fall upon all of you who have stepped out in faith and taken the road less traveled – back to the heart of the home.

“If My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land,”  says the Lord.  2 Chronicles 7:14

Jesus said, “I will do whatever you ask in My name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father.  You may ask Me for anything in My name, and I will do it.”  John 14:13-14

“I wait for You, O Lord; You will answer, O Lord my God.”  Psalm 38:15

“He will call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him,” says the Lord.  Psalm 91:15

blessings,

dani

“Abraham did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what He had promised.”  Romans 4:20-21

Note…if you are seeing/reading this for the first time, you will want to scroll down and read part 1 first.

You’re wondering, “How can she have more to say about this?” Good question.

I wanted to talk about blessings…sounds odd I know.  But, as I said, God is good. Even though we didn’t get to see the movie, He took care of us in the midst of this mess. I don’t understand why we didn’t get to see the movie or why I felt so burdened to write about it, but God does…and that is all that matters. Now the blessings…

One - is that the bathroom floor wasn’t ruined. It doesn’t look quite as good as it did, but it isn’t too bad. It could be much worse. I don’t think we will have to replace it…and considering that water was seeping up through the floor boards this is an incredible blessing.

Two - because we knew someone, who knew a plumber, it didn’t cost us a gazillion dollars. Which after it was all said and done it would have if we’d had to call someone we didn’t know. This was an unplanned expense that certainly was not in the budget.

Third - the plumber was called in to work on his day off and therefore had to bring his huge work truck to our house and because he did he had all the equipment he needed.  If he hadn’t been called in to work, he would not have been able to fix the problem as quickly as he did and maybe not at all.

Fourth – Someone recently gave us some extra money to pay for something else, and because they gave us this money we were able to pay the plumber in cash.

So God took care of us in the midst of this. He didn’t deliver us from the problem, but He was there taking care of the details. Things didn’t work out like we had planned, but they worked out. Am I sorry that I missed the movie?  Yes.  But, it’s okay. Life rarely works out like we plan it and thank goodness. It just makes it more evident than ever that I am not in control but that God is.

blessings,

dani

“My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord.  “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.”  Isaiah 55:8-9