I guess I only post on a Saturday

That seems to be the norm lately.

Last week, we practiced several times for a Power Castle puppet show. The kids adore puppet time in the ministry. We have a real puppet stage, but we practice behind the couch at home. We have come long way since we used to hold a blue scrap of material. Just the thought makes my arm hurt! The theme was "Jesus in My real Superhero!" Will is supposed to be Spiderman but he just usually makes it look as though Spidey is waiting on a bug, the mouth is always open. Claire is thrilled that she can make Batman's arm move. Honestly, Faith is learning to be a real puppeteer!

I think the deer makes the picture. Or maybe the most fascinating thing is that the office desk is not in line with the picture on the wall. (Note to self - move desk.)

This pic is random, but I was wondering if you thought the Nester would be impressed? It is a mixture of thematic finds from around my "casa." So festive! I think the first- grade spelling word list tops it off, or at least keeps it real.

Reality Check

I tend to bemoan about a few things on a daily basis. Such things may be cooking, cleaning, homework, paying bills, etc. If we put them on a scale of one to 10, they are all way closer to 1 than 10. I am grateful for this fact but sometimes I need a reality check. I received that check at outreach yesterday. Outreach normally slaps one with a view of their own life. Dithering over the annoying line at HEB is senseless compared to a child who has no emotional support and neglecting parents.

After visiting with kids and energizing worship, our lesson was about Pharaoh & the last plague. Of course, the story was intriguing to them but I kept referring back to Pharaoh's hard heart. One little girl, whose siblings were also present, began to share about her 15 year old brother. Apparently, he threatened to shoot people at his school and is now in jail. Not only is he in jail, but so is his daddy and uncle. Sadly, the little girl was distraught that he did not receive any Valentine candy. Her brother stated that he may have a hard heart. Discussion led to making wise choices.

We prayed for this young man, Eric, before we left and his family has yet to leave my mind. I pray he allows God to change his heart and his 3 siblings cling to Christ as hope. They are precious children, who have not been given a fair shot. It is pitiful to view their reality check versus mine.

As I drove home yesterday afternoon, I pondered our scripture from the lesson.

"Blessed is the man who always fears the Lord, but he who hardens his heart falls into trouble" Proverbs 28:14

Wow, that situation just leaped off the pages of the Good Book. I pray that I allow God to soften my heart and characterize my life with HIS joy.

Enriching Saturdays

I know people are sick of hearing about the weather, but I have been cold. COLD, cold, I say! We ran out of firewood this weekend, but I did not care because it was a beautiful, sunny 50 degrees today! Praise God. Cold & I do not mix.

Anyway, here are some pics from the freeze of February 2011. After much hype, we were forecasted 3-5 inches of snow. We wound up with ice, and no snow. Claire & Will improvised and captured every icicle they could get their frozen hands around.

After Faith's sinus surgery, make-up work, head colds & lots of hot chocolate has filled our cold days.

Even Craig has an inside project. He is sorting through war parapohenelia of his grandfather's to make a shadow box. We have learned some really neat info. Faith enjoyed helping him put it together.

This weekend, we wrote reports on Ella Fitzgerald & Andrew Jackson. Claire plans to sing along with the hit song " A -Tisket - A -Tasket" next week. I plan on seeing that!

Faith's interesting facts about Andrew Jackson included that he did not have a college education, (nor did George Washington) and defeated the British at New Orleans in a battle that was unnecessary. The war had ended 10 days before. We had a discussion about life before iphones, email, telegrams, and even snail mail!

She was also delighted to inform us that Andrew Stonewall Jackson WAS not the same person. I knew that, but things distracted me and I confused the 2 war heroes. Dreadful, I know. I should not be surprised she knows more than me, after she taught me this week about the growth of a sequoia tree.

I did ask her if he was one of the presidents in the line of the Tecumseh curse. That allowed her wheels to turn and really started a major history lesson. Thank you Dad, circa 1980.

I may need to study in order to appear like I have it together. I am afraid my age is showing! Speaking of appearing to have it together, I am still in my pjs and I smell yummy Taco Soup. However, the Taco soup is lacking an onion. Who makes soup without an onion? Oh dear, I guess I am heading to Heb on a Saturday. Maybe I will just take the back roads to ghetto Kroger on Phelan? Regardless, I need to get it together!

Airing our Dirty Laundry!

I don't believe any of us can say we do not have issues, since we are all saved by His glorious grace!

We have a family issue, a 3 letter issue. 3 little letters. Wii. Yep, America's family-friendly video game.

We also have 3 children. Ms. Whatever, I always win anyway. Ms. I never , EVER, win! And don't forget Mr. Wii Nut!

Oh.dear.me. If I hear, " YOU.GET.ME.OUT.OF.THAT.BUBBLE.NOW!" one more time. I may not survive.

Oh, and this is only 1 game, thankfully most issues surround Mario, those silly overall clad men. Are they men or things? Don't get me on Princess Peach, I will be Queen Nut before long. Family Focus reviews this games as: "... Mario's multi player ability may actually be the coolest thing about this game. It certainly turns what has traditionally been a fun-but-lonely pursuit into a family room roof-raising rollick for the whole family."

Rollick? Oh, we have rollick, loads of rollick in just a 20 minute time limit!

Anyway, during family devotion tonight, we had a meeting. After much ado between Ms. I Never Win & Mr. Wii Nut, we pulled the learning creativity card.

I learned while teaching Kindergarten, write about it. Always write about it. We always wrote our rules out and discussed them 1,212 times a day.

Same over here with the 3 letter word.

The Mr. helped compose these rules and Ms. Never Win wrote them. All 3 signed. Ms. Whatever suggested we frame it in the living room over the TV. Maybe that should be our snow day project?