October 31, 2008
· Filed under Life in general, Spiritual · Tagged Kid's Club, pictures
This semester in Kid’s Club at church, we’ve been discussing the Fruit of the Spirit. It has been going pretty well and we have a lot of fun with the kids each week. Here’s a few pictures from this semester and before…
Zhu-Zhu and Abby
Spring semester – Creation
me teaching, Spring semester
bean bag toss while memorizing the Bible verse
balloons and shaving cream!
oh my!
uh oh…
Rachelle
the group of kids
shower time…
I even had to play nurse…!
Serena teaching on the Fruit of the Spirit
skit
Verse memory time (me…)
snacks
Our fruit tree!
October 31, 2008
· Filed under Life in general, Random · Tagged Dad, exercise, farming, piano, weather
This fall weather has been amazingly beautiful! This entire week has been sunny, warm, and calm. Luv, LUv, LUV it!!! That means that most days, I’ve been able to get outside and do my jogging. YAY! Today, I was actually suppose to be at work…but, our census is down…so I stayed home. This morning, I went into Dodge and practiced piano at our church for about 3 hours. I’ve been doing that when I can in preparation for my upcoming recital….and the grand piano is so much lovelier to play on. =D I’m going to get spoiled and not ever want to practice at home. During our church service this Sunday, I’m going to be playing a solo…”Love Solo.” It’s a very beautiful piece! Wish me luck…
Back to the weather…and jogging…. I jogged about 5 miles down our country road late this afternoon. It’s definitely harvest time…I passed COUNTLESS semi’s hauling corn I think, maybe some milo too. By the end of the 5 miles, I felt plastered with sweat and dust. Serena promptly informed me that I needed to go take a shower…and so, I said “yes mom” and took a shower. 
Dad got out the combine today and tested the milo field. It was actually dry enough and he hauled one load into the Ensign elevator…but then, it got dark and his combine had a flat tire. 
Hopefully, he’ll be able to get somebody out to fix it tomorrow morning and be able to cut again tomorrow afternoon. Maybe I’ll be able to help drive truck a day or two.
Today is the last day of October. WOW! With November before us, the holidays are soon to arrive in full force. I’m pretty sure Wal-Mart and Hobby Lobby compete with each other as to who can get the Christmas decorations displayed first. Every year, it’s gets earlier and earlier. Perhaps in the year 2050, they’ll be displayed year around and won’t even bother taking them off-display! I should still be around then (might have a few more wrinkles though…), so…I’ll let you know…! <grin>
October 27, 2008
· Filed under Inspiration, Spiritual · Tagged Bible verses, Jesus Christ, songs
Yesterday morning during my quiet time with the Lord, I read a passage of Scripture that has always been very comforting and encouraging to me.
Jeremiah 29:11 (NKJV)
“For I know the thoughts that I think towards you, says the Lord,
thoughts of peace and not of evil,
to give you a future and a hope.”
My Bible is the New King James Version and that is usually the translation that I prefer. But I liked the New Internation Version of this verse even better.
Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)
“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord,
plans to prosper you and not to harm you,
plans to give you hope and a future.”
Just imagine…God knows MY future…tomorrow, a week from now, a year from now, and even many years from now. He desires the absolute best for me. He doesn’t want to hurt me but to help me. He has already given me hope of eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ. And He plans a life for me full of joy and success if I will continue..
“Living for Jesus a life that is true;
Striving to please Him in all that I do;
Yeilding alleigence, glad-hearted and free;
This is the pathway of blessing for me.”
October 27, 2008
· Filed under Events · Tagged piano
I am hosting a piano recital at our church on Sunday, November 16th at 3:00 pm. Although I’ve played in many piano recitals before, this will be the first that is my very own. I’m extremely nervous yet unquestionably excited all at the same time!
October 24, 2008
· Filed under Life in general, Random, Travel · Tagged cats, Dad, Serena, weather
This week has been rather depressing with the loss of a young member of our church and then the weather certainly didn’t help matters. Monday, Tuesday, Wedesday, and Thursday were dreary, rainy and COLD! Winter definitely made a show this week. In fact, believe it or not, we’ve already seen the first snowflakes of the season. Thursday morning there were a few frozen white flurries fluttering in the air…but of course, they didn’t last long and melted upon touching the ground. I attempted to capture the ’snow’ on camera…but they were too scarce apparently to show up.
I came home from work Tuesday evening to discover that Serena and her friend from CO had made a rash decision to go to Houston, TX the next day! Apparently there is a quilting/sewing convention there this weekend…so Wednesday afternoon, they headed for the big city. They spent the night in somewhere, TX, before finishing their journey Thursday. Serena called today and it sounds like they are having a good time. (I won’t mention the fact that they got lost in Houston…) Of course, I’m sure both of them are on cloud 9…surrounded with everything and anything having to do with sewing! I’m just glad they took their sewing storm to Texas…that way, I can fall asleep in quietness, instead of listening to the murmur of sewing machines! I certainly hope they really do have a good time…but a nursing convention sounds a whole lot more fun to me…!
Now that Serena’s gone for a few days…I’m finding how challenging it is to keep up with all of the things that she usually does around the house. Like setting out dad’s breakfast for the next morning…I already forgot that yesterday. OOPS…sorry dad! Thank goodness, he’s pretty good about taking care of himself in the event that I have a blonde moment! Since I’m also working today and this weekend, it is proving extra challenging. But we have quite a few leftovers in the fridge for meals for Dad and he has a menu to follow. Serena made out the menu before she left…I guess she didn’t think I could handle it!! (but I’ve modified it a bit too!) ;)
Welp…I just heard the dryer turn off, so it’s time to fold the laundry before I head to bed. Oh…and I musn’t forget Dad’s breakfast for tomorrow morning…
I do miss you Serena…AND all the ‘keeper of the home’ responsibilities that you faithfully do everyday! Skittles misses you even more. She’s been screaming at night…and chasing flies.
Goodnight!
October 19, 2008
· Filed under Spiritual · Tagged Bible verses, friends, God, sadness
As Friday rolled around, I was really looking forward to this weekend for several reasons. First, being that I was off from work. Secondly, I was planning to pick up my new car Saturday. And thirdly, the weather was suppose to be really nice so I was hoping to get outside some. I realized soon Saturday morning…that God had a few different plans for my weekend. After making a phone call into the car dealer, I was disappointed to learn that they still did not have my new car. (it’s a rather loooong story!) Yea, I was sad. And then my phone rang…it was a friend from church. I learned the dreaded news that a family from our congregation just lost their 16 year old son in a car wreck about 8:30 that morning. At first, I was in disbelief and couldn’t believe it. The tragic loss was on my mind all day (and all weekend), and I prayed for the family frequently. To a very minor degree, I can identify with the pain and ache of their hearts, since I also have lost a very dear family member – my own mother. It seemed to put a damper on the entire weekend. Church was sad this morning as everyone was mourning the loss of a son, a brother, a friend, and a fellow Believer. The young boy’s dad shared a passage of Scripture that was perhaps a good reminder for all of us. And as he said, “I’ve read these verses many times, but they became very real to me yesterday.”
James 4:13-17 ~
“Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit’; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.’ But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.”
Our earthly lives are merely a window of time and we never know when our window may close. Today is a gift from God. We are not guaranteed tomorrow. Live today like it is your last, because indeed…it could be.
October 19, 2008
· Filed under Inspiration, Spiritual · Tagged books, God, relationships
October 13, 2008
Chapter 4:
“God has to be in charge of details if He is going to be in charge of the overall design.” Wow! The great God that I serve, the God of the whole entire universe is concerned with even the littlest, mundane, everyday things. He is interested in not only the big picture, but also, all of the little pictures that make up the big one. Not a single little thing happens by chance. The fact that I was born a woman is part of God’s perfect plan. I praise Him for being a woman, a daughter, a granddaughter, a sister, a neice, and hopefully someday a wife, a mother, a grandmother, and an aunt.
Chapter 5:
As a woman, I was made for something…for a man. This began way back in the garden of Eden. Eve was made from Adam and for Adam. God created woman to be a helper, a companion and a soulmate to her husband. Man is not complete without a woman, but together they are whole, complete, fulfilled, and able to carry out God’s command to multiply and fill the earth.
October 14, 2008
· Filed under Life in general · Tagged Serena, weather
Okay…it’s not exactly flooding. It’s actually far from flooding. BUT…for southwest Kansas, getting 4 inches of rain within 4 days, is pretty much a flood! (For those of you who live here, you completely understand!)
This rain started Saturday, continued through Sunday, then took a break Monday, and returned today. It has been a really nice slow gentle rain without the winds or storms. The moisture is always much needed and should get the wheat that Dad planted off to a good growing start. I’m no so certain however, that the corn farmers are too happy with the delay in harvest.
I just washed my car last week…and the van. Hummm…seems like everytime I wash the cars, it rains. And I did have to work the weekend…but, I took Serena’s car to work Sunday and I even had a good excuse. Mine had an almost flat tire. So…my car is still shiny and clean. Serena’s is quite the different story. But she left it sitting out in the rain today and so some of the mud washed off. My clean car won’t be so clean after tomorrow anyway either…I go to Dodge in the morning and have to drive on dirt (guess I should say muddy) roads.
Here’s a few random pics of the ‘flood’ at our house…!
the car wash for Serena’s car…!
October 14, 2008
· Filed under Random · Tagged decor, seasons
About a week ago, we FINALLY got up the fall decor in the house. Actually, Serena gets the credit for that. I just did the evaluation afterwards and told her it looked good! lol!
wreath on the front door
Skittles (the cat) keeps stealing the leaves from these scarecrows…!
Before I know it, I’ll be posting Christmas decor…
October 10, 2008
· Filed under Inspiration, Spiritual · Tagged books, friends, God, relationships
A dear friend and I just started doing a book study together this past week via the phone. Each week we are reading a couple of chapters in Let Me Be A Woman by Elizabeth Elliot and jotting down some notes. Then we share with each other the thoughts, insights, and convictions that God is bringing to our attention. Even though we’ve only had one ’session’, I have been incredibly encouraged by it and am so excited about the study that I want to pass along some of my notes from the first three chapters.
October 8, 2008
Chapter 1:
“We are not for one moment of our lives at the mercy of chance.” WOW! That’s incredible! God is in control 100% of everything 100% of the time. Nothing ever happens that He does not know or that takes Him by surprise. And not only is He in control but He works ALL things together for good to those who love Him. So…why wouldn’t I want to trust a God who knows all, is in perfect control of all, and works all together for my good?!
Chapter 2:
“Is being a woman fundamentally different from being a man?” YES! God has created man and woman with different roles to fulfill. If women were to act as men or vice versa, would He not of just created everyone male…or female? Men and women are equally neccessary and important in a relationship and family but have different parts to play for there to be harmony in the home. The man is to be the Spiritual leader of the family and is to love His wife as God loves His bride, the Church. The woman is to submit to her husband as is pleasing to the Lord.
“What is marriage?” Marriage is two people and two lives becoming one. Marriage requires that each one love the other more than himself/herself, loving unconditionally as Christ Himself loves us. Marriage requires giving 100% of yourself to the other. Marriage requires selflessness and forgiveness. Marriage is the beautiful union created and ordained by God of a husband and wife, who as single wholeheartedly served the Lord, and now together, can serve Him even more.
Chapter 3:
“Worship is an act and it takes discipline.” Oh my goodness…that statement is like a thorn in my flesh. Discipline…that’s a word that I don’t like to hear, a word that I wish sometimes didn’t even exist. How easy it is to worship and adore my Savior WHEN I feel like it. But what about those days, those times, those moments when I don’t feel like it? That’s much more of a challenge! It is so tempting to justify why I don’t have time to spend with the Lord today or why I’m not ‘in the mood.’ Maybe my excuse is because I slept in or I have too much to do today or I’m too tired and it’s late and I have to work tomorrow…my excuses never run dry. It is merely a matter of…DISCIPLINE – doing what I don’t always feel like doing even when I don’t feel like doing it. :) And…I’m always glad I did!
