I really have moved to my new blog….if you haven’t come over to visit yet or change your favorites, I’d love to have you come on over. ….you’re missing what’s going on in sweet savage land! (Grin)
See ya there!!
Well, After months of having my new blog set up, I finally decided to make the switch to blogger.
My new "address" is www.sweetsavages.blogspot.com
Does anyone know how to turn this blog into a book so that I can save it all as a keepsake?
Other than copy and paste. Grin.
Go on over and see how you like my new blog…..sorry, no chocolate….good for all your diets anyway. = )
I thought I’d finally blog about the vacation we took last month.
It was sorta a spur of the moment vacation. We had planned to go to a wedding in Indiana, but at the last minute, we were unable to leave in time, so we left a day late and sorta winged the vacation. It was one of the best yet!
We drove up to Northern KY to spend the night and the next morning, we visited the Creation Museum in Petersburg, KY. It was our 2nd time visiting there and was wonderful again. This time was actually better because it was a Sunday and the place was virtually deserted!
From there, we drove North and stopped near Columbus, OH. We went to the Columbus Zoo (having read that it was ranked something like the 6th best zoo in the country!) For only a few more dollars over admission price, we were able to get a year pass that is reciprocal at other zoos. It was a great zoo and we spent most of the day there!
That evening, we had sleepy kids, so we drove quite a ways to Eeri, PA.
The next morning, after enjoying our free continental breakfast, we drove into New York and spent the whole afternoon and early evening walking around and seeing Niagara Falls for the first time!
It was pretty impressive, as we expected it would be. Since we had just gotten all our passports in the mail for another trip we’re planning on taking next year, we had those and decided to drive into Canada.
They were not the friendliest welcoming committee however. At the border gate, then said, "You have too many people, you will have to pull over into the customs office." The border guard there was a rough lady who didn’t know how to smile. She drilled us on where we were from, to which my husband replies, "Flori…I mean Kentucky." Good going…..let’s raise suspicion even more. She asked what his job was, what mine was, if all the kids were ours, did we have firearms or weapons, why were we in Canada and how long were we staying." At that point I was feeling guilty of a crime I didn’t commit but surely felt I must have and just forgotten. Finally, after 5 minutes of questions, she handed our stack of passports back and let us go. No "Welcome to Canada!" nothin! We drove and saw the Canada side of Niagara…it was much prettier though too citified comparted to the US side. It was $14 to park and cold outside, so Chris just let me get out with whichever kids really wanted to see it up closer. We took a few pics and hopped back into the van. We drove an hour in Canada so our children who hadn’t left the country yet could say they did, and headed on through the US border patrol, who were MUCH friendlier, despite a SCREAMING baby.
We drove back to Eeri, PA that night again. The cool thing is the WHOLE trip, 5 nights, we were never once turned away at a motel ! That is unheard of for us! Usually we hear speeches about "Fire code" and how we need to get 2 rooms, but every place we stopped, despite the fact that we won’t lie, let us have 1 room. On the 3rd night it was MY turn to face the motel police. It was 10pm and went like this:
Me…"How much are your rooms?"
Them (2 unprofessional but pleasant women):" $ 69…would you like smoking or non?"
Me…"Non."
Them: "How many in the room?"
Me: "Just me, my husband and kids."
Them: Okay (filling out computer screen)
Them again: And how many children?
Me " Um…seven"
Them: "Oh My G__, you’re KIDDING?"
Me: Smiling not saying anything
Lady #1 looking at lady #2: "She’s NOT kidding!!!" I don’t know if we can put that many in a room.
Me: "I know we get told about Fire Code all the time, but they are all young and we have sleeping bags."
#1 to #2 "Just put down 2 kids."
Me: "Thanks!"
Them: "You don’t look old enough to have that many kids….you must love children."
Me: Thank you…actually I love MY children.’
Them: God Bless you, you must have the patience of a saint.
Me: "God gives me what I need, when I need it."
All that to say, we got the room! LOL
The next day, we drove to Mason, OH outside Cincinnati and stayed at Great Wolf Lodge. That wast he most awesome vacation place yet!!! It has huge rooms to sleep us all and an indoor waterslide park. It was awesome because Gilead enjoyed himself, the big boys loved it and even me and Chris rode every waterslide many times. It’s hard to find a place the whole family enjoyes but this place is it!!! We checked in and slid til 8pm, then again the next day til 3pm. (You can stay and play all day on checkout even though you have to checkout by 11am)
After that, a trip to Sam’s Club and home. An adventure filled 5 days, with 7 kids and LOTS of miles, but we made lots of memories!!!
I just wanted to tell you about a wonderful opportunity that my oldest son participated in this fall.
Answers in Genesis offers 5 online classes for learning to defend your faith.
The latest book by Ken Ham "Already Gone" talks about the importance of our children being well-grounded in their faith as they go through adolescence and adult hood.
My son is very interested in Creationism and science, and when I showed him the classes he said that he wanted to take them all. He just finished the introductory 12 week class called "Foundations in Creation Apologetics."
It was the absolute best use of his time that I can imagine. He has learned so much. (So have I from reading over his shoulder and proof reading his assignments.)
The website says that it is for ages 15+….high schoolers and adults. When I asked them if my 13 yr old could do the class, they said that "advanced middle schoolers with an interest in the subject" would probably do fine.
He did great and got a 97.27% in the class.
The class is time consuming. I’d estimate 6-8 hours/week. It has many written assignments that are pretty tough.
I would recommend taking it in high school unless you have a younger child that is just really into creationism and defending his faith. There were even some homeschool parents in his class that were taking the class to learn to teach their own children better.
You can take the 12 week version of the class or they also offer a 6 month self paced option. We chose the 12 week one so Aslan would get used to teachers and deadlines. They also have weekly chats with the teacher and class and many videos and online articles by AIG to read that are part of the class.
Anyway, I just wanted to make everyone aware of the class.
Once you finish the 12 week introduction class, they also offer 4 more six week classes that are more advanced on the authenticity of the Bible (which Aslan is taking now), Geology, Astronomy and Biology.
The new classes are starting this week.
Here is the link: http://www.answersingenesis.org/cec/courses/
I strongly believe that every child should take that 12 week class. I know that I will have all of mine take it at some time. Some I will need to wait until high school because it is a pretty tough class, but they will not leave our home without these classes, they are THAT good.
Philippians 2:14-16 "14Do everything without complaining or arguing, 15so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe 16as you hold out the word of life—in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing."
God has really been dealing with me about this passage for the past 6 months or so. He has gently pointed out every time that I complain about ANYTHING. It seems that I can’t complain anymore and "get away" with it. The Holy Spirit is right on top of me. I am so thankful though because I have discovered that the act of complaining can really affect your whole attitude. Just as the act of gratefulness/thankfulness can also change your whole attitude.
Unfortunately, I am also much more aware of others who complain as well. I have been somewhat shocked and disappointed at how often people who claim to be "in Christ" complain about practically everything.
It is not only a bad testimony and witness as a Christian, but also affects their attitudes and the attitudes of those around them. Complaining seems to breed more complaining.
Let’s look at the Scripture and see WHY God wants us to "do everything without complaining."
It says if you don’t complain and argue, you are "blameless and pure…without fault" in a generation/culture that is "crooked and depraved." Basically, our culture is full of godless complainers. When we live differently by NOT complaining, we "shine like stars." That means, BOY do we stand out as being different.
"As you hold out the word of life" or basically, walk out your Christian walk…you will be able to say that you "did not run or labor for nothing." You can destroy your Christian testimony by complaining. If you share Jesus with somebody, but complain about anything and everything, it will not draw them to the Savior that you claim to follow. On the other hand, if you share Jesus and truly show a good attitude, thankfulness and a non-complaining attitude as you "shine like stars", others WILL notice and want what you have.
I challenge you to ask God to hold you accountable in the area of complaining. Not just in your speech, but in your emails and everything you type online. You will notice those around you complaining less, and you will also notice a change in your attitude. I promise.
In closing, the Message Bible puts it this way:
14-16Do everything readily and cheerfully—no bickering, no second-guessing allowed! Go out into the world uncorrupted, a breath of fresh air in this squalid and polluted society. Provide people with a glimpse of good living and of the living God. Carry the light-giving Message into the night so I’ll have good cause to be proud of you on the day that Christ returns. You’ll be living proof that I didn’t go to all this work for nothing. "
So go on out there and be a "Breath of fresh air" to this "polluted society!"
Misti