Friday, May 30, 2014

Family visits!

This past weekend, my sister came for a visit with her two kids. My parents also live in our town, so she stayed with them. But we spent A LOT of time at my parents' home visiting with them. The time always goes by so quickly. We do lots of chatting and laughing, and not really much else. (We do pay attention to the children and eat too.)

Here are a few photos from the time spent together...
 I love getting to see my kids playing with their cousins, even if they are over 14 years apart!

 Such a cute girl, sitting so week and babbling so much!


 I just love her sweet face!
 Three cousins snuggled in Grandpa's chair watching a movie...

 A silly selfie..
 And a nice selfie of my sister and me! Love her lots!
After she left, we went to a college world series game and they had this cool huge flag that they showed on the field during the national anthem! It's been a great baseball tournament!


Exodus 15:20
Then Miriam the prophet, Aaron’s sister, took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women followed her, with timbrels and dancing.

Proverbs 7:4
Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” and to insight, “You are my relative.”

1 Timothy 5:1-3
Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity. Give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need.

Thursday, May 29, 2014

New glasses!

Recently, I got my eyes examined. Before I left, I pulled out the "Vision" file from our file cabinet, and found my four-year-old prescription. I had no idea it had been that long! (Actually almost 4 and 1/2!) I felt like my glasses were not as good as they should be. After the exam, it revealed that I did indeed need a new pair. It's a good thing since my old pair was very scratched!

Last year, a friend had told us about Zenni Optical. It is a great place online were you can get inexpensive glasses. So my hubby tried it, after getting his eyes checked. You just plug in the prescription, measure a few things, try on glasses (on your facial screen shot) and decide which to order! My hubby loves the glasses and sunglasses that he ordered. Anyway, I decided to try it this year as finances allowed.

Old frames...

I decided to get progressive lenses, because I need correction for seeing far away (I am near sighted.) My left eye is so much worse! The glasses progress from being corrected, into just clear on the bottom-- so I can read and it won't be blurry. To allow for the progressives, I had to go with a slightly larger lens type. All of the ones that I liked online were purple. So I figured, why not?! Sounds like fun to have a color instead of just boring brown or metallic.

Zenni optical offers a wide variety of frames beginning at $6.95. They include how-to videos to help you figure out just what you need to measure. They ship the glasses in a bubble envelope, with the glasses in a sturdy case (mine is teal green) and a free cleaning cloth. The cloth has a pretty, peaceful scene on it!
New frames!!
Showing the side detail...

Glasses all alone
 I have to wear them a lot to get used to them. I have been wearing them almost all day. With my other glasses, I took them off when I got home. I need them for driving and seeing across a long room, like in church. So it has been really different wearing them for such a long period. But they are nice! They have side-spring hinges on them too. The best part for me is that they only cost $45 with shipping! WOW! In the eyeglass store I would have paid over $150 for the same pair! (the frame was only $19!)

Be sure to check out Zenni Optical next time you need glasses too!


Isaiah 11:2-3
The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—
the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and of might,
the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord—
and he will delight in the fear of the Lord.
He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes,
or decide by what he hears with his ears;

Malachi 1:5
You will see it with your own eyes and say, ‘Great is the Lord—even beyond the borders of Israel!’

Matthew 13:15
For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed theireyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Wordless Wednesday: Mother's Day

I had another wonderful Mother's Day this year, with lots of encouragement, love and hugs. Here are a few pictures of me and my crew...








 Thanks to Rebekah for the lovely pictures!



Exodus 20:12
“Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.

Psalm 113:9
He settles the childless woman in her home as a happy mother of children. Praise the Lord.

Psalm 116:16
Truly I am your servant, Lord; I serve you just as my mother did; you have freed me from my chains.

Monday, May 12, 2014

Music Monday: "My Lighthouse"

This is a new, upbeat song by the Irish folk rock band Rend Collective. Their accent comes through on this song, which I love. I know the feeling of being "lost at sea" and have been so thankful that God is my lighthouse! He leads us safe to shore, and we can trust Him to bring us home to Him again. Sometimes He provides a friend to help, give an encouraging word, or just to listen. God's people truly are His hands & feet on earth. You may have heard this song on Christian radio, it is a popular song from their latest CD. Warning: You may get it stuck in your head for the day!



Rend Collective

" My Lighthouse" by Rend Collective

from the album The Art Of Celebration

In my wrestling and in my doubts
In my failures You won't walk out
You're great love will lead me through
You are the peace in my troubled sea
You are the peace in my troubled sea

In the silence You won't let go
In the questions Your truth will hold
Your great love will lead me through
You are the peace in my troubled sea
You are the peace in my troubled sea

My lighthouse 
My lighthouse
Shining in the darkness I will follow You

My lighthouse
My lighthouse
I will trust the promise
You will carry me safe to shore
Safe to shore

I won't fear what tomorrow brings
With each morning I'll rise and sing
My God's love will lead me through
You are the peace in my troubled sea
You are the peace in my troubled sea

Fire before us You're the brightest
You will lead us through the storms

--------------------------------------------------------

I hope you enjoy this song as much as our family does!

You can watch this video/hear the song on YouTube here.


Psalm 59:16-17
But I will sing of your strength,
in the morning I will sing of your love;
for you are my fortress,
my refuge in times of trouble.
 You are my strength, I sing praise to you;
you, God, are my fortress,
my God on whom I can rely.



Psalm 89:8-9
Who is like you, Lord God Almighty?
You, Lord, are mighty, and your faithfulness surrounds you.
 You rule over the surging sea;
when its waves mount up, you still them.

Friday, May 9, 2014

End of the year school fun!

With some extra state funding that we had for our homeschool, we were able to get some fun educational kits at the hobby store! The kids have helped us make them, and it was a great learning time for each of them! It was a great way to enrich the units we've done in our My Father's World curriculum this year! (Romans/ Greeks and Solar System)
 A medieval trebuchet kit that Daddy helped the kids glue and peg together. They've had a great time with it... and they've shot lego guys and plastic sheep across the room! Marbles make for a good counterweight!
 Here is a quick video of the trebuchet working...
 We also got a kit to make a solar system model. Caleb and Mallory helped me paint it. We put glow-in-the-dark paint on it too. After it dried, we put it together and hung it. They've enjoyed our astronomy unit this Spring, and it was a great way to enhance that learning! (And round pieces are much better than flat ones!
 Mallory helping paint...
 My pieces drying... I think they were Mars and Neptune. The model is not to perfect scale, because the sun would have been larger than the box! But it is close enough for our purposes. It is a fun model to have hanging in our school room now!




Genesis 1:14-19

And God said, “Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark sacred times, and days and years,  and let them be lights in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth.” And it was so.  God made two great lights—the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars. God set them in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth, to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the fourth day.


Ecclesiastes 12:1-2

 Remember your Creator
in the days of your youth,
before the days of trouble come
and the years approach when you will say,
“I find no pleasure in them”—
before the sun and the light
and the moon and the stars grow dark,
and the clouds return after the rain;

Thursday, May 8, 2014

AWANA awards banquet

We had another fun end-of-the-year banquet celebrating the kids accomplishments in AWANA. We are proud of them (the younger 3) and the work they did this year. They each learned a lot of Bible verses and more about God!

Bethany completed her 2nd and final year in Cubbies. She got a Cubbie award for finishing her book this year. She was quite proud wearing it on her vest!


 Mallory has worked very hard the past three years finishing her three Sparky books. It is a lot of verses to memorize, including Psalm 23 and lots of verses in Romans. Here is our C.E. Pastor presenting her SPARKY award!
 Great job, Mallory! We are so proud of you!
 Showing of her ribbon and plaque box!

Later that night, after we were home, Daddy helped her pull her tooth! It was quite an exciting night!

Caleb got his book award too, for his 3rd and final year in T&T. There are many, many verses to memorize, and he got slowed down a little with baseball this Spring. But he still did a great job, and we are so proud of them and their work! (He was at baseball that night, so I got his award for him. No pictures though!)


Romans 1:16
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.

2 Corinthians 10:8
So even if I boast somewhat freely about the authority the Lord gave us for building you up rather than tearing you down, I will not be ashamed of it.

2 Timothy 2:15
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.

Sunday, May 4, 2014

Music Monday: "He Knows My Name"

This is another new song off of the CD, "If We're Honest" by Francesca Battistelli.  My daughters love this song too, and sing along while riding in the van. God does see the good in us, and makes something out of nothing. Even though I don't sing on a stage or have my name in lights, as Francesca does, I can still identify with the lyrics of this song. God does know my name, He knows many details about you and me, and adores each one of us. I am so thankful that I am chosen, loved and a child of THE King!
I hope you enjoy this song too!




"He Knows My Name" by Francesca Battistelli


Spent today in a conversation
In the mirror face to face with
somebody less than perfect
I wouldn't choose me first if
I was looking for a champion
In fact I'd understand if
You picked everyone before me
But that's just not my story
True to who You are
You saw my heart
and made
Something out of nothing

[Chorus:]
I don't need my name in lights
I'm famous in my Father's eyes
Make no mistake
He knows my name
I'm not living for applause
I'm already so adored
It's all His stage
He knows my name oh, oh,
He knows my name oh, oh

I'm not meant to just stay quiet
I'm meant to be a lion
I'll roar beyond a song
With every moment that I've got
True to who You are
You saw my heart
and made
Something out of nothing

[Chorus]

He calls me chosen, free forgiven, wanted, child of the King,
His forever, held in treasure...
I am loved

I don't need my name in lights...
I'm famous in my Father's eyes...

[Chorus]
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You can listen to this song on YouTube here.


Love the promises in these verses below...

Isaiah 43:1-7

But now, this is what the Lord says—
he who created you, Jacob,
he who formed you, Israel:
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.
For I am the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
I give Egypt for your ransom,
Cush[a] and Seba in your stead.
Since you are precious and honored in my sight,
and because I love you,

I will give people in exchange for you,
nations in exchange for your life.
Do not be afraid, for I am with you;
I will bring your children from the east
and gather you from the west.
I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’
and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’
Bring my sons from afar
and my daughters from the ends of the earth—
everyone who is called by my name,
whom I created for my glory,
whom I formed and made.”
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