Doing the Next Thing

I'm going to sign off for a while to focus on celebrating the wonder of the Savior's birth with my family. Before I go, here's a summary of the year at our house: 2007 by the Numbers 7 states driven to (or through) on several trips to visit family and the beach 4 Build-A-Bears M. now owns, lovingly caring for each of them 56 (minimum) diapers per week before A. was potty trained 28 diapers per week after A. was potty trained 100 approx. milk gallons consumed 322 est. hours my Sweetie spent in Atlanta traffic (and he works from home 2 days per week!) 20 books on CD he listened to while in the car 11 weeks spent coping with a 2-year-old in a cast after A. broke his leg in February 90 unforgettable minutes it took for the pain to subside after S. was stung by a stingray on his 13th birthday - minor surgery removed the barb embedded in his big toe and he remains a lover of marine animals 3 grades learning in our home school this year, 7th, 5th, and 3rd ?thousands? of legos sc...

I love my sister! We've been close all our lives and I often think of how blessed I am to have her in my life. God was so good to give me a sister. She is a friend, confidante, and spiritual advisor. Do you know what my sweet sister did this weekend? In the midst of her own pre-Christmas busy-ness, she drove 275 miles for a surprise visit! She knew that M. would be thrilled to have Aunt Michelle at her ballet recital, so she packed herself (who is 20 weeks pregnant, by the way) and her 23-month-old daughter and made the trek. We had so much fun at the recital, hanging out, and shopping together. Thanks, Sis, for such a selfless gift! What I'm really moved by as I ponder the gift of a sister is this: not only do I have a great sister, but my daughters will have each other - and so will Michelle's ... she just found out last week that baby #2 is a girl!

Though there is always someone (or a several someones!) talking around here, my tired brain can only call to mind a couple of moments to share. (while driving around the parking lot of the grocery store) A (3 yo) says to Mom, " Is today Christmas ?" Mom (paying more attention to finding a parking spot than a conversation) " No, it's not ." A " Why not ?" Mom (still circling) " Uhh ...." A " Because it's grocery day ?" Mom " Yes, A, because it's grocery day !" ___________________________________ One day S (13 yo) was making pancakes for the family breakfast. He patiently stood there cooking all the pancakes, while others began to eat. When he had the last batch off the griddle, he sat down to eat and proclaimed, " Now I can have the fruits of my labor!" ___________________________________ M (8 yo) had her Christmas ballet recital last Friday night. Little K (19 months) stood on my lap to see the dancers. ...

Those words are the title of an essay in Elisabeth Elliot's book The Music of His Promises . I've been feeling overwhelmed lately with the busy-ness of December - in spite of all my efforts to keep it un -busy. This entry I read during my quiet time really struck me. Elisabeth says... To be busy is to be engaged in an occupation which makes it inconvenient to be disturbed. [Jesus] was at the disposal of His Father at all times and therefore at the disposal of all whom the Father sent to Him. There was never a sign of moodiness, selfishness, offense, boredom, or busyness...We can learn to see every minute of our day as His, not ours...Knowing where we come from and to Whom we are going relieves us of the anxiety that makes us so fussy and so hard to live with. ( The Music of His Promises (2000 edition), pp 158-159) I have been very fussy and hard to live with these last few days. My mind is full of all the things I have to do to prepare for Christmas. Mind you, nearly all the t...

Eleven years ago today my youngest brother, Andy, went home to Heaven. He was 16 years old. The week before his death he had shared in chapel that his only real ambition in life was to go to Heaven. The day before his death he was sharing the gospel in the ice cream store where he worked. Don't get me wrong, he was aslo a real stinker! The baby of four kids, Andy was a little spoiled and sometimes a lot annoying! But he had a heart of gold and loved my kids (just two tiny boys at the time) - he was so proud to be an uncle! So today we especially thank the Lord for the gift of the Incarnation, for without it we would have no Son of God made Man; no perfect sacrifice; no Atonement; no eternal life with the Father for those who believe. Therefore we have confidence that Andy is enjoying his Eternal Rest. Yes, losing a loved one at Christmas sometimes makes it a difficult time, but it also makes the Truth of what we celebrate all the richer! Glory to God in the Highest! You can also re...

Here's what happens when you're baby #5, sick, and your Mommy is busy addressing Christmas cards... ...you fall asleep on the floor, listening to "Baby Santa's Music Box" while waiting for Mommy to come put you in the bed for a nap! Poor thing!

Today is the day to remember the man who inspired the Santa myth. The real St. Nicholas was a 4th century bishop who was known for his compassion and zeal for the gospel. Dr. George Grant (a good friend of my father) illuminates the history of this great man here . In our house we put chocolate coins in the kids' shoes before they got up, and also gave them a new Veggie Tales Christmas video -just for fun. We have a great book on St. Nicholas we'll read at our lunchtime devotions - I want my kids to know the real "St. Nick," who is way more interesting than the jolly dude in the furry suit!

We put up our tree this weekend and I was struck by how the whole process has evolved through the years. In the beginning it was a quietly joyful ritual performed by a young newly married couple, madly in love, looking forward to growing a family and establishing their own traditions. Fast forward 15 years and five kids. The scene now seems like chaos at first glance. Yet there is the same couple, still madly in love, with their growing children all around, following the family traditions. As " A Very Veggie Christmas " plays in the background, we open the boxes of ornaments that tell our story. We sing along with the corny songs, laugh, drink hot chocolate, and share memories attached to all our favorite ornaments... "Oh! That was the year we went to DisneyWorld! Do you remember how excited M. was when she finally got to meet Belle ?!" "When Mommy and I first got married, we couldn't afford Christmas ornaments. So we bought a few red ribbons at KMart to ...

"Real trust yields utterly to the one trusted. All desire is turned over to that one, believing his ability to manage, control, and finally accomplish what is best. When we pray, we should beware lest we line ourselves up with the mockers of Jesus -- "If You do such and such, then I will trust You!" We need to learn rather to let God rescue us in His own way. Lord, teach me this trust." -- Elisabeth Elliot, The Music of His Promises, p. 9 I see this trust in the heart of my own little girl (whose middle name is Elisabeth, after my hero in the faith.) Though she will have chronic medical issues her whole life, she knows that God is good no matter what He does. May we all have faith like a child!

Bing Crosby had it right! Honestly, I love a little chill in the air this time of year. And what better way to take the chill off than a steaming bowl of hearty soup? This particular recipe is a family favorite and one that I often take to new mommies. (In fact, it will be on its way to one in a couple of days! Guess that's why it's on my mind today.) Get your spoons ready for a yummy soup to warm you inside and out! **Note: this soup is especially delicious when you add the secret ingredient... good fellowship! Corn and Sausage Chowder 1 pkg. smoked sausage, sliced 1 large onion, chopped 3 large potatoes, peeled and cubed 2 tsp. salt, or to taste 1/2 tsp. pepper 1 tsp. dried basil 2 cups water 1 17oz can cream style corn 1 16 oz can whole kernel corn, drained 1 12 oz can evap. milk Saute onion and sausage just until onions are clear. Into a large pot, put the sausage, onions, potatoes, spices, and water. Bring to a boil, then turn down heat and simmer for 15 min. Stir in corn ...

Thanksgiving For each new morning with its light, For rest and shelter of the night, For health and food, For love and friends, For everything Thy goodness sends. -Ralph Waldo Emerson In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. -I Thessalonians 5:18 I'm a little late with a "Thanksgiving" post, but I wanted to pause before Advent begins and reflect on the Lord's bountiful goodness to us. The poem above sums it up - we had each of those things in abundance: days the Lord made for us to enjoy and glorify Him; shelter in the form of my Mom's house in Tennessee; good health and good food (yum!); the love of over 20 family members gathered into one big noisy, joyful bunch - "blessings all mine with ten thousand beside. Great is Thy Faithfulness!"

Here are some quotes flying around here these days: "I gotta get me some of the se !" 13yo S, discovering Dad's cool sunglasses on the drive to Target yesterday. Where did my baby boy go? M (8yo) recently had dental work done. Now the family game is "play dentist." M.(in the role of receptionist) says, "Who is next to see the dentist?" A (3) replies, wearing plastic Halloween teeth, " Me... I have purple teeth!" yep - that can be a problem. (Before A. turned the corner on potty training ) After nap one day, Mom asks, " A, do you have poopie in your pants?" A replies, " Yes, but I rolled over so it wouldn't get smooshed!" Gee...thanks? A. is also working on a new memory verse, Genesis 1:1. " In the beginning God created Genesis One" Well, yes, I guess He did! ;) Sweet little KL (18months) recently discovered her sister's dress-up beads. They're her favorite new toy, bringing on a new word: "it...

Perhaps it's my own fault...a self-fulfilling prophecy. I knew before I ever became a mother that I would hate potty training! Somehow I managed to survive the first three. It wasn't easy and they each had their own particular issues - but I survived. I thought I might despair while training #4, but recently - magically - we achieved success. Now we face a new challenge - paper control! Let's just say he's not worried about saving trees. Episode #1 of The Paper Chase: Wipes. I noticed A. was in the bathroom - "Don't flush until Mommy comes to help you," I said as I went to deal with another issue. I returned and peeked in on him a couple of minutes later. He was standing by the potty, with his hand on the "flusher." I looked in the bowl and to my horror saw two huge stacks of flushable wipes - basically the whole box - floating around! "Don't flush yet!!" I yelled as I ran for a pair of rubber gloves and a plastic bag. I rounded th...

Our church had the privilege last night of hosting Matthew Smith in concert. Matthew is part of a community of musicians in Nashville, TN called "Indelible Grace." They take the lyrics to old, solid hymns and put them to new music. I have all four of their CDs and love them! This song is one of Matthew's originals, on his solo album. Good stuff. One of the reasons I love homeschooling is that we can follow rabbit trails and depart from our curriculum for a spell to study something that interests us. At the moment, that is sailing! No, we didn't just purchase a new boat (not much water left to sail on here in Georgia!) We're reading Swallows and Amazons for our read-aloud right now. It has nothing to do with our cur current history or science topics, but that's ok. The story has a lot of sailing jargon we didn't know, so we spent Friday defining sailing terms and sketching diagrams of catboats. Here are the results:(the pics are kind of washed out - click ...

I made a personal "rule" several years ago to stay home on Mondays. It simply gets our week off on the right foot if we can regroup after the weekend and be busy at home. This Monday we had the added issue of sick little ones to nurse. While I comforted them and tried to get some housework accomplished, the "Big 3" did their morning chores and some independent schoolwork. By the time the little ones went down for their naps, I was exhausted. When we finally got our late lunch cleaned up, I decided to spend some time chilling out and reading Leepike Ridge to the kids. We started the book weeks ago, but had only read a few chapters. We kept putting it aside to read our science or history books. We picked it back up over the weekend and were quickly hooked. On Monday, we ended up reading together the entire nap time and finished the book! We just couldn't stop until we found out how it ended. I was originally inspired to buy the book after reading what Laurie Det...

Inspired by Janice's comment yesterday, I decided to also commemorate All Saints Day, when we remember those believers who have entered their Heavenly Rest - especially those who died for their faith. So we praise Jesus for His faithfulness to them, and look forward to the time when our Pilgrim Days are finished and we, too cross over Jordan into our Rest. For All the Saints For all the saints, who from their labors rest, who thee by faith before the world confessed, thy name, O Jesus, be forever blest. Alleluia, Alleluia! Thou wast their rock, their fortress, and their might; thou Lord, their captain in the well-fought fight; thou in the darkness drear, their one true light. Alleluia, Alleluia! O may thy soldiers, faithful, true, and bold, fight as the saints who nobly fought of old, and win with them the victor's crown of gold. Alleluia, Alleluia! O blest communion, fellowship divine! We feebly struggle, they in glory shine; yet all are one in thee, for all are thine. Allelui...

On this date in 1517 Martin Luther posted his "Disputation on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences" (otherwise known as the 95 Theses) on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenburg. Though there were some who came before him - such as Wycliffe and Hus - who began to re-open the doors to justification by faith alone, it is Luther that we consider the Father of the Reformation. And so began a rich spiritual heritage and today we celebrate Reformation Day. One of my favorite of Luther's works is his Commentary on Galatians . He wrote it to encourage Christians to hold fast to the newly rediscovered "doctrine of faith" and keep from slipping back into the "doctrine of works and men's traditions." Here's a quote: "For in the righteousness of faith we work nothing, we render nothing unto God, but we only receive, and suffer another to work in us, that is to say, God." Luther also composed one of my favorite hymns, sung at our wedding: ...

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." Genesis 1:1 " So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them." Genesis 1:27 "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus, for good works" Ephesians 2:10 " The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork." Psalm 19:1 I am not an interior decorator. I am not even particularly artistic. But over the years, I have been convinced by some of my heroes - like Charlotte Mason and Edith Schaeffer - that since we are image-bearers of The Creator, we ourselves have some inborn creativity. God is a God of beauty and we should reflect that in our lives. It's so easy to get tied up in the mundane events of daily life that we push creative efforts - like beautifying our homes - to the back burner. Several years ago, I was inspired by Edith Schaeffer's book The Hidden Art of Homemaking . She defines...

Looking out over the southern part of Tampa Bay from the De Soto National Monument

Go give a high five to Wendy at Showered With Grace who just ran a marathon yesterday. I have so enjoyed her posts along the journey -- telling of the hills and valleys of training, with lots of spiritual applications. She's a sister in the Lord and an encourager. Way to go!!

As you may (or may not) have noticed, I have a couple of books in my "What I'm Reading" list that have been there quite a while! It's not because I'm not reading, but because I keep getting pulled away from those particular books to read something else - usually for school. I've put Sense and Sensibility aside to catch up to my Sweetie in the Mitford series. (I read the first 5 years ago; he's listening to the audio version and is on book 7!) I recently finished reading the 6th book, A Common Life. I was somewhat reluctant to get into it, since the story doesn't pick up where book 5 leaves off, but rather goes back to tell the story of Father Tim and Cynthia's wedding. Once I began, however, I couldn't put the book down. When I finished the last chapter, my soul sighed and said, " Ahhhhh." Jan Karon masterfully weaves great storytelling with spiritual truth. I laughed and I cried. After reading this lovely, short novel, I wanted to ...

Life has been full around here lately. Let me clarify - life is always full around here, but lately it has been more full than usual. On top of the typical activities for a homeschool family of seven, I have prepared for selling in a local consignment sale, attended a women's retreat, and had a visit from my Mom. Each time I get ready for a consignment sale, I wonder if it's even worth it anymore! The hassle of sorting, ironing, tagging - you know the drill. But this particular sale is low key and I actually enjoy shopping it. I usually find a few essential pieces for each of the 5 kids and make enough money to cover what I spend. So it's a wash - I just think of it as hand-me-downs that I select from perfect strangers. :) Today I actually found coats for 2 kids that desperately need them, an adorable Piglet costume ($2!) for my little one, and some "cool" clothes for my teen and pre-teen boys. I think I can say it was worth the trouble this time. The ...

Mary over at Not Before 7 is hosting a "Tiny Talk Tuesday." So even though most of mine are not "tiny," here goes: "Hey, C.! It's about time for our leaf pile!" - 8yo M. to her brother - the two built "Mini Mt. Everest" out of leaves last year next to the swing set and jumped off the swings into it. And yes, M., it is time - Welcome, Fall! "Mom, I gonna take all my buddies down to safety." 3yo A., carrying his "buddies" (stuffed animals) down to the landing on the stairs. Safety from what?? Some manly character in my little guy! "Hey Dad - this coupon is only worth 1/1ooth of a cent!" 11 yo C. discovering that coupons have "cash value." I wonder how many he'll try to stockpile to redeem for cash.... "Uh" Translation: "up" - 17 mo K.'s new word And the winner of the Split My Sides Laughing Award... "Please don't use me as a napkin!" 13yo S., sitting next ...

Update Friday 5pm: Today S. had a outpatient surgery to remove the barb. Thankfully, the surgeon was able to easily locate it and get it out. The barb was smaller than I thought, but still a pretty long object to have embedded in the soft part of your big toe! S. was very calm and a good patient, though he was quite a character when he was still loopy from all the medications. He'll spend the next 24 hrs off his feet and then a few days on crutches. What a story he has to tell his friends! Thanks for all your prayers and comments. I'm so glad to have the excitement behind us. Now we can spend the weekend restoring order and peace to our home. (click on the picture to enlarge it and you can just barely see the serrations ... ouch!) Update Thursday 4pm: We had a consult with a foot surgeon today and scheduled the surgery for tomorrow (Friday) morning at 11. They will not use general anesthesia, but instead "twilight sleep" plus lots of local anesthetic. Thanks for your ...

It's birthday season at our house. Today is a milestone ... my firstborn turns 13! Yes, at 3:38am I became the mother of a teenager. S. was not only our first child, but the first grandchild on both sides of the family. Despite all the grandmothers' spoiling, he has remained a very sweet, even-keeled boy. He is a lego-builder, nature-lover, scientist, and friend to all animals. He loves to read, loves to act, and loves computers. He has been my right arm with the arrival of babies #4 and #5. He is not just my son, but quickly becoming ... my friend. Happy Birthday, S!

Today is my #2 son, C.'s 11th birthday! C. made his arrival 3 days before his big brother's 2nd birthday - what a fun birthday present for S. that year! We are on our vacation and are celebrating by eating his favorite breakfast - pancakes - and heading to the beach! For the last 11 years, this boy has made us laugh more times than we can count! He has a hilariously sophisticated sense of humor. He also has very contagious joi de vive and I love him for it! Happy Birthday, Kiddo!

Fans: Our family is addicted to fans! I contemplated that fact with some frustration as I began packing for our trip to the beach. If you were to visit our home in the dead of night, you would hear no less than 4 small box fans whirring away as the family sleeps. I'm not sure how it started - perhaps when our oldest was a babe and we had a monster german shepherd that barked at everything. And now - let's face it our house is a noisy place! The pleasant white noise of a fan helps a baby settle down for a nap in the midst of the commotion. Our favorite is this Honeywell version; we've been through many of them over time! And so, as we load up the suburban, we will be taking along our 4 favorite little black Honeywells! The Lord gives the increase: I have happy news - my dear sister is expecting her second baby in April! After years of waiting on the Lord, she gave birth in Jan. 2006 to the cutest little girl you've ever seen. It has been a joy for me to watch her become...

Quotes flying around our house recently: "I have natural talent!" - 10 yo C. getting excited because he can play Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing on his recorder. Enthusiasm? Yes. Talent? Time will tell. "Mama, I so sick. I need to rest because my feelings hurt." - 3 yo. A., who is not sick at all, just trying a new angle on getting to be a couch potato. "I really got one?!" - 12 yo. S. in disbelief after opening a gift from his uncle - a bonsai tree. Believe it or not, that is what he wanted most for his birthday. (The actual birthday is next week, so I'm calling him 12 as long as I can!) "Mama" - 16 month old K. - yes she finally said it and her Mama is very happy! And winner of most convicting comment of the week... "I wish... Mom, it would be cool if you could be a kid again." - Ouch! 8 yo. M. after I told her I couldn't help her brush her doll's hair right now. Guess who is getting some Mommy time today?

My son C. (almost 11) caught this katydid in our backyard with our next-door neighbor. His 5th grade science curriculum (with A Beka Academy ) encouraged the students to make a "meadow terrarium" so he thought this katydid was a good place to start. They named it "K-man."

Work and play at the park.

I love historical fiction! It's probably my favorite literary genre. So when I put God King by Joanne Williamson on my sons' reading list for this school year, I knew I would have as much fun reading it as they would. The last time we were studying ancient history, we read Williamson's Hittite Warrior , set in the biblical time period of the Judges. We fell in love with her vivid characters, readable style, and exciting way of making the action of the Bible come to life. This book was no different. God King is set in the time of King Hezekiah, when the Assyrians had already conquered the northern kingdom of Israel and were knocking on Jerusalem's door. True to form, the book was easy to read and action-packed. Taharka , a young Egyptian pharaoh (thus the god king reference) must flee for his life to Judea. Once there, he witnesses first-hand Sennacherib's siege of Jerusalem, coming away with a respect for Yahweh, the God of Judah. I came away with a neat discover...

One of the reasons I love that poem is that I sometimes feel I never get out of "survival mode." There are so many days that we don't seem to "move the plot along" in our story. We struggle to feed, clothe, and clean up. Projects get postponed - again. Lesson plans don't get made - we just wing it. Our pastor is preaching through the book of Ecclesiastes and I've been thinking recently how tempting it is to feel like day follows day and all is vanity under the sun. But as Christians, we don't live life under the sun - we live it "under the Son" (borrowed from the title of a Jay Adams book .) That's why I find myself saying, "do the next thing." Do it immediately, do it with prayer; looking to Jesus, ever serener. Instead of wallowing in my frustration, I just "do the next thing" with prayer and more often than not my attitude experiences a change for the better. This week has been a good example of that. We had an al...

Three years ago, after a break of five and a half years, we had our fourth child, a son. It was with great joy that we reentered the baby phase after such a long break. A. was instantly a hit with our older children and became the "family doll." The Lord's timing was perfect, for this baby would be the last my beloved mother-in-law would hold and his beaming face and charming personality comforted all of us when the Lord took her home. As A. became mobile, we quickly realized we had a spirited kid on our hands. My #2 son, C., nicknamed him "BLT" - "Busy Little Toddler." The name was perfect and it stuck! He is the most active, rambunctious, and mischievous toddler I have ever had! He conquered every baby gate we put up. He climbed out of the playpen and the crib. He has decorated furniture, carpet, and walls with his marker "art." In short, he runs circles around us! But the BLT is also one of the most affectionate and compassionate little g...