My thoughts, my dreams and day to day happenings:) Mother of four wonderful children, homeschooling, Godly living and whatever else comes to mind. Be blessed. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ByGodsGrace/ en-us Homeschool Blogger Sat, 29 Nov 2008 09:01:00 -0600 Sat, 29 Nov 2008 09:01:00 -0600 It has been a very long time since I have made an entry. Life has changed so much since the last one and I felt I needed to update you ladies on our lives. The children are all doing very well at school. I am working full time and about to start a second job. One major thing that has changed is I am presently going through a pretty tough divorce. I hate to inform yall of this but, I felt the need to.  It has been a long time coming and there were situations that just could not be worked through, So once again I find myself a single/working mom. I know that God has his hand on me because he has made the transition so smooth for me and the children. I refuse to speak ill of my soon to be ex husband. He is still a man of God and I know what the bible says of doing something like that. So I will just say we have too many differences when it comes to parenting styles, our main faith, mainly the discipline of our children, and what it means biblically for a man to be head of home and a wifes role too. I love my job as a weight loss consultant. Hopefully within the next few weeks I will have a job that the hours and pay will work better with my children's school schedule. My oldest has made tremendous improvements since the separation as well as my daughter. We all see a christian therapist to help us through this time. I am no longer teaching the women of the church due to the fact I felt it was not proper with our family situation so I stepped down from the ministry. However, I do continue to seek God in all my decisions and have found a new Home church that my children and I absolutely love. It is much larger than my former church but the Spirit of God is just as present and I love the way the pastor preaches/teaches. I am going through a process of relearning the Word of God. I feel that much of my personal beliefs have been out of a fear (not the proper fea) of God and it takes time to learn the real meaning behind each scripture that I read. I am also planning on joining a study group at the church I now attend. So there it is, the update. I hope and pray everyone has a blessed Holiday season and a very Merry CHRISTmas. Just remember...."the reason for the season, is only Christ Jesus". Love and miss you all. Oh and please do put me on any and all prayer list, my children too. This will be a very different Christmas for us. Pray that my finances be blessed also. Thanks. Be blessed. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ByGodsGrace/625672/ Sat, 29 Nov 2008 09:01:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ByGodsGrace/625672/ Hi everyone. I know it has been a while since my last entry. Much has happened here in our household and changes to my homeschooling journey have been made and are now in effect. I know I planned on continuing through High School but sometimes life has a way of making your decisions for you, complicated situations make what you thought was the best for you children turn out to be not the best at certain times. So I have decided, after much prayer and counseling, to place my children back in the public school system for now. I could go into a detailed reason of why, but instead I will say it is what I feel is best for our family at this time. On a positive note. the children tested at higher levels than I could have imagined they would have. My 11 tr old son who should (by the ps system) be hitting the 6th grade tested at the end of 12th grade for Language Arts, the end of 8th grade for Math and reading. I decided, with the help of the couselour and principle, to place him in 6th with the children his age but he was placed in the Honors Math and Honors English. If at the end of the first 9 weeks he is bored we may place him up in the next grade. My daughter 10, who i thought was a little behind, actually tested at a grade higher than she should be and almost 2 yrs ahead in Reading. Her spelling was right on target! So God is good and I know that He will protect them while they are there. I can have peace in knowing that the schools they attend have many, many Christian teachers and even the Principle is a believer. The schools still allow you to carry a bible. they have the "In God We Trust" plaques throughout the offices and hallways. So I know they are safe for now. Was this a hard decision? Yes, a very hard one. However, sometimes what we want, is not what is in His plan at the same time it is in ours. I do believe that in the last few years, they have had a chance to be rooted and grounded in God's Word at that will make a major difference in their daily walk with him when they are surrounded by others with a different faith. I feel that their characters have grown into that of godly children and they are firm in their faith in the Lord. I wont be blogging as often, as the pastor has asked me to really step up in the Ladies Ministry he has placed me in as the leader. I will be focusing more time there. And of course, as we all know helping the children with their homework and just focusing on our family issues and my duties as a mother and a wife, can take a good amount of time. I will not be leaving HSB completely. I plan to still do the Thankful Thursday and journal as I have in the past. I solute all of you who have stuck with the homeschooling even in the midst of dark trials in your life. Be blessed and have a great week. Be back on Thursday! Stacy http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ByGodsGrace/572942/ Mon, 11 Aug 2008 08:53:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ByGodsGrace/572942/ (To see more Thankful Thursdays click on the graphic above) What a blessing it is to participate this week in the Thankful Thursday meme. I have missed being online but have had so much going on here at home that finding the time to blog has been almost impossible. Thank God that the week is almost over and He has been with me the whole time. He is such an awesome God. Iris's focus this weeks really hits home with me for so many reasons. I will blog about that another time, I must get to my TT for now :o) First of all I thank God for the relationship I have with him. I have the comfort of knowing that my Heavenly Father loves me, desires to spend time with me, forgives me, encourages me, helps me up when I fall, send others in my path to keep me on the stright and narrow, and much more. I thank the Lord for sending his only Son so that I could have a one on one personal relationship with him. I thank God for a good relationship with my pastor. I did not grow up with the luxury of having a father that loved me the way he should have, with a "fatherly" love. I believe that God has placed me in the church I am in with the pastor that I have because he knew I needed that in my life. I am a 34 yr old woman that sometimes needs a daddy to talk to, to lean on, to cry to, and so on. My pastor is this to me. This week has been one of those weeks I needed a daddy and he has been there for me in all those ways. Oh, God thank you for Pastor Orean. Thank you for the love he has for his people. Thank you for placing him in my life, for all the times past, but especially this week. I thank God for the relationships I have with each of my children. Though at this time, one is away and Lord, I have put that in your hands and praise God you are bringing him home tomorrow, I thank you for teach of my precious children. Thank you for the connection we have that no one and no thing can take away. You have given me my children and Lord, I know they are all safe in your hands. As long as I follow your lead, I'll not lead them in the wrong direction. Thank you Lord for my husband. At this moment things may not look good but I know God you are a miracle worker. Thank you for placing us together and Lord thank you for mending the things that are broken at this time. Thank you Lord that my husband is a man that serves you. Thank you Lord for the friendships you have given me in the last few months. Thank you for my neighbors who now attend church with us. Thank you for sending them our way, even in the midst of our storm, to help them out of theirs and lead them to the Peace speaker...You Lord. Thank you for my SIL and BIL who came to visit us and attend church with us tonight. Thank you Lord, that I can talk to them and they are not biased, but honest, God fearing, God loving people who speak Your Word into our lives. Thank you especially for my SIL who let me know that no matter what, she is there for me. Lord, that means so much. Thank you Lord for my mother. A rock in my life. Thank you for the teaching she has instilled into me to always rely on you. Thank you for moving her to MS so that I could be close to her always. Thank you for the love she has for my husband and my children, and yes especially for the love and confidence she has in me when I don't. Thank you Lord for the Ladies on here that continue to be a support to me. Encouraging even when they don't know that they are. You Lord send me searching the blogs and lead to the ones that you would have me read. Thank you that these Ladies continue to shed light, your light, to all who read their blogs. Thank you Lord for my son, my 11 yr old. Who is not afraid to show his relationship with you out in the open. I thank You God for the personal relationship he has found with you. Lord I pray that you continue to do might works in and through him. He is yours Lord. Thank you for the relationship I have with my ex MIL. She is such a blessing to me and my children. Thank you for the love you have placed in her heart for me and the ties between her and I. Lord, I know she is battling right now, bless her, even now I pray. The Lord has shown up a lot in my life this week. Shown me that every relationship He has ordained will stand. Satan will come and try to kill, still, and destroy but God is in control and nothing can stand in the way of His plan for me, for us. What are you thankful for this week? Share and be blessed. Click on the graphic at the top of this post to read more Thankful Thursdays. Stacy http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ByGodsGrace/568365/ Thu, 31 Jul 2008 22:53:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ByGodsGrace/568365/ I received this in an email from a friend this morning. Please, Please pray for this little girl and her family. "Would you please send this out to all of our prayer warriors and ask them to pray without ceasing. A friendʼs 9 yr old little girl was riding a golf cart when the front wheel fell off. Evidently, it rolled on her. When her daddy found her, she had no pulse and was not breathing. She was not even stable enough to be air lifted from ******** Hospital to Childrenʼs in New Orleans. Childrenʼs sent a bus equipped with an ICU team. This a.m. about 5:30 her temp shot to 106 and her heart rate to 160. They managed to get it down to 103 and heart rate to 130. She is packed in ice and is on life support. At one point she was trying to breathe on her own. This child has been given a 10 -20% chance. PLEASE, PLEASE pray for this child and her family. I know God has his plan and we donʼt always understand it, but please pray for this family. Her name is Laken Lumpkin. She is the daughter of Alan and Melissa Lumpkin. Hugs to all, Kim" Thanks for your much needed prayer, Stacy UPDATE: UPDATE: I received another email from my friend regarding this little girl. "They took the little girl off life support last night. She died. They did this because they said she had no brain waves." Please continue to pray for the family at this very sad time in their lives. And remember to grab your kids and love them up today. Thank you for the much needed prayers. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ByGodsGrace/564951/ Thu, 24 Jul 2008 08:22:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ByGodsGrace/564951/              I can't believe a week has almost gone by and I haven't blogged. It's been a bit busy here and the house has been pretty full too. I have tried to cut my pc time down some so I can really study my book this time around. I know, yall are probably tired of hearing about it so I'll stop there. Well, my 11yr old son is spending the week in Alabama with his cousin. Our niece is spending the week here with us. My daughter has made a new friend that recently moved into the neighborhood. She is only 7yrs old but loves to spend time here at our house.  My dd10 seems to get along fine with any little girls that are between the ages of 6-12. The girls have been attending our churches VBS this week. Actually it is a Cowboy/Cowgirl Bible camp.     Something a little different then the others they have attended. They are loving it.  All of them are enjoying the horseback riding and learning to lasso with the ropes. Yes, they are girly girls and enjoy all the outdoorsy stuff too! Today the teaching was on Jesus giving His life for us!  At dinner time I had each of them tell me what they had learned from the message. They said John 3:16 and John 3:5.   My dd's new friend that lives across the street from us is attending with my dd. Her mother asked if we had a church bus, we don't right now.  I told her she could ride with us each Sunday morning and the little girl seemed so excited.  I am so glad that our  church is growing. Soon we will need a church bus.         So what else is new? I have another teen living with us. Long story, so I'll try to make it short. We have known him and his family for about 12 years now. My oldest and him have been friends since kindergarten. He called last week, about Wednesday, and asked if he could move in with us. He has a great family. They are believers so he knows the truth. He is 17 yrs old and the parents are in their late 60's and 70's.  He's a great kid and just wants to move and the parents are comfortable with him being here instead of on his own. It is just a trial run right now and we are all taking it one day at a time. So please keep us in prayer that we make godly decisions with him and always for his good. Teens......Even though I have one I still am so new to this phase of parenting. Much prayer is needed for guidance dealing with them the way they will understand we are for them and not against them. It has been a pretty busy week so far and it is only Wednesday!! I know God has good plans ahead for us. I have to head out now and pick the boys up from the youth service they attend on Wednesday evenings. Have a blessed evening. Stacy http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ByGodsGrace/564688/ Wed, 23 Jul 2008 15:17:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ByGodsGrace/564688/ Names: Top Row from left to right: Sister Donna, Sister Nikki (also my SIL),  Sis Kim (Pastors wife), Sister Cori, Sister Stacey (My hubby's niece), Sister Melissa, Sister Jackie, Sister Melinda, Sister Sharon. Bottom Row, Left to Right: Sister Angie, Sister Rhonda ( one of my new friends and my oldest sons BFF's mom), Sister Helen (an absolute angel), Sister Geri (my mother). The Ladies meeting yesterday was much better than expected. The Lord has blessed above and beyond that which I could have ever imagined. The meeting was due to start at 1:00 p.m. I arrived about 12:15 with my neighbor, whom I had invited on Saturday, and 2out of my four children. I opened the door and was just blown away by the way Sis. Helen had prepared everything. It was so beautifully arranged and decorated. This little lady had prepared the tables for the ladies. At the table in the place of each seat sat a very precious, decorated gift bag. Inside the gift bag, a small ceramic birdhouse. Now you all know I love almost anything to do with birds and yes, I did get me one of those gift bags....after the first and second and third person opened them, I decided there was enough for me to have one too . Really, she had extras and told me I could have one too! How could I pass it up??? She had the meal, the decorations, the games....the whole thing with the exception of my speaking, arranged and ready to go! I was absolutely blown away. I believe that this is the beginning of a whole new year for us ladies and thank God for the help, the partnership he has placed between her and I. She teaches us how to organize, have fun, and much more. Have I ever mentioned that this (organization) is one of my biggest challenges? I am terrible at it! God knows our needs and provides even in these areas! He's such an awesome God! We had a great turn out for this meeting, seeing as it has been months since the last one. There were 15 ladies and a large number of children. Even a few teens in there! I know next months will be even better. The Lord really blessed, the fellowship was just awesome and the food was delicious. Jambalaya and loads of desserts, did I mention we are in Southeast MS??? Sis Helen opened up with a game to name 12 women of the old testament and 12 of the new. Each person had a paper similar to that of a bingo card and the ladies all did a great job. Once everyone had finished filling in the squares with the names they could come up with, she gave out prizes for 1st, 2nd ,and 3rd place. If I remember correctly there were a few ties and of course, Sister Helen was prepared for that and had extra prizes prepared . Once she finished with her part, she then opened the floor for me to speak.  Now, I must admit I was extremely nervous because it has been a while since I got up in front of the ladies and taught. My belly was flip flopping and those butterflies were going crazy in there.However, thanks be to God, He already had my teaching laid out for me. He is an on time God! I introduced the book (Joyce Meyer-Conflict Free Living), gave them out (BTW- I have to order 10 more!!!) And just shared from a chapter in the book that had really touched my heart. From there, the Lord took over and to be perfectly honest I don't know much of what I said. I would love to be able to share but, I had no script as time here at home had not allowed for me to get my notes together (this time). I just tried to let the Lord lead and before I knew it, almost an hour had passed by. I guess I really enjoy talking . Oh and yea, those butterflies must have flew away because they weren't bothering me anymore. If any of you have bought this book, I shared from chapter four titled "The Pastor Must not like Me". The focus mainly being on how to keep strife and conflict out of the church.  Every church that I know of has had a battle that is similar. So, I thought it would be a great way to start. Now what we are doing is reading one chapter a month, then coming together to discuss the summary and reflections at the end of each chapter. I still can not say enough about how grateful I am to God for allowing me to be a part of such a great group of ladies. It is such a blessing to know that you are walking into a room full of women that are hungry for the Word of God and eager to learn together, how to apply His Word into their everyday lives. I thank the Lord for allowing me to do what He has called me to do, for not giving up on me and for sending help my way. Ladies, I may have been down for a bit, but I am climbing back up and it sure feels good to be on the right track once again. The photo below is with me included, another lady and I had to switch places so everyone could get into the shot. Be blessed, Stacy http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ByGodsGrace/561620/ Tue, 15 Jul 2008 21:49:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ByGodsGrace/561620/ (To see more Thankful Thursdays click on the graphic above) "In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." Proverbs 3:6 Seems I was just writing my last TT post. This last week has flown by. There are many things I could focus on this week like family time, good fellowship, a clean house (clean at the moment) I am caught up laundry ( a load is always in the washer), good food, a roof over my head, friends, money, a great summer so far, a son that makes great sweet tea at 11 yr old, my dd's (10) room is clean (a miracle), the grass is cut finally and for free at that (5.2 acres), my son cutting an elderly friends yard for FREE ( I am so proud of him), the child my son used to get in trouble with has moved to another state (answered prayer) an no longer lives a stones throw from the house, I don't hurt in my body as much today as I have for the past three weeks, another friend from another state asking me questions about homeschooling her 11 yr old dd, and on this could go. I am truly blessed and living a blessed life. But my focus this week is on the Lord hearing my prayer and leading me in the ministry He has called me to. It is on Him giving me clear, unmistakeable direction in what He would have me to teach. He has answered yet another prayer. We do serve an all hearing, miracle making, need providing, peace giving, life directing God. Those are but a pinch of His attributes and awesomeness. So here is my TT post for this week. I am thankful that the Lord has answered my prayer  (Psalms66:19-20)by sending me a good book/study guide to share with the ladies at our monthly meetings. I was so nervous about starting these back up and being unprepared and then my mother came by with two good books for me. She let me choose which one I wanted to read first and she would read the other. I chose the book by Joyce Meyer and the more I read it the more I realized this was God's way of leading me on what to teach. Thank you Lord for supplying the need. I am thankful that when I went to my pastor and shared with him a bit of this book he said yes to my request to use it to teach the ladies. Not only that but the church supplied the funds to buy 15 books from www.christianbook.com. I was not sure how many to order until we start up. Hopefully we will need more:-) I thank God for direction in my life. For a little while there I felt lost, unsure of my calling. I had backed up and away from what I thought the Lord had called me to do.I knew I had been told by many that I was called to the ministry, I was a Jonah once again and once it started going good, I dropped out.  I thank God for sending confirmation by people that go to my church and those that don't know anyone at my church to let me know, this is my calling and if I don't do it I am being disobedient to the Lord. That is a scary thought. Thank God for correction for as my pastor has said many times, "Without correction there is no direction!". I thank God for Sister Helen. She is the churches 4-6 yr old SS teacher. She called me a few weeks ago and explained to me how that I need to be doing as God has anointed me to do. Not only that but that she would organize everything for me, she would be completely and totally committed to being my assistant, she will help with the many little ones that were between the ages of 2-11 and have something set up to keep them busy while I teach to keep the distractions down. I thought I would just "attend" her meetings and see how they go but she bluntly told me (she is in her 70's) that I was going to be teaching and she was going to be my assistant and that was that. She said, "Girl, YOU know what you are supposed to be doing, This is your anointing not mine. Now get back up and DO IT!". How could I look at her and say no when I know God has placed her in this spot for such a time as this?? I know that God has made a way where there seemed to be no way, once again!  I am thankful for this book, not only for the meetings but because it has helped me to focus on what needs to change in me! Oftentimes I am so busy looking at my children or my husband that I don't realize how much I am focusing on their negative points. As if I don't have plenty of these too. Well, this book is teaching me how to live a conflict free life and I can not tell you how much has changed in just this short time. I know I have mentioned this book already but it is such a blessing that it was given to me and now not only will it help me and my family as a whole but many families in our church and I am sure many others around the world. I thank God for leading me beside the still waters. ( for restoring my soul, for leading me in the paths of righteousness for His names sake.(Ps 23) It feels so good to know that you know that you know when God is leading you in the right direction. Where He leadeth I will follow. I pray that you are having a blessed week. I pray that if you need direction in any area of your life, you will call upon the Lord and He will hear your cry. I pray that the peace and love of God surround you as never before and you hear His voice today. In Jesus Name, Amen. Thanks to Iris always, for hosting Thankful Thursday. It has been, and is such a blessing to my soul. To find out more about Thankful Thursday head on over to Thankful Thursday. Be blessed, Stacy http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ByGodsGrace/559305/ Thu, 10 Jul 2008 13:59:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ByGodsGrace/559305/ We had a nice 4th although we didn't do the fireworks this year. My little one is still not into them and actually afraid of the noises that they make! We had a cookout and some friends and family over. I ate way too much! Paying for it this morning when I stepped on that scale and weighed 3 lbs more than Friday morning. Oh well, I will eat healthy this week . We had a house full last week with my four children, one of my oldest sons friends and then two cousins stayed from Sat-Fri. Today is quiet with only my youngest home.My oldest went to cut a friends grandmothers yard and the middle two are at grandma's house. I love my mom. She always knows when I am in need of a break. Am I resting? No after last week and the cook out, my house needed more cleaning so that's what I have done today. The rain has put a little damper on my laundry duties (hate using the dryer~$$$$) but I got 4 loads done before 4pm so I guess I am doing good. I think I need to join the Monday Meandering ladies. I would have done good today . Not so great though because we are having hamburger helper for dinner. Why is it that feel like a cheater when I cook that? Though it is far and few between and the kiddo's love it, my hubby isn't the biggest fan. How can I spice it up??? Not sure what the rest of this weeks menu looks like. I need to go grocery shopping and make the menu plan. I've just been making it up as we go. I started a new book and already on chapter 10! It's by Joyce Meyer and titled, "Conflict Free Living". Boy do I ever need that. So far I highly recommend it. I actually went to my pastor and asked if I could order more for the Ladies meetings that I will start teaching again next week. We will only be having them once a month for now until my health improves and I can do more. I read him (my pastor) an small portion of one of the chapters and he said yes. The treasury of the church gave me the $$ and I ordered them Thursday or Friday. So where I had no real study text for the meetings planned yet, now I do. Thank You Jesus! The chapter I read him a bit of is titled "The Pastor must not like me."  It covers the issues of strife in almost any relationship from marriage, church, parents and children, friends and so on. I believe that we as woman of God need more instruction in these areas. So this is what we will be studying. I will try (no promises) to share our monthly meetings on here as I can. I am so very excited that my two new friends have said that they plan on attending. Now where one is a SS teacher and very active in her church (just returned from a missions trip), the other does not attend church and has had a bad experience with a church so she shies away from them and "Religious" people. This is a very big step for her. I know the Lord is working in this friendship. She has really been a blessing to me and so I pray that these meetings be a blessing to her. Oh news on my hubby's job. He landed a very big commercial contract (Thanks to the Lord). He will be busy for a while. They already have him another job lined and, well I should say, more jobs lined up... one right after the other. I feel so blessed. These are very large commercial jobs like schools, airports, gas stations, and such. He has the floors and the walls!!!! Praise be to God! I can not explain how much he has been blessing. I almost feel like I am boasting but I promise you, I am boasting only in the Lord for He alone brings the increase. Well, I better get bk to work and cooking. The man of the house and the kiddo's will be arriving soon with hungry tummy's, so I must be prepared. I hope you all had a wonderful blessed holiday weekend and have a very blessed week in Christ Jesus. Stacy http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ByGodsGrace/557792/ Mon, 7 Jul 2008 15:41:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ByGodsGrace/557792/ (For more thankful Thursdays or to join please click th graphic above) "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." John 15:13 I popped in to see what Iris had posted as her focus for the Thankful Thursday this week. Reading her post really reminded me of all the things that have to do with Freedom that I am truly thankful to God for. We live in a time where liberties are being taken away, but we as Americans still enjoy so many freedoms that those in other countries do not have. So now as I reflect on my freedoms, I want to thank God and our troops for laying their lives on the line for us. I thank God for sending His only son Jesus Christ to come and live a life here on earth, give up His life in Heaven, where everything is perfect, to die for us. I thank God also for those that are stationed in other countries fighting for the freedoms we enjoy each day. The troops that leave their friends and families to fight in countries for not only our freedom, but the freedom of those in countries like Iraq, Afghanistan, and many others.These are place that we all now, they are hated for even being there by the very ones they are fighting for. That my friends, is a sacrifice I don't know that I could do! Could you? I am thankful for the wives and families, mothers, daughters, fathers, sisters, and brothers who wait for the safe return of their absent loved ones that are in our military. May God truly bless you all this Independence Day weekend, and every week to follow. I am thankful that I have the freedom to homeschool. I am thankful for those in the states that are fighting the legal system to keep this right. I am thankful that they are taking a stand. I am thankful for organizations like HSLDA who fight for the homeschoolers. If you do not support them, please try to. They believe in the right to homeschool and have come to the rescue of many a homeschooling families. I feel more comfortable with that ID card because I can give each of my children one and when/if they are harrased for supposedly being truant from the PS System, they in turn can pull it out and it shuts the mouths of the accusers! I Thank God for the freedom to share His Word with whomever I choose. This is a freedom that many people, in many others countries do not have. They lay their lives on the line if they so much as say the name of Jesus or have even a scripture, not page, but a single scripture on them or in their home. In some countries if they convert from the national religion, the price to pay for proclaiming Christ as their Lord and savior is death. Oh I thank God that I am here, in the US, for such a time as this. I am thankful for friends, family and brothers and sisters in Christ that are not offended by my firm beliefs in Christ. Though I falter and fail too many times , they can still see Jesus in me when I get back up (by the strength He alone gives me) dust myself off. Do my best to forget those things that are behind, and press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. (Php.3:13-14) I am thankful for the freedom to have as many children as the Lord sees fit to give me. Again, there are countries that the families are limited, by law, on the number of children they are allowed to have. Although, we only have four and my husband has had the surgery to prevent us from having more, I know that we always have in between 4-13 children in our home at a time because God sees fit for our home to be a place of refuge for many children other than our own and if He wants us to have more we could be that 1% that even with the surgery, still conceive. I thank God for freedom from sin. Now Sisters, this is a big one. I lived a life full of sin (as I am sure many of us have). I was bound by addictions to drugs, alcohol, bad relationships, you name it, I've probably done it! I had an addictive personality, as the I am so thankful that He paid the ultimate price for such a wretch like me. I thank him that I am purchased by the Blood of the Lamb. I have been made whole. I am free and whom the Son set's free is free indeed! The list could go on but I must go and get myself and the kids ready for church this evening, which by the way, I am so thankful God has placed me in and I am free to attend, because I live in the United States. Is there something that stands out to you about Freedom this week? Would you like to join or maybe read more Thankful Thursday posts? If so please visit Iris over at Thankful Thursday ~ Freedom and start clicking away at the names listed below her post. May the Lord bless you and keep you safe this Holiday weekend. May we not forget to pray for the troops that continue daily fighting for our freedoms and for the families of those that are being impacted by that fight. Be blessed, Stacy http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ByGodsGrace/555930/ Thu, 3 Jul 2008 09:10:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ByGodsGrace/555930/ (For more thankful Thursdays or to join please click th graphic above) "Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again." Luke 6:38 KJV(emphasis mine)       Okay, as of right now, I can't link up to Mr. Linky but I am bursting at the seams to share so I am starting before I can link up to Iris at Sting My Heart' Thankful Thursday.      Wow. When God gives back it's always in a big way and always right on time! I am so blessed, thankful and in awe of what God has done for us. It's so hard to even find the words to express my Gratitude. All I can say to Him is "Thank you Jesus, blessed The Rock"! Okay why am I so filled with joy?      Well, at this time we owe 3800.00 between last months mortgage, car payment and property taxes on our house . My husband work has been extremely slow, to the point he is working for someone else instead of running his own crew and making a fraction of what he normally makes. Our Electric bill went up by 200.00 (thats with me not using the dryer at all or the dishwasher since April or before)!  What else? My husband is considering taking a job that would keep him out of the home 2-3 wks a month for better pay. Meaning give up his business he has worked so hard to build. Oh yes, the strain this financial situation (ongoing for a bit now, but God always came through) has put on our marriage and the peace of our home. That's a big one.      I mean my hubby is so stressed he even mentioned that other "D" word a few times in the last month! He never does that anymore. He can not stand to be unable to provide, it brings out a different person in him.The phone got cut off and directv too ( no sprout or noggin)! So with my husband making the amount of money he is, we are, by the grace of God, getting by and eating because I finally learned how to shop at Sam's ( another blessing from the Lord) and go once a month. Boy did that make a huge difference in our grocery and house hold needs dept ! So what am I so overjoyed with???????      Well ,first of all I couldn't for the life of me figure out why I was not stressing to the max over all the bills pilling up around our heads! Every time I would start to think about it God would in one way or another divert my attention and I would focus on the house, cleaning, the kids, or what have you. You know like he was telling me, " .....think on these things." (Php 4:8). So I would, without consciously knowing it.      Okay so are you interested yet? Yesterday I go to the mailbox and there is a letter. Wow, it's not a bill. That's a miracle in itself!!!! It states that in just  a matter of days we will be receiving $6400.00, then an additional $300.00 a month from now till I don't know when! Yes I said 6400.00 in the next few days plus an additional $3600.00 per year, instantaneously added to our income! This is money we did not know was due to us. Had no idea on this earth! That is enough to catch up and some to set aside!      Now why did I use this scripture at the beginning of my post? Well a few weeks ago I did some work for my mother. She paid me $100.00. As soon as I had cashed the check, I felt the Lord was telling me to give it to a family in much need. I must admit that at first looking into that bank envelope, I wanted to hold onto the money ((((embarrassed)))). We were broke, besides that in the negative at the bank. However, I obeyed. I have been in this long enough to know when it's God tugging at my heart. So I immediately drove to where this single mother works (and she homeschools) and gave her the money. She reluctantly took it. I know thats hard being on the opposite end. I have been there so many times. I prayed that the Lord would have her take it. He did. I knew God would give it back. I had no idea it would be this big. POINT: WE CAN NEVER OUT GIVE GOD! NEVER!      He will always do as His Word says He will. I can think of so many scriptures to share but that was the one that really stuck out in my mind. He is an Awesome God! Never late, never early but always on time.      I didn't tell that part to boast. I only had the money to give because God made the way for me to make it. I give God all the Glory. He is Jehovah Jireh- My provider, my help in the time of trouble, my Rock, My healer, My deliverer. He makes a way where there seems to be no way. He will never leave us nor forsake us. With man it seems impossible but with God ALL things are possible.      Our situation just 2 days ago seemed impossible. But today we are blessed and highly favored of the Lord. The head and not the tail, above and not below. blessed in the city and in the fields! Another scripture that comes to mind is , Mal 3:10" Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it."   The floodgates of heaven have opened up to us today. UPDATE: not 5 minutes after I posted this my husband called me and told me that he just got two large jobs and another tile/flooring company that contracts him worked called. ALL three called him for work. IT"S POURING HERE!!! THANK YOU JESUS! Thanks for reading and be blessed. Stacy Prayer, Lord, all I know to say is thank you. Thank you so much for proving to us yet again that You and You alone are our provider. Thank you Lord that even though I mess up, falter and stumble, you still are here, holding me in your arms as a Loving Father does. Taking care of me and my family. Lord I give you all the Glory,all the Honor and all the praise. Thank you. Lord, I know ppray that you do the same for the others that may be reading this today and have a need, whether it be financial, physical, emotional, whatever their need is Lord I ask that you do exceedingly and abundantly above all they can ask or even think. Lord, I know you are no respecter of persons and what you do for one, you can and will do for another. Lord meet their need even now, In Jesus Name I pray. Amen      http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ByGodsGrace/552385/ Wed, 25 Jun 2008 08:19:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ByGodsGrace/552385/