Essentials in Writing

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Multitudes on Mondays

Today Ann Voskamp is challenging us to remember and be grateful for our 1000 Gifts.
...my list continues with...
a day of productivity...unsweetened iced tea...Jesus Calling by Sarah Young...TV time with my oldest daughter...a peacful night of sleep...healthy children...women who love Jesus...good grades on English and Math tests...God's amazing grace when I constantly blow it...forgiving kids and a forgiving husband...God's Word spoken to us.
Thank you Lord that you take joy in loving us even when we mess up. Thank you that you never change.

The Practice of Time

I just recently discovered Ann Voskamps book 1000 Gifts, ever heard of it? So far it has been a delight. (I have a link to her sight A Holy Experience on the left side of my blog). Mondays(Multitude's on Monday's) she has an ongoing list of your 1000 gifts which I would like to start and take part of and on Wednesdays(Walk with Him Wednesday's) she challenges us to ponder a topic...today is the practice of time. Let me first say that this is a huge challenge for me and one I haven't gotten a grip on yet. With juggling seven kids and homeschooling I have struggled with time management for some time, but really feeling it this particular year. Any suggestions? We are very laid back with our approach to life in general so it makes it hard for me to strap all the kids down at one time and make them work for so many hours. The older kids do most of their work on their own but I find myslef being busy with "stuff" most of the day that isn't necessarily important. I feel like I am missing out on my little ones and enjoying their presence, their laughter. I hop on the computer or try to read for a minute or pick things up around the house or do laundry. While all these things need to get done and are not necessarily bad, I know I am not using ALL my time wisely. So, for today(one day at a time) I vow to do my best and soak in the joy that surrounds me. The gifts of my 7 Bambinos and the privlidge it is to have them home. O Jesus, may I not rush through today. Help me to sit back and enjoy the multitude of blessings you have given me. You are sooo good!

Good Fellowship

Isn't fellowship sweet? I love when a body of believers gets together to have a good time. Today we were blessed to be able to take another couple and thier five children out for lunch. They are fairly new to the church and have some super cute kids. They were so thankful that we invited them. We considered it part of our tithe for the week. But isn't it a great feeling to think you have been pursued for friendship. People reaching out to you, desiring your company, wanting to get to know you more? It just feels good. Makes you feel important, liked.
Isn't it amazing how Jesus pursues us? How he loves us and desires fellowship with us? All we need to do is stay hard after Him. No matter where we find ourselves in any given situation, stay hard after the Lord. He will always be our everything. Stay, abide, pursue Him like He does us. Life will be different, days will change, moments will turn into joy. Find perfect fellowship in the One who is madly in love with you.

Thursday's

Thursday's are the best days around here, the highlights of our week. First we attend bible study, then we break for lunch(that we pack every week), then our homeschool co-op meets in the same building and finally, once a month our church has Family/Art jam. Family Jam is a time when the whole family is invited to worship together. Small and big alike. Most of the young ladies enjoy singing on the stage while the young boys take over the instruments. It's a come as you can play policy however gifted or not you may be. Sometimes there is a very interesting sound that bellow from that stage and other times it just makes me want to break down in tears watching all the young kids worship their Jesus. Last night my seven year old got up there and grabbed the mic and started belting out...our God is greater, our God is stronger...God you are higher then any other! He didn't care, it was great. Then there is the art table in back where they draw, draw, draw. They make a mural every time and it is such a great way for them to express themselves. Again, some are definatley more talented then others but who cares...they are having fun and hearing the great sounds of worship as they do it.
My favorite part of the day is of course the bible study. We are doing Beth Moore's, David and I am really loving it(why wouldn't I be...it's my Siesta Momma!). I had to cram in my homework last week but so far I have been able to keep up. A friend of mine started coming this semester so I am glad she is there to mingle and meet new people. Plus I think she is really loving it too. The video yesterday was awesome! Beth was talking about how fight the "good/beautiful" fight against our enemy. It was a reminder I needed to hear. That we wrestle not with flesh and blood...Yes Lord! I wrestle with the very enemy of my soul. I want to fight to knock him out, not as one beating the air but as one with a great big PUNCH!

Have you seen this?

it pretty much speaks for itself, doesn't it...love this

Video testing on Blogger

ohh...I am getting good here...a video!
one of my new favorite songs...Thrid Day/Sing a Song

Thank You, Lord

I want to thank Jesus for an amazing son. I am tickled pink over him this morning. He was in Mexico all week on a missions trip and since he got home I have heard nothing but praise about the way he was was he was gone. One of our elders were put in charge over him for the week and he said he did an amazing job. He got himeself from point A to point B, kept all of his belongins in order(i.e. passport, paper work, carry on, etc.), and worked like a horse. He kept up with all the men and worked as hard as everybody out there. Kept himself busy, killed a few scorpions, built a church roof, poured a concrete floor, played soccer, went swimming and most of all made us proud. Even though I couldn't be prouder, I know Jesus is even more tickled. His kid is growing up! Growing in Him! I have to admit the teenage years are a little "touchy" and I am feeling like I never have enough wisdom...but I know God is faithful. I spoke with a mom of nine the other week and she was thrilled to see the fruit from her older children who are now having kids of their own and growing in the Lord. I am anxious for those days but will settle for the bits and pieces of growth in these days now...thank you Lord that you hear the cries of this mothers heart.

Off to the Airport!

Today a few of us are doing a suprise pick up at the airport to get our son. He is coming home from a week in Mexico on a mission trip with our church. I must admit, I am not feeling the greatest but I am going to hide it so we can go anyway! I am excited at the opportunity to go and love the excitement of airports. I haven't been to one in a while. I love to fly just never have the chance.
I finally love my new "look" on this blog. Again, I spent way to much time yesterday and left my kids to their our resources for the majority of the day. I must make myself stop! Please pray for me. Anyway if you happen to stop by and read this, let me know what you think.
See you soon.
May the name of the Lord be praised! For He is good!

So excited

I am so excited to be on new footing with an "almost" new year and some added flair to my blog. I spent way to much time on here yesterday figuring things out and now it has turned into a slight addicition/obession. I should really be busy hanging with my kids, doing school, dishes, laundry or something other then this, oh well...it's been fun.
I must admit I am not a writer or never feel like I have anything quite to earthshattering to say but I guess God can still use us simple folk.
I am currently doing Beth Moore's DAVID at my bible study and have been so blessed already and we are only on Lesson 3. Her video yesterday was so encouraging. I often wish after the video instead of breaking into small groups we should have some serious prayer time. I am always on this "spiritual high" and wanting to just pray something fierce about what she just said. Anyway, she was challenging us yesterday with Psalm 62 and pouring our hearts out to the LORD...cry out to Him, for He is our refuge. I wanted to let it all out right there(which probably wouldn't have been very pretty) but Yes, Lord! I want to pur it out so You can fill it up!
You are so faithful Lord. Thank you for always hearing my prayers. You alone are God and worthy to be trusted and praised!

Rest

So I just got up from a glorious Sunday afternoon nap. I hardly ever nap...come on...I have seven kids, remember! Once and a while I will get in a quick cat nap for ten to fifteen minutes and I will bribe one of my kids to give me a backscratch to go along with it. There's almost nothing better then a fall asleep backie :) So anyway...as I rolled over and saw my son awake in his crib the thought came to me about rest. Just like I hardly ever rest my physical body, I find even less rest in my spiritual body. What a shame. We are called to rest in the Lord. Sit back and watch and wait for Him to do what He does. Sit back and know He has everything under control, for goodness sake, He has the Universe under control doesn't He? Why do we worry and fret about things to come? About everything under the sun? Why don't we just give our entire lives over to Jesus and sit back and relax? That's what He wants us to do and that is what He desires for us to do. Just take a big deep breath and rest. Hand over everything that is ours...our kids, our marriages, our friendships, our churches, our womens groups, all that we possess and let Him be the faithful God that He is.

Sickness

A house full of people barfing, physically exhausted, headaches, body aches, sore stomaches...this has been us for the past 24 hours. Sickness of the physical body. It is hard to take sometimes. It is painful, tiring, depressing, you all of a sudden become this lazy person who has no desire to lift a finger for anything or anyone because you feel so awlful, yet you have no choice. You have seven kids to take care of no matter how ill you might be. No help from nearby friends or family, it's just you and your husband who is most likely at work for 8 hours that day. You have no choice but to suck it up and get the job done. That goes for our spiritual sickness as well. Sometimes we are so spiritually exhausted, depressed, full of unbelief and have become so lazy we don't even want to utter one more word up in prayer. We have become so utterly lazy that our souls are suffering for it. The sad thing is, is that it effects not only us but everyone around us. We all become "sick" because of it. But really it is up to us to suck it up and get over it. No one is going to force us to pray. It is ultimately between us and the Lord. He is the Great Physician whether it be physical or spiritual. There is only One Healer-Jesus.

There is Hope

I am going to hit the hay in about 5 minutes and when I do I am going to cry out to Jesus tonight for some hope. That He would set before us some hope in out current financial difficulties. And our current state of aloneness as well. It has been a hard road Lenny and I have had to travel the past 16 years. No respect from family and little from friends. No money. Not too many invites or pop ins. No one seems to care. I just hope that this can all be for our kids. That we will have paved the way for them and they would never have to experience rejection or difficulties we have. It has been so hard. I mean so hard. But I have to come back and find my hope in the Lord. That this week will count. It will bring me back to a hope in the one who is able. Belief...in the Jesus who is real. I need Him to fill my cup tonight. To let it flow with living waters, refreshing waters. Oh God, I need a touch from you, Lord. I need peace and rest tonight that only you can give. You alone are my source.
I love you, Jesus!

Off to YWAM

Well my husband and I and our three sons took our oldest son up to YWAM Pittsburgh this weekend for his three week trip. What an opportunity. I am so excited he even had the desire to return-that is huge in and of itself. I dropped him a letter in his bag to read on the way that he didn't know about :) I am so blessed by him as he is growing up to be a young man. Don't get me wrong, he is still very much a kid which he should be, he's fourteen. This life is full of so many emotions. Here I am thrilled he has the chance to go, blessed that the Lord provided his funds, sad I won't see him for a while, anxious for his return, excited to see what the Lord will show him this year, concerned about his general well being over this time...but...He is in the Lord's hands now. For the next 21 days King Jesus is in charge of him. We turned him over and let him loose in the hands of the one who is able. It's a scary thought and I am glad I get to do this little by little rather then all at once when he gets married, Lordwilling. But as a mother it is hard and thrilling at the same time. To see your children step out into what God has prepared for them before the foundations of the World! I know beyond a shadow of a doubt God has a plan for each one of our seven kids. I have no idea what those plans may entail but I can rest assured that they are good and better then anything I could have thought up on my own. If I need to turn my kids over to anyone...I much rather turn them over to Jesus, their loving Father. He is good and faithful and I can rest in His plan for each one of them. That gives me peace.

Relaxing

I haven't had much time to sit around and do nothing lately but that is what I am up to today. School planning, hanging out, eating too much junk! We need days like these. Do you think Jesus has hang out days? I don't. How would ruler of the Universe ever get time to rest? Can you imagine? I have a hard enough time running one day into the next. My husband and I were talking about that last night. How vital it is for us to keep one day apart from the next. To not start the next day with yesterday's energy or lack there of. Yesterday's frustrations, disappoinments, or stress. We need to keep moving forward just like the LORD. I love that. I heard at a Bible study this past semester that God only moves in one direction--FORWARD. How refreshing that is for us. When we so often feel like we are stagnate or losing ground in our failures, God is still moving--FORWARD...on our behalf. I can't really comprehend God's faithfulness, although I know he is. And I can't comprehend his love for me, yet I know he does. So today I am not only going to rest in my own house doing my duties as a wife and mother, I am going to chose to rest in my God's faithfulness toward me and His unchanging love. Isn't he wonderful?!

God is Good

Do I hear an Amen? I just want to praise the Lord for His faithfulness to me. I love when I can spend some good quality time with Him...which unfortunately doesn't happen to often. Well at least for long periods of time. But as I was reading in my So Long, Insecurity book she wanted us to spend 30 minutes in prayer and at first I was like, yeah right. But the kids were still asleep and I shut the door. Well almost 45 minutes later I was in tears and having such a good time in His presence. Repenting, feeling His forgiviness, allowing Him to show me things. It was great. Then He speaks! It is so awesome, isn't it. How does the Lord on High speak to us lowly humans? I don't get it, but I know it happens and I know its Him. He is so good to us. Praise His awesome name!

I AM.....

Remember today that He is our exceedingly great reward. This has been on my mind since the weekend. Not riches, a new house, money, even joy, peace, or patience...it is Him alone. HE is it--JESUS--. Allow Him to be your reward, seek Him, set your hearts towards Him, allow Him to be everything you need and more...He is able!

Finally

I am so excited to report that I think I have done it....my little Gideon is finally sleeping through the night! Yeah! He has been on a roll for the past 2 or 3 nights. What a relief...now if all the others sleep well how glorious it will be to have the potential for some sleepfilled nights. However, last night was not one of them :( Rachel was kicking and crying and driving me nuts. So here I am in blog world with my coffee in hand and yummy biscotti I just downed ready to tackle my day already exhausted and with a headache to boot. Oh Lord grant me patience and love today for kids inspite of how I feel...and give me energy, both physical and emotional. Give me the extra strength I need to make it through this day in a "Jesus" way. Extend your grace in this direction, O Lord, I know I will need it...you are faithful!

new stuff

I am so thankful to be typing on my new laptop I got from my husband the other night :) and to be hearing the sound of my new(to us) dryer drying our clothes in the background. It has been a few months since we have both washed and dried our own clothes here at the house. One wasn't working, then the other one died...one week of no laundry for 9 people ends up being quiet a lot of laundry. I already did three loads and haven't even made a dent yet. I was able to take my girls out shopping today at the mall, it was fun. Rarely do we end up getting new clothes(usually they are hand me downs or from a thrift store) so it was a treat to be able to splurge a little. Next week we should be getting our new(to us) big 15 passenger van. So far I haven't seen it but my husband assures me I will love it. I am invisioning glorious rides to the grocery store, co-op, to church and to my parents...with everyone in their own space and buckled in their own seat! Yeah!!! I can't wait, and neither can the kids. Praise the Lord for new(to us)things...He makes all things new! Even for those who can't afford it!

Birthdays

My only sister turned 40 on Saturday and I went home to help celebrate with four of the kids. It was a fun night of getting together and celebrating but I also listened a lot. I listened to my sister and her friend talk about their busy lives and big paying jobs as HR Manager(sister) and advertiving(her freind). I listened to what my mom, aunt, brother-in-law and two nephews had to say about her when she opened her gifts. They all wrote something down and read it out loud. And as I sat back and listened I couldn't help but ponder what on earth people would say about me when I turned 40(in three years!) I actually said that to my dad as we were standing there quietly and he said, "The question is how many kids will you have by the time your 40?" Was that a slam? Maybe....I think they just have no idea how to take me. I have blood bonds with these people but many are unsaved and I live in a different universe then they do, just the same planet. Jesus is not their guiding force. He is not the reason they live and breath. Many of them are materialistic and live for more money, big houses, nice things, cars, etc. Where my husband and I are living for the exact opposite. We are doing our best to live for the glory of Jesus. He is what we are after. We love Him and desire to be better people through His unfathomable grace if He allows us. To be changed by Him and for Him. I could most likely imagine what my husband would say to me when I turn 40(the kind of stuff he says everyday to me) and maybe guess what my kids would say, although that might be a little scary. But what about my family....what will they say? Will they see the Jesus in me? Will they be able to acknowlege the One who I desire? And if they do will they want what I have? Is He enough for them? I don't know. The Lord will have to take care of that one. Or will they they see my seven or who knows, maybe eight, and look down upon us and wonder what in the heck we were thinking? Let me tell you, God knows what were thinking. He knows this is all about Him and for Him and He has blessed us beyond everything sensible to my husband and I. Never in a million years would I have inagined my life as it is. Yes, married with kids. But not this many and definately not homeschooling this long(For goodness sakes, I barely graduated High School!). It by by the sheer grace of God that my life "works" and functions on a daily basis. He is my desire and I long to ever be in His presence and find fellowship with Him.