Day # 14 or is it 15? Does anyone even know anymore!?

We all might be wondering where is the rainbow in this storm, but rest assured that God sees the storm from the other side. 

By this time, most of us have been practicing “social distancing”. And some of you have already had mandates from your governors to limit your activities to just grocery shopping, medical trips or essential jobs. And for us....that mandate came today.  I can’t honestly say as I’m surprised to get the “stay at home” mandate, but it’s still a bit depressing to be honest. I am very thankful that we have a yard our kids can play in and that we have a road we can walk down as needed. We have food for today, and that’s more than a lot of people around the world have during this time. Maine is up to 303 cases of Coronavirus with 68 recovered. Majority of those cases are in two counties down by the border of our state with New Hampshire. But we are still under “stay -at-home” orders beginning on April 2 at midnight. I am missing our church and school families during this time, but like everyone else we take things one day at a time. 

I felt like it took me all day to get through school today. I just was lacking energy and enthusiasm. The flip side of that is that I had nowhere to go so it’s not like I needed to hurry up and get everything done! Chandler made popcorn at 6:00 this morning for one of his school projects, so he was on the ball today. Garett told me that he misses “normal” school and that this at -home learning really isn’t that fun. Sigh. I hear you, but let’s just press on! Emma had an online class experience and as expected, it was utter chaos! Emma really enjoyed seeing her friends from school though, and I’m thankful for the opportunity for her. We have a preschool meeting tomorrow online, so I’m sure that will provide some interesting moments as well. It’s a learning curve for sure! I wish I knew more about technology, but I’m having to learn it so quickly! Trial and error, right? 

What am I thankful for today?

* I am thankful that God is faithful

* I am thankful that the sun came out and the kids were able to go outside

* I am thankful that Roger came home from work to take the boys fishing again tonight. They really enjoy that. 

This kid loves anything that is “hands on”

She is trying very hard to do it all correctly

Morning popcorn 

                                                Thankful for sunshine! 

Two weeks of “at-home” learning!

Today I am sharing another one of my favorites. I truly do enjoy upbeat, fast music, but as of late, I’ve found myself needing more of the meditative type music. 

I almost didn’t write tonight, because it just seems like it doesn’t matter. We are all in the middle of the muddle together, and nothing makes sense or seems “normal” anymore. I have to rest in the fact that God sees the storm from the other side. He knows about tomorrow because He’s already there. I have to find comfort in that fact. 

I really wasn’t feeling that great today, so it was nice to have Roger home. He was scheduled to work today, but the weather was not flyable. It’s nice to have another person listen to Emma read or help figure out a lesson or just provide an additional set of hands. I worry about doing too little and having our kids be behind when we get back to school (Notice I said when, not if) Still believing that God can reopen school this year. It’s hard to get everything checked off every day, and I worry about one of our kids falling through the cracks and being far behind. I have a few that are very independent learners, and some that are not very motivated at all. It’s not all roses over here! I’m finding it challenging to have all my ducks in a row, so to speak, and I consider myself a fairly organized person. 

It snowed this morning. I was not excited about that, but hey, I don’t get to decide. I’m thankful that God knows what He is doing in and through all of this. Since Roger had off, the took the boys fishing this afternoon. They didn't catch any fish, but they came back all wet and soaked...and happy they got to go. I’m thankful that Roger is also willing to do fun things with them during these long days for all of us. 

Take heart, weary friends, God knows where we are today. 

Maine cases of Coronavirus are up to 273. I am hearing rumors of schools not reopening this year, but I refuse to borrow tomorrow’s problems. We will just continue to pray, and rest in the fact that God is in control. Please let us know if you have any specific prayer requests. We are happy to pray with you and for you. 

Photo credit: georgemuller.org 

Day #Don’t lose Hope!

I’m starting off this blog post with another song. Truly music can bring comfort to our weary souls, and this is another one of my favorites. (But I probably have enough “favorites” to have one a day for at least a year!)

So, I don’t know where you stand on this whole Coronavirus pandemic, and I really don’t have any great words of wisdom. But I know that true wisdom is not found in man’s words, but in what God has to say. God says...do not be afraid. God says...I am always with you. God says...I am on the throne. God says....all things work together for good. God says....I have overcome the world. So for today, let’s choose to rest in that, shall we? 

Today was another interesting Sunday. We made it to our church service on time...but we were almost late as the service actually started a few minutes early! I can’t imagine being one of the pastors that is preaching to an empty room, as I know I struggle with paying attention when watching something online. However, I do find encouragement in watching many of the online services from many of my friends churches. Definitely, the Word of God went forth today, and I can rejoice in that. 

Roger took the kids fishing this afternoon, and it was just Emma and I at home this afternoon. I have been enjoying having our kids around, but to be honest...I think they’re tired of just mom! I know I’m not a “fun” teacher when it comes to educating all of them at home, and sometimes my mentality is “Let’s just get this done and do what we need to do”. I’ve looked over all the packets of work that our kids need to complete in the next two weeks, and I think I’ve braced myself for the challenge and we are ready to dive back in tomorrow. I’ll let you know! 

I was able to get in a nice long run (a long run for me anyways!) this morning, so that was especially nice. I’ve quit using headphones lately when I run because I’m just finding so many things to pray for, and I can focus better without noise. I was able to get in almost six miles total, and I’m thankful for the opportunity to be outside. This week is looking to be quite dreary outside, so I’m bracing myself fo some long days ahead. However, God is in charge of the weather too! We will take each day one at a time. 

Tomorrow will make two weeks since we closed the school building for a while. I was hoping/praying that by some miracle we would be able to get back to school in April, but tonight our President extended the social distancing guidelines until at least April 30. It’s a bit overwhelming, and daunting to say the least! Let’s be sure to uphold each other, our nation, our states, our communities, our schools, and our children in prayer. We know that God is still faithful. Be aware of the attacks of Satan and pray against them...pray believing. Sometimes, I just have to write that out-just to remind myself! 

I’d appreciate your prayers for us, as we prepare to navigate some new territory with our students this week. Our desire is to stay connected with them, even though it is much harder to do. We know that God is in this all. 

Maine is up to 253 cases of Corona, and the “experts” say that the number will continue to rise. We do need to be cautious and concerned about those that are vulnerable around us...it’s the fear that concerns me more. People are so fearful! I get it though because if your trust isn’t in the Lord than its in mankind. And mankind makes mistakes and often uses fear to control people...stay safe and keep praying. 

Our children have been using graphite paper for some of their “art” projects at home. It’s been fun to see them learn to do something new. 

Church this morning. 

Day # Still Waiting (Saturday)

I’m starting off tonight, but reminding you of the Bible verse above. In a world where we wonder if we will ever hear any “good news” again, keep in mind the promises of God. It’s what keeps me praying, keeps me pressing on, and keeps me secure. 

Also, here is a link to one of my favorite songs. I have many, so I couldn’t possibly begin to know where to start, but this one has surely been on my mind. Garett and I sang this last Sunday at our “at-home” service. Jesus truly is a Wonderful, Merciful Savior. 

Another day to cross off the calendar- thank you, Lord! I know I can’t be the only one who feels like the month of March has truly been the longest month ever! 

Roger was working today, and for that we are very thankful. Roger’s job is considered “essential” due to the freight and mail that they move across the islands. I am very, very thankful for his job, his boss, and the people that he works with as they are all quite level-headed about the whole thing. I know that for many Mainers as well as people from literally around the world, that is not the case. Perhaps you are fearful or worried, please let me know how we can pray specifically for you. I’m seeing our children emerge into praying children of God as their prayers have started to change from “Dear God, help us to have a good day” and a few other snippets to asking God to intervene on behalf of our nation, our world, our communities, churches and schools. And for that, I am thankful. I don’t know about you, but in my personal life, God has always shown Himself to be strong and faithful. When we’ve had a need in our lives, God has always, always provided. Now it’s been in His timing, and not mine, but He’s always right on time. 

As Roger was working, Garett and I took our trash to the dump. It’s interesting to me that now that the Coronavirus is scaring people, we’ve stopped recycling! It’s all single-stream trash now, and hurry up and leave type mentality! It does make doing the trash a lot easier, as now all our trash can be thrown into one bin. I’m thankful that Garett is willing and able to help do that job. 

We took a short bike ride, and then I loaded up the kids to go on a hike. We’ve been exploring other hiking trails, and we must be choosing ones that a lot of other people aren’t visiting. We really haven’t seen too many people on the trails. It’s been fun to explore different areas and hikes, but I know that our kids favorites are the ones that go down to the ocean. A few days ago we found some rocks around our house, and dug some shells out of our shell collection. Chandler and I wrote Bible verses on the rocks and shells, and we’ve been leaving them in various places on our walks. Today we hiked down to an old fort site, and the kids found some clay along the Oceanside. They hauled it back up the trail and brought it home. It has kept several children happily entertained for several hours today, so I think it was worth the mess and hassle of bringing it home. 

I left the kids in the car while I went into the grocery store to get milk and eggs. We bought several dozen eggs the other day, but now some grocery stores are limiting how many dozen eggs you can buy and how many gallons of milk. It’s a bit aggravating as I really don’t like to go into the grocery store these days, but butter, eggs, cheese, and milk, are things that a big family can go through a lot of in a short amount of time. It was a weird grocery store experience, and I’m praying diligently for Corona to go away! There was an employee sitting at the entrance to the store counting people going in and an employee at the exit counting people going out. Thankfully, I didn’t have to wait to go in the store. Then there is tape all over the floor reminding people to stay six feet apart from each other. Finally, at the checkout there are more warning signs telling you not to put your groceries on the conveyor belt until the person ahead of you has left. When you do put your groceries on the conveyor belt, there is a plexiglass wall separating you from the cashier. And then they’re bagging your groceries in plastic bags! Say what?! All that hype about people needing to bring their own bags or pay for paper bags, but now its like, “we are in such a hurry for you to leave. Here’s  a plastic bag to shove your groceries in and leave quick!” Oh well...it saves me from remembering my re-useable bags which I was never very good at anyways! I’m thankful that I was able to find milk and butter, and that with those things we can go back to eating out of the pantry for a while again! 

What I am thankful for today:

* sunshine- somehow everything seems a bit brighter when the sun is shining

* prayer- I know it’s not just me that is praying for God to do a mighty work, but others are also praying diligently 

* yard space- our yard is a muddy, sloppy mess with bike tracks all through it. But the kids can go outside, and for that I am very thankful. 

* God is still at work. I firmly believe that God can send a revival around this world, and that perhaps He is using this virus to soften the hearts of many to turn to Him. 

* The end of the story is that Jesus Reigns! I might not like this chapter so much or how this seems to be going so far, but fear does not need to be a part of my life. 

Mud/Clay- yes, please!

                                              They were delighted to find “clay”

The great outdoors 

Garett is making a journal for school. He’s collected a whole box of “treasures” to show his teacher. He found these feathers today. 

This wood bear carving at the end of the hike was a fun surprise for Emma. 

                                                            Thankful for these five! 

Maine news: The number of cases continues to rise which causes great consternation among so many. I’m thankful that while we should be cautious and careful, I do not need to be ruled by fear nor do I need to have my children feel that way. We are up to 211 cases of the virus in Maine, with two counties showing signs of community spread. More people have recovered, but apparently no one thinks that’s exciting news! Oh, and over 3,600 people have tested negative for the virus...which seems like that would also be good news! 

John 16:33 In this world ye shall have tribulations, but be of good cheer for I have overcome the world.

C-O-R-O-N-A (My acronym for the word)

Class meeting

Piano Practice 

Tonight I am weary...as are many of you, I am sure. We don’t have a news channel, but who needs one? The negativity spreads like wildfire, and facebook is full of all the bad news. I’m saddened by the lack of faith and hope in the American people as a whole, but it concerns me far more that Christians seem to also be lacking hope and faith. So tonight, I bring you to my thoughts. Scary, I know! However, I’ve been thinking, and I’ve come up with Six things that C-O-R-O-N-A  cannot take away.

C- Compassion. This awful, wretched virus should not take away our compassion for others. “Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous;” (I Peter 3:8) Hmm...there is nothing there that says only have compassion if the situation is good, or it’s in your best interest to have compassion on others. I think of compassion these days as having compassion on my children, protecting them from the fears of the world, pointing them to Jesus instead.

O- Opportunities Okay, so maybe your thinking...what opportunities?  We have been gifted with a very special time in our lives (most of us anyways) to spend more time in God’s Word and to pray, oh to pray! I did not consider my prayer life to be apathetic before this “crisis” but I’ve certainly come to love my time in prayer far more than I ever have in my life. I’ve been given opportunities to pray with others that were never presented to me before.

R- Resolute  “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord...” (I Corinthians 15:58)  Resolute means to be admirably purposeful, determined and unwavering. Let us resolve within ourselves to be resolute, strong-minded, praying fervently, and trusting unwavering in the Lord.

O- Omnipresence, Omnipotent, Omnipotence of God. God everywhere. God’s all-powerful and God’s all-knowing attributes do not change just because the world seems perhaps the bleakest it has ever looked in our lifetime.

Nearness to God- James 4:8 states, “Draw night to God, and he will draw nigh to you...” I don’t know where you are at in your Christian life, but I am at a time where I crave the nearness of God. I desire fellowship with Him. I certainly don’t understand these situations around me, but I can trust that God is near.

A- Attitude I wanted to find a different word for the last letter of this acronym, but this is the word I kept coming back to. The current situation in our country is sometimes overwhelming, but I’m not responsible for the attitudes and actions of everyone else. I am, however, responsible for mine.  I’m the first to admit that there have been times of late that my fear has been big, my attitude terrible, and my actions unreasonable! But the more I study God’s Word, the more I realize that my attitude has less to do with my circumstance and more to do with my heart condition. If Paul could write that he had contentment while in prison, I can adjust my attitude while I live in my nice house with food on the table and clothes to wear. Last night, I participated in a short ladies Bible study online. Robin was talking about how we as Christians are okay now...it’s not that it’s GOING to be okay, we are okay now. God’s got this. We might not like what we are seeing and feeling, but God is telling us that we are okay. He is watching out for us...every moment, every day.

I’m sure that you all could come up with different words to encourage you, but those are the words that God brought to mind as I studied His Word this week.

Other news: Blah, blah, blah. Maine has 168 cases of the virus, with like 24 people recovered. So technically, we don’t have 168 cases of the virus we have 144 people with the virus. Apparently, I’m the only one that does math like that though!

Today marked the day where we sent home the second set of packets with our students. I’m praying diligently and fervently that this is the last set, and God will give us a miracle in bringing us back together. I wish more people would stop despairing and start praying!

This picture was taken in the pick-up packets line at school today. It looks like Mrs. Wheelis is having a parent conference with the dog! I got a really good chuckle out of this picture! 

A few highlights from today: I had a phone conversation with my dear friend, Jenna, in Wisconsin. We talk way too rarely on the phone, but when we do, we just pick back up wherever we  left off. I am so thankful for her friendship, level headedness, and desire to know God and to pray with me and for me.

Also, I’ve come to really enjoy my early morning prayer meetings with Mrs. Wheelis (Wyatt and Travis’s teacher). We pray together Monday through Friday, and our time of prayer has been refreshing and encouraging to me. This week, I also had the opportunity to pray daily with another staff member (Emma’s teacher). It’s been good to connected and to pray with these dear teachers.

I also realized something today. I don’t do well when prayer time is rushed. I was in a situation today where I felt that we must hurry up and pray. I know my attitude towards prayer has changed, and I wanted to really savor the time and to commune with God as my friend. You don’t rush your best friend, do you? It was a weird feeling for me, and I hope that I continue to feel that way towards prayer long after we pass through this crisis.

Our preschool teacher and I put together packets for our preschoolers this past week. It’s harder to stay connected with them as school isn’t necessarily a requirement for them. However, we had a great turnout of parents come through the car line today to pick up at-home learning packets for their children. That was encouraging to see. Renee and I hope to try some type of online meeting with our students and the parents this week. I’ve missed them all so much!

Resting in Jesus,
Sarah

We had an online Bible study last night. And it was encouraging to see seven ladies show up for Scripture and Prayer time. 

Three Things I want my Children to Remember from COVID-19 (Day # ?)

Thankful

"Great and Mighty is the Lord our God, great and mighty is He" The words from this song, just keep going around and around in my mind. Truly, we serve a Great and Mighty God! Let's cling to His promises, even when the way around us seems dark. God is faithful.

Our world and our lives have changed so much in just the last two weeks along. The "experts" say that the worst is still to come, but I'm challenging you today to pray believing that God can and will provide a miracle. Wouldn't it be glorious, wonderful and special if we could worship together in person on Resurrection Sunday? I'm here to tell you that I absolutely believe that is possible! I was talking with one of our staff ladies yesterday, and we were talking about miracles. We've read about them in the Bible, and we take God at His Word, but for some reason, it's a lot harder for us to grasp the fact that He can give a miracle of this worldwide proportion! Oh, yes, He can! Mrs. Martz and I were discussing the story in the Old Testament where the Lord tells Moses to get out of the way because the Lord was going to destroy this wicked and perverse people. Moses refuses to get out of the way, and instead pleads with God to not destroy the people. Hello? Anyone? That's where we are today...we are pleading with God and storming the gates of Heaven with our prayers that God will have mercy and grace upon us. Do not be weary!

Today I fed people. I taught people. I did laundry. I fed people. I went on a run with Chandler. I fed people. I did more laundry. I fed people. That is all.

Not entirely true...I also prayed fervently for God to give us a miracle that we don't deserve. Also, our children are finishing up their second week of "at-home"learning, so we are preparing to exchange our schoolwork tomorrow for the next two weeks of work. I know a lot of schools are going to digital learning and switching to online for classes,etc. but I'll be honest...I like the packets. I like checking off the papers that are completed. I like the fact that I don't have to find five devices or stagger my time so that all my kids can get their education. I like the fact that it seems manageable if it's in two week increments. I like the fact that our teachers are working so hard to stay connected with the students and parents. None of this is ideal, but we all choices to make on our attitudes about the situation.

I had my early morning prayer time with Mrs. Wheelis. I had my 8:30 prayer time with Mrs. Heanssler (another staff lady) and I had an unexpected opportunity to have prayer with another dear lady this afternoon. Roger and I were talking this morning and praying about what we want our children to remember about this time at home. I think what I want can be summed up in 3 things:
            1) I want our children to remember that they felt safe and secure at home. While the world was doing crazy things (and our states), I want them to remember that home felt safe and secure.
           2) I want our children to remember all the outdoor times we had as a family. All the walks, hikes, runs, bike rides, car rides, sea-glass collecting, can collecting, etc. I want them to remember those fun moments.
         3) Most importantly, I want our children to remember this as a time when their faith came alive. A time when they realized how important praying is both for ourselves and others. I want them to remember their mom and dad falling on their knees before a Holy God and begging God to do a great miracle.

Chandler and I went on a three-mile run today. He is getting to be fast. And he will be much faster than I am soon! I'm thankful for these opportunities to spend time with him.

I read over our children's journals today. They've been writing for about a week now. There were some really interesting entries! I had to tell Chandler that I wanted him to write about more than "It snowed. Then the snow melted." Um...that does not count as a journal entry! I had to tell Garett that I'm pretty sure that his teacher would want to read more than just about what he ate at each meal the entire time! Oh, well, it did provide some laughter for me for today!

The weather was sunny today, and it felt like spring. It was a glorious day to get outside. Our kids probably spent close to  six plus hours outside today. They built a bike ramp using the picnic table, and made a bike trail going around the house, a jump onto the back porch and a hard jarring off the other side. Oh well, they were getting along great, and by the grace of God, no one was hurt!

Tonight we are going to try something with our ladies Bible study group. We are going to try a Google Hangouts Meet for a time of Scripture and Prayer. I've only every used it for the first time yesterday, and here we are trying to use it again. I would love you to pray that it works out smoothly. It seems like such a little thing in light of the vast amount of miracles we are asking for, but I know that God cares about the little things too. We miss each other, so I'm praying that this will be a sweet time of fellowship and prayer.

Stay faithful and Keep Praying...
Sarah

Happy to run with Chandler

Emma still dresses up for school almost every day

Maine News: We have 155 cases of Corona. Apparently, the peak is still yet coming, but you know my thoughts on that. We have not been issued a "Safer at home" order, but non-essential businesses are closed, people are worried, unemployment is up 800% from the same time period as last year. Blah, blah, blah...does anyone have any GOOD news anymore?!

The U.S. has more cases than any other nation...this should not be a surprise and it should not make headlines...we have A LOT of people living in the United States. That's just my opinion on the matter.

Day #10 - Word of the Year: Undoubtedly Jesus

Welcome to Wednesday, March 25! I know that I'm not the only one that feels like this month is taking forever to get through, but by the grace of God, we are almost through another day!

Travis would rather stomp through mud than use the trail!

Garett is pondering life

Chandler is looking for "treasure"

Our friend "Annie"

 

Beautiful Ocean

Thankful!

God's Creation

Fun Times

Word of the day: Undoubtedly Jesus. Yes, that's a phrase, not a word, and it's not even my own thought completely. I was listening to a message that my brother-in-law (Nate) posted to Facebook by a preacher. The preacher was praying out to God for His Divine Intervention. The pastor stated, "What if the word of 2020 is not "social distancing", what if instead the word of the year is "Undoubtedly Jesus"?! I realized that is exactly what I am praying for in our nation and in our world. I am pleading with God to do something so big, so amazing,  that the world has no choice but to state, "That was a God thing!" Do NOT listen to the media's constant negativity...instead I challenge you to pray believing! President Trump is asking for God's people to pray that God does something mighty by April 12...do you know what April 12th is? That is Resurrection Sunday- the day we as Christians celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ! On a day when the world had no hope 2000 years ago, Jesus Christ arose from the dead! I implore you to join with me in praying and fasting that God will do a mighty work in our nation, that people will call upon the Lord, that the praying people of God will storm the gates of Heaven with our prayers, that this corona virus will be thrust into the depths of Hell, and that the power of God will go forth boldly! I challenge you tonight...pray believing that He can!


Maine News: Our cases of corona are up to 142. That's a significant jump from yesterday. The governor called for the closure of non-essential businesses, but there still seemed to be quite a few cars out and about when we went out for our hikes. Of course, maybe they're like us and just looking for a new place to walk. This order is in effect until April 8. As with wherever you are, please pray that this virus will be stopped. God is able.


Yesterday was a snowy March day and today was a beautiful, sunny, spring day! I had a staff meeting scheduled for this morning, and I was ridiculously excited about attending a staff meeting! We are a small staff (only eight of us) so we fit within the window of small groups, and we definitely practiced social distancing. The meeting was to start at 8:30am this morning, and when it was time for me to leave, I could not find the keys to the van. Roger had driven it the last time, and when I called him, the keys were in his jacket pocket...at work! We have a second set-somewhere! I panicked and prayed at the same time as we searched diligently for the extra set of keys. I had no idea where the keys could be, as we just don't use the spare set as much anymore. I prayed, and asked our children to pray that we would be able to find the keys so that I could get to the meeting. Chandler discovered the extra set in my school bag (which I haven't opened in over a week). It was a shaky mental health moment, but God sustained and allowed us to find the keys! Thanks you, Jesus!

We have been having staff prayer meetings via phone, but I was really looking forward to praying together in person. There is something special about praying together in person, and I savor moments of prayer like never before. One blessing in all of this trial is that God has given plenty of time to pray and to read His Word. I have found great comfort in reading through the Psalms (again) and underlining all the promises of God. He is faithful. He is our Rock. He is our Deliverer. He is our strong tower. He is the giver of sleep. He sets up and takes down rulers. He cares.

Our staff meeting began with prayer with our weekly prayer partners, and then group staff prayer time together. I could feel the presence of God today as eight women poured out their hearts before a holy God pleading for Him to do a mighty work both in us, our students, our community, our nation, and our world. It was an unhurried time of prayer, and I treasured the time spent in prayer.

Following our prayer time, we worked on technology ideas and ways to teach our students remotely. It's certainly not a challenge that just our school is facing, but each school has different ways of doing education. For our school, we have found that packets sent home with the students are helpful. The teachers provide the material for two weeks, the parents pick up the work, and the students have two weeks to complete the work. Our teachers are always available via e-mail, phone or facebook messenger. In many ways, preparing to teach remotely is much, much harder than teaching in the classroom. Remote teaching via packets requires thinking outside the box. It requires thinking of both the parent and the student, how many other students are at home, how much time should the school work take, how to balance out too much with too little...ah! However, we managed to muddle through much of what we needed to discuss with much laughter and discussion. One of my favorite moments from today was trying to teach all of our staff a crash course in using Google Meets! It was quite a few moments of confusion and chaos as we navigated through getting everyone online ...in the same meeting! And making sure we were keeping social distancing! It created some fun light-hearted moments, and I'm sure there will be more memories created as the teachers and students navigate through this new experience.

When I came home from our staff meeting, our children had finished up most of their school work. Chandler had helped Emma with her reading, letters, and numbers. I was surprised by how much patience he had with her, as that is not usually his strong suit! I could tell that everyone needed to get out of the house, so we made lunch, and headed out for a hike. Garett is supposed to find "acts of kindness" to do for his journal every day, so he asked if we could go get Annie (Roger's boss's dog) from the airport. I hopped out at the airport to get Annie, and we were on our way to hike. These hikes are fun and enjoyable, but it's always weird when we no longer ask anyone to join our family, and instead just hike on our own. I definitely enjoy the time, but it is different. We took two different hikes today, but both went down to the ocean. For just a few moments, the world doesn't seem quite so crazy as we hike out on the trails and stomp around down by the ocean. Chandler found some small rocks to dig through at one of the beaches. I asked him why he was laying down on the rocks and sand looking through the rocks. He replied, "Well, sometimes you can't see the greatest treasure unless you're right down next to it." Huh! Isn't that life?! Sometimes we don't know what a great treasure we have unless it is staring us in the face. My greatest treasure is my relationship with Jesus Christ. Following that is my spouse and children. I've been guilty of taking my "treasures" for granted...our church family, our Christian school, my time with my friends, shopping, coffee, whatever! Being thrust into a different situation as of late has forced me to re-evaluate my "treasures". I've been given extra time to "treasure" God and His Word, extra time to pray, extra time with our children, extra time to be at home...today I choose to be grateful for all those "treasures". What treasures do you find yourself enjoying these days?

Following one hiking trail, we found another one to hike. We went to a trail that did a loop so you didn't have to come back the same way. It was a rocky beach (big rocks) so we didn't find any sea glass, but it was still a beautiful spot. If God can bring each wave crashing into the shore at His perfect timing, then watching over us- He's got this! Today conquer your fear with your faith! Ask God to give you peace as you sleep tonight, knowing that regardless of what the future might hold, God's already there. But, again, in closing, I'll implore you to pray for God to do great and mighty things as only He can do!

My sister sent the kids a little care package yesterday, so that totally made their day. Of course, she included a slime kit, so they've been having a grand time making messes! They carefully divided up the snacks that she sent, so that every child had the same amount. Travis told Emma, "When you eat all your snacks, there gone. So don't ask me to share with you!" I have to laugh sometimes at Travis's lack of diplomacy, but he gets his point across!

These days can be long, and sometimes I'm not sure if I'm steering this boat or just along for the ride as we rush towards the rapids! We try to have some type of structure every day, but sometimes we just stomp outside, get fresh air, fed lots of children, and do laundry...yet at the end of the day, I'm still tired! One day at a time, sweet Jesus.

I Thessalonians 5:16-18

Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

Day # 9 (White Snowy Tuesday)

Tuesday, March 24, 2020

Maine news: Maine is up to 118 cases of Coronavirus. The governor has ordered the shut down of all non-essential businesses, and that order is in effect at least April 8th. Our school is closed until April 27. I beg of you, to please pray with us that the school will be able to open by that date or sooner!

We need the passionate prayers of God’s people to pray with us on behalf of our world, nation, states, communities, church and schools. This virus will not be changed by social distancing or even staying-at-home, but rather the Almighty Hand of God is the One who has the power to change the course of the wind, sea, and sun, so certainly He has control of this virus. Please pray!

I missed my regular prayer meeting with Mrs. Wheelis this morning at 6:30am., as my parents were getting ready to leave this morning. I felt strangely like something was missing as I’ve come to look forward to that early morning prayer meeting. I’m looking forward to resuming our prayer time together.

Roger took the day off this morning, as the weather was not good this morning. We woke up to about four inches of snow!!  While we wouldn’t have minded if he had work, it was nice to have him home today. My parents left about 8:30am., and I had my prayer time with another school teacher at 9:00. She knew that my parents were leaving today, and she asked how I was doing. Well, okay until I was asked! I had a rough few moments trying to get my emotions under control. (I’ve had an abundance of waterworks in my eyes these past few days!) I was thankful to pray again as I truly believe that unless we pray fervently and often for God to shed His grace on us once again, life may never be the same again. I struggle with all the negative news that I read on Facebook and the internet, so again, I rejoice that we don’t have to hear it via the TV also. One of the blessings of staying at home so much is that my time with the Lord in prayer has become very dear, sweet, and unhurried. I absolutely must trust in Him, because to be honest, sometimes my faith is colliding with my fear. Often it is moment by moment when I allow fear to overtake me, and then I must make the conscious decision to give all my fears back to the Lord. And oh, there are so many! However, the God of eternity has already gone on before us...I just have to remind myself of that often. I am fervently praying for a revival to sweep this nation and our world. That the truth will go forth so boldly that people can only step back and say, “That was of the Lord!” So, do you believe that He can? Do you pray believing that He will? Truly, “Pray without ceasing.”

Once my parents left this morning, I settled the kids down for their school work for the day. At-home schooling is not my favorite thing to do, but I want our children to be prepared when we go back to school. Emma started crying when going over her numbers saying that she wanted Nana to come back and teach her. “Nana is (a) way more fun teacher, Mom!” Trust me, I know! I rarely feel like I am  a “fun” teacher, but  we are getting though it one day at a time. I am thankful that the school work can all be done in a relatively short amount of time, because we are all ready to be done when the books get put away!

Since Roger was here today, we went on a hike. We’ve been getting outside as often as possible. The snow was wet and everything was sloppy, but we all needed to go out. We drove down to the ocean and took a hike along the shore for a while. The sunshine was nice, and even though some of the boys ended up with wet socks, it was a great time. I highly encourage you all to go outside for at least a little bit every day whenever possible. Sunshine can be a balm to our souls, and the world seems a bit brighter when the sun is shining.

On the way home from our hike, we made a stop at Wal-mart. Because we are trying to do our part with “social distancing”, just I went in the store. Emma told me that she hasn’t been in a store in a long time. She really doesn’t understand the whole “social distancing” thing and probably the rest of my kids don’t all grasp it fully either. We are trying to be responsible...and praying fervently! I felt like I had hit the jack pot at Walmart as I was able to get flour, sugar, butter and toilet paper!! It was nice to snag a few of the groceries that we have been missing from our pantry or getting low on. I have been trying to use the Walmart grocery pick up, but there just have not been any time slots available. So, I try to be cautious and careful, but not fearful and afraid. I have never, in my entire life, grocery shopped like I’ve been doing. Because we are a large family, it is nearly impossible to hoard food. I like to use coupons, shop sales, and go to several different grocery stores to get the best deals. And then there’s corona...and it’s like “We will eat what is in our pantry. We will eat whatever food happens to be at the grocery store when I go!” It’s a whole new level of shopping for me, and it’s not my favorite. I much prefer to make a list, clip coupons, and shop the sales. Instead, I don’t even bother to make a list because most likely the stores will be out anyways; I try to avoid all the stores; and I get whatever random things happen to be in the store!” Thankfully, we don’t have picky eaters here, and there have been plenty of fruits and vegetables available! Yes, eating is not cancelled on account of the Corona! Not laundry and not eating! But...it means we have clothes to wear and food to eat, we are blessed!

Tomorrow will be spent with praying and preparing for the next two weeks of school work to get ready to go home with the students on Friday in their “at home” learning packets. I prayed fervently for a different outcome, but that’s not what God gave at this time. So we will continue on in faithfulness and trust, and we will work diligently on the task for today.

March is often a long month...but this year it is the longest.month.ever! I don’t think I’ll ever forget this month as long as I live. April is not looking to be awesome at the moment either, but hey, I’m going to learn to rejoice in what God gives for today. I will trust Him even if its a constant struggle to do so. Paul had it right when he wrote in the Bible, “The spirit truly is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Yes, on so many things!

Blessings from today:
1) It was a blessing to have my parents here. I’m thankful that they were able to come.
2) Roger was home today, so that was nice for us.
3) We were able to get outside and hike.
4) Some grocery staples were available today.
5) God is still on the throne where He’s always been
6) While the snow was not my favorite, it did provide a beautiful white covering this morning.
7) God will continue to watch over us.

Our love,
Sarah

Scissor Practice

Thankful for God’s love and protection 

I’m thankful for these children

                                                Thankful that we can go outside today!

Day #? What day even is this?! Oh, Monday!

Monday...I think!

The word of the day: APPRECIATION (to enjoy or value something or somebody or to understand something) Ive been reading through a book called Parenting With Scripture.  It has been a good book that discusses words and their meanings, and gives Scripture to go along with the words. The word appreciation is a good one for today, as there are so many things that I take for granted. The Scripture verse for today is as follows: Psalm 100:4-5 “Enter His gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever: his faithfulness continues through all generations.” Did you appreciate God and His Word today? Did you appreciate the opportunity to spend extra time with your children or family? Do we appreciate these circumstances in our lives? Personally, I’d like to hurry up and get the problem fixed! But God doesn’t always work like that. Sometimes, He is waiting on a response from me. For me to quiet my worried heart before Him. Oh my heart is overwhelmed these days! I’ve cried more in the last week than I’ve cried in a long time! I pray for our children, our nation, our world, our leaders, our families, and the list is every growing! But...still...God is faithful and true. I’ve got to rest in that tonight.

Using our windows as dry erase boards. 

On going, never-ending wrestling match

Emma’s outfit for school

Today I am thankful for my parents being here for a few days. My mom has been teaching Emma, and that has been helpful for all of us. The boys worked long and hard on a project with my dad today, and they are all tired out! They put together a shed to protect the boards from the ice skating rink. There is enough room in the shed to also provide room to protect the lawn mower. The weather today was cooler, and the sun was hiding. I struggle so much more when the sun is not outside. My blood test results from a few weeks ago came back, and my Vitamin D levels are low. Lately, Ive been spending plenty of time outside, but I’m sure my levels are still low as the sun is just not shining as of late...kinda like it’s weary too! Yes, I know that’s impossible, but still!

Today I am just continuing to trust that God is still good; He’s still God; He still knows where we are;  He is watching over us. There just seems to be NO good news! Our Coronavirus numbers are up to 107 today, and I’m sure the number will continue to rise. Other states have basically shut down their states economy, and across the nation people are fearful. As long as the media is feeding the people, and people are fearful, we will continue to act selfish as a nation. Oh, dear Lord, please help us! I savored the opportunities to pray with two of our staff ladies, both of whom I love dearly. I know that our teachers also desire to get back to their students, and for that end we pray diligently and fervently, as well as for God to be glorified in and through all this seemingly chaos in our world today.

Other states are now under mandatory stay-home acts from governors, and we haven’t gotten that word yet. However, this feels like pain, and my best response is always to face pain head on! If we have to have a mandatory stay-home act then let’s get-on with the pain so that hopefully, someday our lives can find some semblance of normal...whatever that might look like! While  it all seems so bleak and wearisome, I know that there are millions of others on this planet who’s life is much bleaker than mine. I was able to get out of bed on my own power, and we had plenty of food to eat today, and I didn’t have to spend all day outside in the cold. So, I am blessed indeed.

I do feel like I spend A LOT of time cooking these days, but I’m thankful to have food to cook. These kids can put away the food, but I am so very thankful that they are not picky eaters. I am happy to cook...most of the time. We have been safe and healthy, and we have plenty of food to eat.

We continue to love & pray fervently and diligently,
Sarah

Sunday ....Day #NO Room for Apathy!

Happy Sunday! “This is the day that the Lord hath made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.” So, did you find a reason to rejoice today? Today if you lived in the United States, and you have access to internet, you are without excuse to have not hear the Word of God!  Many of us were in the same boat of not being able to worship with other believers at an actual church building. However all across America today, preachers preached the Word. My facebook feed was literally flooded with churches having online services via Facebook live or Youtube or some other resource. It was actually a bit overwhelming as there were so many church services happening at the same time.

Praying 

Chandler’s bulletin 

So thankful for this man! 

You know what the word of the day is today: Apathy...there is NO room for apathy! Apathy means to not care about anything or want to do anything. I know I’m jumping on a band wagon today, but hear me out. I am so sick and tired of people not caring about anyone but themselves! I had a conversation with someone today who told me that their lives really hadn’t changed much lately, so what was the big deal?! Really? Are we such a selfish people that we care so little about the regards of others and only about ourselves? God forbid! Oh, God forbid! I do not want to become the person that lives in my house, hoarding food, being selfish, and I refuse to allow that for my children either! Along the same apathy train, how many Christians have been apathetic to church? The attitude of: “If we make it, great. If not, oh well.” Today we all had to make a conscious choice to either follow along with a church service via the internet, or to have a service with our own family members, or to do absolutely nothing but stare at the t.v. and worry about ourselves? Which choice did you make?  “Let us not be weary in well doing, for in due season we shall reap if we faint not.” Galatians 6:9 “Whatsoever you do, do it with all your heart as unto the Lord...” Colossians 3:23a

Okay, back from my rabbit trail. :)  So, today was Sunday. I generally do not get on the internet in the morning, so by the time I did, some church services were over, some were just starting, and some were in the middle. It was interesting to scroll down and see so many church services all in one spot so to speak. However, we had church with our family, and to be honest, it’s a memory I will forever hold dear. Travis “taught” part of the Sunday School lesson. He read a story from the children’s Bible book about how Jesus loves the little children. It was so delightful to my heart to hear him read, and to express with confidence that Jesus loves him. My mom also taught a short Sunday school lesson to the kids. Wyatt and Travis sang “America the Beautiful” and practiced their sign language skills also. They have been working on that song for the Patriotic Program, and I almost lost it as I heard them sing...”America, America, God shed His grace on thee.” Truly God has shed his grace on America, and I am trusting that He will do it again because of the prayers of God’s people.  Garett read us a chapter from the book of John, which he also has to do as part of his school work. I thought that after reading such a long chapter, he’d have no idea what the chapter was talking about...but I was wrong. He gave a great synopsis on the woman at the well needing everlasting water that only Jesus could give. Garett sang special music with me, and it always brings great delight to me to sing along with him. Truly, it was a special delightful service. Chandler wrote up the bulletin for us, and he made copies of it too. Chandler asked if we should put “taking up the offering” in the bulletin. I told him that since it was just our family, we could probably skip that part. I told him that we had already dropped off our offering check at the church. Its’ important for our children to know that we dont’ stop giving simply cause we are at home. Chandler also read us a verse that he has been studying, “What time I am afraid, I will trust in Thee.” My dad closed the service by bringing a challenge from God’s Word. My heart is always filled to overflowing when I listen to my children talk about or read God’s Word. It’s a reminder that I truly am blessed beyond measure.

Also, today was Roger’s birthday. If it had been my birthday, I’d have probably been disappointed in the day, but Roger is such a good sport about so many things. I made homemade cinnamon rolls for his birthday breakfast, and we had coffee on our way to our hike. It was a different kind of birthday, but that’s kinda par for the course these days. We did take a hike as a family back down to the ocean today. I will always love the sight and sound of the ocean water. “Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say, it is well, it is well with my soul.” Those words from that old, old hymn were brought to mind today as I stared out over the ocean bay. I went in the grocery store for a few minutes to try to get some other baking supplies and butter...not today. But while I was in the store, the kids were with Roger. They found a cellphone on the ground, and Roger found a number to call. The phone belonged to someone who was anxious to get it back, so we drove part of the way to Augusta to bring back the phone. She was very appreciative, but again it was weird...no handshake any conversation to speak of...I don’t think I will ever again take a handshake or a hug for granted again. It was out of the way for us, but an opportunity to do good to someone else. And that’s another reason to be thankful for today.

I had many opportunities to pray today, and I hope you did as well. I firmly believe that God CAN turn the tide of this virus. I believe that He CAN bring America back to Himself. He CAN unite our nation. He CAN save us from destruction. He CAN give us freedom. He CAN save souls, and I’m praying that He will. Please do not be apathetic in praying for our world and our nation. There is much at stake here, and we cannot falter or fail.

I had a phone conversation with my friend, Allison. It’s not the same, but we make do with what we have at the moment. It was good to hear her voice, and I know that she prays fervently for many of the same requests that I have. We spent time in prayer before hanging up, and I’m thankful for her.

Later this afternoon, I visited with my friend, Ashley, by phone as well. We need to be checking in with each other! I’m thankful for her friendship and the bond we share in Christ. I’m thankful that we have voices to pray out loud to our Heavenly Father. We need to check on each other, pray for each other, and bear the burdens of others. It’s easy to be focused on our own problems and worries at hand. Yet in the book Ive been reading to the kids the author makes the statement “When we are fearful, that is when we are the most selfish” Read that statement again!

Tonight we watched the movie, “Facing the Giants” with our family. If you haven’t seen it, I highly recommend it. It’s about revival and that is something we desperately need! The coach makes a reference in that movie that the Bible says over 360 times to “Fear not”, so we should take note of that. In a world that is very, very fearful, “Fear not” my friends. “If God be for us than who can be against us?” “Be strong and of a good courage...” “Fear not, nor be afraid...” “I am the Lord and there is none else.”

Take heart, my friends. Guard against apathy, pray earnestly, fervently and often. If there is a specific way that we can pray for you or help you, please don’t hesitate to ask.

Our love,
Sarah