Snow in SC!

For these former Texans, any snow is an event around here! Imagine the excitement this morning as H woke everyone up with "there is snow outside!!" Here are a few pics and a slideshow is coming!

Works for Me Wednesday

I have never done a "Works for Me Wednesday" but I am excited about a simple little thing that a friend of mine inspired me to do. I was over at her house and noticed in her bathroom this toothbrush holder that she had made using a towel and hanger. I was impressed! So yesterday I took the hand towel that matches the children's shower curtain and S's nice suit coat hanger and sewed one of these little thingies. It's so easy, you just run a seam across to slip your hanger into (when you use a suit hanger you can easily open and slide it off for washing). Then you fold up the bottom and sew seams to divide for the toothbrushes. The toothpaste then can fit in the middle. Thanks Sue for such an amazingly easy organizational tool....it works for me!

Check out lots more Works For Me, HERE.

Meet Mel Gibson and Tom Cruise

Due to our landlord needing to relocate for a year or two we have been given 13 hens. The children are ecstatic to be the proud owners of this brood! Each has picked out their own to name and love on. (Can you love on a chicken? apparently so.) Here are their respective names. J's chicken is "Tom Cruise", W's is "Mel Gibson", R's is "Shirley Temple", E's is "Bindi Erwin", D's is "Rocky Balboa" and H's is "Rosie" (H names everyone and all her dolls, Rosie). Other than H's I guess you can tell that their theme was to name their fowl family after actors. (never mind that these are mostly male actors and these are hens). We also have a rooster coming soon whom Daddy has named "Foghorn". Yesterday they spent a good bit of their spare time down at the chicken house. I drew the line though, when I heard squacking and cackling inside the house! I love chicken (especially for dinner) but NOT in my house! :) The best part of the deal for Mommy is that they are laying eggs! Yes, people, we now get to gather eggs each day. Yesterday they brought in 9 eggs. Our little homestead is growing now with 6 children, a dog, 13 hens and 1 rooster. Oh yes, they also lost some of their shoes and coats in the bales of hay yesterday that they need to go searching for today....ahh the joys of country life!

Simple Woman's Daybook

For more daybooks visit Peggy's blog...

FOR TODAY
January 25th, 2010
Outside my window...It's a VERY windy day, chilly, but sunny.

I am thinking...of how thankful I am to have Stefanie's help in our house right now.
I am thankful for...the support of family and friends
From the learning rooms...the children did well in their school today. They have new charts that they are accountable to Daddy for at night and it worked very well.
From the kitchen...Clam Chowder, corn bread and salad for supper!
I am wearing...S's blue and white shirt, blue skirt with buttons down it...slippers!
I am going...clean the carpets this evening so my mom can be back in my house after the puppy was in here (or rather S will be doing the hard work)

I am hoping...for the Lord to bless the changes we are making
I am hearing...the children watching Treasure Island
Around the house...We just went through the mega amounts of shoes that were all over and have restored order again...sigh of contentment.
One of my favorite things...did I mention order?
A few plans for the rest of the week: Cleaning carpets tonight, movie with Stef tomorrow, Church Wed night, Thursday night weight watchers and grocery shopping, Friday night last marriage class (they have been FABULOUS), Saturday Keepers at Home (Calligraphy!)...resting, napping, sleeping and did I mention resting in between?
Here is picture for thought I am sharing... This is a dear friend of mine who has been really supportive of me lately (well, they ALL have been, but Anne has been a shoulder to cry on alot) Also, a sweet little daughter of another dear family at our church. She is one of H's best friends!

Happy Sabbath Day!

"The Lord's day is the highest thanksgiving-day, and deserveth, much more than the Jewish Purim, to be a day of feasting and gladness, and a good day." -- George Swinnock

Isaiah 30:18

And therefore will the LORD wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the LORD is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for him. Isaiah 30:18

Hello?

As my son was telling me what he had done in his school today, he said sheepishly, "And I have done a little bit of writing". Suspiciously I asked, "What did you do?" He answered, "I wrote the word 'hello'".

beautiful quote

"You are as much serving God in looking after your own children,
and training them up in God's fear,
and minding the house,
and making your household a church for God,

as you would be if you had been called
to lead an army to battle
for the Lord of hosts."

~Charles Spurgeon

new church facility

Pop over to Stef's blog to see pics of our temporary new church facility. We are still looking permanently but this gives us SOOOO much more breathing room in the interim. You might even see a few pics of the E family over there. :)

A season of rest

A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench

This verse ministered to me this morning, as I visually showed my children what a bruised reed was by breaking a leaf on my plant and setting it smoldering with a match. Here is Matthew Henry on this verse...

Those that are weak he will be tender of; those that have but a little life, a little heat, that are weak as a reed, oppressed with doubts and fears, as a bruised reed, that are as smoking flax, as the wick of a candle newly lighted, which is ready to go out again, he will not despise them, will not plead against them with his great power, nor lay upon them more work or more suffering than they can bear, which would break and quench them, but will graciously consider their frame. More is implied than is expressed. He will not break the bruised reed, but will strengthen it, that it may become a cedar in the courts of our God. He will not quench the smoking flax, but blow it up into a flame. Note, Jesus Christ is very tender toward those that have true grace, though they are but weak in it, and accepts the willingness of the spirit, pardoning and passing by the weakness of the flesh.

The Lord is taking me through a season right now of being this bruised reed and smoking flax. I am having to take a step back, learn to rest and let others help me, and wait as the Lord restores my soul. If I am quieter on the blog, that is why. I must simplify my life to those things the Lord would have me able to do, being ready to receive help when I need it, and streamlining areas that need to be.

Who is among you that feareth the LORD, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? let him trust in the name of the LORD, and stay upon his God. Isaiah 50:10

Another Stef post

We are going to have a stef appreciation day or something. I cannot tell you how much this dear woman has blessed our family! Here is another post from her blog.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 12, 2010

Babysitting and Baking!

I have been doing a lot of babysitting lately, both the the E children, and little Sammy. I enjoy taking care of the children even if it can be exhausting(!) at times. It reminds me of being home with all my younger siblings....Often we just do routine stuff, schoolwork, housework, playing.....but on Saturday I decided to do something fun with them and we baked bread - they had a wonderful time - and had sandwiches on some of their rolls for lunch. They ate every crumb:-)

The two younger ones having fun!

Hannah.

Daniel.

Emily concentrating on her kneading!

Beka hard at work.

Hannah "helped" me shape the dough into rolls and loaves of bread.

All done!

"......And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." Matthew 25:40

Stefanie's blog

Stef, has blogged about our last few days so I am cutting and pasting from her blog...to go to her blog, click HERE

TUESDAY, JANUARY 12, 2010

A Lord's Day Evening....

Over the past ten months, since I have met the E family, I have spent many Lord's day evenings with them, enjoying their hospitality. These evenings vary quite a bit from the three of us having conversation together, to my brothers joining us, maybe having one family with us, or a whole crowd! I know their hospitality has been a blessing to our whole church family.

This past week was definitely a week for a crowd, along with the Es we had my brothers, three other families, and myself for a total of twenty nine people! We had a wonderful evening together eating, talking, laughing, having family worship, and singing Psalms.

Bonnie Blue was very popular with the children:-)

Setting out dishes....

I made enough chili for an army!

......and baked enough brownies to satisfy a crowd of chocolate lovers!

The ladies lined up first to fix plates...

Eating...

We all found a place to sit....

The children ate in the kitchen.

Mr. Ervin led us in family worship - we read in Ephesians 2, then sang several Psalms together.

All gathered around for family worship.

Talking.

Laughing!

Posing! Mrs. Broyles, Martha, and Jenny.

Juanita and Susannah.

Martha.

Kerah and I.

Caroline and Mrs. Hussey.

Caroline and I.

Friends!

Saying goodbyes...

Hugging goodbye......it was such a nice evening.....we hated to see it end.....