B-R-E-A-K!

Hooray! It’s time for Christmas break! I’m not sure who is more excited about it, me or our kids! My kids are looking forward to a break from school, lots of outdoor play, less schedules, time with extended family, and of course, all the excitement of all those packages under the tree! Their mama is looking forward to time at home, less responsibilities, and extra time with family. I don’t know about you, but this time of year can get crazy in a hurry. Even when we try to guard against it, it still is a busy, bustling season. I’ve really, really been enjoying an advent book I’m reading by Paul Tripp. It’s been a fairly easy read, but he gives so much to ponder. I know that I’ll be reading the book into January just so that I can reflect on it a bit more. I’ve been very deliberate this season in carving  out time every morning (around 4:45am) to spend time in The Word. Sometimes my brain wanders (a lot) but it’s been a good discipline for me.

To give just a peek into our week, I’m covering a few highlights. I’m ignoring the lowlights this week! Last Thursday several students from the school as well as all of our tribe, participated in a Christmas service in a small old church building. It hasn’t been used for a church building for many years, but for the past several years, the community has hosted a Christmas service. It was a crisp winter evening, but the church building was warm and cozy. The students did a great job singing some carols and reciting Scripture from Luke 2. Garett was able to ring the old church bell, and he thought that was really neat.

  

Friday I was able to spent most of the day with my sister, Hannah! Finally! We’ve been trying to coordinate some time together, but it just hasn’t been working out. I had planned to take Emma out of school to come with me, but a friend offered Emma the opportunity to spend the day with her
daughter. Emma decided that shopping didn’t sound like as much fun as time with Lucy! I’m thankful
 for my friends, Claire and Annah, who were willing to help me have the opportunity to spend time
with Hannah. Hannah and I went to Portland as Hannah wanted to look into getting some things for Haiti. We made that our first stop. It’s this big place that sells all kinds of hospital stuff. A lot of it doesn’t measure up to U.S. standards, but it’s far better than what we currrently have in Haiti. It was a bit of a lengthy stop, so I was really grateful that Emma wasn’t with us. The day sped by in a crazy fashion. I didn’t really need any Christmas presents for anyone, and I spent most of  my money at  Sam’s Club on food...no surprise there! It was a great day! I’m so thankful for the opportunity to finally  spend time with Hannah!

Sunday morning found us working with the children from our Sunday school classes on the  Christmas program. Even though it’s very short notice as the program is in a week, I introduced them  to the bells. It’s neat to see how much the students from the school can help with children that aren’t as familiar with the bells. Emma has a bell too, and she actually did fairly well as the song is color  coded. Although working with children is exhausting, serving in children’s ministries truly is one  of    
  my favorite places to serve. I’m excited about wrapping up one more program on Sunday! We also had company for lunch on Sunday. We’ve been wanting to have this couple over for a meal, but with Rogers schedule, it’s been a challenge. I was happy that they were free to come for lunch on short notice. I was even happier that oven had turned on to cook the lasagna! It was a good afternoon of fellowship.

This week started off with a snow day on Monday! Roger had the day off so that was nice for the kids. They really spent most of the day outside, and they enjoyed their day. I wasn’t as excited as I want to be done with school in the summer, but it did provide extra opportunities to get things done around our house. We made cookies. We made LOTS of cookies! I am so thankful that the snow day happened on a day that Dad was home from work. Dad is just way more fun than mom, or at least that’s what Travis tells me!

Tuesday was a day that I have been looking forward to for a while! Allison and I had planned this day  weeks ago, and although we were both asked to do other things that day, I’m glad we made time for a day together. Emma came along on this trip to Augusta with us, and she did very well all day. Neither
Allison or I had hardly anything on our lists, but we really just wanted an excuse to spend time together. We laughed and shared burdens the whole time. We managed to get back in time to pick up kids from school to, so it was a successful day! It was a bright spot in this week for sure! If we hadn’t planned for this day weeks ago, we would’ve never been able to squeeze it in.

On Wednesday, I had music classes and parties! I told Roger that I think it’s easier to plan a lesson than a party! Finding games to play for multiple grade levels, snacks for the kids, and fun activities   was a bit on the crazy side. However, I’m going to get smarter this year! I saved all my games and activities in a file, and I’m sure that I can reuse some of them another time. It was a fun time, but a bit tiring. After music classes, Emma and I went home to make a meal for a family in our church that recently had a new baby. Since I was already making the meal, I figured I might as well make one big massive mess. So I did! I made seven enchilada casseroles. I made one for my family, or course, and then one for each of the boys teachers. I figured if my week was a bit crazy and I’m not the teacher, they would probably appreciate a meal! Emma and I managed to get all of that done, get the meal packed, and make a visit to an older lady before picking up the boys. The boys were so excited to  give their meals to their teachers. It really warms my heart to see how much they love their teachers. Chandler asked me if the teachers don’t get to eat  much at home.   I was wondering what he was thinking! I told him that I’m sure they have food at home, but they are probably tired after school  sometimes. He replied, “Oh, well, they all just seemed so excited about food!”  It was a new recipe  that I tried, so I was a bit nervous about all those pans I had made. However, it was a huge hit at our house. The whole pan was gone, and it was a super easy recipe, so I’m happy to add that to our meal plan! After picking up the boys, we dropped off the meal to the family with the new little one.  Wow! You forget how tiny newborn babies are at first! It was a quick stop, but I’m happy to have the opportunity to serve this family with a meal.

Thursday we went on a walk after school with some friends. Claire, and her two kids and myself and our tribe went off on an adventure! We went on this trail and saw these really cool ice formations. And yes, I think it’s formed by steam from the nearby sewage treatment plant, but it was so Fun!  We enjoyed scrambling, slipping and sliding all over the formation. It was a bit spot in a really busy week, and it was good to get in some down time.

And now it’s  Friday again. Today was filled with chapel, the Christmas shop for the students (where the students get to shop for others), class parties, hot lunch, and a work party for Roger in the evening! It was a very full day. I also had lunch with Teri, Roger’s boss’s wife,  and my friend. We’ve been trying to get together for a while now, and Emma enjoyed having lunch with us too.  The boys were very excited  about the day, and I’m enjoyed seeing them at school a lot today. I’m also thankful that it’s  Christmas break!

Roger’s parents are coming on Saturday, and my sister is coming on Monday. It’s going to be a full house, but I’m looking forward to all the memories we will make together.

Luke 2:11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.” 

Depression, Joy, Anger, Peace, All the Emotions!

 Depression, joy, peace, disappointment, relief....all emotions that flowed out over the past week! A sigh of relief, a shout of joy, and a grateful and thankful heart are all at the top of my mind today! Last week felt like “survival of the fittest” and I didn’t feel like I was surviving very well! However, God showed Himself strong and mighty, and we praise Him. The students did an amazing job at the program on Friday, and I am still smiling about it!

  

 

 

Everything was not all roses last week, and to be completely honest, I struggled with depression. Yeah, that’s a real thing! I’ve known for a while now that the tendency towards depression runs in me, but it definitely hits me when I least expect it. I’m sure much of the feeling stemmed from being overwhelmed and overly stimulated last week, but by Thursday morning, I was struggling to get out of bed, find a cup of coffee, and spend time in God’s Word. Even after that I still felt down and out-of-sorts. I know that the kids were picking up on my feelings because their actions were speaking loudly in a manner that I did not approve of! I became angry and said some hurtful things. My children became defensive, and we were all a bit hurt and angry. I actually crawled back into bed, pulled up the covers and wanted to stay there...all before 7:00am.! But motherhood and life were screaming my name! Chandler is the most like me, and it seems like he has inherited my not-so-lovely traits.  By the time we left for school, Chandler was angry at everyone, and I certainly did not feel like helping him sort it out! But God reminded me of several verses on the very quiet ride to school. “Be ye angry, and sin not.” “A fool utterth all his mind.” “Think on things that are true.” “ Let your speech be always with grace” I knew I needed to apologize to my son, and I needed to help him sort through some things. As the other boys hopped out at school, I asked chandler to wait for a minute. I asked him if he would want to go have coffee with me. He was surprised and asked, “Right now? What about school?”  I told him that education is very important, but there are things in life that  are even more important than that like a right relationship with Jesus and others. I told him to wait in
 the vehicle while I went to talk to his teacher and explain that he would be late. Chandler also has a great teacher, and she immediately responded to take as much time as we needed. She gave me some good advice, a hug and a prayer. Although Emma had to come along on our date, it was a much needed time together. Chandler and I were able to clear the air, discuss some of his concerns and    feelings, and ask God to help us both. He explained that he was disappointed that he was the only one of two kids in his class to not make honor roll last quarter. While I told him that I could understand  his disappointment, the truth of the matter is that I don’t care too much about honor roll. What I do care about is...where you honest? Were you kind? Did you honor Christ with your words and your actions? Yes, honor roll would be nice, but that’s not the thing that matters in eternity! He made honor roll in all his subjects, except one, so therefore, no honor roll certificate. I explained to him that Roger and I expect him to do his best. And while we would enjoy seeing him get that temporal satisfaction in a job well done through a certificate, as his parents we are far more concerned with preparing him to build and improve upon the character traits that Christ desires us to have in our
lives! I apologized for getting angry, and Chandler apologized for not listening. The day started off as a terrible mess, but God has a way of making things new.


Later on Thursday afternoon, Emma was able to spend some time at a friends house, and I was able to finish up some last minute details for the program. Allison and I were actually able to squeeze in a quick lunch together before wrapping up some last minute prep details for Friday. I’m not sure I was much of a blessing to Allison, but she certainly was to me. I needed someone to listen to me, pray for me, and encourage me. I’m thankful for that opportunity.

Friday was upon us before we could even blink...were we ready?! Ready or not, today was THE day! The day that has been long anticipated, since before even the school year began. I was up early because well, I couldn’t sleep, and secondly, I wanted to make sure to get in God’s Word! We were at
school well before school started and that included a stop a Walmart to pick up something I needed  for the day! Breakfast was biscuits at McDonald’s, which aren’t the most nutritious choice, but everyone was fed. The students all looked so nice dressed up in their chapel attire, and they seemed excited and calm at the same time. The morning program went relatively smoothly, and the students remembered what to do for the most part. One young boy accidentally threw his handbell during their handbell song, but he picked it up and kept going! I was very proud watching all their hard work come to fruition! The seven boys in Garett’s class sang a song together during the program. While it might not be completely in unison, it was beautiful. They sang “Happy Birthday, Jesus” and they have come such a long way from the first time we practiced it. I know that God can do great things through the lives of these young men if they will be sold out to Jesus.

After the program, I helped prepare for hot lunch, and then Emma was able to spend the afternoon with Lucy! She certainly enjoys it, and I was able to go home. I got in a run, prepared a dessert for
after the Christmas program, and spent some time settling my mind. I felt like such a burden was lifted after the morning program, and I was excited to see the students perform that night.

Friday night, December 7, this was the night that we have worked towards the past twelve weeks. The auditorium started filling up well before six pm. Grandparents, parents, family and friends filled up most of the room. My kids all mentioned that they wished that Nana and Papa could’ve been there, but they were happy to see Mr. Kevin and Mrs. Teri there to watch their program. My sister and her husband came as well. Emma did a good job reciting Luke 2 with the preschool class, and then the students did their program. I had a hard time not crying as the program came to a close. These students had done what I had asked, and while they might not have always wanted to do what I asked, they did it. I am blessed to work alongside these students and staff. The staff poured their love on me through cards, flowers, and even a certificate for a massage. I am so blessed! Garett’s class gave me flowers, a card, chocolates and a coffee mug. Chandler’s teacher gave me a bouquet of roses, and
Wyatt and Travis class wrote out the sweetest card for me. I enjoyed reading through their notes to  me. Even the Kindergarten and First Grade wrote me a card! My friend, Claire blessed me with a  beautiful planter of flowers. It was truly a wonderful close to a very special event! I don’t know what the future holds, but I certainly treasure the memories that I’ve created while teaching music classes.

As with all big events, it’s not just the set up and event, but also the clean up! Who likes that part?! We tried to get a lot of it done before we went home on Friday evening, but we were all really tired. Roger had already worked the past three days and he was working on Saturday. I knew that the kids and I would have to come back to church on Saturday to pick up everything, but for now, we just headed home. We celebrated with a supper of cereal, reading through the cards, and getting a good nights sleep! What a blessing!

On Saturday Roger had to work, so the kids and I went to the church to put the sanctuary back together for worship services the next day. Definitely not something that any of us were excited about doing, but hey, that’s life! We actually accomplished the job fairly quickly, and it was nice to have the boys along to help. We spent the rest of the day in low and slow mode at home, which was great for all of us.

This week found me at the nursing home twice with our school students. I’m sure some of them were a bit intimidated to go to the nursing home, but they did a great job! Both days were on the chillier side, but it was invigorating to walk with our students to the nursing home. On Thursday morning, we had a student who arrived at the nursing home and promptly threw up! Poor child! I’m thankful for the staff that can help with that because I’m a mess when it comes to certain smells! All in all, the students did a great job.

I have one more event tonight, and then it’s a smooth sail into Christmas...if such a thing exists! Our kids and a few from the school will be participating in a Christmas service in a small old church building. The building is a historic one and it is used every Christmas for a special service. This year our kids will be a part of the quoting of Luke 2 and singing a few songs. I’m excited for this opportunity for our children and it’s another way for them to serve others.

Our family was also blessed this week through the generosity of one of our dear church members and friend . This lady has blessed our children by interacting in their lives. She also has blessed them with Christmas presents that are wrapped and under our tree! Our children are so excited!

I am spending some of the day with my sister tomorrow and I am very excited about that. It’s been a while since we’ve spent time together, and I’m looking forward to lunch and visiting. Emma will be coming with us, and she is very excited to go Christmas shopping. Emma picked Garett’s name in our family name drawing, and she has been dreaming of buying him a present.

We love you all!

Blessings!

 9And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. Galatians 6:9 

Weariness...it’s a real thing, isn’t it?! However, joy and contentment are also ours for the claiming! I’m thankful for the blessings that God provided for our family in the past week.

As many of you know, Roger took a quick trip out to California to celebrate the life of his grandpa. While our hearts will miss him, I know that Grandpa is estatic to be HOME in heaven! I’m thankful that God worked out all details for Roger to be able to go, and as much as I would’ve loved to go along too, I’m thankful that Roger was able to go. He was able to enjoy time with his brothers that I would I have interrupted, and I know he was thankful to spend time with three of his four brothers.

Roger gone to California left mom on single parenting duty! Definitely not my favorite thing, but it’s life! Roger left for California early Friday morning, and I just really did not want to face the day! But God gives grace for every moment, and He certainly heaped blessings upon me on Friday! After playing the piano for chapel services which included many Christmas carols, I got ready for hot lunch. Hot lunch was delicious, but breakfast for lunch is a lot of work! That’s why we only do it when there is s fifth Friday in the month! The students really enjoy it when we have breakfast, so it was fun to see their delighted faces over French toast, sausage, hash browns, and smoothies!

After hot lunch on Friday, my friend, Claire, suggested that Emma come home with her for the afternoon. This was a great blessing to both myself and Emma! I had Christmas costumes to dig out  of the attic and to organize, and that probably wouldn’t have been Emma’s cup of tea! Allison helped  me get all the costumes out of the church attic, and get most of them organized for the Christmas   program. It’s hard to believe but on Friday, December 7, the program will be behind us! After school,
 I brought Claire’s son home and picked up Emma. Claire asked if we would want to take a walk to the lighthouse. That was actually a really good idea, because the kids had asked to go to the parade and the Walk Through Bethlehem that evening. A walk to the lighthouse would use up much of the time between school and the parade events. We took the seven kids we had between us and enjoyed a great walk at the lighthouse. It provided a distraction for my kids, and it helped use our time wisely. After the walk, Claire suggested Pizza Hut for supper. I asked the boys, and I received a very enthusiastic YES! Chandler was suffering from a bad headache, and he actually fell asleep at Pizza Hut, while Claire and I visited. Thanks to the cartoon channel, our kids were all happily entertained! I was a wonderful evening and such an unexpected and delightful blessing. Chandler felt bettter after a short nap and eating, so we headed to the parade. We’ve done the parade and walk through Bethlehem with Roger and several other friends the last two years, so it was not my favorite to be  doing it by myself. The kids did have a great time, but they all commented on how much they missed  having Dad to go with them. Yes, we do miss Dad!

Saturday was a morning spent mostly at home, except going to Rogers work to get another seat put in the van! Rogers boss has graciously allowed us to use one of the company’s vans until we can figure out what to do about the suburban and getting a different vehicle. But this afternoon a group from our church is headed to see the Coastal Botanical Gardens, and I knew we would need another seat in the van. I’m thankful that there were workers available to put in that seat because I would’ve been there a very, very long time! The kids were very excited about going to see all the lights at Gardens Aglow at the coastal botanical gardens, but again, we missed Dad! Since Roger was gone, that meant that I needed to drive the van. I don’t mind driving the big van, but I don’t parellel park and I will park a mile away if I can avoid backing up!

It was a great evening! Allison had set up all the arrangements for the group of 22 of us that went. I  
 drove the van with all the kids, Allison, and one other mom. God provided a great opportunity as   Allison asked the other mom to sit in the front. I was able to hear about her salvation testimony, and I hope encourage her a bit as some of her situations aren’t ideal. It was a good opportunity to pray, share the Love of Jesus, and hopefully, encourage her. The gardens were beautiful...but oh, so crowded! Wow! I’d love to go again, but not on a weekend! The kids enjoyed themselves to, and it was a beautiful night!

Roger had originally planned on coming back on Sunday, but it was Monday when he arrived home. We were all very glad to see him, but especially this mama! Roger is the main man for setting up the backdrops for the Christmas program, and it’s only a few days away! I married a good man. He puts up with an overflowing of ideas and suggestions, and then he brings in all together in a way that I neither suggested or gave as in idea! But it looks way better than anything I could ever attempt to do!  We were at the school setting up after work on Tuesday for several hours. I don’t know of very many men that would get off of their physical job, and come and help get ready for a school program and not even complain! However, by the time we were done at the church on Tuesday night everyone was a bit tired and grouchy! Since we didn’t leave the church until after eight pm, and our kids are usually in bed by 7:30, it was a bit crazy! Everyone was hungry, so that was the first problem to fix! It was after nine before all the kids were in bed, but my heart breathed a sigh of relief at having another very important part done! Thank you, Roger!

Today we had our first official dress rehearsal for our Christmas program! Whew! The kids have done a great job with pulling it all together, but we will all rejoice when Friday night is behind us! I’m thankful for the teachers that have given sacrificially in allowing me to have a bit of extra time with our students. I’m thankful for Emma, Allison’s daughter, who has helped me so sweetly through all our technical difficulties! She is the tech/sound producer and she has done a great job! I’m sad  she’s in eighth grade as that means she will be leaving our school! I’m praying for receptive hearts to the Gospel message on Friday, and please pray with me on that!  

We’ve had several blessings this week....want to hear them?
1) My parents are very sacrificial in their giving towards our children’s education. We are so thankful for their support, and I am blessed.

2) I found out that someone has been putting some money on our school account every month! Say want?! I don’t know who, but I am thankful!

3) Roger was able to go to California. While we missed him, I am thankful that he was able to spend time with family.

4) Roger and I were blessed by the generosity of one of the families out on the islands. This couple has become good friends with Roger and I and our family. This past week when Roger was out on the island, the gentleman pulled Roger aside and gave him a gift of money. He told Roger that he and his wife remember having Christmas with lots of young children, and he wanted to bless us. He gave us a gift of money to put towards our Christmas with out family! It was a complete and total surprise, and a blessing that we will remember for years to come!

I am so blessed with so many that love and pray for our family. You encourage our hearts, and I am thankful!

 

 

 

 

Thankful Hearts and Full Days

I had big intentions about writing about Thanksgiving Day! However, we are already almost a week past that already! We did have a great Thanksgiving Day...did you? My friend, Allison, graciously invited our family to come along with her family and extended family. I’m thankful for those who don’t mind an extra seven people along for dinner! I was also very thankful that I didn’t have to cook. It was a blessing to be invited to share in someone else’s family time. The kids had a great time as the day was cold at about seventeen degrees! But Carolyn has a hot tub at her house, and the kids borough along swimsuits! Yes, those kids were out there wallowing in the snow and then racing to jump in the hot tub. Except Emma! She gladly let everyone else get out to go jump in the snow, while she enjoyed the hot tub to herself for about thirty seconds at a time! It created a fun and special memory for the kids, and I know they will remember this Thanksgiving as the one when it was really cold!

Roger was working on Friday, so we spent a low key day at home. I did have to run a few errands, so we did go in one store for some Black Friday deals. The store was practically empty! It certainly didn’t feel like a Black Friday! I guess everyone went to the bigger cities for shopping today. I made some cookies with the kids, they played outside for a lot of the day, and we just enjoyed most of the day at home. Saturday was much of the same as Roger was working, but we got ready for getting a Christmas tree!

On Sunday it was raining for most of the day. However, we had already planned to get a Christmas  tree today as Roger had off today. After church we weighed our options. One option was to wait to get a tree. Guess what? None of the children voted for that option! Option two was to go out to the tree farm and cut our own in the mud. Guess what? Mom did not vote for that option! Option three      
 was to go to a pre-cut lot and pick one out. Option three won the vote! We found a tree lot that    offered any tree for $25.00. We made a quick decision in the rain and piled back into the truck.  Actually, Emma never even bothered to get out of the truck. She looked out the window into the rain, and told the boys, “You can pick out the tree today!” Roger tied on the tree, and we headed for home.

This tree! A pain in my backside! First of all, the wet tree needed to dry! So we had to bring the wet tree into the house to dry off. Finally the tree was dry. Next the boys wanted to spray white “snow” on the tree. We had bought it last year after Christmas as Roger wanted to try it. It actually turned out very nicely, but again the tree had to dry. While the tree was drying, we realized that not all of the lights were working for the tree. So Roger and I went to get some lights. We came back and put the lights on the tree, but now we didn’t have enough of that particular kind of lights. Well that’s not a big deal, we can just use the other white lights! Yeah, do you know how many different shades of white lights there are?!  I wouldn’t say I’m very particular about the tree, but this was looking like a red neck Christmas tree. Roger went back to the store to get more lights for the tree. This is one   weekend I was thankful for Black Friday sales on Christmas lights! Roger came back with the lights,  and we started stringing lights again. I have to say, I am very thankful that we did not have church services on Sunday night as we used up most of our day on this tree! Guess what? Yes, the brand new Christmas lights did not work! Only half the string was working! For the first time in our married lives, we went to bed with a half done Christmas tree! The boys were very understanding about the whole situation and by the end of the night we were able to laugh at the events. Emma struggled a bit more, so we decided to help her out a bit by letting her put ornaments on the bottom of the tree! Now it really looked half done! Oh well! Another project to finish another day!
 

We finished decorating the tree on Monday night! It’s not exactly the way that I would decorate the tree, but I’d much rather have the kids create their memories of decorating the tree than to remember that the tree had to be decorated moms way! We also had Christmas program practice on Monday  
morning! Only three more practices before the program! You know...they say in show biz that if the   rehearsals don’t go well, often the actual performance is awesome! Well then, we should be all set to be awesome! A lot of little details have to be worked out, but overall, I’m pleased with the efforts that the students have put forth in the Christmas program. I also will be delighted to have it behind me!

Rogers grandfather did pass away last week, and Roger is planning on going out to  California this weekend. Through some family connections, Roger was able to get a very reasonably priced ticket to go out to California for two nights. It’s a quick trip, but I’m thankful that he will have the opportunity to share in the memories of grandpa. And it’s also an opportunity for Roger to reconnect with his family, and that is important also. We will miss him!

We appreciate your continued prayers. I want to be intentional this Christmas season with my time  and with the making of memories with our kids. The truth is that our kids won’t remember the presents we did or did not give them, but they will remember the time we spent with them. It’s a busy  time of year, but above all, I want to point our kids to Jesus. After all, He truly is the reason for the season!
 

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Pains, Ultrasounds, Snow Days and Auction Day!

Pains, ultrasounds, snow days, auctions, and music classes! That about sums up our week! I bet some of  you opened this blog page thinking that we were announcing I am pregnant! No! Roger had a small zit looking thing on his hand last week, but by last Sunday night the swelling in his hand was intense as well as the pain.

 

 

 

 

By Monday morning, Roger could hardly move his hand. He decided to go to the clinic while I held our one-hour Christmas program practice. The clinic prescribed a pretty intense antibiotic to help with the infection and pain. He picked me up from school, and we went to get that prescription.  By the time we picked up Emma at 11:30am., Roger was practically white from the pain. We went home and he rested while I worked on finishing up some auction details. I picked up kids from school, and we made a pumpkin roll for Mr, Kevin’s birthday, which was on Tuesday. After school on Tuesday we were planning to go out to the airport to have a small party for Mr. Kevin’s birthday. Roger spent Monday afternoon soaking his hand many times, and trying to make sure no one touched it.


Roger was supposed to work on Tuesday, but if you can’t squeeze your fingers, it’s difficult to fly the plane! The weather wasn’t great either, so Roger stayed home with Emma on Tuesday. Although I know Roger wanted to be at work, it did work out really well that Emma could stay home while  Allison and I worked on auction projects. We had several errands to run before getting started on organizing all our auction donations. Neither of us were especially eager to work on that project!  We had coffee together, went to the bank, picked up some groceries we needed for hot lunch and the auction dinner, went to get the bidder cards from the auctioneer, and then finally...when we couldn’t come up with anything else that needed doing except the job of organizing, we headed to school. We were both just a wee bit tired of this project! However, once we did motivate ourselves, we got a lot
done in a few hours. I was actually able to go home and check on Roger and Emma, make a pan of
 Mac n cheese for the auction, and then come back to pick up our boys. The boys came home and  
 immediately started creating birthday cards for Mr. Kevin’s birthday. It was so sweet to see them all
 at the table coloring, writing and drawing out cards. Garett and Travis both took money from their piggy banks and gave  Mr. Kevin a dollar. I know, right?! A dollar? Yes, and since they were so eager  and willing to give, I certainly wasn’t going to discourage that. Chandler and Wyatt didn’t have any dollars at home as their money was in the bank, but they were very supportive of the other brothers giving money. Emma scrounged around and came up with two cents to put in her birthday card for Mr. Kevin. It’s so great that he’s such a good sport, and the boys were delighted to give him their cards. Roger came with us to the airport for the birthday party, but he was pretty miserable all day. His hand had actually gotten quite a bit worse over the day, and we were worried about the spreading of the infection. We only stayed a short while at the airport due to Roger’s hand, and it being a school night, and the week of the auction. After putting the boys in bed, I told Roger that I thought he should
 just go ahead and go to the Emergency Room. In our area, we don’t have an urgent care clinic or
walk-in care. Basically, it was either go to the E.R. on Tuesday night or go on Wednesday morning. His hand was basically getting worse by the hour and the pain was spreading into his finger joints and up his arm. I would’ve gladly went with him, but since all our kids were in bed, off he went on his own. The pain was getting to the place where Roger couldn’t sleep, eat or think, so it was time to do something. I don’t relish the idea of owing the hospital, but I like the idea of Roger losing his hand even less! God has always shown Himself strong, and He is going to continue to do so. I tried to wait up for Roger, but I couldn’t stay awake. I finally went to bed, and heard Roger come home around two am. He was exhausted, and he needed sleep. I asked him on Wednesday morning what they had done at the E.R. He said that they had give him pain medicine, done an ultrasound to make sure the blood flow was good, taken lots of samples of blood, prescribed another antibiotic, and the had lanced and drained the infection. I’m thankful for numbing medicine because I can’t imagine getting that thing lanced and drained!



Roger was running a fever on Wednesday morning, and I didn’t really want to leave him while I   taught music class. I gave Roger some pain reliever, and the fever did go down. Roger decided that he would just drop me off at music class, and then he would get his medicine filled, and he would rest in the car until I was done. Roger hasn’t been able to drive his car this week since you can’t drive a stick shift car with one hand! I taught music classes, which is a challenge to do when you’re tired! I finished a bit early, and Roger was taking a nap in the car. We needed milk (no surprise there), so we decided to go to the grocery store and pick that up before getting Emma. Roger stayed in the truck, and I ran in for milk. I came back out, Roger tried to start the truck, and it wouldn’t start! Frustrating! The truck has been limping along for a while now. Every morning the boys have to go out and put air in the tire and make sure the truck will start. Two of the windows won’t roll down, one of the doors has a broken spring, but it’s still drivable! Usually we have our little battery pack in the car,  but  today it was at home on the counter. charging. Poor Roger! He only wanted to go home and relax and we were stuck at the grocery store! Well, I called Allison, who was at church. She came over, tried to help us jump start the truck, and when that didn’t work, she took us to the airport. I called the school  to let them know I would be late picking up Emma. Kevin loaned us one of the vans, and we picked up Emma. Then back to the grocery store to try to get the truck out of the parking lot! We were able to get it jumped since the van has a bigger battery, and finally...home! Roger fell asleep as soon as we got home, and Emma and I worked on a few things around the house. I went to go get the boys and left Emma and Roger at home. After school on Wednesday, the boys helped with making Chex Mix for our baked goods table. Wyatt talked me into making Chex muddy buddies for him. We already had such a big mess in the kitchen that it really didn’t matter, and it’s not been an easy week for our kids either. We spent time making that together, and then cleaning up our big mess! Roger is a bit short in patience this week since the pain has been so intense. He definitely doesn’t like being  dependent upon someone to help him with his socks, shoes, zipping up his coat, etc. I’ve been driving most every where because Roger hasn’t been able to drive his stick shift car. His hand is healing, but it is a slow process. God is giving us strength to get through one day at a time.

Thursday was another very full day. Allison, Claire and I planned to spend most of the day at the school numbering and organizing our auction items. Allison needed to go to the grocery store before we got started, so I went with her. A the grocery stores, she said, “Aren’t you going to get a cart?” I replied that I didn’t really need anything and I had just come along to spend time with her. She gave me a surprised look and said, “Aren’t you supposed to buy rolls for the lobster tomorrow night and the hotdogs?” Oh yeah! That would be me! Yes, I’ll get a cart! We went to get coffee (yes, it’s that kind of week to have two coffee dates in it!) and headed to the school. Thankfully once we got moving in on the project Claire, Allison, and I were able to get a lot done. It was a day for a lot of heavy sighing as we were all tired, but we got it done! Claire supervised and helped with the picking  of  70 lobsters. Another school mom, Annah, helped with that job along with two folks from our church Sharon and Neal. It was a big job, but they got it done quickly! The best part was that we had enough done that when school was over, none of us had to stick around after school! Hooray for home!

Friday...auction day! Oh, and our first snow day of the school year was also on Friday! Now what? Since school was cancelled due to snow should we try to reschedule the auction?! Claire, Allison and I had many, many texts going all morning, but around nine am. Allison got ahold of the auctioneer. He suggested we go ahead with the auction as planned. Since all weather reports seeemed to indicate that the weather would get better throughout the day, we decided that we should move forward. After all....we had a lot of lobsters already cooked! Once it was decided to go ahead with the auction, God just gave peace at every turn. We knew that He had already helped us get this far and that He would bring the right people to the auction. We met at the school at a bit afte one of, and worked hard on  setting up chairs, auction items, a few decorations, getting started on kitchen work, printing out the auction lists, writing out bidder cards, and preparing for the evening.  A few other parents came a bit later  to help set up the kitchen and get the Mac n cheeses baking, and by 5:30, we were ready! The fellowship hall was full! We had to set up extra chairs for folks to sit in, but we had plenty of food and plenty of fun! God showed Himself strong in a way that only He can do! It made the hours and hours and hours of prep work, chasing down donations, and being exhausted seem worth it. God provided enough funds to supply our needs, to be able to give the teachers a Christmas gift this year, and to continue on with hot lunch. I am so very thankful for the parents that helped, those who bought our auction items, and those who came to show their support...we couldn’t have done it without them!

Saturday was a day to just relax. My kids were so excited about the auction, but also that the auction was behind us! We spent the morning talking, drinking coffe, and taking trash to the dump...exciting times! We wer invited to a friends house for supper on Saturday evening, and that was a big blessing.  It was nice to have fellowship with Nick and Hannah and their little ones. It was especially nice for me to not have to think about having a plan for supper. After a crazy week, it was a nice way to unwind.

On top of Roger’s hand, the busy week with the auction, the vehicle problems, the looming Christmas program, also Roger’s grandpa is dying. Just a few weeks ago his grandma passed away (Rogers Dad’s mom) and this week his grandpa is dying (Rogers mom’s dad). To say that it’s been a rough month would be a gross understatement! God has been faithful and strong, but it’s not been an easy month for our family. We are thankful that both of these grandparents know Jesus as their personal Savior. They both were and are ready to meet Jesus. While we do and will miss them, we know that we will see them in Heaven again some day. One of my favorite memories of Roger’s  grandpa is from about six years ago at the family reunion. Grandpa had come along to Roger’s  family reunion,  and it was my first opportunity to really get to know him. We often found ourselves the first ones up that week and sat together in the kitchen over many cups of coffee and studying God’s Word. Grandpa lived out his life for Jesus. Through his life , he pointed people to Jesus. I don’t think he would want people to just say he was a great guy or a wonderful person , I think he would want them to know that he’s different because of a personal relationship with Jesus. I’ll never forget that week at the family reunion where an older man encouraged my walk with Jesus, took time to listen to a young mama, and encouraged my heart. I look forward to seeing him in heaven someday.

In closing, our family could use your prayers. Every week brings new challenges, but this past month has seemed that satan has just brought one obstacle out in front of the other. It brings to mind the verses from 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 “We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;”

We serve a great and amazing God! I can’t imagine my life without Him. At the end of my life, I don’t care if people think I’m crazy (probably I am), but I do want them to know that I had a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, that I had confessed my sins to Him and asked Him to come into my heart, and that I was passionate about serving and loving Him.

Blessings and Pain (For Roger anyways)

 

 

 

I am so excited about this week! Or maybe it’s the fact that after Friday a major undertaking will be behind us?! This Friday our school will host its 19th annual auction! Wow! We are going to have a few crazy days ahead of us, but then it’ll be done! The proceeds from this auction go to our Parent Group. We use the funds for funding field trips, teacher appreciation week, hot lunch every Friday, technology needs, a Grandparents luncheon, and much, much more. Although small in number this year, ready or not, the auction is almost here. I’m so thankful for the moms that have worked together on this endeavor. While there have only been a few of us at the parent meetings and brainstorming sessions, the spirit of unity has been present. I’m so thankful!

In three weeks, the students will put on their Christmas program. It seems like a big undertaking to think that this will come together in a little over three weeks, but I remember feeling this way last year too. It’s a great group of students to work with, and for the most part, they all come prepared and willing to do their best. I’m thankful for the opportunity to serve in this ministry, and I’ll also rejoice when the program is over. But for now, I’m trying to enjoy the blessing of today!

Last week...what did I even do?! Let’s see...I finished my blanket for the auction. I also forgot to take a picture before I dropped it off at the school. I’ll try to remember to do that. I like how it turned out, and the boys all wanted to keep it...which we don’t need!

Last Monday morning found me in the sanctuary with the students preparing for the Christmas program. The teachers graciously gave me an hour to work with the entire student body on Monday mornings for the next few weeks. I know it’s a sacrifice on their part, so I definitely want to use that hour wisely. Following the program practice, Allison and I snuck away from the school to pick up  a  squash. Yes, you read that right! An older lady in our  church donated a very, very large blue Hubbard squash to our school auction, but she wanted someone to come pick it up. Allison and I didn’t have a lot of time, but we could both see that she wanted someone to visit with her. Her husband passed away recently, and I’m sure she’s a bit lonely. We stayed as long as we could, but Allison and I talked on the way back to school about the needs of the older folks in our church. I made a promise to myself that I would take the kiddos back this week to visit if God provided the opportunity.

On Tuesday morning, Emma and I were invited to a play date. Hannah, my friend,   come over to our house with her little ones a few weeks ago, and today we went to their house. We had a great morning visiting together. Hannah and I always have some deep conversations involving parenting, our responsibilities as mamas, life, and so much more. We certainly never solve all the problems, but it s good time of sweet fellowship centered around our love for Jesus, His Word, and our hearts desire for our children to grow up to love and serve Him. For having five kids five years old and under, it really was a peaceful morning. We were able to sit and visit while the kids played nicely. I worked a lot on my blanket while visiting with Hannah. We left we happy and full hearts. I was encouraged by a relaxing morning. We also voted on Tuesday...did you?

Wednesday was a bit crazier than normal, as Garett woke up not feeling well. I knew I didn’t want to cancel a morning of music classes with only having a few weeks left. Garett could’ve been fine on his own for a morning, as he just was struggling with a cold, but I decided to drop him off to Roger. How awesome is it that God provided a job for Roger where our kids are welcome to come and stay for a bit?! Garett was more than delighted to go to the airport...so much that I wondered how sick he really was feeling! He certainly didn’t act too sick, and I asked Roger to see if he could figure out why Garett didn’t want to go to school. It’s very unlike Garett to not want to go to school. School is hard for him, but he does enjoy it. I spent my morning directing handbells, chimes, boomwhackers and voices! Sometimes my head does hurt afterwards! When I picked up Garett after music classes, he  announced immediately that he was starving! Doesn’t sound like a sick child, does it? Garett was quiet for much of the day, but he never really opened up to much. He just said that he didn’t want to get the other kids sick, and he felt like his throat was sore. I completely believe him as we’ve had lots of sick kids, but my mother’s intuition told me that this might be something more.

Thursday morning rolled around with a full day of auction preparations to be done. Allison and I had a date to go to Augusta to go to Sam’s Club to get food items for the auction dinner. My friend, Annah, kindly agreed to watch Emma so that she didn’t have to go shopping with us. Emma was delighted to find out that she was spending the day with some of her friends! I dropped Emma off at Annah’s and picked up her son, Josiah, to take to school with us. On the way to school, Garett  casually asked Josiah if they had had a timed multiplication drill yesterday. Immediately my mom instinct picked up on Garett’s anxiety. Josiah told Garett that the teacher had forgot about the drill, so they might have it today. I could tell by the expression on Garett’s face that he was anxious about this math drill. When we dropped off the kids at school, I held Garett back to talk to him. He explained that he hated timed events as he can’t think under pressure. Um, yes, I’d agree with that! I explained that I could understand his concern but we can’t avoid problems in our lives by hiding from them! I just told him to do his best, and let God work out everything else. Garett told me after school that his teacher had given them a drill, but it wasn’t a timed drill. Well, praise Jesus! Garett does have an amazing teacher, so I’m sure that she was able to discern what the problem might be.

Allison and I had a great day! While it’s more fun to be shopping for our families or ourselves, it was so great to spend the day together. We visited, laughed and chatted the whole way to Augusta and back again! I am so blessed by her friendship, and I am so thankful for her. After picking up the kids from school, we headed to the airport to see Roger. I wanted to see about borrowing some rakes to rake some leaves. The older lady who’s house we went to on Monday had said that she needed to  get out and rake up her leaves. Okay, that’s something that my kids can help with. We gathered up the rakes, and headed over. She was delighted to see the kids and thought that we had stopped by for some Halloween treats. She was so surprised to find out that the boys were going to rake her leaves. Wow...our boys have become so much better at working! When we first started taking them on these service activities, it was a lot of work to help them stay on task. However today they pitched right in, raked hard, and gathered up seven wheelbarrows of leaves before the sun was getting too low. Emma was happy to stay in the house and entertain. I was so thankful for the hard work of the boys, their happy servant hearts, and the fact that God blessed us with these children. I hope that we were a small blessing to this dear older lady. It was dark when we finally arrived home, but our hearts were blessed by being a blessing to someone else.

Friday ...oh, Friday! Chapel music, auction project with Chandler’s class, hot lunch, and following up on some auction requests! It was a crazy, crazy day! Claire  took Emma with her in the afternoon, so I was able to follow up with a few businesses about some auction donations. I had a good time helping Chandler’s class with their auction project. They made homemade cleaners with essential oils. It was a fun project, and it smelled up the whole lunch room!

I’m thankful for days at home like Saturday. I’m thankful for church family, and it makes me sad when we miss it. I wasn’t feeling well on Sunday, and since Roger was working, we ended up staying home in the morning. It was good to just relax at home for a bit with our children, and I am thankful. I’m thankful for good health especially as Roger has been struggling with an infection in his hand. He finally had to go into the doctor today as his hand is so swollen that he can’t move it. We are praying for a swift and speedy recovery. He needs that hand for flying. I’m thankful for veterans and those who have served and are serving our country. I’m thankful for the Christian school. It’s not perfect because it’s made up of people, but it’s a great place for our children.

Today is Monday, and Roger’s hand is much, much worse! He had to go to the clinic and now he is on an antibiotic. Please pray that he will be able to get some relief from the pain soon. It’s very.  uncomfortable and the boys miss wrestling with him. God is good.
We love you,
Sarah

A Rough Week...and God’s Hand at Work

One of my favorite songs: https://youtu.be/mmdnM-aLEpM


I’ve struggled for several days over what to even write on this post. The reason that I am writing is because it was a rough week, but God showed Himself to be faithful and strong just like He always does. When I come back to reread this post in a few years, I want to be reminded of the character of God and Who He is.

To start off the week, I received a text from Rogers’s mom saying that Grandma Robertson was dying (Roger’s grandma). The last time that I had actually seen Grandma Robertson was when Chandler was about six months old. She lived out in California, which is a bit more than a hop and skip from Maine! Roger has a lot of memories with his grandma as his grandparents visited them often when he was growing up. Roger didn’t sleep well on Monday night as he woke up in the night to read a text that grandma had passed into the arms of her Savior. We talked about many options on Tuesday and looked into flights for Roger to get out to California. However, we didn’t come up with any great ideas or options. The memorial service would be on Saturday, and Garett was going on an all-night teen activity with Roger on Friday night into Saturday morning. Garett was really looking forward to this activity, and the only reason he was being allowed to go is because Roger was also going. Since
the tickets weren’t the only reason Roger wasn’t at peace with going to California, we decided that we would not be able to get out to the memorial service for Grandma. This was a bit hard on Roger as all of his other brothers and older sister were going to be there, but God was clearly not giving us peace.

It was all for the best and in God’s sovereign plan. There were some circumstances that happened in my life in Thursday that were very painful and hurtful to me...not physically, but I sometimes think physical pain might be easier than emotional pain. Words can be hurtful. I needed Roger to be here, and if he had been in California, a lot of emotional decisions might have been made on my part. It was one of those days where I missed the ability to talk to my dad in person. I could’ve called, but it’s not the same. I’m thankful that Roger was able to be my sounding board on Thursday night. On Thursday night, one of my friends, Beka, called from Wisconsin. I haven’t heard from her in a few weeks, and the reason she called was to ask a simple question. Yet it was a God ordained timed  event. She had just been through a similar instance a few months ago, and was able to offer some encouraging words. I’m thankful for God’s love to me.  It’s not often that I’m caught completely off guard, but that definitely happened on Thursday.

On Friday morning I found myself fighting tears, fatigue, and emotional instability.  Due to weather, Roger had the day off, which was again a detail that God ordained. We were able to talk with our  pastor and get some solid, Biblical advice. It was a morning that God worked out so many details to fall into place, that we could only step back in awe and say, “God is at work here”. I’m not at liberty to discuss any details because that would be hurtful to others. I can say that while I’m not exactly happy with the situation or circumstances, I am at peace with the situation.

Isaiah 26:3-4 King James Version (KJV)

3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.

4 Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength:

It was a long week, but God was and is faithful, kind and true. He protects me, watches over me, and continually holds me in his arms. He blessed me with a wonderful husband, whose gifts are discernment and faith. I can be confident in who God created me to be because I know He is with me. 

Isaiah 43 King James Version (KJV)

43 But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.

2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

3 For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee.

Wrapping up of October

Can you believe that the month of October is almost over?! The leaves are in the final stages before falling completely off the trees. We can see our neighbor’s house again, so it’s another reminder that the seasons are changing. We did see a few flurries of snow last week but no accumulation. The boys and Emma are anxious for the snow to fall. Emma told me that she can’t wait for the snow because “It’s been so long since I’ve been able to eat clean, white snow, Mommy!” So we have five kids that will be delighted when the snow does start falling!

Roger and Chandler left on Friday afternoon for their trip to Ohio. They flew from our area airport to Boston. From Boston they had a direct flight to Cleveland. Roger has a good friend that lives in the Cleveland area, so Chandler and Roger were able to stay the night at his place. Kyle has been a friend of Rogers for years and years, and Roger said it was so refreshing and encouraging to be able to  reconnect with that friendship. Chandler had a great weekend with Roger, and the other boys are anxiously waiting for whenever Roger might need to go on another trip! On Saturday, they spent time with Kyle, picked up the u haul, picked up the airplane part, and got ready to head back to Maine. Roger and Chandler were on the road by 4:00 am., and God provided good weather and clear roads. They were home by 8:00 pm. On Sunday night! I’m so glad that Roger was able to take one of our children with him. I’m not going to lie...it was a bit of a long weekend for me! The other boys and  Emma did really well together, but I definitely missed Chandler and Roger. We stayed busy with  various projects around the house. Travis and Emma helped make a few pumpkin rolls, and I started  on a crochet project for the auction...provided I can finish it in time!

 

On Sunday we had a church dinner following the service as well as a church business meeting. That can make for a bit of a long afternoon. I made crockpot lasagna and we brought along a pumpkin roll. When we arrived at church, the church had no electricity! I guess the wind from the night before had caused the power to go out. That meant that all the crockpots wouldn’t work! Thankfully our church  sanctuary has lots of windows, so we moved on with the Sunday school hour. Interestingly enough, we are discussing thanksgiving with the kids in our Sunday school class. It was a good time of discussion as they popped up with so many things that they are thankful for which included electricity! I’ve enjoyed these past few weeks with the children on discussing prayer. I feel like I’ve learned so much, and I certainly enjoy hearing what the kids have learned. Our time to shape, mold, and direct them is such a short window of time. We have no time to waste. I want to be intentional in teaching an opening Sunday school exercise as I am about teaching music class every week. Thankfully the power did come back one before the Sunday school hour was over, so there was enough time for the crockpot food to cook.

By the time the meeting and lunch was over, it was about two pm. That makes for a very short afternoon when the children’s program starts at five in the evening! It felt like we had very little time at home, but it was enough time to get laundry going and to pack lunches for school. It definitely   wasn’t an ideal afternoon, but we all survived!


Monday morning started another week of school, as well as our Parents Group meeting. Our auction is now just two weeks away, so we are on the home stretch. I will be so thankful to have this massive undertaking behind us, as the Christmas program is only three short weeks after that! It was a small group of moms that met together on Monday morning, but the willingness to work together  and in harmony was present. I am very much praying that God will give each of these moms a special blessing as we work on this event. It’s our schools’ 19th annual auction, however, that doesn’t mean that it comes together of its own accord! It’s a lot of hard, hard work. I wish I knew how to better encourage families to want to participate or help out, but I don’t. So instead I’ll move forward with a happy heart to serve the school in this capacity. I know we serve an amazing God!


 Monday evening, the kids had an opportunity to go to an event. Travis didn’t want to go as he was
 suffering from a head ache. He was sleeping by 6:45 pm., so I know he was tired! He seemed to   bounce back the next day, so off to school he went.  

Emma and I spent much of Tuesday working on contacting various businesses for donations to our auction. Emma and Travis had appointments at the doctors office after school to have some  vaccinations. The nurse asked the kids what they were going to be for Halloween. We certainly don’t
 celebrate Halloween, but we do participate in our church’s trunk or treat event. Travis looked at the nurse and replied, “I’ll be myself, of course!” I had to laugh as Travis does not like to dress up for anything so clearly he would want to be himself. Emma loves to dress up, and she always likes to try on my clothes also!



Wednesday was another full day, and I knew it would be. Since Wednesday is my music class teaching day, as well as our annual Trunk or Treat, it was a full to bursting day! After music class, I did lunch duty. Then we dropped by at the airport for a little bit to see Daddy. We had enough time to need to find something to do, but not enough time to go home. So Emma and I went to visit an older
couple in our church. Our kids enjoy older folks for the most part, and I want to encourage our children to make sure they interact with older people. We have so much we can learn from them. It was an enjoyable visit, and I believe it was a God -honoring way to fill up our afternoon. We picked  up the boys from school, and then we got ready for our trunk or treat. I’m not a fan of Halloween, and I do believe that people do wicked things on Halloween. But guess what? People do wicked and evil things every day! The Bible says, “This is the day that the Lord hath made, we will rejoice and be glad in it.” I would rather raise our children to not be fearful of a day, but rather to rejoice in how  great our God is! The Trunk or Treat event is one that the community is coming to the church. I  firmly believe that we, as Christians, have a wonderful to point families to Jesus! We decorated our
trunk like on of our church ministries. Since I teach the little ones on Sunday night, we decorated it
along that theme. Garett handed out the treats, and Emma handed out flyers to our children’s program on Sunday nights. Chandler and Wyatt hosted the table with hot choclate and Gospel tracts. I’m not
sure how many cups of hot chocolate they drank while hosting, but oh well! We saw a lot of kids and families on Wednesday night. I don’t know how many, but it was quite a few. I’m praying that seeds  were planted or watered, and that  God will be glorified through this event. It was a long and tiring
day, but we came home with happy hearts and sugared up kids!


 I have more to write about the events of this week, but I think I’ll save it for another post. I will say that I would definitely appreciate your prayers. The ending part of this week was exhausting,  troubling, and disheartening. I know that ultimately God will refine me as I face struggles, but sometimes spiritual growth is painful. However, we will continue to serve our Heavenly Father until He calls us home.

 

 Travis studying his spelling words 

I’ve been thinking about this statement by A. W. Tozer  a lot in recent days...a whole lot. It’s led to several discussions with my dearest friends. My heart’s desire is that my children will love God so passionately and fervently that they will be set apart and different simply because they love God so deeply. However, if my children grow up to love Jesus, serve Him, and live for Him, it will be In spite of me, not because of me. Being a parent is the hardest job...ever. I fail every day to point my kids to Jesus. Yet I know that as much as I love them, their Heavenly Father loves them even more. Oh, I want to be a vessel used by the Master to ever point them to Jesus.   

A “Down Week” or not so much?

 

 

I feel like I was supposed to have a “down week” last week. However, the week is over and while I can’t remember much of what I did, it certainly didn’t feel like down time! I do know that I have been very busy (read a tad overwhelmed) with the school Auction in a few weeks, the Christmas program prep, and the responsibilities that the rest of life at the moment brings! I’m ready for a vacation!

Roger is now single engine sea plane certified! Hooray! He’s been excited about this opportunity, and we are so thankful to his boss for helping Roger achieve this goal. Garett  has been excited about this as well, and he was disappointed to not be able to go along for Roger’s check ride. Garett will be having his first official flight lesson to log in his own flightbook by the end of next month. Garett is very excited!

Roger and Chandler will be taking a trip to Ohio this weekend. Roger is picking up some type of airplane part that was bought out there, and Chandler has the opportunity to go along! They will be flying out to Cleveland, staying overnight with a friend, and driving a U Haul back to Maine. All of our kids wanted to go...at first. Then Roger mentioned a long drive at which point Travis and Emma decided that they didn’t want to go! Garett was eliminated from the opportunity simply because in a few weeks he will be going on a teen activity with Roger. That left two boys who really, really wanted to go with Dad. Budget and space would only allow for one child to go. We torn up eight pieces of paper with the words either “stay” or “go” written on them. Then Wyatt and Chandler both picked four pieces of paper. In the end, Chandler was the one who had picked the right pieces of paper. Wyatt was so very disappointed, and it’s hard to see your child sad. I know that God has given this opportunity to Chandler for a reason, and we will work it through. Roger did take Wyatt out for a dinner date last night, so that gave them the opportunity to visit together. Wyatt is a quiet child, so  sometimes it takes a bit to get him to open up and start talking. While I would’ve enjoyed a date with Roger too, I’m thankful that the two of them had the opportunity to have some one on one time.

Our school fundraiser auction is three weeks from Friday, and it’s been an uphill climb! For some reason, I’m finding it difficult to find people to donate to the school auction. I’m not sure if it’s money related, Christian school related, or I’m just not good at asking! I’ve reached out to over thirty businesses. It would be nice if businesses would at least email or call back to let you know that they will or won’t donate! I can be a very persistent person though, so the next step is to follow up in person! However, God knows exactly what He is doing. I can trust Him for whatever the outcome may be for the school auction. Roger’ boss graciously and generously gave us several gift certificates for our auction. I’m so thankful for those that are willing to help us in this endeavor. I’ll even happily write thank you cards!

Last Friday my friend, Claire, surprised me with a thoughtful gift bag. I enjoy giving gifts, but I also enjoy receiving them. Her thoughtfulness blessed my heart. We served soup on Friday for hot lunch. You know we live near the coast when one of the soups is Fish Chowder and many of the kids enjoyed it! I made beef stew, which I’m also assuming was good as there wasn’t any left.

After hot lunch, I went to Garett’s classroom to see what boys wanted to sing in the Christmas program. Originally only about four boys had said that they actually wanted to sing, but when I said whoever wanted to come and try out for the group could come, all seven of them came along! We worked through several different people combinations and some with everyone singing together. I asked the boys which ones of them wanted to sing and were willing to work hard at the song. I was surprised when all seven boys said that they wanted or were willing to sing. Truth be told, there voice combinations together aren’t as great as if it was a trio or quartet group. However, these are pre-teen boys that are willing to get up in front of an audience and sing! It’s not going to be their music  teacher that tells them they aren’t going to make the cut! The Bible says to make a joyful noise, and if these boys are willing to work at that, then that’s what we will do! I’m actually really thrilled that these boys are willing to step out of their comfort zones and sing! I am confident that God is going to use their lives greatly if they will continue to be willing vessels in The Master’s hand.

On Saturday Roger had the day off. That was nice because cooler weather is coming and we need to get ready! We cleaned up the yard and the basement, and worked on various projects around the house. Chandler had been invited to a birthday party in the afternoon for a classmate. He was excited about going, but when we arrived he was the only boy and about ten girls! However, Chandler did really well. He interacted with the girls, was polite, and he told me he had a good time. He also thanked me for not leaving him at the party, but for staying with him. It was a good time for both of us, as I enjoyed some fellowship with a few of the moms in Chandler’s classroom.

On Sunday afternoon I whipped up three pans of Mac n cheese, four dozen cookies, and cut up carrot sticks for our children’s program in the evening. While that project did use up most of the afternoon, cooking is something I really don’t mind. I also enjoy the challenge of seeing how inexpensively I can prepare a meal while keeping it balanced and kid friendly. Every once in a while, it’s enjoyable to have the opportunity to try that. Sometimes the opportunities are really close together but that’s okay too!


Yesterday was Monday, and a fresh new week! After dropping the kids off at school, I had a few errands to run. I had placed ten dollars in my back pocket, but later in the morning the money was missing! I searched high and low, retraced my steps, became irritated with myself  for being irresponsible and careless, and in truth, I lost my joy! After about thirty minutes of searching, looking, and being frustrated, I took the time to pray. (Yes, I should’ve done  that first!) God brought  to mind the verse “I have learned in whatsoever state I am, there with to be content.” Well, I certainly wasn’t content! I wanted my ten dollars back! However,  I was reminded that I was allowing ten dollars to steal my joy. This money was ruining my day and affecting my attitude. I confessed my heart condition to God, and I felt peace sweep over me. Truth is, I never did find that ten dollars. But then again what’s ten dollars in comparison to sweet fellowship with my Heavenly Father?! Here’s the really cool part though...the mail! In the mailbox today was a sweet card from my sister, and a gift of money for the kids education! I was brought to tears at how God continues to provide for our needs, his love for our physical needs, but also our hearts condition. I serve a great God, do you?


Well that about sums up my “down week”! Perhaps it also explains why I’m a bit tired on this Tuesday afternoon! It was a good week. We would appreciate your prayers as Roger and Chandler go off on their adventure this weekend. We love you all,
Sarah


Few funny moments from the week:
1) I asked Travis to bring me down a brush from the upstairs bathroom so that I could brush Emma’s hair. He came back with a brush...the toilet brush! Um,  no!

2) I’ve been working out in the mornings before the kids get up. They are usually up as I’m finishing up my workout. A few mornings ago, it was a difficult workout. I was about dead on the floor, when Wyatt pipes up “That’s funny. You don’t look any skinnier yet!” Thank you, son! Ah, the memories to laugh about bring joy to my soul!