It’s not the number of breaths you take;
It’s the moments that take your breath away.  

These are the lyrics to a song I was listening to last night.  Susie Luchsinger   

Here is the scene.   It is evening, the supper dishes are done.  It is lightly raining, a big deal here in the dry area we live in.  I just came in the house from admiring a beautiful rainbow with my 10 yr old.  A rainbow that goes ALL the way over.   This son is now playing in the rain.

My 16 yr old is sitting in a chair reading.  

My 11yr old is in the same room sitting in a chair reading.

They are NOT bickering, or wrestling, or otherwise making NOISE.

My DH is home out in the shop working on some project.

I am making a cake with my youngest “helping”.

It is good. 

Reminds me of another song I like. 

A simple life is the life for me
A man and a wife and a family,
and the Lord up above who knows I’m tryin’
to live a simple life in a difficult time.

When I stop and think about it….. it is VERY VERY GOOD. 

It takes my breath away.

Oh my goodness. Can you stand two article links in one week? 

Don't give spiritual custody of your children to the church.  

Let the church support families!  I have clarify my thoughts to say that some youth oriented activity is ok/good  in the church.  But only some.  There are many kids who don't have support at home who will benefit from youth activities.  

BUT...  if you REALLY want to help kids.  Support the parents.  Kids learn from the parents.   Focus on strengthening the family.  It is the FAMILY that will really have the most influence and that is the key. 

Oh just go and read the article.   It is not quite as long as the other one.

Two blessings to be grateful for. One is minor in the whole scheme of things but is still pretty cool. The other is MAJOR in the whole scheme of things. I bet you can guess which is which.

First Blessing

A friend from my church brought me a box of books yesterday. Good solid hardbacks with dustjackets and great stories from some great authors..... Rosemary Sutcliff, Marguerite Angeli and more. Historical fiction mostly. I felt like Christmas!!

Second Blessing 

My brother Dave got a great job. If you'll remember this is the brother that was not doing too well for a while.... that is really an understatement.   Read here for more. He has been clean now for over a year!

The WAY the job came about is the blessing. Work had been pretty scarce for Dave for a while. I called him one day and he mentioned that he was pretty down because he had only worked about 10 - 15 hours the past 2 weeks. I knew it was NOT a good thing for this particular brother to be down and not be busy so I started praying, and I asked my church to pray.

A few days later I heard he got a good full time job. This is how it happened. He said he was lying on the floor at a friends house looking at the ceiling praying "what do I do next??"  He was really frustrated.  He got up and the phone rang. It was the new owners of the stone shop (countertops) he used to manage before he got messed up. They talked a bit and he offered Dave the management position back!!! This is nothing short of a miracle because Dave did NOT leave on good terms.

But that is not the good part. The REALLY good part is that Dave sees it as an answer to prayer. He said he always feels like he needs a "burning bush" from God. He said he was questioning whether this could be a coincidence or his Burning Bush. I told him it's the burning bush, really its the bush!

God is good!

Do you do new years resolutions?  I decided on one this year that I think will be well worth my time.  I am going to read through entire bible in a year.   I decided to try to follow the schedule in the Our Daily Bread Devotional.  Our church has them available, and I am pretty sure you can have them delivered to your home.

As I was thinking about this whole resolution thing,  I realized that I have been feeling a bit frumpy lately.  In considering what I need to do.  A variety of things came to mind;  diet, get a new hair cut, new clothes, new activity (bwaa haaa as if I have time!).  I realized that I really need to do some simple things like; eat more veggies, drink more water, get out and walk, act alive! enjoy life!   So today I went for a walk.  The first time in months.  I always feel so much better when I do this.   Why oh why is it so hard to make the time and have the energy. 

I feel good!! 

I attend a very small community church.  We have a church decorating party every year.  We gather together, bring goodies and put up Christmas decorations.  The kids are involved and so it's altogether a great family event.  While I was putting up a garland with the help of another mom she made the comment that they were traveling this year and decided not to have a tree.  Then she jokingly said "but we (she and her husband)  missed our yearly tree argument".   She said this laughingly but, when I think about it there are several couples I know of that the tree seems to be a point of contention.  Why is that?? 

My family is no exception.  We don't do a Christmas tree any more.   I used to.   I loved having a tree.  I'd hang popcorn, use all the ornaments from years gone by.  It was always a fresh tree and it made the house smell like..... well like Christmas!   But for some reason every year it was getting to be the cause of more and more stress.  Getting to the tree lot and finding a tree everyone could agree with, putting up decorations.  All the stuff that was fun for me as a child was NOT turning out fun now. 

The biggest thing is my husband couldn't stand having it.   He never flat out said NO TREE but, the most involved he would be is bringing it in the house.   Then he stopped doing that.  He would grumble about the fire hazard, needles, sap, waste of electricity. 

So I handled the tree myself with my boys.  Then one year my oldest son grumbled about it!  I realized, this is NOT building memories for my children.  I don't want my sons to grow up remembering  the "yearly tree argument"  About 3 yrs ago we stopped doing a tree.  Not because I hate Christmas trees.  Because I love Christ and my family more. 

We put up a nativity and THAT is our main decoration.  I add some garlands that can hold a few ornaments, lights, even popcorn.   And I LOVE IT!!  The whole focus of our decorating is Christs birth!!   The only thing I miss is the smell.   Hmmmmm.... maybe I should go cut a few branches and make a wreath. 

I struggled for so many years to maintain the holiday tradition of a Christmas tree.   Just because it seemed to be the thing to do, and I wanted it. (notice the I in that statement?)    But now......  I don't mind not having a tree.  Maybe someday I'll do it again.   Then again, maybe not. 

Here are a few quotes from Feminine Appeal by Carolyn Mahaney a book that I am loving.

"We are not commanded to love our husbands and to love our children so we can have strong happy families..."

"There is a far higher call.... stated in verses 5,8,and 10" (of Titus2) 

• that the word of God may not be reviled.(v5)
• so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us.(v8)
• so that in everything we may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior (v10)

"Consider the loveliness of a woman who passionately adores her husband, who tenderly cherishes her children, who creates a warm and peaceful home, who exemplifies purity, self-control, and kindness in her character and who gladly submits to her husband's leadership--for all the days God grants her life.  .....This is true feminine appeal."

Sometimes I feel like I am doing ok.   Then I read something like this and realize how far I am from what I would like to be. 

I started reading Titus this morning. 

Titus 2:3-5

3 Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, 

4 so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children,

5 to be sensible, pure, workers at home kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored. 

Lord Help me to Love my husband. 

I woke up this morning at 4:30 and could not go back to sleep.  I have been fretting over some things and felt nervous, frustrated and tense.  The thing is... I know it is something that is NOT of ultimate importance!  Why is it that head knowledge doesn't always make you feel better.    Anyway I pulled out my Bible (which has been neglected recently, I am ashamed to say).  And this is what I found. 

Psalm 91

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.  I will say to the Lord "My refuge and my fortress, My God in whom I trust!"

In the world you have tribulation, but take courage;

I have overcome the world

John 16:33

Oh how I am struggling.... needing encouragement.    I read a post by a mom about her summer and she sounded busy, but a fun relaxing kind of busy. Y'know swimming, playing with the kids, activities.    I just feel ...... busy... overwhelmed...  I need some time to get my house in shape, basic school plans for next year figured out.  My DH works so hard and he has things that he wants me to get done....paperwork and such.    I am fighting back tears everytime I turn around.  Even right now just admitting this. 

I planned on math through the summer but yesterday I declared that, nope, I need a total break and no math at least til the middle of July then we will see.  I think I will go ahead with my plan on reading throught the Apologia Elementary Botany book... cause summer is the time to study plants after all. 

We recently went on vacation and my DH like Oregon so much that we are now contemplating a move. I loved Oregon too. It was beautiful, and we had a great time.   I have been here in Colorado my whole life.... this is BIG for me.   I am very grounded in my little church, my kids have great role models here, our friends are here.  Yet I keep reading verses and hearing songs that speak of going where HE sends me.  Being willing to follow wherever HE leads. 

Sigh... I don't really know why I am even admitting this.   I guess this is one of my 'get real and admit your struggles' posts.