Mama of five boys and one girl. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/houseof6noizandjoyz/ en-us Homeschool Blogger Mon, 3 Nov 2008 22:19:00 -0600 Mon, 3 Nov 2008 22:19:00 -0600 We have been visiting many different churches over the past year and I feel God has taught me so much about worship styles.  We were saved in a small country Nazerene church.  We were there about 13 years and moved on to a non-denominational church,where we were for 4 years.  Then about a year ago we went on a serious "church hunt."  We felt the one we came from was very legalistic and the music was a little less then joyful worship.  So I  went through the yellow pages to find the "perfect" church for us.  We visited many over the next several months, but to my teens dismay, I always found something wrong with them.  We finally "seattled" on a large (700+members) Nazerene church. We knew several other homeschool families that went there.  We had been going for several weeks,and although the music was perfect, the message seemed to be very watered down.  The Children's Church (which I personally don't agree with in general)  was a big wild party every week.  My children's friends all went to it.  So that became a thorn in my flesh because of course, my boys wanted to do what all their friends were doing.  I was totally against it because there was no learning,just alot of entertaining. So against my better judgement,I agreed that they could go to children's church every other week.  The off weeks they would stay in "big people church" with the rest of the family.  This still bothered me,but then I became aware of  an even bigger problem.  I had heard of the Emerging Church Movement, and had done hours of research on it.  I learned that thats what was being taught in the youth room of this particular church.  I don't know how many people know of  this "movement" or "conversation" as they like to refer to it, but it is a dangerous movement to say the least.  This grou[p of people,some of them include Rob Bell, Brian McLaren,John Franke,just to name a few, are trying to hit christian's with a "new christianity."  Some of the beliefs of the movement are that there are many ways to heaven, not just through Jesus Christ, there is not a leteral hell,  they are very tolerant to the extent of saying not much of anything is a sin. They have all kinds of religious practices including liturgy, prayer beads,icons,spiritual direction, the labyrinth, and lectio divina.  I could go on,but I would hope by hearing this, you might do a little searching of your own behind this movement if you feel it is creeping its way into your church.  Its like a wolf in sheeps clothing because some of the movement sounds and is really good.  For instance, they are very big into helping the poor and hurting world around them.They really reach out to help those in need.  The problem is, they are nly meetingthier physical needs not thespiritual needs,because they don't share the message of salvation throughJesus Christ alone.  So needless to say,we left that church and are now attending something really different.  This grou[p of believers don't call themselves a church.  They refer to Sunday morning church as "meeting."  They have "communion" every Sunday, but they call it "breaking of bread."  The women are not allowed to speak during this part of the Sunday meeting,but can during sunday school and "meeting."  Most (but not all) women wear head coverings.  Other then that it is VERY casual.  They do not have a paid pastor, instead there are about 4 or 5 men in the group that speak or give the message on Sunday.  The music ranges from old hymes to songs that this group have made up by singing the Psalms.  Most importantly, they use ONLY the bible!  THis part I love!  No bible study books or new 40 day programs to a stronger christian, just the bible!  I find myself really enjoying this type of church or "meeting" as they like to call it.  It's refreshing in many ways, but what I  like most is, the diverse people that go there.  Nobody looks down on the women that wear jeans with no headcovering, and those that wear them don't act like they are any closer to God then anyone else.  We all have wonderful fellowship.  On the flip side, I am and have always been drawn to the charismatic church.  I love the excitment and enthusiasm in thier music.  I have attended one a few times and the preaching is right on.  My husband on the other hand,is not comfortable with this style of worship. He works nights, so on Wednesday nights, my children and I have been attending a church like this.  THis does not bother my husband, but he jokes that they probably put the snakes away before we get there!  Sometimes I really feel like I have split personalities when it comes to these church styles.There seems to be a side of me that likes the traditional,mellow "normal" music and preaching.  Then there's this side of me that craves that emotional high I get from the more praise and worship styles in music.  What I'v learned in going to many churches in our area is, most denominational churches have the really moving praise and worship music to draw in the unchurched and then give them a watered down sermon to not offend anyone so they will all come back!  Then you have the churches where they stick to the hymes because they don't want to be or sound to much like the world, they have good messages,but sometimes you leave feeling drained and tired.  The pentecostle or charismatic churches don't play their style of music to draw in the unchurched, that's just the way they have always been!  They really know how to praise God and Shout for joy!  They get excited about their God and I think it's very refreshing! I have also learned that each of these churches have their own interpertation of certain scripture.Such as the headcovering, weather or not women should or shouldn't speak or teach in church, speaking in tonges and the list goes on.  What I believe I am slowing learning is, God has created us all with different styles and different ways in understanding.  Although there are certain things that we cannot dissagree on,like the fact that Jesus Christ died for my sins on the cross and He is the ONLY way to heaven,there is a heaven and a hell and we will spend eternity in one of the two places.  I believe Jesus Christ can be praised and glorified in a host of different ways.  I'v even learned how to deal with my split personalities and still be submissive to my hubby!  God is good! When we all get to heaven, I'm so glad there won't be different denominations and styles of worship there.  We will all be praising and worshiping God hand in hand!  But until then, my quest for the "perfect" church is over, because I'v finally learned there is not such a thing!  There can't be a perfect church here on earth because we are not a perfect people.  The perfect church  will only exsist in heaven when we will all be made perfect and spend enternity worshiping HIM!! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/houseof6noizandjoyz/613970/ Mon, 3 Nov 2008 22:19:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/houseof6noizandjoyz/613970/ Wow!!  It's been a long time since I have been here.  Not sure why I'm back, other then I realized how much I enjoyed being apart of a blog.  I have been keeping up on one of my close friends blog and spent about 4 hours the other night reading several women's blogs.  Some of them inspired me sooo much.  Some of them made me cry because of struggles that they are going through and some made me laugh out loud at just silly things that go on in other peoples lives.  I enjoyed them all.  I felt so blessed to be able to be a small part of these womens lives if only by reading their testamonies of God's faithfullness to them while raising children in this world.  I guess I was inspired to write again, to share my sometimes uneventfull, but always interesting, life of raising 6 children for the Lord.  I would like to share things I'v learned along the way.  I would like to share funny things that my boys do on a daily basis.   I would like to share what God is doing in my life.   I guess I would like to share a little of my life in hopes of blessing someone who might run across my blog,like I was blessed doing the same thing the other night.  So I hope as I start this blog up again, that if someone stops by they would leave a comment if only to say HI!  I believe in this world, we can never have too many friends!  God Bless- Candi http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/houseof6noizandjoyz/606488/ Fri, 17 Oct 2008 23:32:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/houseof6noizandjoyz/606488/ This has been a very bitter sweet week for me.  Last Sunday night I got a call from a friend telling me that a very close friend of mine (Raising Arrows) baby girl had gone to be with the Lord.  I still can remember the shock and disbelief I felt and really am still feeling now.  My heart is so heavy, sometimes it's a struggle to go on with daily activities at my house.  I feel so blessed to have met Emily at 1 day old and then visiting her 2 weeks before the Lord took her home.  She will never be forgotton. After spending Monday afternoon with my friend trying to be of some help in her time of sorrow, I was on my way home and got a call from my sister.  She found out her baby was breech.  She had to decide if she wanted to try to turn the baby or schedule a c-section.  This is her first, so she was very nervous and scared.  I told her to pray about it and see what the Lord might have her to do.  Tuesday nite I got a call from the Women's Recovery Drug Rehab place she is staying at.  Her water had broke and she was on her way to the hospital.  God made His will very clear, she was to have a c-section.  I rushed down and got there about 45 minutes before they preped her for the C-section.  I was in with her the entire time and wittnessed the birth of a beautiful baby girl!  I found myself crying at the birth of this precious baby, but also could not get my mind off of my dear friend who was mourning the loss of her precious baby girl.  The Lord surely giveth and taketh away.  It was been an emotional week full of blessings and sorrows.  Without the Lord, I could never had made it through!   http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/houseof6noizandjoyz/482498/ Sun, 17 Feb 2008 13:44:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/houseof6noizandjoyz/482498/ Last Sunday, my sister (the one in drug rehab) was allowed a pass to go to church and she was saved!! She said she felt like a weight was lifted off her shoulders!  Please pray for her and her new found faith in Jesus Christ!!   http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/houseof6noizandjoyz/468322/ Fri, 25 Jan 2008 15:54:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/houseof6noizandjoyz/468322/ Matthew 6:34  Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its own.  This has become my verse of the month or maybe year.  I have realized that I worry and try to plan out my life and then I am reminded that I have no control over it at all!  Last summer, after months of prayer, my husband and I decided to seek adoption.  We had been interested in doing this for years, and finally it seemed like the right time to start the process.  Shortly after we started taking foster/adoption classes, I found out my 26 yo sister was pregnant.  This caused me to WORRY, because she has been in the drug scene for 10 years or so.  She had just gotten out of a drug rehab place and came up pregnant about 2 months later.  Right away I was angry at her.  We have not had a close relationship (due to her lifestyle, and the fact that she is 11 years younger then me.)  I was imagining what kind of life this precious unborn child was going to be facing.  As I talked to family members and a few close friends about this, they all said, "maybe this is the child you will one day adopt."  I will admit, the thought has crossed my mind many times.  My sister has stayed clean since the day she found out she was pregnant.  She seems to really want to change her life.  Right now, she is in another drug rehab that she put herself into because she was really wanting to go back to her life of drugs again.  I was very proud of her for admitting herself in.  We have been talking a lot  and our relationship has really grown!  I owe that all to the Lord!  She wants to move in with us after the baby is born and try to "start over"  We have agreed that she needs to get out of the town where she lived and decided to take her in.  We are planning on adding on an addition to our house, b/c we have a 4 bedroom with 6 kids now and are still planning on adopting.  That where the other worries come in. Can I handle my 6 children, my sister and baby  and 1 or maybe 2 more children!??  I told my sister I would watch her baby while she worked.  She also will not be able to drive for several years due to DUI and drug charges.  (She has been in jail several times for selling)  So I said I would take her back and forth to work.  I WORRY that her old "friends" will find out where she is, and therefor put my family as risk.  I  WORRY i have got in way over my head!!  We have already put our name in for a 2 and 5 yo sibling group to adopt.  I have a 2,4,5,7,14,and 17 yo now!! I keep praying Lord don't give me more then I can handle!  I am trusting in Him!  2Corinthians 12:9 says "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."  And in Philippians 4:6-7 "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will gaurd your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." I'm praying that I don't adopt my sister's baby, because that will mean she has chosen a sinful lifestyle over a precious baby.  My prayer is, that while she is living with us, I could show her the love of Christ through my actions, words and deeds.  Worry and stress seem to go together!  I have many stresses in my life, some listed above.  Also, a 17 yo daughter that we allowed to start dating last month and her 14 yo brother that now feels like he has lost his best friend.  A 2yo that will not stay in his own bed all night, a 7yo that wants to do all the things his teenage brother does,trying to find a new church home.  The Lord knows when you need a good laugh.  We were discussing churches that we wanted to go to the other night.  My 14yo son wants a church where he knows kids in the youth group, my 17yo daughter wants a church with contempory music, my 4 yo pipes up and says he wants Chucky Cheese!!  Sometimes throughout a hetic day, I feel like I have lost all my joy due to the stresses and worries in life.  But in the evening, when I lay back and reflect on the days events, I realize just how much we have been blessed.  I believe the Lord whats to bless us more then we could ever imagine, if we would just allow Him to control our lives  and give Him our worries  stresses of each day.  After a day like today of following a new puppy all over the house cleaning up messes she has made, and cleaning up vomit my 14yo son made all over the b.r. floor, and chasing my 2yo around the house with a kleenex in my hand trying to wipe his running nose and all the other happenings that went on, I am so thankful there is a God in heaven who will take care of my worries for today and tomorrow if I will allow HIm.  And I will surely give them ALL to Him!  When you lay your head down tonight, I pray you can give it all to God and then fall asleep peacefully in the loving arms of our Creator! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/houseof6noizandjoyz/463602/ Thu, 17 Jan 2008 22:01:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/houseof6noizandjoyz/463602/ I haden't realized how long I had not posted anything until someone asked where I was and if everything was all right!!  Thanks for asking and caring.  I am great!  We have been very busy with paper work and doctor visits.  Not that anyone has been sick.  We have been going through an adoption packet that is very thick and time consuming.  We are trying to adopt through the state (SRS) and finding it to be a real challenge.  AFter typing out our lives history, sending out forms for familyand friends to fill out about what they think of us and adopting, getting physicals, tb test done and drawing out a rough layout of our home, I think we are finally done!!  Praise the Lord!!  I do still have to make a scrapbook to send the children that we may adopt.  This has taken me nearly a month to finish, but it will be all worth it! School is going pretty good.  I have a 7 yo in 1st and a 5yo in K. and a 4 yo who thinks he has do to school too!!  Sometimes the 1 1/2 yo finds a crayon and  does his "School" on the wall!!  Never a dull moment!  My 14 yo son is doing school on line through a virtual classroom.  He doesn't like it and is begging me daily to send him to a "real school."  We are praying about a christian school for next year.  My almost 17 yo daughter is also doing the virtual classroom and also works at  a coffee shop here in town.  She loves her job, and strongly dislikes school, but has decided she wants to be a christian counselor someday, so she takes school pretty seriously. Basketball season has started for our homeschool group.  My husband coaches the jr. high boys and girls, so he (we) keep very busy with that. One thing I liked about the 3 years my children were in public school is that you got a yearly picture of them.  I noticed several months ago, the most recent pictures I have of most of my children are 3 to 4 yearsold!!  Once they hit those teen years, 3 or 4 years makes a big difference!!  So we all set out to the nature center to try to update the picture wall at our house.  We got some great shots with all the leaves changing colors.  Of course, the kids wanted thier picture taken of them all sitting up in a huge tree!!  My 1 1/2 yo almost fell into a little stream while I was trying to take the teens pictures!  All this just to save money by going to a prof. photo.  The 4 and 5 yo boys wanted to hold sticks and pretend like they were swords and they were fighting.  But we did finally get some good shots.  When my daughter is available to show me how, I will put them on my blog!  Today I spent about 4 hours in the kitchen making ahead several meals to freeze.  I think I finished with 2 big tubs of chilli, lazagna, meatballs, seasoned taco meat, pattied hamburgers and a big tub of spagetti sauce.  I am hoping that this will free me up some time to make a scrapbook  and sew a stocking for my 1 1/2 yo for Christmas.  I started a tradition when my daughter was born to make those fancy sequined stockings.  I am no sewer, so this is a major deal for me.  Little did I know the Lord would bless me with 6 children!  I really dread making this thing, but I can't stop now!!  And when we adopt, that will be even more I have to make!!  My kids better appreciate these things!! Well, it's late and the coffee is wearing off!!  Good night and God Bless!! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/houseof6noizandjoyz/419509/ Thu, 1 Nov 2007 22:07:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/houseof6noizandjoyz/419509/ My 16 yo daughter found a recipe off the internet for Caribbean Chicken.  She wanted to purchase the ingred. and make the meal for our family.  This is not totally unusual, but usually it is something like grilled sandwiches or mac and cheese and occationally the gourmet meal HAMBURGER HELPER!!  So I was really excited!  I gave her some money to go purchase what she needed.  The nite she was to cook, I realized I had forgotten to tell her to buy twine.  The recipe said stuff the chicken breast with this mixture and then tie it with twine.  So I went back to the store while she was cooking the mixture to stuff the chicken with.  This was a very complicated recipe. She was really pumped to complete the job herself.  I was watching her thinking, it would have been alot easier to wrap a hot dog up in a ref. biscuit and use the TWINE  to tie it!  Or if she wanted a gourmet version of "Pig in a Blanket" she could have used CREASENT ROLLS!!   THis is alittle more like our familiy eats!  But instead I stood and watched and answered a few simple questions.  The meal turned out great!  Her little brothers (age 1,4,5,7) were not impressed.  I told her if she enjoyed cooking like this, when she married and had children, don't ever let dinosaur chick nuggets, mac&pigs, or PB&J sand. in the house!  After they have had that kind of stuff, it's hard to change them! I have a 1yo, 4yo, 5yo, and 7yo in the same (small) bedroom.  I would love some advice on being and staying organized.  Everything from toys to cloths are a mess!!  It drives me crazy!!  At nite time I have to clear a path so when my 1yo crawls out of bed in the middle of the nite to join my husband and I, he doesn't hurt himself tripping or even get lost in the mess!!  My 4yo and 5yo share clothes, but one dresses like a "basketball player" and the other like a "cowboy,"  so the drawers they share are stuffed!  The toys always seem to make their way downstairs no matter how hard I try to encourage them to keep them upstairs!  Any suggestions!!!  PLEASE!!  HELP!!  I'm being buried alive in my children's clutter!!  PS .  I have to add, the rest of my house is very neat and organized!  I use to think I was the master at this!!  http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/houseof6noizandjoyz/394522/ Thu, 20 Sep 2007 14:11:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/houseof6noizandjoyz/394522/ Sunday night we had our teens from church over to our house for fellowship.  They were discussing disputable matters that are in the church. We attend a very conservative church.  There is no contemporary praise and worship music, the teen girls are encouraged to wear dresses or skirts, the boys tucked in shirts and pants that actually fit and are worn around the waist.  The boys are taught to be gentlemen, dating is strongly discouraged  and even males wearing jewerly is discouraged!  The list goes on, but you get the idea.  This topic frusterated my teens when we first started attending this church 4 years ago.  We do love our church.  The preaching is straight out of the Bible, no fluff or feel good stuff.  In fact, if I don't get my toes stepped on weekly, it might be because I was not listening very closely!! I have a friend who just moved with her family to another state.  They were having a hard time finding a good Bible believing church.  They finally found one that had solid Bible teaching, but she was concerned about the music.  It was all contemporary and NO HYMES!!  She had attended church with me before they moved and they are new Christians, so this was very strange and not right  to them.  She called and asked for my opinion. I decided to reread Romans 14.  It touches on weak and strong Christians and disputable matters in the church.  Paul says we are not to quarrel about issues that are matters of opinion.  Our principle should be:in essentials, unity; in nonessentials, liberty; in everything,love.  The church must be uncompromising in its stand against activities that are expressly forbidden by Scripture, like adultery, homosexuality, murder, theft...but it should not make additionals rules and regulations and give them equal standing with God's law.  Sometimes Christians base thier moral judgments on opinions, personal dislikes, or culture bias rather than on the Word of God.  When they do this, they show that their own faith is weak.  We need to steer clear of actions forbidden by Scripture of course, but sometimes Scripture is silent.  Then we should follow our consciences.  "Everything that does not come from faith is sin" means that to go against a conviction will leave a person with a quilty or uneasy conscience.  When God shows us that something is wrong FOR US, we should avoid it.  But we should not look down on other Christians who exercise their freedom in those areas. I will be reading and discussing this with my teens again soon.  I believe it's a good reminder to us all. My husband and I give our teens a certain amount of "freedom" in these "disputable matters."  We may not always agree with their choices, but we believe that through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, they will be convicted by Him when necessary.  We chose to leave that up to Jesus Christ.... and much prayer!!   http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/houseof6noizandjoyz/389403/ Tue, 11 Sep 2007 17:12:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/houseof6noizandjoyz/389403/ Well, I started this blog thing about 2 weeks ago, and have been trying to find the time to sit and type again.  Now it is 10:55 p.m. on Wed.  I would have started earlier, but my mother hit a deer going down one of the many country road we have here.  She is o.k., but I had to go pick her up because her car is totaled.  My son is celebrating his 7th b-day and wanted grandma to come have a slumber party with us.  So they are watching a movie while I'm hidding away here in computer land. Well, so a little about me.....  as I read through all these blogs, I laugh at some of the titles we as moms give ourselves.  Such as "teacher, home organizer, nutritionist or even granola mom,taxi,cook,banker,and even quiver full.  I like to describe myself as just a "mama" who sometimes learns right along with the kids, other times fakes like I know what I'm talking about, tries to keep a tidy house, but have more junk drawers then I need,feed my family healthy foods, including granola bars, but not forgetting the good old frozen pizza too!!  I sometimes spend more time in my car then in my house(although having a teenage drivers helps)loves to cook for people that like something other then hot dogs, mac and cheese and dinosaur chicken nuggets! I love to balance the bank books and dream of having a savings account that doesn't get depleted every other month!!  I don't know what is considered a quiver full, but I have 6 kids and would love to have more!!  To sum it all up, I'm a "Christian" mom trying her best to be all that God has called me to be.  Some days I fail miserably, other days, not so bad.  But I know the Lord picks up the slack where I fail and cheers me on in my successes. I do give all praise to Him!!  I also became a "camper" for the first time since having 6 children!  We all packed up on Sat. and headed to a nearby lake to spend the weekend with some friends.  We did this when we had 2 children and it was so much easier!  I was alittle worried about how all 8 of us were going to sleep in a 6 man pop-up camper.  It worked out great!  My teen daughter (who had to drive her car up so she could leave and go to work in the morning) slept in her little hatchback car, my teenage son chose to sleep in the back of the truck, my husband slept in a small tent with 2 of our boys and our friends boy.  That left me, the baby and my 5 year old in the camper!  I slept great!!  We went on a 3 mile hike the next day, and then to the beach all afternoon.  Then later we all went bike riding, roasted marshmellows and played fresbee.  We did this for 3 days !  When we got home on Tues. I had to go buy groceries.  I was so tired I didn't think I would make it out of the store.  I realized then that  4 kids and  7 years ago I was alot younger and a more fit mama!!  We had a great time and are hoping to do it again before winter gets here.  Well, this has been great fun!  My friend who has done this for years told me it is very therapeutic! Thanks raising arrows, you were right!  Good night and God bless!! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/houseof6noizandjoyz/386059/ Wed, 5 Sep 2007 22:46:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/houseof6noizandjoyz/386059/ Well this is my first experience being part of a blog.  To be honest, I e-mailed for the first time only about 2 weeks ago.  You see, I am from the dinosaur age, and if it weren't for my teens begging and pleading for the internet, I wouldn't be here now!!  So please be patient with me!  My daughter has gotten me this far.  I don't know where she got her patience from because I have just about thrown the computer out of the window several times just trying to set all this up!!  What got me started in all this is a friend of mine.  She is my computer smart friend who I had to call just  to get registered on this blog.  She has done this sort of thing for years, and I was reading her blog last nite and thought it looked like fun.  I got to know several of you and it has been a blessing to read your stories and see the pictures.  I have asked my daughter to show me how to put pictures on later.  I can tell she can't contain her excitment!  My 14 year old son is demanding his time on the computer as well.  It only took me 2 hours to get this far...he needs to learn patience!! I am excited to get to know more of you!  In Christ-   http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/houseof6noizandjoyz/380038/ Sun, 26 Aug 2007 16:54:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/houseof6noizandjoyz/380038/