Please join me in fervently praying for Charlie and Leslie and their baby girl Susannah. They are in China right now trying to bring her home, but she is very, very sick.
You can read more details here at their blog.
http://roomforatleastonemore.blogspot.com/
"Nothing is sweet or easy about community. Community is a fellowship of people who do not hide their joys and sorrows but make them visible to each other in a gesture of hope. In community we say: "Life is full of gains and losses, joys and sorrows, ups and downs--but we do not have to live it alone. We want to drink our cup together and thus celebrate the truth that the wounds of our individual lives, which seem intolerable when lived alone, become sources of healing when we live them as part of a fellowship of mutual care."
From Lewis Smedes, "How Can It Be All Right When Everything is All Wrong?"
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Monday, September 15, 2008
Nature vs. Nurture
***Update****
Just in case you need to know that are children are not completely academically challenged, Matthew did well on his tests on Friday (100, 95 and 85). Stephen's progress report has all A+'s, one A and one A++ (didn't know that was even possible).
I'm posting about Africa again soon, but today I need help.
Let me share with you briefly about my three children.
Elizabeth definitely has the gift of encouragement and she is happy 98% of the time. She said to me yesterday, "I'm so glad you're my mommy." What a doll!
Matthew is happy and just loves people especially girls. He loves to make people laugh.
If you need an interpreter, "I am not going to stop taking pictures of Hannah Montana, only if she agrees to marry me." Not sure what pictures he's taking, but whatever. He's always good for a laugh.
Onto my firstborn, Stephen, here's the nature vs. nurture question. Let me point out that he is incredibly sensitive towards others. He loves old people and babies. I don't think he gives anyone at church or at school grief. But onto our home life....Stephen is a pessimist down to his bones. He can see the worst in every single situation. I can guarantee that if we told him we were leaving for Disney tomorrow, he would have something negative to say about that. He also tends to be more of an introvert and he seems moody, to me at least. So he has two optimistic parents and we have our days, but I wouldn't consider us moody people. So, what's a parent to do when they have a child that consistently is in a bad mood and sees the worst in everything? We need some help. We are worn out. Trying to teach him to focus on the positive has not been successful, at least not so far. We've memorized some verses. We've prayed. We're still worn out. Send us an email, post a comment, say a prayer...do something. If you have someone in your life that is like this, give us some tips, we are struggling. We love Stephen and he is incredibly smart. He could probably do just about anything he set his mind to, but somewhere along the way, he'll probably give up and quit because he'll focus on the negative. We want to be the best parents we can be and help mold Stephen into a godly young man, but our current attempts don't seem to be making any difference. Help us out or this mama might be buying a one way ticket to Hawaii or Zambia.
Just in case you need to know that are children are not completely academically challenged, Matthew did well on his tests on Friday (100, 95 and 85). Stephen's progress report has all A+'s, one A and one A++ (didn't know that was even possible).
I'm posting about Africa again soon, but today I need help.
Let me share with you briefly about my three children.
Elizabeth definitely has the gift of encouragement and she is happy 98% of the time. She said to me yesterday, "I'm so glad you're my mommy." What a doll!
Matthew is happy and just loves people especially girls. He loves to make people laugh.
If you need an interpreter, "I am not going to stop taking pictures of Hannah Montana, only if she agrees to marry me." Not sure what pictures he's taking, but whatever. He's always good for a laugh.
Onto my firstborn, Stephen, here's the nature vs. nurture question. Let me point out that he is incredibly sensitive towards others. He loves old people and babies. I don't think he gives anyone at church or at school grief. But onto our home life....Stephen is a pessimist down to his bones. He can see the worst in every single situation. I can guarantee that if we told him we were leaving for Disney tomorrow, he would have something negative to say about that. He also tends to be more of an introvert and he seems moody, to me at least. So he has two optimistic parents and we have our days, but I wouldn't consider us moody people. So, what's a parent to do when they have a child that consistently is in a bad mood and sees the worst in everything? We need some help. We are worn out. Trying to teach him to focus on the positive has not been successful, at least not so far. We've memorized some verses. We've prayed. We're still worn out. Send us an email, post a comment, say a prayer...do something. If you have someone in your life that is like this, give us some tips, we are struggling. We love Stephen and he is incredibly smart. He could probably do just about anything he set his mind to, but somewhere along the way, he'll probably give up and quit because he'll focus on the negative. We want to be the best parents we can be and help mold Stephen into a godly young man, but our current attempts don't seem to be making any difference. Help us out or this mama might be buying a one way ticket to Hawaii or Zambia.
Monday, September 8, 2008
Meet Lucy
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Happy Grandparent's Day!
We thank God for the family He has given us.
Here's Great-Grandpa Carey in Michigan
And here's Mr. Ken and Ms. Jeanne in Michigan (Matthew and Elizabeth's birthgrandparents). They have been good to all three children and Ms. Jeanne never forgets to send a card to them for each holiday. She is so good! We are so thankful they're part of our family.
We love you all! Happy Grandparent's Day!
Here's Great-Grandpa Carey in Michigan
Here's Great-Granny in Florida.
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And our vacation buddy grandparents. They go with us year after year, even though they'd secretly rather go on a cruise.
This is regular Nanny and Papa. (the name...who knows? The others are not irregular just in case you're wondering)
And here's Florida Nanny and Papa.
And here's Mr. Ken and Ms. Jeanne in Michigan (Matthew and Elizabeth's birthgrandparents). They have been good to all three children and Ms. Jeanne never forgets to send a card to them for each holiday. She is so good! We are so thankful they're part of our family.
We love you all! Happy Grandparent's Day!
Friday, September 5, 2008
We Have A Disease
History and Symptoms: The transition to a Christian classical school has been hard for Matthew. Well, not really, he's happy and content. It's been hard on his mama, because the teacher keeps telling me how behind he is on reading and math. Yes, thank you. I've figured that out. Unless God gives us a miracle, the struggle with reading will not disappear overnight. However, we did get an 85 on our spelling test, a 100 on our history test, and we would've had a 100 on our Bible test if he hadn't forgot to write his name on the paper. He is so absent-minded. Here's some of the symptoms. They were copying a title from the board the other day. Cherokee Hills. He wrote slliH eekorehC and then for his name he wrote wehttam. He's never done that before, but it concerned his teacher. She obviously hasn't had Matthew in class long enough yet, because Matthew does what Matthew wants and he likes to be difficult just to make life exciting. Any of you that have taught Matthew or observed Matthew, you can completely relate? I'm thankful for his teacher's many years of experience though, otherwise Matthew may have already been kicked out! He's having trouble copying sentences from the board. I explained to her that he never had to copy sentences from a board in kindergarten. Elizabeth is already copying things from the board (3 weeks into kindergarten), so you can see that Matthew is at a disadvantage, but he'll survive because he's all about some competition.
Diagnosis: Is he behind or possibly dyslexic? I think he's just behind and creative. Yes he reverses some of his letters and can't read as well as his other first grade friends, but he was never taught to read the way they were taught. That's part of why we made the switch.
Matthew made his own diagnosis when he declared to his teacher yesterday "I am word blind." Not number blind, just word blind. If the word's too big, he can't see it. This is reading according to Matthew. Poor Mrs. W., I'm sorry, but this is just the beginning of what you're going to experience with Matthew.
Cure: Lots of prayer. Lots of patience. Lots of reading. Lots of phonics and spelling rule flashcards (which mama doesn't even know or understand for that matter) Will daddy please hurry and get home soon?
Side Effects: Mama's learning phonics and spelling rules. I never knew why sometimes "y" says i and sometimes it says e like in by and baby, but did you know that there are rules as to why this happens? I've learned more about the Cherokee Indians in Tennessee than I probably ever did. I can now sing the twelve tribes of Israel in order of their birth. I know that on the 7th day, God westid. (okay, I already knew that, but not spelled this way) I will have all the 7 days of creation down for sure by the end of next week. I get the seas and land and the sun, moon and stars mixed up. Elizabeth has it down already. Ah, to have the mind of a child.
My mom laughed today when she picked Matthew up for a sleepover and I had papers and books spread all over the kitchen table, but no kid was to be found. I was checking homework...seriously!
We are very happy at the school. Don't misinterpret my post. This is what we signed up for and I am thrilled at what my kids have already learned. To God be the glory!
Diagnosis: Is he behind or possibly dyslexic? I think he's just behind and creative. Yes he reverses some of his letters and can't read as well as his other first grade friends, but he was never taught to read the way they were taught. That's part of why we made the switch.
Matthew made his own diagnosis when he declared to his teacher yesterday "I am word blind." Not number blind, just word blind. If the word's too big, he can't see it. This is reading according to Matthew. Poor Mrs. W., I'm sorry, but this is just the beginning of what you're going to experience with Matthew.
Cure: Lots of prayer. Lots of patience. Lots of reading. Lots of phonics and spelling rule flashcards (which mama doesn't even know or understand for that matter) Will daddy please hurry and get home soon?
Side Effects: Mama's learning phonics and spelling rules. I never knew why sometimes "y" says i and sometimes it says e like in by and baby, but did you know that there are rules as to why this happens? I've learned more about the Cherokee Indians in Tennessee than I probably ever did. I can now sing the twelve tribes of Israel in order of their birth. I know that on the 7th day, God westid. (okay, I already knew that, but not spelled this way) I will have all the 7 days of creation down for sure by the end of next week. I get the seas and land and the sun, moon and stars mixed up. Elizabeth has it down already. Ah, to have the mind of a child.
My mom laughed today when she picked Matthew up for a sleepover and I had papers and books spread all over the kitchen table, but no kid was to be found. I was checking homework...seriously!
We are very happy at the school. Don't misinterpret my post. This is what we signed up for and I am thrilled at what my kids have already learned. To God be the glory!
Here's a picture, just because he's so stinkin' cute and goofy! These are his homemade 3D glasses.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Is Your Marriage Worth the Fight?
I know it's wacky Wednesday or wordless Wednesday in the blog world, but somehow that doesn't seem fitting for me today.
It's a hard week. Some of you know why, some of you don't, but it doesn't really matter either way. Sometimes we just have hard weeks. They keep us humble and remind us how much we need God and each other.
Matthew is struggling in school and that makes me sad. His reading is just not where it should be, so we're doing extra work at home. I'm trying to teach him to read phonetically which is a joke because I didn't learn this way. Derek knows all these rules about when a vowel makes a certain sound and when it makes a different sound. All I'm certain of is that I never learned that. Maybe the i before e except after c, but that's about the extent of it. So basically you have the blind leading the blind. I guess Matthew and I are going to learn phonics together. Hooked on Phonics, we may be looking your number up soon!
What's really consuming my heart today though is something different. I'll survive my difficult week and Matthew will survive first grade. This is my overwhleming concern today. Marriage. There are marraiges struggling all around us, even within the church walls. My heart is broken for these couples. Men, women and children who are being wounded deeply by struggling marriages, broken marriages, shattered dreams, lost hope. The list goes on and on. Marriages are being attacked by a very real enemy, Satan and his army.
1 Peter 5:8-10 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.
I love that right before this verse, we are instructed to cast our anxiety (cares) on Him because He cares for us. He cares more than any relative, best friend or pastor ever could. We are His children and as Pastor Tom would say, "I am His favorite." We are all His favorite, we just don't live like we believe that!
I also love John 10:10 that tells us that the thief comes to steal, kill and destroy; I came that they may have life and have it more abundantly. Jesus came to offer us more than this world can offer. We can have hope and victory through Christ, not in and of ourselves.
What is Satan using to steal and destroy your marriage? Is it pride, unfaithfulness, materialism, the comparison of others, unrealistic expectations, the stresses of life, selfishness (focusing on myself more than on others), anger, unforgiveness, bitterness? The list could go on and on. There are lists just like this all throughout Scripture. Our flesh is weak and our heart is deceitfully wicked. We can only overcome through Christ's help.
This email is not directed at anyone in particular. It's really directed at all of us, because no marriage is safe. Satan wants to destroy each and every marriage. He is patient and he will wait for just the right opportunity to attack...he will wait for that opportunity to attack when the most damage can be done.
My heart is broken for those who are hurting today. I prayed for marriages today. I wept as I thought of those that are shedding tears today because they feel like they're at the end of their rope. For the men and women where this is the very life that they're living right now. They are trying to decide if their marriage is worth the fight. I can't fix the problem. I don't have all the answers, but I can love my neighbors, my church members, my friends and family.
I John 3:18 Our love should not be just words and talk; it must be true love, which shows itself in action.
So, my question is to you, is your marriage worth the fight? Are you ready to battle a very real enemy? Your marriage may be incredibly strong today, Praise God, but listen, none of us are exempt. The attack for us may be coming tomorrow or next week or next month.
We need to stand firm and do what is right and then, I love v. 20, God will soon crush Satan under our feet!
Romans 16:19-20 I want you to be wise in doing right and to stay innocent of any wrong. The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.
We will rejoice together when that day comes! I'm praying for you and your marriage!
It's a hard week. Some of you know why, some of you don't, but it doesn't really matter either way. Sometimes we just have hard weeks. They keep us humble and remind us how much we need God and each other.
Matthew is struggling in school and that makes me sad. His reading is just not where it should be, so we're doing extra work at home. I'm trying to teach him to read phonetically which is a joke because I didn't learn this way. Derek knows all these rules about when a vowel makes a certain sound and when it makes a different sound. All I'm certain of is that I never learned that. Maybe the i before e except after c, but that's about the extent of it. So basically you have the blind leading the blind. I guess Matthew and I are going to learn phonics together. Hooked on Phonics, we may be looking your number up soon!
What's really consuming my heart today though is something different. I'll survive my difficult week and Matthew will survive first grade. This is my overwhleming concern today. Marriage. There are marraiges struggling all around us, even within the church walls. My heart is broken for these couples. Men, women and children who are being wounded deeply by struggling marriages, broken marriages, shattered dreams, lost hope. The list goes on and on. Marriages are being attacked by a very real enemy, Satan and his army.
1 Peter 5:8-10 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.
I love that right before this verse, we are instructed to cast our anxiety (cares) on Him because He cares for us. He cares more than any relative, best friend or pastor ever could. We are His children and as Pastor Tom would say, "I am His favorite." We are all His favorite, we just don't live like we believe that!
I also love John 10:10 that tells us that the thief comes to steal, kill and destroy; I came that they may have life and have it more abundantly. Jesus came to offer us more than this world can offer. We can have hope and victory through Christ, not in and of ourselves.
What is Satan using to steal and destroy your marriage? Is it pride, unfaithfulness, materialism, the comparison of others, unrealistic expectations, the stresses of life, selfishness (focusing on myself more than on others), anger, unforgiveness, bitterness? The list could go on and on. There are lists just like this all throughout Scripture. Our flesh is weak and our heart is deceitfully wicked. We can only overcome through Christ's help.
This email is not directed at anyone in particular. It's really directed at all of us, because no marriage is safe. Satan wants to destroy each and every marriage. He is patient and he will wait for just the right opportunity to attack...he will wait for that opportunity to attack when the most damage can be done.
My heart is broken for those who are hurting today. I prayed for marriages today. I wept as I thought of those that are shedding tears today because they feel like they're at the end of their rope. For the men and women where this is the very life that they're living right now. They are trying to decide if their marriage is worth the fight. I can't fix the problem. I don't have all the answers, but I can love my neighbors, my church members, my friends and family.
I John 3:18 Our love should not be just words and talk; it must be true love, which shows itself in action.
So, my question is to you, is your marriage worth the fight? Are you ready to battle a very real enemy? Your marriage may be incredibly strong today, Praise God, but listen, none of us are exempt. The attack for us may be coming tomorrow or next week or next month.
We need to stand firm and do what is right and then, I love v. 20, God will soon crush Satan under our feet!
Romans 16:19-20 I want you to be wise in doing right and to stay innocent of any wrong. The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.
We will rejoice together when that day comes! I'm praying for you and your marriage!
Monday, September 1, 2008
Labor Day
In honor of Labor Day, we're doing nothing!! It's 1:30 and almost everyone still has their pajamas on and we may keep them on until tomorrow morning.
Last week was a busy week, so it's sometimes nice to have those days where we do absolutely nothing. It seems that it's a Herbie Movie marathon at our house today. We've already watched Herbie Fully Loaded and now we're on to Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo.
Last Monday, my mom and I froze about 20 dozen ears of corn. It was an all day affair. Well my dad has a friend down the road who has cows and who knew that cows love corn cobs. I wouldn't know that because I am a city girl. Dad took the 20 dozen corn cobs down there with the exception of a few. We saved those so that my kids could go feed the cows.
Now, even though I'm a city girl, my parents have relatives that own farms. (Mayfield, KY and Paris, TN) So, I have actually fed a cow before as well and here's what I remember. Their tongues are very long and feel like sandpaper. The other problem with cows, the flies like to be around them and I don't like flies or any bug! I was born a city girl and a city girl I will always be!
Thanks Elvis (really, that's his name) for the opportunity to feed your cows. At the rate that Spring Hill is growing, there won't be any cows left in Spring Hill in a few years.
Last week was a busy week, so it's sometimes nice to have those days where we do absolutely nothing. It seems that it's a Herbie Movie marathon at our house today. We've already watched Herbie Fully Loaded and now we're on to Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo.
Last Monday, my mom and I froze about 20 dozen ears of corn. It was an all day affair. Well my dad has a friend down the road who has cows and who knew that cows love corn cobs. I wouldn't know that because I am a city girl. Dad took the 20 dozen corn cobs down there with the exception of a few. We saved those so that my kids could go feed the cows.
Now, even though I'm a city girl, my parents have relatives that own farms. (Mayfield, KY and Paris, TN) So, I have actually fed a cow before as well and here's what I remember. Their tongues are very long and feel like sandpaper. The other problem with cows, the flies like to be around them and I don't like flies or any bug! I was born a city girl and a city girl I will always be!
Thanks Elvis (really, that's his name) for the opportunity to feed your cows. At the rate that Spring Hill is growing, there won't be any cows left in Spring Hill in a few years.
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