Tuesday, December 8, 2009
early avon
Avon orders go out early this week due to the holidays! please get me your orders by tomorrow (wed) by 9pm. Thank you so much. Have a blessed day. www.youravon.com/latoniarochester
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Friday, November 20, 2009
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
My Grandma's obituary
Kathleen Wooten
Taylors
Kathleen Harrison Wooten, 80, of 704 Keller Road, died November 15, 2009 at her home.
A native of Greenville County, daughter of the late Issac (Pink) and Bessie Mae Green Harrison, she was a retired employee of J.P. Stevens Taylors Plant and North Greenville University, and was a charter member of Faith Temple.
Surviving are her husband, Harold Perry Wooten of the home; a son and daughter-in-law, Carroll (Buster) and Faye Wooten of Travelers Rest; two brothers, Frankie Harrison of Mulberry, Fla. and Gene Harrison of Greer; two sisters, Irene Harrison of Greer and Dorothy Provan of Iva; two grandchildren, Latonia Rochester and her husband Jamie and Kim Pressley and her husband David; and six great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be held 3 to 4 p.m. Tuesday at Faith Temple.
Funeral services will be held 4 p.m. Tuesday at Faith Temple conducted by Rev. Raymond Burrows and Rev. Jeff Hunt. Burial will follow in Faith Temple Cemetery.
The family is at the home.
Online condolences may be made at www.thewoodmortuary.com
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
avon orders
Avon orders for c-24 go out this week. Please let me know if you need anything by Thursday. Thank you and have a blessed week.
www.youravon.com/latoniarochester
www.youravon.com/latoniarochester
Monday, October 26, 2009
avon orders
Avon orders for c-23 go out this week. Please let me know if you need anything by Thursday. Thank you and have a blessed week.
www.youravon.com/latoniarochester
www.youravon.com/latoniarochester
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Flu help
http://www.oscillo.com/about-oscillo/default.html
Clinical Studies on Oscillococcinum
Oscillococcinum has been shown in clinical trials to help reduce the severity and shorten the duration of flu symptoms.1,2
Oscillococcinum works rapidly, with 63 percent of patients showing “complete resolution" or "clear improvement” at 48 hours.*1 In a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, the recovery rate within 48 hours of treatment was significantly greater in the group that received the active drug than in the placebo group.†2
Unlike other flu medicines, Oscillococcinum does not cause side effects, such as drowsiness, and has no known or reported drug interactions. Oscillococcinum is regulated as a drug by the FDA3 and can be purchased at pharmacies, natural food stores and supermarkets.
Make sure to keep Oscillococcinum on hand because it works best when taken early. Take Oscillococcinum at the first signs of flu-like symptoms.
*Versus 48% in the placebo group, P=0.003; †P=0.03.
Refrences:
1. Papp R, Schuback G, Beck E, et al. Oscillococcinum in patients with influenza-like syndromes: a placebo-controlled, double-blind evaluation. Br Homeopath J. 1998;87:69-76.
2. Ferley JP, Zmirou D, D’Adhemar D, Balducci F. A controlled evaluation of a homeopathic preparation in the treatment of influenza-like syndromes. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 1989;27:329-335.
3. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Sec. 400.400 Conditions Under Which Homeopathic Drugs May be Marketed (CPG 7132.15). Available at: http://www.fda.gov/ora/compliance_ref/cpg/cpgdrg/cpg400-400.html.
Clinical Studies on Oscillococcinum
Oscillococcinum has been shown in clinical trials to help reduce the severity and shorten the duration of flu symptoms.1,2
Oscillococcinum works rapidly, with 63 percent of patients showing “complete resolution" or "clear improvement” at 48 hours.*1 In a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, the recovery rate within 48 hours of treatment was significantly greater in the group that received the active drug than in the placebo group.†2
Unlike other flu medicines, Oscillococcinum does not cause side effects, such as drowsiness, and has no known or reported drug interactions. Oscillococcinum is regulated as a drug by the FDA3 and can be purchased at pharmacies, natural food stores and supermarkets.
Make sure to keep Oscillococcinum on hand because it works best when taken early. Take Oscillococcinum at the first signs of flu-like symptoms.
*Versus 48% in the placebo group, P=0.003; †P=0.03.
Refrences:
1. Papp R, Schuback G, Beck E, et al. Oscillococcinum in patients with influenza-like syndromes: a placebo-controlled, double-blind evaluation. Br Homeopath J. 1998;87:69-76.
2. Ferley JP, Zmirou D, D’Adhemar D, Balducci F. A controlled evaluation of a homeopathic preparation in the treatment of influenza-like syndromes. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 1989;27:329-335.
3. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Sec. 400.400 Conditions Under Which Homeopathic Drugs May be Marketed (CPG 7132.15). Available at: http://www.fda.gov/ora/compliance_ref/cpg/cpgdrg/cpg400-400.html.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Avon
Avon orders need to be in today. If you need anything, please let me know. Thanks!
www.youravon.com/latoniarochester
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Poetry
BRIGHT STAR, WOULD I WERE STEDFAST
By John Keats
Bright star, would I were stedfast as thou art---
Not in lone splendour hung aloft the night
And watching, with eternal lids apart,
Like nature's patient, sleepless Eremite,
The moving waters at their priestlike task
Of pure ablution round earth's human shores,
Or gazing on the new soft-fallen mask
Of snow upon the mountains and the moors---
No---yet still stedfast, still unchangeable,
Pillowed upon my fair love's ripening breast,
To feel for ever its soft fall and swell,
Awake for ever in a sweet unrest,
Still, still to hear her tender-taken breath,
And so live ever---or else swoon in death.
1819
By John Keats
Bright star, would I were stedfast as thou art---
Not in lone splendour hung aloft the night
And watching, with eternal lids apart,
Like nature's patient, sleepless Eremite,
The moving waters at their priestlike task
Of pure ablution round earth's human shores,
Or gazing on the new soft-fallen mask
Of snow upon the mountains and the moors---
No---yet still stedfast, still unchangeable,
Pillowed upon my fair love's ripening breast,
To feel for ever its soft fall and swell,
Awake for ever in a sweet unrest,
Still, still to hear her tender-taken breath,
And so live ever---or else swoon in death.
1819
Friday, October 2, 2009
AVON
I am once again selling AVON! Please visit my online store at www.youravon.com/latoniarochester
Friday, September 25, 2009
How to prevent h1n1
I received this email and wanted to share it whith those of you who did not get it..
Dr. Vinay Goyal is an MBBS,DRM,DNB (Intensivist and Thyroid specialist) having clinical experience of over 20 years. He has worked in institutions like Hinduja Hospital, Bombay Hospital, Saifee Hospital, Tata Memorial etc.
Presently, he is heading our Nuclear Medicine Department and Thyroid clinic at Riddhivinayak Cardiac and Critical Centre, Malad (W).
The following message given by him, I feel makes a lot of sense and is important for all of you to know
The only portals of entry are the nostrils and mouth/throat. In a global epidemic of this nature, it's almost impossible not coming into contact with H1N1 in spite of all precautions. Contact with H1N1 is not so much of a problem as proliferation is.
While you are still healthy and not showing any symptoms of H1N1 infection, in order to prevent proliferation, aggravation of symptoms and development of secondary infections, some very simple steps, not fully highlighted in most official communications, can be practiced (instead of focusing on how to stock N95 or Tamiflu):
1. Frequent hand-washing (well highlighted in all official communications).
2. "Hands-off-the-face" approach. Resist all temptations to touch any part of face (unless you want to eat, bathe or slap).
3. *Gargle twice a day with warm salt water (use Listerine if you don't trust salt). *H1N1 takes 2-3 days after initial infection in the throat/ nasal cavity to proliferate and show characteristic symptoms. Simple gargling prevents proliferation. In a way, gargling with salt water has the same effect on a healthy individual that Tamiflu has on an infected one. Don't underestimate this simple, inexpensive and powerful preventative method.
4. Similar to 3 above, *clean your nostrils at least once every day with warm salt water. *Not everybody may be good at Jala Neti or Sutra Neti ( Neti Pot), but *blowing the nose hard once a day and swabbing both nostrils with cotton buds dipped in warm salt water is very effective in bringing down viral population.*
5. *Boost your natural immunity with foods that are rich in Vitamin C (Amla and other citrus fruits). *If you have to supplement with Vitamin C tablets, make sure that it also has Zinc to boost absorption.
6.* Drink as much of warm liquids as you can. *Drinking warm liquids has the same effect as gargling, but in the reverse direction. They wash off proliferating viruses from the throat into the stomach where they cannot survive, proliferate or do any harm.
Dr. Vinay Goyal is an MBBS,DRM,DNB (Intensivist and Thyroid specialist) having clinical experience of over 20 years. He has worked in institutions like Hinduja Hospital, Bombay Hospital, Saifee Hospital, Tata Memorial etc.
Presently, he is heading our Nuclear Medicine Department and Thyroid clinic at Riddhivinayak Cardiac and Critical Centre, Malad (W).
The following message given by him, I feel makes a lot of sense and is important for all of you to know
The only portals of entry are the nostrils and mouth/throat. In a global epidemic of this nature, it's almost impossible not coming into contact with H1N1 in spite of all precautions. Contact with H1N1 is not so much of a problem as proliferation is.
While you are still healthy and not showing any symptoms of H1N1 infection, in order to prevent proliferation, aggravation of symptoms and development of secondary infections, some very simple steps, not fully highlighted in most official communications, can be practiced (instead of focusing on how to stock N95 or Tamiflu):
1. Frequent hand-washing (well highlighted in all official communications).
2. "Hands-off-the-face" approach. Resist all temptations to touch any part of face (unless you want to eat, bathe or slap).
3. *Gargle twice a day with warm salt water (use Listerine if you don't trust salt). *H1N1 takes 2-3 days after initial infection in the throat/ nasal cavity to proliferate and show characteristic symptoms. Simple gargling prevents proliferation. In a way, gargling with salt water has the same effect on a healthy individual that Tamiflu has on an infected one. Don't underestimate this simple, inexpensive and powerful preventative method.
4. Similar to 3 above, *clean your nostrils at least once every day with warm salt water. *Not everybody may be good at Jala Neti or Sutra Neti ( Neti Pot), but *blowing the nose hard once a day and swabbing both nostrils with cotton buds dipped in warm salt water is very effective in bringing down viral population.*
5. *Boost your natural immunity with foods that are rich in Vitamin C (Amla and other citrus fruits). *If you have to supplement with Vitamin C tablets, make sure that it also has Zinc to boost absorption.
6.* Drink as much of warm liquids as you can. *Drinking warm liquids has the same effect as gargling, but in the reverse direction. They wash off proliferating viruses from the throat into the stomach where they cannot survive, proliferate or do any harm.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Saturday, September 5, 2009
I read this on another blog...not meant to offend....please don't take it that way.
Dear Working Mom,
I see you nearly every time I'm out with my children. Sometimes you are very young, sometimes you look older. You might look happy one day and tired or stressed the next. You are different every time I meet you, but you say the same thing to me nearly every time: "You're so lucky. I wish I could stay home with my children but I just can't afford it."
Usually I smile and agree that I am blessed, but quite honestly I'd like to challenge you. You say you can't afford to stay home. Maybe you can if you're willing to make some changes.
Will you trade in your 2 year old car for a 13 year old mini van? The side door might not work very well. Yes, it will break down occasionally on your way to the kids' dental checkups, but that's ok. Your dentist will understand. Do plan to change a flat every now and then, since you might be driving on older tires.
Will you buy your clothes at thrift stores from now on? I know your clothes aren't terribly expensive now, but even inexpensive clothes add up when you buy them new. No, you won't always be able to wear exactly what you want, but you might find that it's not such a big deal if you're spending most of your time at home. Your kids won't make fun of your fashion sense. Well, not unless they're teens. Then I can't vouch for them.
You might have to reconsider cable TV. Anyway, the last thing you need is to watch the average 5 hours/day of TV. Too much of it is about working moms driving late model cars and wearing all those clothes you won't be buying.
Something as simple as grabbing pizza on Friday night might become a financial decision, carefully weighed out.
Your children should expect some changes too. Ballet lessons, karate lessons, and sports might go on the chopping block. They might be among the sad minority that does not possess a laptop or cell phone. They might never visit Disneyland. Summer camp might even be crossed off the calendar. Don't let the guilt get to you. Just like adults, children are notentitled to all the best in life. Children need to understand that these things are extras. They are wants, not needs. The sooner your children know this, the happier they will be.
Would you be willing to sell your house? If you're serious about wanting to stay home with your children, this might be what it takes. Are you willing to live in a smaller, older home, in a lower priced neighborhood?
To sum it up, are you willing to give up a middle class lifestyle? I know you're not rich now, but you could get by on less if you really had to. Is staying home with your children worth that much to you?
I realize that not every situation is the same. You might be a single mom, struggling just to keep the electric on. Some churches would help you, but you might not be in that sort of church.
You might be willing to make all the lifestyle changes that would enable you to stay home but your husband insists that you work.
Maybe your husband is disabled, and truly can't support the family.
Or maybe you didn't really mean that you'd love to do it. Maybe you just meant it might be kinda nice, if you didn't have to give up any of your current creature comforts.
But maybe, just maybe you really never thought of it this way and now you realize that you can afford to stay home. Will you do it?
You can read it on her blog here
Dear Working Mom,
I see you nearly every time I'm out with my children. Sometimes you are very young, sometimes you look older. You might look happy one day and tired or stressed the next. You are different every time I meet you, but you say the same thing to me nearly every time: "You're so lucky. I wish I could stay home with my children but I just can't afford it."
Usually I smile and agree that I am blessed, but quite honestly I'd like to challenge you. You say you can't afford to stay home. Maybe you can if you're willing to make some changes.
Will you trade in your 2 year old car for a 13 year old mini van? The side door might not work very well. Yes, it will break down occasionally on your way to the kids' dental checkups, but that's ok. Your dentist will understand. Do plan to change a flat every now and then, since you might be driving on older tires.
Will you buy your clothes at thrift stores from now on? I know your clothes aren't terribly expensive now, but even inexpensive clothes add up when you buy them new. No, you won't always be able to wear exactly what you want, but you might find that it's not such a big deal if you're spending most of your time at home. Your kids won't make fun of your fashion sense. Well, not unless they're teens. Then I can't vouch for them.
You might have to reconsider cable TV. Anyway, the last thing you need is to watch the average 5 hours/day of TV. Too much of it is about working moms driving late model cars and wearing all those clothes you won't be buying.
Something as simple as grabbing pizza on Friday night might become a financial decision, carefully weighed out.
Your children should expect some changes too. Ballet lessons, karate lessons, and sports might go on the chopping block. They might be among the sad minority that does not possess a laptop or cell phone. They might never visit Disneyland. Summer camp might even be crossed off the calendar. Don't let the guilt get to you. Just like adults, children are notentitled to all the best in life. Children need to understand that these things are extras. They are wants, not needs. The sooner your children know this, the happier they will be.
Would you be willing to sell your house? If you're serious about wanting to stay home with your children, this might be what it takes. Are you willing to live in a smaller, older home, in a lower priced neighborhood?
To sum it up, are you willing to give up a middle class lifestyle? I know you're not rich now, but you could get by on less if you really had to. Is staying home with your children worth that much to you?
I realize that not every situation is the same. You might be a single mom, struggling just to keep the electric on. Some churches would help you, but you might not be in that sort of church.
You might be willing to make all the lifestyle changes that would enable you to stay home but your husband insists that you work.
Maybe your husband is disabled, and truly can't support the family.
Or maybe you didn't really mean that you'd love to do it. Maybe you just meant it might be kinda nice, if you didn't have to give up any of your current creature comforts.
But maybe, just maybe you really never thought of it this way and now you realize that you can afford to stay home. Will you do it?
You can read it on her blog here
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Sleep without guilt
I was sent an email this morning that was a blessing to me. It was talking about how we as homeschool moms lose sleep each night due to worrying about the kids, worrying about lesson plans not being completed, the chores that have yet to be finished etc...It was talking about our bodies needing rest to heal and that God designed us that way. The writer of the email found this verse in the Bible and it brought her comfort in knowing that she could rest at night without the guilt...That is a nice thought..so I wanted to share it will all of you. Psalm 127:2 says "It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep. " and Matthew 6:34a says "Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself" So maybe we should all let God handle our problems and get some rest! :-) Have a great day and plan to have a restful night.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Pass the Butter ... Please!
Pass the Butter ... Please!
Margarine was originally manufactured to fatten turkeys. When it killed the turkeys, the people who had put all the money into the research wanted a payback so they figured out what to do with this product to get their
money back. It was a white substance with no food appeal so they added the yellow
coloring and sold it to people to use in place of butter.
DO YOU KNOW the difference between margarine and butter?
(Read to the end...very interesting!)
Both have the same amount of calories. Butter is slightly higher in saturated fats at 8 grams compared to 5 grams.
Eating margarine can increase heart disease in women by 53% over eating the same amount of butter, according to a recent Harvard Medical Study.
Eating butter increases the absorption of many other nutrients in other foods.
Butter has many nutritional benefits where margarine has a few only because they are added!
Butter tastes much better than margarine and it can enhance the flavors of other foods.
Butter has been around for centuries where margarine has been around for less than 100 years.
(And now, for Margarine...)
Very high in Trans fatty acids.
Triples risk of coronary heart disease. Increases total cholesterol and LDL (the bad cholesterol and lowers HDL (the good cholesterol).
Increases the risk of cancers up to five-fold.
Lowers quality of breast milk.
Decreases immune response.
Decreases insulin response.
(And here's the most disturbing fact!)
Margarine is but one molecule away from being plastic!
This fact alone is enhough reason to avoid margarine for life and anything else that is hydrogenated (which means hydrogen is added, changing the molecular structure of the substance).
Try this:
Purchase a tub of margarine and leave it open in your garage or shaded area. Within a couple of days you will note a couple of things...
* No flies, not even those pesky fruit flies go near it! (That should tell you something.)
* It doesn't rot or smell differently because it has no nutritional value. Nothing grows on it, not even those teeny-weeny microorganisms find a home there to grow on. Why? Because it is nearly plastic. (Would you melt your Tupperware and spread it on your toast?)
Margarine was originally manufactured to fatten turkeys. When it killed the turkeys, the people who had put all the money into the research wanted a payback so they figured out what to do with this product to get their
money back. It was a white substance with no food appeal so they added the yellow
coloring and sold it to people to use in place of butter.
DO YOU KNOW the difference between margarine and butter?
(Read to the end...very interesting!)
Both have the same amount of calories. Butter is slightly higher in saturated fats at 8 grams compared to 5 grams.
Eating margarine can increase heart disease in women by 53% over eating the same amount of butter, according to a recent Harvard Medical Study.
Eating butter increases the absorption of many other nutrients in other foods.
Butter has many nutritional benefits where margarine has a few only because they are added!
Butter tastes much better than margarine and it can enhance the flavors of other foods.
Butter has been around for centuries where margarine has been around for less than 100 years.
(And now, for Margarine...)
Very high in Trans fatty acids.
Triples risk of coronary heart disease. Increases total cholesterol and LDL (the bad cholesterol and lowers HDL (the good cholesterol).
Increases the risk of cancers up to five-fold.
Lowers quality of breast milk.
Decreases immune response.
Decreases insulin response.
(And here's the most disturbing fact!)
Margarine is but one molecule away from being plastic!
This fact alone is enhough reason to avoid margarine for life and anything else that is hydrogenated (which means hydrogen is added, changing the molecular structure of the substance).
Try this:
Purchase a tub of margarine and leave it open in your garage or shaded area. Within a couple of days you will note a couple of things...
* No flies, not even those pesky fruit flies go near it! (That should tell you something.)
* It doesn't rot or smell differently because it has no nutritional value. Nothing grows on it, not even those teeny-weeny microorganisms find a home there to grow on. Why? Because it is nearly plastic. (Would you melt your Tupperware and spread it on your toast?)
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Encouragement
This is a lesson to encourage us all.
Rick Warren..... (REMEMBER HE WROTE 'PURPOSE DRIVEN LIFE') and moderated the "first" McCain and Obama debate?)
You will enjoy the new insights that Rick Warren has, with his wife now having cancer and him having 'wealth' from the book sales. This is an absolutely incredible short interview with Rick Warren,
'Purpose Driven Life ' author and pastor of Saddleback Church in California
In the interview by Paul Bradshaw with20Rick Warren , Rick said:
People ask me, What is the purpose of life? And I respond: In a nutshell, life is preparation for eternity. We were made to last forever and God wants us to be with Him in Heaven.
One day my heart is going to stop, and that will be the end of my body-- but not the end of me.
I may live 60 to 100 years on earth, but I am going to spend trillions of years in eternity. This is the warm-up act - the dress rehearsal. God wants us to practice on earth what we will do forever in eternity.
We were made by God and for God, and until you figure that out, life isn't going to make sense.
Life is a series of problems: Either you are in one now, you're just coming out of one, or you're getting ready to go into another one.
The reason for this is that God is more interested in your character than your comfort.
God is more interested in making your life holy than He is in making your life happy.
We can be reasonably happy here on earth, but that's not the goal of life. The goal is to grow in character, in Christ likeness.
This past year has been the greatest year of my life but also the toughest, with my wife, Kay, getting cancer.
I used to think that life was hills and valleys - you go through a dark time, then you go to the mountaintop, back and forth. I don't believe that anymore.
Rather than life being hills and valleys, I believe that it's kind of like two rails on a railroad track, and at all times you have something good and something bad in your life.
No matter how good things are in your life, there is always something bad that needs to be worked on.
And no matter how bad things are in your life, there is always something good you can thank God for.
You can focus on your purposes, or you can focus on your problems.
If you focus on your problems, you're going into self-centeredness, which is 'my problem, my issues, my pain.' But one of the easiest ways to get rid of pain is to get your focus off yourself and onto God and others.
We discovered quickly that in spite of the prayers of hundreds of thousands of people, God was not going to heal Kay or make it easy for her.
It has been very difficult for her, and yet God has strengthened her character, given her a ministry of helping other people, given her a testimony, drawn her closer to Him and to people.
You have to learn to deal with both the good and the bad of life.
Actually, sometimes learning to deal with the good is harder. For instance, this past year, all of a sudden, when the book sold 15 million copies, it made me instantly very wealthy.
It also brought a lot of notoriety that I had never had to deal with before. I don't think God gives you money or notoriety for your own ego or for you to live a life of ease.
So I began to ask God what He wanted me to do with this money, notoriety and influence. He gave me two different passages that helped me decide what to do, II Corinthians 9 and Psalm 72
First, in spite of all the money coming in, we would not change our lifestyle one bit. We made no major purchases.
Second, about midway through last year, I stopped taking a salary from the church.
Third, we set up foundations to fund an initiative we call The Peace Plan to plant churches, equip leaders, assist the poor, care for the sick, and educate the next generation.
Fourth, I added up all that the church had paid me in the 24 years since I started the church, and I gave it all back. It was liberating to be able to serve God for free.
We need to ask ourselves: Am I going to live for possessions? Popularity?
Am I going to be driven by pressures? Guilt? Bitterness? Materialism? Or am I going to be driven by God's purposes (for my life)?
When I get up in the morning, I sit on the side of my bed and say, "God, if I don't get anything el se done today, I want to know You more and love You better."
God didn't put me on earth just to fulfill a to-do list. He's more interested in what I am than what I do. That's why we're called human beings, not human doings.
Happy moments, PRAISE GOD.
Difficult moments, SEEK GOD.
Quiet moments, WORSHIP GOD.
Painful moments, TRUST GOD.
Every moment, THANK GOD.
Rick Warren..... (REMEMBER HE WROTE 'PURPOSE DRIVEN LIFE') and moderated the "first" McCain and Obama debate?)
You will enjoy the new insights that Rick Warren has, with his wife now having cancer and him having 'wealth' from the book sales. This is an absolutely incredible short interview with Rick Warren,
'Purpose Driven Life ' author and pastor of Saddleback Church in California
In the interview by Paul Bradshaw with20Rick Warren , Rick said:
People ask me, What is the purpose of life? And I respond: In a nutshell, life is preparation for eternity. We were made to last forever and God wants us to be with Him in Heaven.
One day my heart is going to stop, and that will be the end of my body-- but not the end of me.
I may live 60 to 100 years on earth, but I am going to spend trillions of years in eternity. This is the warm-up act - the dress rehearsal. God wants us to practice on earth what we will do forever in eternity.
We were made by God and for God, and until you figure that out, life isn't going to make sense.
Life is a series of problems: Either you are in one now, you're just coming out of one, or you're getting ready to go into another one.
The reason for this is that God is more interested in your character than your comfort.
God is more interested in making your life holy than He is in making your life happy.
We can be reasonably happy here on earth, but that's not the goal of life. The goal is to grow in character, in Christ likeness.
This past year has been the greatest year of my life but also the toughest, with my wife, Kay, getting cancer.
I used to think that life was hills and valleys - you go through a dark time, then you go to the mountaintop, back and forth. I don't believe that anymore.
Rather than life being hills and valleys, I believe that it's kind of like two rails on a railroad track, and at all times you have something good and something bad in your life.
No matter how good things are in your life, there is always something bad that needs to be worked on.
And no matter how bad things are in your life, there is always something good you can thank God for.
You can focus on your purposes, or you can focus on your problems.
If you focus on your problems, you're going into self-centeredness, which is 'my problem, my issues, my pain.' But one of the easiest ways to get rid of pain is to get your focus off yourself and onto God and others.
We discovered quickly that in spite of the prayers of hundreds of thousands of people, God was not going to heal Kay or make it easy for her.
It has been very difficult for her, and yet God has strengthened her character, given her a ministry of helping other people, given her a testimony, drawn her closer to Him and to people.
You have to learn to deal with both the good and the bad of life.
Actually, sometimes learning to deal with the good is harder. For instance, this past year, all of a sudden, when the book sold 15 million copies, it made me instantly very wealthy.
It also brought a lot of notoriety that I had never had to deal with before. I don't think God gives you money or notoriety for your own ego or for you to live a life of ease.
So I began to ask God what He wanted me to do with this money, notoriety and influence. He gave me two different passages that helped me decide what to do, II Corinthians 9 and Psalm 72
First, in spite of all the money coming in, we would not change our lifestyle one bit. We made no major purchases.
Second, about midway through last year, I stopped taking a salary from the church.
Third, we set up foundations to fund an initiative we call The Peace Plan to plant churches, equip leaders, assist the poor, care for the sick, and educate the next generation.
Fourth, I added up all that the church had paid me in the 24 years since I started the church, and I gave it all back. It was liberating to be able to serve God for free.
We need to ask ourselves: Am I going to live for possessions? Popularity?
Am I going to be driven by pressures? Guilt? Bitterness? Materialism? Or am I going to be driven by God's purposes (for my life)?
When I get up in the morning, I sit on the side of my bed and say, "God, if I don't get anything el se done today, I want to know You more and love You better."
God didn't put me on earth just to fulfill a to-do list. He's more interested in what I am than what I do. That's why we're called human beings, not human doings.
Happy moments, PRAISE GOD.
Difficult moments, SEEK GOD.
Quiet moments, WORSHIP GOD.
Painful moments, TRUST GOD.
Every moment, THANK GOD.
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Lesson in humility
This was emailed to me from Alpha Omega Publications. If you don't already receive their Daily Focus articles, they are great for homeschooling families.
It was day seven of a two-week, 95 degree and above heat wave. I was thinking our homeschooling family had done fairly well in not losing our tempers. As I walked outside to do the evening chores, however, I noticed several jobs left undone by my children. Frustrated with their poor performance, I continued to the barn to feed the horses when I noticed my daughter riding her horse bareback in the arena. Dripping wet, the horse appeared to be sweating profusely. Angrily, I barked, "Don't you know you shouldn't be riding that horse when it's this hot outside? Cool that animal down right now and get those chores done like I asked!"
As my daughter cowered and walked past me, I saw the hurt expression on her face. My angry outburst had wounded her spirit, and I knew I needed to make short order of asking forgiveness. Walking up to her, I said, "I'm sorry, honey. I shouldn't have yelled at you like that."
"That's OK, Mom," she replied, "I forgive you. I'm sorry I didn't get the chores done like you asked. I was just waiting for it to cool down before working outside and the reason my horse looked wet wasn't from sweat, it was actually from the water I used to cool her off. I was just riding her from the pasture to the barn to put her inside in the shade."
Humbled by her loving response to my false accusations of irresponsibility, I asked forgiveness again and said, "I'm so sorry. How foolish I was to get so angry without even asking you a few simple questions!"
Anger may be a real human emotion, but like any other emotion, it should never be dictated or controlled by the flesh, no matter what the temperature is outside. Galatians 5:20 tells us that the Lord views wrath as a work of the flesh and James 1:20 says, "the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God." God's remedy for controlling anger's destructive outbursts includes bridling the tongue (James 3:5-6) and allowing the Holy Spirit to help us be "swift to hear, slow to speak" (James 1:19). If homeschooling and the summer heat are getting to you, take a step back, count to ten, and pray for God's help to see and hear the problems for what they are: opportunities to display His grace instead of your anger. "He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding" (Proverbs 14:29a).
Father, forgive me when I allow anger to control my emotions and to destroy my relationships. Help me to be controlled instead by the Holy Spirit and to remember that true love is always patient, kind, and long-suffering. In Jesus' name, Amen.
It was day seven of a two-week, 95 degree and above heat wave. I was thinking our homeschooling family had done fairly well in not losing our tempers. As I walked outside to do the evening chores, however, I noticed several jobs left undone by my children. Frustrated with their poor performance, I continued to the barn to feed the horses when I noticed my daughter riding her horse bareback in the arena. Dripping wet, the horse appeared to be sweating profusely. Angrily, I barked, "Don't you know you shouldn't be riding that horse when it's this hot outside? Cool that animal down right now and get those chores done like I asked!"
As my daughter cowered and walked past me, I saw the hurt expression on her face. My angry outburst had wounded her spirit, and I knew I needed to make short order of asking forgiveness. Walking up to her, I said, "I'm sorry, honey. I shouldn't have yelled at you like that."
"That's OK, Mom," she replied, "I forgive you. I'm sorry I didn't get the chores done like you asked. I was just waiting for it to cool down before working outside and the reason my horse looked wet wasn't from sweat, it was actually from the water I used to cool her off. I was just riding her from the pasture to the barn to put her inside in the shade."
Humbled by her loving response to my false accusations of irresponsibility, I asked forgiveness again and said, "I'm so sorry. How foolish I was to get so angry without even asking you a few simple questions!"
Anger may be a real human emotion, but like any other emotion, it should never be dictated or controlled by the flesh, no matter what the temperature is outside. Galatians 5:20 tells us that the Lord views wrath as a work of the flesh and James 1:20 says, "the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God." God's remedy for controlling anger's destructive outbursts includes bridling the tongue (James 3:5-6) and allowing the Holy Spirit to help us be "swift to hear, slow to speak" (James 1:19). If homeschooling and the summer heat are getting to you, take a step back, count to ten, and pray for God's help to see and hear the problems for what they are: opportunities to display His grace instead of your anger. "He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding" (Proverbs 14:29a).
Father, forgive me when I allow anger to control my emotions and to destroy my relationships. Help me to be controlled instead by the Holy Spirit and to remember that true love is always patient, kind, and long-suffering. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
CARROTS, EGGS, OR COFFEE
This was emailed to our homeschool loop today..wanted to pass it along ...May we all be coffee :-)
CARROTS, EGGS, OR COFFEE
A carrot, an egg, and a cup of coffee...
You will never look at a cup of coffee the same way again.
A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things
were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and
wanted to give up, She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as
one problem was solved, a new one arose.
Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and
placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to boil. In the first she
placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed
ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil; without saying a word.
In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots
out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a
bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to
her daughter, she asked, ' Tell me what you see.'
'Carrots, eggs, and coffee,' she replied.
Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did
and noted that they were soft. The mother then asked the daughter to take
an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard
boiled egg.
Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The daughter
smiled as she tasted its rich aroma. The daughter then asked, 'What does it
mean, mother?'
Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same
adversity: boiling water.. Each reacted differently The carrot went in
strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the
boiling water, it softened and became weak the egg had been fragile. Its
thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting
through the boiling water, its inside became hardened. The ground coffee
beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, they had
changed the water.
'Which are you?' she asked her daughter. 'When adversity knocks on your
door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?
Think of this: Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain
and adversity do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength?
Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat?
Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial
hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my
shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff
spirit and hardened heart?
Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the
very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it
releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things
are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you.
When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest do you elevate
yourself to another level? How do you handle adversity? Are you a carrot,
an egg or a coffee bean?
May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you
strong, enough sorrow to keep you human and enough hope to make you happy.
The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they
just make the most of everything that comes along their way. The brightest
future will always be based on a forgotten past; you can't go forward in
life until you let go of your past failures and heartaches.
CARROTS, EGGS, OR COFFEE
A carrot, an egg, and a cup of coffee...
You will never look at a cup of coffee the same way again.
A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things
were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and
wanted to give up, She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as
one problem was solved, a new one arose.
Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and
placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to boil. In the first she
placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed
ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil; without saying a word.
In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots
out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a
bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to
her daughter, she asked, ' Tell me what you see.'
'Carrots, eggs, and coffee,' she replied.
Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did
and noted that they were soft. The mother then asked the daughter to take
an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard
boiled egg.
Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The daughter
smiled as she tasted its rich aroma. The daughter then asked, 'What does it
mean, mother?'
Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same
adversity: boiling water.. Each reacted differently The carrot went in
strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the
boiling water, it softened and became weak the egg had been fragile. Its
thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting
through the boiling water, its inside became hardened. The ground coffee
beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, they had
changed the water.
'Which are you?' she asked her daughter. 'When adversity knocks on your
door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?
Think of this: Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain
and adversity do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength?
Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat?
Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial
hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my
shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff
spirit and hardened heart?
Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the
very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it
releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things
are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you.
When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest do you elevate
yourself to another level? How do you handle adversity? Are you a carrot,
an egg or a coffee bean?
May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you
strong, enough sorrow to keep you human and enough hope to make you happy.
The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they
just make the most of everything that comes along their way. The brightest
future will always be based on a forgotten past; you can't go forward in
life until you let go of your past failures and heartaches.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Summer
Just checking in ..I am so bad about keeping up with my blog! We are enjoying our summer break. Spending time with friends and enjoying the pool. It is going by so quickly! We have our first garden this year, and we have an abundance of squash and cucumbers. We also have peppers, and the tomatoes are almost ready. Hopefully, we will have okra, watermelon, cantaloupe, and corn too. The boys are enjoying VBS this week and my oldest is on vacation with my parents.
The Lord has blessed me with precious new friends, and allowed me to reconnect with old friends, as well as, wonderful family members who I don't get a chance to visit with often. He always knows what we need in life and I am so grateful.
Hope everyone is having a fun summer break!
Monday, June 8, 2009
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Homeschooler's 23rd psalm
This was e-mailed to me from Alpha Omega Publications.
The Homeschooler’s 23rd Psalm
Saturday / June 06, 2009
“I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep” (John 10:11).
The Lord is my shepherd,
I shall not want.
He maketh me to live on less sleep:
He leadeth me through the noise of many voices.
He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me to teach
The right lessons each day, for His name’s sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of undone
Laundry and kitchen messes, I will fear no evil:
For thou art with me, my teacher’s guides and
Answer keys, they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence
Of threatening school officials and critical family members:
Thou anointest my head with heavenly wisdom, my cup runneth over.
Surely educated and godly children shall follow after me
All the days of my life: and I will dwell again one day
In a clean house with the Lord forevermore.
Praise God, we do have a good Shepherd who leads us through every homeschooling problem and provides for our every need. Best of all, our Shepherd knows us and promises never to desert us when the wolf comes seeking to destroy (John 10:11-13). As we listen to the Shepherd’s voice and follow Him, we are sure to receive a great reward, as we reach the peaceful green pastures of Christ-like, educated children. “And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away” (1 Peter 5:4).
Father, how I praise You for leading my children and me in the path of homeschooling. Without You, we surely would be confused and lost. We come to You again this day and pray for Your continued blessings as we follow You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
The Homeschooler’s 23rd Psalm
Saturday / June 06, 2009
“I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep” (John 10:11).
The Lord is my shepherd,
I shall not want.
He maketh me to live on less sleep:
He leadeth me through the noise of many voices.
He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me to teach
The right lessons each day, for His name’s sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of undone
Laundry and kitchen messes, I will fear no evil:
For thou art with me, my teacher’s guides and
Answer keys, they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence
Of threatening school officials and critical family members:
Thou anointest my head with heavenly wisdom, my cup runneth over.
Surely educated and godly children shall follow after me
All the days of my life: and I will dwell again one day
In a clean house with the Lord forevermore.
Praise God, we do have a good Shepherd who leads us through every homeschooling problem and provides for our every need. Best of all, our Shepherd knows us and promises never to desert us when the wolf comes seeking to destroy (John 10:11-13). As we listen to the Shepherd’s voice and follow Him, we are sure to receive a great reward, as we reach the peaceful green pastures of Christ-like, educated children. “And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away” (1 Peter 5:4).
Father, how I praise You for leading my children and me in the path of homeschooling. Without You, we surely would be confused and lost. We come to You again this day and pray for Your continued blessings as we follow You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Kombucha
How to Brew Kombucha from Candy at www.keepingthehome.com
Kombucha is one of the most healthiest things you can consume. It is also naturally carbonated, and can taste quite delicious. The strange thing about Kombucha, is that two of the ingredients in brewing it isn't necessarily healthy - black tea and white sugar.
However, that is not "food" for you, but for the Kombucha Scoby. The Scoby is a Scimbiotic Culture Of Bacteria and Yeast. The sugar and tea are the "food" for the Scoby. Just like you feed sourdough starter flour and water, you feed a Scoby sugar and tea. The sourdough starter "eats" the flour and water, and turns it into a natural, sour leavening agent. The Scoby eats the sugar and tea, and turns it into a very healthy, naturally fizzy drink.
WHAT YOU NEED
- A very large glass jar (do NOT use metal or plastic, a Scoby can leach the toxins out of metals and plastic)
- A double layer of cheesecloth to cover the large jar, and a rubber band to secure the cloth on
- 1 Kombucha Scoby (if you don't have one, then refer to the article called "Growing a Scoby" on this site to find out how to get one, or grow one yourself)
- 4 black tea bags (organic if can you get it)
- 1 cup white sugar (organic if you can get it)
- Water
- 1/2 cup of Kombucha liquid, OR apple cider vinegar
- Patience ;-)
HOW TO MAKE IT
1. In a large stew pot or stockpot, bring 3 quarts (12 cups) of water to a boil.
2. While you're waiting for the water to boil, pour one cup of sugar into the bottom of your large brewing jar.
3. Pour the boiling water on top of the sugar, and mix it, until the sugar is completely dissolved in the hot water.
4. Put in the four bags of tea, and leave them in there for a long time.
5. Leave the tea out, and let it cool to room temperature, then remove and throw away the tea bags.
6. Pour in 1/2 cup of Kombucha liquid, or apple cider vinegar. Do NOT forget this step, or your brew will likely mold.
7. Wash your hands thoroughly, and make sure you are not wearing any rings that could touch the Scoby, then get the Scoby out of its home/jar:
The above is a picture of a Scoby that I have been growing and fattening up for about two months. As you have probably guessed, that Scoby was grown in a large square jar - that is why the Scoby is square, instead of round.
8. Gently float the Scoby on top of the tea mixture. Most Scobies will float, but some sink. Either way is fine.
9. Cover the brewing jar over with a double layer of cheesecloth. Secure the cloth on with a rubber band.
10. Set the jar in a dark cupboard, away from any plants, chemicals, and contaminants. Leave the jar there - undisturbed for one week.
11. ONE WEEK LATER - Your brew should smell like vinegar. If not, then gently insert a straw into the liquid - pushing the Scoby out of the way. If it tastes anything like tea, then let it brew for a few days more, then taste it again, and brew longer, if needed. Otherwise, if there is a vinegar smell, then your brew is probably done.
NOTE - If there is any mold on or in your brew, then throw away the brew, including the contaminated Scoby. However, don't confuse brown yeast spots with furry mold. If your brew molds, the mold should look like spores or be furry, and will likely be white, blue, or green in color. Yeast cultures on the Scoby will be brown and slimy, and are normal for a healthy Scoby.
12. Your Scoby should have a new baby Scoby grown on top of it. You can keep the baby on the mother, or separate the two, which are held together by a thin membrane. Now you can start two brews, if you'd like. You can do one brew with the mother, and another with the baby. Each time you brew, your Scoby should grow another Scoby on its top. When a Scoby is getting old, it'll turn dark brown, and should then be thrown away, or ground up and used as a skin ointment, etc.
13. Put your Scobies into a jar, filled with some of your fresh brewed Kombucha, and store that jar in your brewing cupboard. A simple one-quart mason jar, half filled with Kombucha, and with the Scoby pushed under the liquid is good enough, and should preserve your Scoby just fine. In fact, if you forget about it for a month or two, then it'll probably have a new, and very fat Scoby floating on top.
14. Meanwhile, pour your freshly brewed Kombucha into glass bottles, and store them in the fridge. It's a good idea to pour the Kombucha through a very fine strainer as you are pouring it into the bottles, to strain out the little, brown yeast globs. It's perfectly fine if you accidentally swallow some yeast globs when you drink Kombucha, however, most of us don't like the feeling of it going down our throats. Therefore, you may want to strain your Kombucha before you drink it.
You can also flavor your Kombucha. One of my favorites is ginger. Just grate up a few tablespoons of ginger, and put it into the bottom of one of the bottles you pour the Kombucha liquid into. You can also do this with fresh strawberries, cherries, grated lemon peel, etc. Lemon peel and fresh ginger go well together in Kombucha.
Kombucha is one of the most healthiest things you can consume. It is also naturally carbonated, and can taste quite delicious. The strange thing about Kombucha, is that two of the ingredients in brewing it isn't necessarily healthy - black tea and white sugar.
However, that is not "food" for you, but for the Kombucha Scoby. The Scoby is a Scimbiotic Culture Of Bacteria and Yeast. The sugar and tea are the "food" for the Scoby. Just like you feed sourdough starter flour and water, you feed a Scoby sugar and tea. The sourdough starter "eats" the flour and water, and turns it into a natural, sour leavening agent. The Scoby eats the sugar and tea, and turns it into a very healthy, naturally fizzy drink.
WHAT YOU NEED
- A very large glass jar (do NOT use metal or plastic, a Scoby can leach the toxins out of metals and plastic)
- A double layer of cheesecloth to cover the large jar, and a rubber band to secure the cloth on
- 1 Kombucha Scoby (if you don't have one, then refer to the article called "Growing a Scoby" on this site to find out how to get one, or grow one yourself)
- 4 black tea bags (organic if can you get it)
- 1 cup white sugar (organic if you can get it)
- Water
- 1/2 cup of Kombucha liquid, OR apple cider vinegar
- Patience ;-)
HOW TO MAKE IT
1. In a large stew pot or stockpot, bring 3 quarts (12 cups) of water to a boil.
2. While you're waiting for the water to boil, pour one cup of sugar into the bottom of your large brewing jar.
3. Pour the boiling water on top of the sugar, and mix it, until the sugar is completely dissolved in the hot water.
4. Put in the four bags of tea, and leave them in there for a long time.
5. Leave the tea out, and let it cool to room temperature, then remove and throw away the tea bags.
6. Pour in 1/2 cup of Kombucha liquid, or apple cider vinegar. Do NOT forget this step, or your brew will likely mold.
7. Wash your hands thoroughly, and make sure you are not wearing any rings that could touch the Scoby, then get the Scoby out of its home/jar:
The above is a picture of a Scoby that I have been growing and fattening up for about two months. As you have probably guessed, that Scoby was grown in a large square jar - that is why the Scoby is square, instead of round.
8. Gently float the Scoby on top of the tea mixture. Most Scobies will float, but some sink. Either way is fine.
9. Cover the brewing jar over with a double layer of cheesecloth. Secure the cloth on with a rubber band.
10. Set the jar in a dark cupboard, away from any plants, chemicals, and contaminants. Leave the jar there - undisturbed for one week.
11. ONE WEEK LATER - Your brew should smell like vinegar. If not, then gently insert a straw into the liquid - pushing the Scoby out of the way. If it tastes anything like tea, then let it brew for a few days more, then taste it again, and brew longer, if needed. Otherwise, if there is a vinegar smell, then your brew is probably done.
NOTE - If there is any mold on or in your brew, then throw away the brew, including the contaminated Scoby. However, don't confuse brown yeast spots with furry mold. If your brew molds, the mold should look like spores or be furry, and will likely be white, blue, or green in color. Yeast cultures on the Scoby will be brown and slimy, and are normal for a healthy Scoby.
12. Your Scoby should have a new baby Scoby grown on top of it. You can keep the baby on the mother, or separate the two, which are held together by a thin membrane. Now you can start two brews, if you'd like. You can do one brew with the mother, and another with the baby. Each time you brew, your Scoby should grow another Scoby on its top. When a Scoby is getting old, it'll turn dark brown, and should then be thrown away, or ground up and used as a skin ointment, etc.
13. Put your Scobies into a jar, filled with some of your fresh brewed Kombucha, and store that jar in your brewing cupboard. A simple one-quart mason jar, half filled with Kombucha, and with the Scoby pushed under the liquid is good enough, and should preserve your Scoby just fine. In fact, if you forget about it for a month or two, then it'll probably have a new, and very fat Scoby floating on top.
14. Meanwhile, pour your freshly brewed Kombucha into glass bottles, and store them in the fridge. It's a good idea to pour the Kombucha through a very fine strainer as you are pouring it into the bottles, to strain out the little, brown yeast globs. It's perfectly fine if you accidentally swallow some yeast globs when you drink Kombucha, however, most of us don't like the feeling of it going down our throats. Therefore, you may want to strain your Kombucha before you drink it.
You can also flavor your Kombucha. One of my favorites is ginger. Just grate up a few tablespoons of ginger, and put it into the bottom of one of the bottles you pour the Kombucha liquid into. You can also do this with fresh strawberries, cherries, grated lemon peel, etc. Lemon peel and fresh ginger go well together in Kombucha.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
What ABOUT socialization?
What ABOUT socialization?
Two women meet at a playground, where their children are swinging and
playing ball. The women are sitting on a bench watching. Eventually, they
begin to talk.
W1: Hi. My name is Maggie. My kids are the three in red shirts -- helps me
keep track of them.
W2: (Smiles) I'm Terri. Mine are in the pink and yellow shirts. Do you come
here a lot?
W1: Usually two or three times a week, after we go to the library.
W2: Wow. Where do you find the time?
W1: We home school, so we do it during the day most of the time.
W2: Some of my neighbors home school, but I send my kids to public school.
W1: How do you do it?
W2: It's not easy. I go to all the PTO meetings and work with the kids every
day after school and stay real involved.
W1: But what about socialization? Aren't you worried about them being cooped
up all day with kids their own ages, never getting the opportunity for
natural relationships?
W2: Well, yes. But I work hard to balance that. They have some friends
who're home schooled, and we visit their grandparents almost every month.
W1: Sounds like you're a very dedicated mom. But don't you worry about all
the opportunities they're missing out on? I mean they're so isolated from
real life -- how will they know what the world is like -- what people do to
make a living -- how to get along with all different kinds of people?
W2: Oh, we discussed that at PTO, and we started a fund to bring real people
into the classrooms. Last month, we had a policeman and a doctor come in to
talk to every class. And next month, we're having a woman from Japan and a
man from Kenya come to speak.
W1: Oh, we met a man from Japan in the grocery store the other week, and he
got to talking about his childhood in Tokyo. My kids were absolutely
fascinated. We invited him to dinner and got to meet his wife and their
three children.
W2: That's nice. Hmm. Maybe we should plan some Japanese food for the
lunchroom on Multicultural Day.
W1: Maybe your Japanese guest could eat with the children.
W2: Oh, no. She's on a very tight schedule. She has two other schools to
visit that day. It's a system-wide thing we're doing.
W1: Oh, I'm sorry. Well, maybe you'll meet someone interesting in the
grocery store sometime and you'll end up having them over for dinner.
W2: I don't think so. I never talk to people in the store -- certainly not
people who might not even speak my language. What if that Japanese man
hadn't spoken English?
W1: To tell you the truth, I never had time to think about it. Before I even
saw him, my six-year-old had asked him what he was going to do with all the
oranges he was buying.
W2: Your child talks to strangers?
W1: I was right there with him. He knows that as long as he's with me, he
can talk to anyone he wishes.
W2: But you're developing dangerous habits in him. My children never talk to
strangers.
W1: Not even when they're with you?
W2: They're never with me, except at home after school. So you see why it's
so important for them to understand that talking to strangers is a big
no-no.
W1: Yes, I do. But if they were with you, they could get to meet interesting
people and still be safe. They'd get a taste of the real world, in real
settings. They'd also get a real feel for how to tell when a situation is
dangerous or suspicious.
W2: They'll get that in the third and fifth grades in their health courses.
W1: Well, I can tell you're a very caring mom. Let me give you my number--if
you ever want to talk, give me call. It was good to meet you.
--Author unknown
Two women meet at a playground, where their children are swinging and
playing ball. The women are sitting on a bench watching. Eventually, they
begin to talk.
W1: Hi. My name is Maggie. My kids are the three in red shirts -- helps me
keep track of them.
W2: (Smiles) I'm Terri. Mine are in the pink and yellow shirts. Do you come
here a lot?
W1: Usually two or three times a week, after we go to the library.
W2: Wow. Where do you find the time?
W1: We home school, so we do it during the day most of the time.
W2: Some of my neighbors home school, but I send my kids to public school.
W1: How do you do it?
W2: It's not easy. I go to all the PTO meetings and work with the kids every
day after school and stay real involved.
W1: But what about socialization? Aren't you worried about them being cooped
up all day with kids their own ages, never getting the opportunity for
natural relationships?
W2: Well, yes. But I work hard to balance that. They have some friends
who're home schooled, and we visit their grandparents almost every month.
W1: Sounds like you're a very dedicated mom. But don't you worry about all
the opportunities they're missing out on? I mean they're so isolated from
real life -- how will they know what the world is like -- what people do to
make a living -- how to get along with all different kinds of people?
W2: Oh, we discussed that at PTO, and we started a fund to bring real people
into the classrooms. Last month, we had a policeman and a doctor come in to
talk to every class. And next month, we're having a woman from Japan and a
man from Kenya come to speak.
W1: Oh, we met a man from Japan in the grocery store the other week, and he
got to talking about his childhood in Tokyo. My kids were absolutely
fascinated. We invited him to dinner and got to meet his wife and their
three children.
W2: That's nice. Hmm. Maybe we should plan some Japanese food for the
lunchroom on Multicultural Day.
W1: Maybe your Japanese guest could eat with the children.
W2: Oh, no. She's on a very tight schedule. She has two other schools to
visit that day. It's a system-wide thing we're doing.
W1: Oh, I'm sorry. Well, maybe you'll meet someone interesting in the
grocery store sometime and you'll end up having them over for dinner.
W2: I don't think so. I never talk to people in the store -- certainly not
people who might not even speak my language. What if that Japanese man
hadn't spoken English?
W1: To tell you the truth, I never had time to think about it. Before I even
saw him, my six-year-old had asked him what he was going to do with all the
oranges he was buying.
W2: Your child talks to strangers?
W1: I was right there with him. He knows that as long as he's with me, he
can talk to anyone he wishes.
W2: But you're developing dangerous habits in him. My children never talk to
strangers.
W1: Not even when they're with you?
W2: They're never with me, except at home after school. So you see why it's
so important for them to understand that talking to strangers is a big
no-no.
W1: Yes, I do. But if they were with you, they could get to meet interesting
people and still be safe. They'd get a taste of the real world, in real
settings. They'd also get a real feel for how to tell when a situation is
dangerous or suspicious.
W2: They'll get that in the third and fifth grades in their health courses.
W1: Well, I can tell you're a very caring mom. Let me give you my number--if
you ever want to talk, give me call. It was good to meet you.
--Author unknown
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Hairbrush story worth reading! PLEASE read this!
HAIRBRUSH EXPERIENCE OF BETH MOORE AT THE AIRPORT
For those of you who do not know Beth Moore, she is an outstanding Bible
teacher, writer of Bible studies, and is a married mother of two
daughters who lives in Houston, TX.
This is one of her experiences:
April 20, 2005, at the Airport in Knoxville, waiting to board the plane,
I had the Bible on my lap and was very intent upon what I was doing.
I'd had a marvelous morning with the Lord. I say this because I want to
tell you it is a scary thing to have the Spirit of God really working in
you.
You could end up doing some things you never would have done otherwise.
Life in the Spirit can be dangerous for a thousand reasons not the least
of which is your ego.
I tried to keep from staring, but he was such a strange sight. Humped
over in a wheelchair, he was skin and bones, dressed in clothes that
obviously fit when he was at least twenty pounds heavier.. His knee s
protruded from his trousers and his shoulders looked like the coat
hanger was still in his shirt. His hands looked like tangled masses of
veins and bones.
The strangest part of him was his hair and nails. Stringy, gray hair
hung well over his shoulders and down part of his back. His fingernails
were long, clean but strangely out of place on an old man.
I looked down at my Bible as fast as I could, discomfort burning my
face. As I tried to imagine what his story might have been, I found
myself wondering if I'd just had a Howard Hughes sighting. Then, I
remembered that he was dead. So this man in the airport... An
impersonator maybe? Was a camera on us somewhere? There I sat; trying
to concentrate on the Word to keep from being concerned about a thin
slice of humanity served up on a wheelchair only a few seats from me.
All the while, my heart was growing more and more overwhelmed with a
feeling for him.
Let's admit it. Curiosity is a heap more comfortable than true concern,
and suddenly I was awash with aching emotion for this bizarre-looking
old man.
I had walked with God long enough to see the handwriting on the wall..
I've learned that when I begin to feel what God feels, something so
contrary to my natural feelings, something dramatic is bound to happen.
And it may be embarrassing...
I immediately began to resist beau se I could feel God working on my
spirit and I started arguing with God in my mind. 'Oh, no, God, please,
no.' I looked up at the ceiling as if I could stare straight through it
into heaven and said, 'Don't make me witness to this man. Not right
here and now. Please. I'll do anything. Put me on the same plane, but
don't make me get up here and witness to this man in front of this
gawking audience. Please, Lord!'
There I sat in the blue vinyl chair begging His Highness, 'Please don't
make me witness to this man. Not now. I'll do it on the plane.' Then
I heard it....'I don't want you to witness to him. I want you to brush
his hair.'
The words were so clear, my heart leap into my throat, and my thoughts
spun like a top. Do I witness to the man or brush his hair?
No-brainier. I looked straight back up at the ceiling and said, 'God,
as I live and breathe, I want you to know I am ready to witness to this
man. I'm on this Lord. I'm your girl! You've never seen a woman
witness to a man faster in your life. What difference does it make if
his hair is a mess if he is not redeemed? I am going to witness to this
man.'
Again as clearly as I've ever heard an audible word, God seemed to write
this statement across the wall of my mind.. 'That is not what I said,
Beth.. I don't want you to witness to him; I want you to go brush20his
hair.'
I looked up at God and quipped, 'I don't have a hairbrush. It's in
my suitcase on the plane. How am I supposed to brush his hair without a
hairbrush?' God was so insistent that I almost involuntarily began to
walk toward him as these thoughts came to me from God's word: 'I will
thoroughly furnish you unto all good works.' (2 Timothy 3:17)
I stumbled over to the wheelchair thinking I could use one myself.
Even as I retell this story, my pulse quickens and I feel those same
butterflies. I knelt down in front of the man and asked as demurely as
possible, 'Sir, may I have the pleasure of brushing your hair?'
He looked back at me and said, 'What did you say?'
'May I have the pleasure of brushing your hair?'
To which he responded in volume ten, 'Little lady, if you expect me to
hear you, you're going to have to talk louder than that.'
At this point, I took a deep breath and blurted out, 'SIR, MAY I HAVE
THE PLEASURE OF BRUSHING YOUR HAIR?' At which point every eye in the
place darted right at me. I was the only thing in the room looking more
peculiar than old Mr. Long Locks. Face crimson and forehead breaking
out in a sweat, I watched him look up at me with absolute shock on his
face, and say, 'If you really want to.'
Are you kidding? Of course I didn 't want to. But God didn't seem
interested in my personal preference right about then. He pressed on my
heart until I could utter the words, 'Yes, sir, I would be pleased. But
I have one little problem. I don't have a hairbrush.'
'I have one in my bag,' he responded.
I went around to the back of that wheelchair, and I got on my hands
and knees and unzipped the stranger's old carry-on, hardly believing
what I was doing. I stood up and started brushing the old man's hair..
It was perfectly clean, but it was tangled and matted. I don't do many
things well, but must admit I've had notable experience untangling
knotted hair mothering two little girls. Like I'd done with either
Amanda or Melissa in such a condition, I began brushing at the very
bottom of the strands, remembering to take my time not to pull. A
miraculous thing happened to me as I started brushing that old man's
hair. Everybody else in the room disappeared. There was no one alive
for those moments except that old man and me. I brushed and I brushed
and I brushed until every tangle was out of that hair. I know this
sounds so strange, but I've never felt that kind of love for another
soul in my entire life. I believe with all my heart, I - for that few
minutes - felt a portion of the very love of God. That He had overtaken my heart for a little while like some one renting a room and making
Himself at home for a short while.
The emotions were so strong and so pure that I knew they had to be
God's. His hair was finally as soft and smooth as an infant's.
I slipped the brush back in the bag and went around the chair to face
him. I got back down on my knees, put my hands on his knee and said,
'Sir, do you know my Jesus?'
He said, 'Yes, I do'
Well, that figures, I thought.
He explained, 'I've known Him since I married my bride. She wouldn't
marry me until I got to know the Savior.' He said, 'you see, the
problem is, I haven't seen my bride in months. I've had open-heart
surgery and she's been too ill to come see me. I was sitting here
thinking to myself, what a mess I must be for my bride.'
Only God knows how often He allows us to be part of a divine moment when
we're completely unaware of the significance. This, on the other hand,
was one of those rare encounters when I knew God had intervened in
details only He could have known. It was a God moment, and I'll never
forget it.
Our time came to board, and we were not on the same plane.. I was deeply
ashamed of how I'd acted earlier and would have been so proud to have
accompanied him on that aircraft.
I still had a few minutes, and as I gathered my things to board, the
airline hostess returned from the corridor, tears streaming down her
cheeks. She said, 'that old man's sitting on the plane, sobbing. Why
did you do that? What made you do that?'
I said, 'Do you know Jesus? He can be the bossiest thing!'
I learned something about God that day. He knows if you're exhausted,
you're hungry, you're serving in the wrong place or it is time to move
on but you feel too responsible to budge. He knows if you're hurting or
feeling rejected. He knows if you're sick or drowning under a wave of
temptation. Or He knows if you just need your hair brushed. He sees
you as an individual. Tell Him your need!
I got on my own flight, sobs choking my throat, wondering how many
opportunities just like that one had I missed along the way ... all
because I didn't want people to think I was strange. God didn't send me
to that old man. He sent that old man to me..
John 1:14 'The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have
seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father,
full of grace and truth'
Please share this wonderful story.
If your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light........ Mt.
6:22
By God's grace I am what I am..... 1 Corinthians 15:10
'Life isn't about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the
rain!'
For those of you who do not know Beth Moore, she is an outstanding Bible
teacher, writer of Bible studies, and is a married mother of two
daughters who lives in Houston, TX.
This is one of her experiences:
April 20, 2005, at the Airport in Knoxville, waiting to board the plane,
I had the Bible on my lap and was very intent upon what I was doing.
I'd had a marvelous morning with the Lord. I say this because I want to
tell you it is a scary thing to have the Spirit of God really working in
you.
You could end up doing some things you never would have done otherwise.
Life in the Spirit can be dangerous for a thousand reasons not the least
of which is your ego.
I tried to keep from staring, but he was such a strange sight. Humped
over in a wheelchair, he was skin and bones, dressed in clothes that
obviously fit when he was at least twenty pounds heavier.. His knee s
protruded from his trousers and his shoulders looked like the coat
hanger was still in his shirt. His hands looked like tangled masses of
veins and bones.
The strangest part of him was his hair and nails. Stringy, gray hair
hung well over his shoulders and down part of his back. His fingernails
were long, clean but strangely out of place on an old man.
I looked down at my Bible as fast as I could, discomfort burning my
face. As I tried to imagine what his story might have been, I found
myself wondering if I'd just had a Howard Hughes sighting. Then, I
remembered that he was dead. So this man in the airport... An
impersonator maybe? Was a camera on us somewhere? There I sat; trying
to concentrate on the Word to keep from being concerned about a thin
slice of humanity served up on a wheelchair only a few seats from me.
All the while, my heart was growing more and more overwhelmed with a
feeling for him.
Let's admit it. Curiosity is a heap more comfortable than true concern,
and suddenly I was awash with aching emotion for this bizarre-looking
old man.
I had walked with God long enough to see the handwriting on the wall..
I've learned that when I begin to feel what God feels, something so
contrary to my natural feelings, something dramatic is bound to happen.
And it may be embarrassing...
I immediately began to resist beau se I could feel God working on my
spirit and I started arguing with God in my mind. 'Oh, no, God, please,
no.' I looked up at the ceiling as if I could stare straight through it
into heaven and said, 'Don't make me witness to this man. Not right
here and now. Please. I'll do anything. Put me on the same plane, but
don't make me get up here and witness to this man in front of this
gawking audience. Please, Lord!'
There I sat in the blue vinyl chair begging His Highness, 'Please don't
make me witness to this man. Not now. I'll do it on the plane.' Then
I heard it....'I don't want you to witness to him. I want you to brush
his hair.'
The words were so clear, my heart leap into my throat, and my thoughts
spun like a top. Do I witness to the man or brush his hair?
No-brainier. I looked straight back up at the ceiling and said, 'God,
as I live and breathe, I want you to know I am ready to witness to this
man. I'm on this Lord. I'm your girl! You've never seen a woman
witness to a man faster in your life. What difference does it make if
his hair is a mess if he is not redeemed? I am going to witness to this
man.'
Again as clearly as I've ever heard an audible word, God seemed to write
this statement across the wall of my mind.. 'That is not what I said,
Beth.. I don't want you to witness to him; I want you to go brush20his
hair.'
I looked up at God and quipped, 'I don't have a hairbrush. It's in
my suitcase on the plane. How am I supposed to brush his hair without a
hairbrush?' God was so insistent that I almost involuntarily began to
walk toward him as these thoughts came to me from God's word: 'I will
thoroughly furnish you unto all good works.' (2 Timothy 3:17)
I stumbled over to the wheelchair thinking I could use one myself.
Even as I retell this story, my pulse quickens and I feel those same
butterflies. I knelt down in front of the man and asked as demurely as
possible, 'Sir, may I have the pleasure of brushing your hair?'
He looked back at me and said, 'What did you say?'
'May I have the pleasure of brushing your hair?'
To which he responded in volume ten, 'Little lady, if you expect me to
hear you, you're going to have to talk louder than that.'
At this point, I took a deep breath and blurted out, 'SIR, MAY I HAVE
THE PLEASURE OF BRUSHING YOUR HAIR?' At which point every eye in the
place darted right at me. I was the only thing in the room looking more
peculiar than old Mr. Long Locks. Face crimson and forehead breaking
out in a sweat, I watched him look up at me with absolute shock on his
face, and say, 'If you really want to.'
Are you kidding? Of course I didn 't want to. But God didn't seem
interested in my personal preference right about then. He pressed on my
heart until I could utter the words, 'Yes, sir, I would be pleased. But
I have one little problem. I don't have a hairbrush.'
'I have one in my bag,' he responded.
I went around to the back of that wheelchair, and I got on my hands
and knees and unzipped the stranger's old carry-on, hardly believing
what I was doing. I stood up and started brushing the old man's hair..
It was perfectly clean, but it was tangled and matted. I don't do many
things well, but must admit I've had notable experience untangling
knotted hair mothering two little girls. Like I'd done with either
Amanda or Melissa in such a condition, I began brushing at the very
bottom of the strands, remembering to take my time not to pull. A
miraculous thing happened to me as I started brushing that old man's
hair. Everybody else in the room disappeared. There was no one alive
for those moments except that old man and me. I brushed and I brushed
and I brushed until every tangle was out of that hair. I know this
sounds so strange, but I've never felt that kind of love for another
soul in my entire life. I believe with all my heart, I - for that few
minutes - felt a portion of the very love of God. That He had overtaken my heart for a little while like some one renting a room and making
Himself at home for a short while.
The emotions were so strong and so pure that I knew they had to be
God's. His hair was finally as soft and smooth as an infant's.
I slipped the brush back in the bag and went around the chair to face
him. I got back down on my knees, put my hands on his knee and said,
'Sir, do you know my Jesus?'
He said, 'Yes, I do'
Well, that figures, I thought.
He explained, 'I've known Him since I married my bride. She wouldn't
marry me until I got to know the Savior.' He said, 'you see, the
problem is, I haven't seen my bride in months. I've had open-heart
surgery and she's been too ill to come see me. I was sitting here
thinking to myself, what a mess I must be for my bride.'
Only God knows how often He allows us to be part of a divine moment when
we're completely unaware of the significance. This, on the other hand,
was one of those rare encounters when I knew God had intervened in
details only He could have known. It was a God moment, and I'll never
forget it.
Our time came to board, and we were not on the same plane.. I was deeply
ashamed of how I'd acted earlier and would have been so proud to have
accompanied him on that aircraft.
I still had a few minutes, and as I gathered my things to board, the
airline hostess returned from the corridor, tears streaming down her
cheeks. She said, 'that old man's sitting on the plane, sobbing. Why
did you do that? What made you do that?'
I said, 'Do you know Jesus? He can be the bossiest thing!'
I learned something about God that day. He knows if you're exhausted,
you're hungry, you're serving in the wrong place or it is time to move
on but you feel too responsible to budge. He knows if you're hurting or
feeling rejected. He knows if you're sick or drowning under a wave of
temptation. Or He knows if you just need your hair brushed. He sees
you as an individual. Tell Him your need!
I got on my own flight, sobs choking my throat, wondering how many
opportunities just like that one had I missed along the way ... all
because I didn't want people to think I was strange. God didn't send me
to that old man. He sent that old man to me..
John 1:14 'The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have
seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father,
full of grace and truth'
Please share this wonderful story.
If your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light........ Mt.
6:22
By God's grace I am what I am..... 1 Corinthians 15:10
'Life isn't about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the
rain!'
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Anonymous lines for Mother's Day..cute
1. My mother taught me LOGIC.
"Because I said so, that's why."
2. My mother taught me CONTORTIONISM.
"Look at that dirt on the back of your neck!"
3. My mother taught me about WEATHER.
"Your room looks as if a tornado went through."
4. My mother taught me HOW TO BECOME AN ADULT.
"If you don't eat your vegetables, you'll never grow
up."
"Because I said so, that's why."
2. My mother taught me CONTORTIONISM.
"Look at that dirt on the back of your neck!"
3. My mother taught me about WEATHER.
"Your room looks as if a tornado went through."
4. My mother taught me HOW TO BECOME AN ADULT.
"If you don't eat your vegetables, you'll never grow
up."
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
ok ..blogger is not working from text
I signed up to be able to update my blog from texting..apparantly it did not work. So, if you received someting crazy from me, I am sorry. Hope you are all doing great. We are finishing up with our schooling, and looking forward to summertime! We have the pool open and almost ready. I am looking foward to park days and being carefree for a short while! I am sure the kids are too! over all, we have really enjoyed our first year homeschooling and I would not go back to the way things were for anything! I love being with my children and watching them learn. I feel that we have ALL grown in the Lord over the past year and I am so thankful for the priveledge to serve HIM! Hope you all have a great week!
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Back to the books
Hello all! We are back to the books this week! We had a great Spring break..other than the stomach virus that ran rampid through our home! YUCK! We are finishing up a few more "must dos" and then we are going to get creative for the rest of our schooling this year! :-) We are switching to My Father's World curriculum next year and I am very excited about this. I cannot wait to order our books and start getting prepared! This first year of homeschooling has had it rocky days, but it is all worth it! I have enjoyed being with my children, and watching them learn! I LOVE to hear them recite their Bible verses together...it is like beautiful music! I thank God for giving me four wonderful children to care for and allowing me to be with them throughout each day! I am truly blessed! Have a great day!
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Thursday, April 2, 2009
God's plan
How often do we pray and then take the burden with us? According to the Bible, we are to leave it at the feet of Jesus. I will be the first to admit, that is a hard thing to do. I have recently been reminded that God's ways are much higher than our ways. His plan is always best. Sometimes, it may take patience. But it always takes faith. Even if God chooses not to give the answer immediately, does not mean that it is not in the works. I have a tendency to want what I want RIGHT NOW! That is when I need to crucify the flesh and believe in God and His promises. He will never leave us, He is always there. Take time to praise Him for His blessings, even when all you feel like doing is asking Him why He is taking so long. Remember, God has a plan for all things, and He knows and wants what is best for you. Love Him in the hard times, Praise Him in the bad times and then the good times are sure to follow! God Bless!
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
What is the "world" to you?
1 John 2:15 (King James Version)
15Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
Is it the music you listen to?
Is it the places you choose to hang out?
Is it the company you keep?
Is there a difference in you and the world? Could someone look at your life, hear what you listen to, watch the places you go, meet your friends.etc..and still be able to tell that you are a Christian? According to God's word, we cannot be anything like the world, or He says the love of the Father is not in us.
Oh be careful little eyes what you see is a favorite children's song for a reason. It has a great biblical message to children AND to adults!
Please remember to pray daily and ask God to convict you of anything that is not pleaseing to Him! Let's pray for each other to live for our Savior in a way that is pleasing to HIM..not just the world's standards!
15Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
Is it the music you listen to?
Is it the places you choose to hang out?
Is it the company you keep?
Is there a difference in you and the world? Could someone look at your life, hear what you listen to, watch the places you go, meet your friends.etc..and still be able to tell that you are a Christian? According to God's word, we cannot be anything like the world, or He says the love of the Father is not in us.
Oh be careful little eyes what you see is a favorite children's song for a reason. It has a great biblical message to children AND to adults!
Please remember to pray daily and ask God to convict you of anything that is not pleaseing to Him! Let's pray for each other to live for our Savior in a way that is pleasing to HIM..not just the world's standards!
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Field trip
We are headed to the state museum today for the Power of Nature tour. We are so excited to spend day doing something different! It looks like we are going to have good weather while we are there and I am thanking God for that! I will post some pics of the trip when we return. Hope you all are doing well. Have a great day!
Saturday, March 21, 2009
King's Mtn. trip
We decided at the last minute to take a field trip. We headed to King's Mtn. and had a great time! First, we went through the museum at the visitors center, and then walked to the top of the Mtn. If you ever decide to go, I suggest wearing your walking shoes!(it is quite a walk!lol) Next time we go, we will visit the living history part ...we just ran out of time yesterday.The kids seemed to enjoy it too! There were some men dressed in uniforms, shooting guns..which the older kids liked..but my little one was afraid! Anyway, if you ever have time to go, it is a nice trip!
Friday, March 20, 2009
Hello again!
Just wanted to say hello..we have been so busy lately that I have reglected my poor little blog! I will post a few new pics ..hope you all have a wonderful weekend!
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Came across this blog...I am definetly convicted!
The Ornament of a Meek & Quiet Spirit
by Donna Martin
I have been a born again Christian for nearly 20 years, and I’ve studied the Bible and attended college level Bible courses, but I have never studied the meek and quiet spirit that scripture speaks of. When I found a book by Matthew Henry, a Puritan pastor, which was written in the late1600's on this very subject, I decided to read it. As I passed from chapter to chapter, I questioned myself of whether I had this spirit he spoke of. Scripture shows in 1 Peter 3:4 that God places great value in the ones that possess a meek and quiet spirit, so I hoped that together we can see where we stand in this gifting.
Meekness is spoken of as an adornment that is incorruptible. It is a softness of temper, gentleness, forbearance under provocation and injuries, void of passion, pride, and immoderate anger. Meekness enables us to control our own anger when we are provoked, and patiently bear the anger of others while not allowing it to excite anger or cause resentment in us. It is a fruit of the Holy Spirit in those Christians that are yielded to Him, and not brought about by self-effort. Meekness is more than the words we speak and the actions we display, it is the spirit behind those words and the intentions behind those actions. In some translations it is called self control. Meekness is the peaceful assurance that God is in control.
When someone possesses the ornament of quietness in spirit, they speak soothing words, they are a peacemaker, they pass up the temptation to be sharp and hurtful, and they deny the desire to be boastful and selfish. They are gentle and mild, patient and kind, and they are not argumentative, pushy, self assertive, unkind or rude. Quietness is the evenness, the composure, the rest of the soul, which speaks both the nature and the excellency of the grace of meekness. The greatest comfort and happiness of man is sometimes set forth by quietness (Matthew Henry).
In 1 Timothy 6:11 we are told to follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, and meekness. I believe it takes seeking after the first five qualities in that verse before you begin to show the of meekness and quietness in our lives. If you continue to carry unforgiveness, bitterness, anger, and resentment in your life, then you will prevent the working of meekness and quietness. You will block the flow of the Holy Spirit, and the destructive spirit of the flesh will be what flows from your life. When you work through all these issues that are blocking the flow of the Spirit, you will then begin to see these gifts start to operate.
A changed life speaks loudly and clearly, and it is often the most effective way to influence your family members for Christ. In 1 Peter 3:3&4, Peter instructed Christian wives to develop inner beauty rather than being overly concerned with their appearance. This is because their husbands and families would be won by their love, rather than by their looks. This brings to mind what my husband says to me sometimes. He feels that the perfect woman is mute. Why? Because then he doesn’t have to hear their sharp words and their complaining. Of course he had me in mind when he said this, but it is the perfect example of how our words and actions affect the ones we love. I’m sure Peter felt that way when he said we should work on the inner man. What a jewel in our husband’s eyes we would be if only blessings flowed from our mouths, and not complaining, orders, or anger.
Please don’t take me wrong about spending time on our appearance, because our dress is a reflection of what is on the inside of us. But you can have your dress down to your ankles, cover your head, and speak with a sweet voice and still be a snake in the grass. Modest dress and quiet and gentle behavior may be a facade for a raging and boiling spirit. When the spirit is truly gentle, the behavior will reflect the reality. You will not need to grit-your-teeth with effort.
One thing that today’s woman has been told is to be assertive. Feminism has told women they need to push their way upward in the workplace with assertiveness, and unfortunately they have brought it home with them in a damaging way. It took many years of deprogramming after getting off of active duty military to learn not to be assertive and demanding with my husband. I nearly unraveled my marriage. I think assertiveness is good in some situations, but being quiet is probably better.
If you still aren’t certain whether you possess the spirit of meekness and quietness, ask your husband. It often takes years to bring to maturity. Pray that God will work in your life to cultivate a mantle of meekness and quietness. Praying and reading your Bible will not be the only thing that makes it manifest, but it is a start.
Meek: mild, humble, strength under control Quiet: peaceable, knows how to remain quiet in contention
1 Peter 3:4
"But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.”
James 1:21
"Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.”
Philippians 2:3
"Let nothing be done through strife or vain glory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.”
Psalm 22:26
"The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the LORD that seek him:
your heart shall live for ever.”
Psalm 25:9
"The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way.”
Psalm 37:11
"But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.”
James 1:19
“Be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to wrath.”
Proverbs 17:1
“Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, than an house full of sacrifices with strife."
Ecclesiastes 4:6
“Better is an handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit.”
Ecclesiastes 9:17
“The words of wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools.”
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
by Donna Martin
I have been a born again Christian for nearly 20 years, and I’ve studied the Bible and attended college level Bible courses, but I have never studied the meek and quiet spirit that scripture speaks of. When I found a book by Matthew Henry, a Puritan pastor, which was written in the late1600's on this very subject, I decided to read it. As I passed from chapter to chapter, I questioned myself of whether I had this spirit he spoke of. Scripture shows in 1 Peter 3:4 that God places great value in the ones that possess a meek and quiet spirit, so I hoped that together we can see where we stand in this gifting.
Meekness is spoken of as an adornment that is incorruptible. It is a softness of temper, gentleness, forbearance under provocation and injuries, void of passion, pride, and immoderate anger. Meekness enables us to control our own anger when we are provoked, and patiently bear the anger of others while not allowing it to excite anger or cause resentment in us. It is a fruit of the Holy Spirit in those Christians that are yielded to Him, and not brought about by self-effort. Meekness is more than the words we speak and the actions we display, it is the spirit behind those words and the intentions behind those actions. In some translations it is called self control. Meekness is the peaceful assurance that God is in control.
When someone possesses the ornament of quietness in spirit, they speak soothing words, they are a peacemaker, they pass up the temptation to be sharp and hurtful, and they deny the desire to be boastful and selfish. They are gentle and mild, patient and kind, and they are not argumentative, pushy, self assertive, unkind or rude. Quietness is the evenness, the composure, the rest of the soul, which speaks both the nature and the excellency of the grace of meekness. The greatest comfort and happiness of man is sometimes set forth by quietness (Matthew Henry).
In 1 Timothy 6:11 we are told to follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, and meekness. I believe it takes seeking after the first five qualities in that verse before you begin to show the of meekness and quietness in our lives. If you continue to carry unforgiveness, bitterness, anger, and resentment in your life, then you will prevent the working of meekness and quietness. You will block the flow of the Holy Spirit, and the destructive spirit of the flesh will be what flows from your life. When you work through all these issues that are blocking the flow of the Spirit, you will then begin to see these gifts start to operate.
A changed life speaks loudly and clearly, and it is often the most effective way to influence your family members for Christ. In 1 Peter 3:3&4, Peter instructed Christian wives to develop inner beauty rather than being overly concerned with their appearance. This is because their husbands and families would be won by their love, rather than by their looks. This brings to mind what my husband says to me sometimes. He feels that the perfect woman is mute. Why? Because then he doesn’t have to hear their sharp words and their complaining. Of course he had me in mind when he said this, but it is the perfect example of how our words and actions affect the ones we love. I’m sure Peter felt that way when he said we should work on the inner man. What a jewel in our husband’s eyes we would be if only blessings flowed from our mouths, and not complaining, orders, or anger.
Please don’t take me wrong about spending time on our appearance, because our dress is a reflection of what is on the inside of us. But you can have your dress down to your ankles, cover your head, and speak with a sweet voice and still be a snake in the grass. Modest dress and quiet and gentle behavior may be a facade for a raging and boiling spirit. When the spirit is truly gentle, the behavior will reflect the reality. You will not need to grit-your-teeth with effort.
One thing that today’s woman has been told is to be assertive. Feminism has told women they need to push their way upward in the workplace with assertiveness, and unfortunately they have brought it home with them in a damaging way. It took many years of deprogramming after getting off of active duty military to learn not to be assertive and demanding with my husband. I nearly unraveled my marriage. I think assertiveness is good in some situations, but being quiet is probably better.
If you still aren’t certain whether you possess the spirit of meekness and quietness, ask your husband. It often takes years to bring to maturity. Pray that God will work in your life to cultivate a mantle of meekness and quietness. Praying and reading your Bible will not be the only thing that makes it manifest, but it is a start.
Meek: mild, humble, strength under control Quiet: peaceable, knows how to remain quiet in contention
1 Peter 3:4
"But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.”
James 1:21
"Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.”
Philippians 2:3
"Let nothing be done through strife or vain glory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.”
Psalm 22:26
"The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the LORD that seek him:
your heart shall live for ever.”
Psalm 25:9
"The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way.”
Psalm 37:11
"But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.”
James 1:19
“Be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to wrath.”
Proverbs 17:1
“Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, than an house full of sacrifices with strife."
Ecclesiastes 4:6
“Better is an handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit.”
Ecclesiastes 9:17
“The words of wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools.”
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Monkey Joes
For those who have never been to Monkey Joe's on Laurens road...you Really need to take your kids! We had a great time yesterday meeting with other homeschooling families...and it was HALF price Wednesday! How great is that? My kids had a great time and so did I ..not only I get to meet some other homeschool moms, but I had the privilege of spending some time with my wonderful mother! I am so thankful for my family and friends! Have a wonderful day and God bless!
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Monday, February 9, 2009
Thursday, February 5, 2009
This was a facebook post..thought I would share my answers...
Random Things About Me
Share Rules:
Once you've been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose 25 people to be tagged. You have to tag the person who tagged you. If I tagged you, it's because I want to know more about you.
(To do this, go to "notes" under tabs on your profile page, paste these instructions in the body of the note, type your 25 random things, tag 25 people (in the right hand corner of the app) then click publish.)
1. I was almost finished with this when my computer went crazy!
2. I love God with everything inside of me
3. I love my husband more than life
4. I have been married to the most wonderful man for over 11 years
5. I have four great kids
6. I homeschool
7. I have goats, a bird, a dog, three cats, and a fish
8. I have great parents who taught me to love Jesus
9. I love my in-laws
10. I would Never want to return to high school
11. I hate that my husband has to work all the time, but at the same time I appreciate that he does.
12. My favorite book is Created to be his helpmeet..and believe that every married woman should read it!
13.One of my favorite movies is Pride and Prejudice
14.I would have love to live in Prairie days
15 I have 5 nieces and 1 nephew
16 I love to crochet
17 I dont believe that you can get to heaven just by repeating a little prayer
18 I believe that God requires us to live Holy
19 I believe that some people reading this are rolling their eyes right now
20 I believe that those are the ones who need to pray
21 I believe that drinking, smoking, etc... are wrong
22.I love watching my kids play ball
23. I like taking Austin to football practice
24. I love subway ( even more than any steakhouse)
25. It is time to start school with my kids.:-)
Share Rules:
Once you've been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose 25 people to be tagged. You have to tag the person who tagged you. If I tagged you, it's because I want to know more about you.
(To do this, go to "notes" under tabs on your profile page, paste these instructions in the body of the note, type your 25 random things, tag 25 people (in the right hand corner of the app) then click publish.)
1. I was almost finished with this when my computer went crazy!
2. I love God with everything inside of me
3. I love my husband more than life
4. I have been married to the most wonderful man for over 11 years
5. I have four great kids
6. I homeschool
7. I have goats, a bird, a dog, three cats, and a fish
8. I have great parents who taught me to love Jesus
9. I love my in-laws
10. I would Never want to return to high school
11. I hate that my husband has to work all the time, but at the same time I appreciate that he does.
12. My favorite book is Created to be his helpmeet..and believe that every married woman should read it!
13.One of my favorite movies is Pride and Prejudice
14.I would have love to live in Prairie days
15 I have 5 nieces and 1 nephew
16 I love to crochet
17 I dont believe that you can get to heaven just by repeating a little prayer
18 I believe that God requires us to live Holy
19 I believe that some people reading this are rolling their eyes right now
20 I believe that those are the ones who need to pray
21 I believe that drinking, smoking, etc... are wrong
22.I love watching my kids play ball
23. I like taking Austin to football practice
24. I love subway ( even more than any steakhouse)
25. It is time to start school with my kids.:-)
Friday, January 30, 2009
Beware!!!!
If you have children or grandchildren, work with children at church,or you have neighborhood children whose parents you know, please take note of the information below and pass it along to others. Schools are distributing this book to children through the Scholastic Book Club.
The name of the book is Conversations with God.. James Dobson talked about this book twice this week. It is devastating. Parents, churches and Christian schools need to be aware of it. Please pass this information on to church/e-mail addresses, Parents, Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, friends.
Please pay special attention not only to what your kids watch on TV, in movie theaters, on the internet, and the music they listen to, but also be alert regarding the books they read.
Two particular books are, Conversations with God and Conversations with God for Teens, written by Neale D. Walsch. They sound harmless enough by their titles alone. The books have been on the New York Times best sellers list for a number of weeks, and they make truth of the statement, "Don't judge a book by its cover or title."
The author purports to answer various questions asked by kids using the "voice of God". However, the "answers" that he gives are not Bible-based and go against the very infallible word of God. For instance (and I paraphrase),when a girl asks the question "Why am I a lesbian?" His answer is that she was 'born that way' because of genetics (just as you were born right-handed, with brown eyes, etc.). Then he tells her to go out and "celebrate" her differences.
Another girls poses the question "I am living with my boyfriend. My parents say that I should marry him because I am living in sin. Should I marry him?"
His reply is, "Who are you sinning against? Not me, because you have done nothing wrong."
Another question asks about God's forgiveness of sin. His reply "I do not forgive anyone because there is nothing to forgive. There is no such thing as right or wrong and that is what I have been trying to tell everyone, do not judge people. People have chosen to judge one another and this is wrong, because the rule is "'judge not lest ye be judged."
Not only are these books the false doctrine of the devil, but in some instances quote (in error) the Word of God.
And the list goes on. These books (and others like it) are being sold to schoolchildren through (The Scholastic Book Club), and we need to be aware of what is being fed to our children.
The children of our nation are under attack. So I pray that you be sober and vigilant about teaching your children the Word of God, and guarding their exposure to worldly mediums, because our adversary, the devil, roams about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8). We know that lions usually hunt for the slowest, weakest and YOUNGEST of its prey
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Friday, January 16, 2009
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Being Thankful
I just wanted to start off my day being thankful to my wonderful Heavenly Father for all that He does for me. I had a stomach virus yesterday, and He graciously allowed me to get through our homeschool day before I was confined to the couch for the evening. He cares for us in every part of our lives. He takes care of us with the big things and the little. I want to be thankful every day for His many blessings. I heard a sermon preached by Paul Washer and he was saying that we shouldn't serve Jesus to "make" Him love us...we serve Him BECAUSE He loves us. I hope you all have a wonderful day...remember to find something to be thankful for each day :-)
Sunday, January 11, 2009
passing info
I just got this email from ModestApparelUSA.com, so I'm passing it along to you, as this involves most of us:
Please check out this article. And please sign the petition and call your elected officials. This could put the entire children's clothing, books, toys etc out of business. Especially SMALL BUSINESSES.
http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=85735
The new law quoted in the above article will affect our ability to sell clothing to girls under the age of 12. The new law requires that every item sold to a child 12 or under needs to be certified lead free by an independent inspector which would be very costly. Barring any changes, this law will go into effect on Feb 10 2009.
Laurie Kish
Modest Apparel USA
http://www.modestapparelusa.com
Please check out this article. And please sign the petition and call your elected officials. This could put the entire children's clothing, books, toys etc out of business. Especially SMALL BUSINESSES.
http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=85735
The new law quoted in the above article will affect our ability to sell clothing to girls under the age of 12. The new law requires that every item sold to a child 12 or under needs to be certified lead free by an independent inspector which would be very costly. Barring any changes, this law will go into effect on Feb 10 2009.
Laurie Kish
Modest Apparel USA
http://www.modestapparelusa.com
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Another great word from the Lord...
Deuteronomy 6:5-7 (King James Version)
5And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
6And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:
7And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
5And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
6And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:
7And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
Friday, January 9, 2009
Thursday, January 8, 2009
God Speaks through His word
Just the other day I was talking with Austin (my 10 year old) about how God has a purpose for his life. I was telling him that God had a purpose for him before he was even born, while he was in my belly. ...Austin reads his bible before going to sleep each night. The night after our conversation, he had my Bible (he usually just has his New Testament), and the next morning, I asked him to share what he had read the night before. I had no idea what he had read and had never asked him to do this before...the passage that he had found to read was this..and get this..he said I read to verse "5" ...God is truly Amazing..
Jeremiah 1
1The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests that were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin:
2To whom the word of the LORD came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign.
3It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, unto the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah the son of Josiah king of Judah, unto the carrying away of Jerusalem captive in the fifth month.
4Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
5Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.
Jeremiah 1
1The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests that were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin:
2To whom the word of the LORD came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign.
3It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, unto the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah the son of Josiah king of Judah, unto the carrying away of Jerusalem captive in the fifth month.
4Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
5Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.
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