Just a family

I'm thankful to be able to honor my father during his last days.

2008-07-06T15:54:00.000-07:00

HON'OR, v.t on'or. [L. honoro.]

1. To revere; to respect; to treat with deference and submission, and perform relative duties to.

Honor thy father and thy mother. Ex.20.

2. To reverence; to manifest the highest veneration for, in words and actions; to entertain the most exalted thoughts of; to worship; to adore.

That all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. John 5.

3. To dignify; to raise to distinction or notice; to elevate in rank or station; to exalt. Men are sometimes honored with titles and offices, which they do not merit.

Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delighteth to honor. Esth.6.

4. To glorify; to render illustrious.

My father is in his final days on this earth. I have spent time with him and tried to be there to make this road easier for him. My dad and I have never been close. He is a very proud man so as I sit next to his bed while his body fails him I'm constantly fighting back the hot tears that are ever tempted to spill over. I have prepared him food and had to feed it to him and this is such a humbling experience.
He has tried to tell me that he was dying but he couldn't. (Although I already know this he thinks I don't.)
I honor him not because of the life he leaves behind;.....
because alcohol consumed him.

I honor him because my Heavenly Father tells me to.

I honor him because I am the person I am today because of him.

I honor him for his fight. He does not give up easily.He is not going down without a
fight..He will not give up.

I honor him because my whole life he would say "If you ever need me all you have to do is call 681-8994" That is my phone number from 20 years ago. He burnt that number in my head....and my heart.

I honor him because even though he never went to church with me he always played gospel music in our home and car.I grew up learning Gods promises through the music he played..I know all the old hymns and it surprises me to know that he put those in my heart..

As I lose one more loved one on this earth I feel the reality of how temporal this place is.

It gives me such a different perspective on the time I spend with my children and husband.
I consider that a great gift from my Heavenly Father because so many people live in the rat race of this life and never get it.

People fill their calenders and their days with meaningless things that rob them of their time and energy..
People work harder to have more things and in the end those things sit around them almost mockingly while they cling to life..

I want to die a poor old woman who has given up everything except the love she has for her family and her Saviour.I want Jesus to be my portion.When I go out of this life I want to have given it all away before I pass....all my material things, but mostly the
life that I leave behind I want it to be the inheritance of God's love that each one of my children will be able to pass down to my grand kids......

Now thats a gift that keeps giving.

Mud fights

2008-07-01T09:09:00.000-07:00

As a mom do we allow our boys to be rough and tough or do we mama them so bad
that they wont even go outside without us?

I think as moms we baby our boys to much....We do all of this in the name of just being a good mom..So what we have are little spoiled crying boys that don't resemble their father at all..

I know when Scott gets home and one of our boys is crying and pouting he doesn't think it's cute....

We have got to start raising up our strong arrows..

We as moms have to remember we are not doing our boys any favors when we
baby and coddle them.
Boys are meant to be rough and tough and yes dirty.

As our boys get older I realize how I need to let go and let Scott...
Sometimes I think Scott is harder on the boys then I would be and I have to remind myself that I don't want to raise up sissy boys...I want my sons to love being out doors..love getting dirty and love trying new things..Yes they will get bumps and bruising along the way but.....it's ok...their boys...
So What are some ways we can start doing this:

1-encourage your husband to wrestle with your boys...(mom you may have to go on a walk if you keep telling your hubby not to be so rough)Let him parent..He is a man and he can raise up our boys to be strong and tough..

2-When they do get hurt if dad is around let dad handle it...(mom you may have to go outside if you keep telling your hubby how to handle this)
We tend to over react...I know that's hard to read but it's the truth.....If hubby is not home. Be calm and if its bleeding just say ok lets go clean it up your ok.....Don't over-react
Be tough and keep your goal of raising a strong confident man in your mind.

3-Get rid of anything they are sucking on.....I'm not talking about a baby here.
I'm talking 3 or 4 year old..

4_Dress our boys like boys...........(mom you may have to go shopping to buy clothes that our boys can actual play in)

5_Read books and biographies about strong men and strong boys......

6_Books on tapes about cowboys..Lou La more is a Great one that we listen to during nap time or bed time..

7_read the stories in the bible about strong boys..David and Goliath.....

8- Let them get dirty. Plan ways for them to get dirty.Some boys hate getting dirty(Cullen) but do it anyway...Encourage but don't beg for them to participate.

9-Make them eat what you cook.(moms you may have to let them go to bed hungry one night but teach them that this life is not always going to be easy)

10-Tell them how tough they are. Our words will do wonders. Have your boys carry in the grocery's.(mom carry the bread yourself) but let your boys know you couldn't do it without them......

11-When hubby is away everyone around here knows that Tucker is the man of the house. He prays at meals and believe it or not he is instrumental in helping me with the little boys.
If their crying he will say "don't cry be tough" ......

Ok just a few of my suggestions Let me hear from you on things you do...
Be of good courage..We can raise up strong confident boys by God's grace and letting our husbands do their thing..

My rose colored glasses

2008-06-29T12:48:00.000-07:00

A few things never to say to a adoptive mom...

"we could never do that"
"our extended family would never accept a black/brown/red/yellow child"
"expect problems"
"who will they marry"
"God didn't call us to adopt a black child /brown child/yellow child
"do you love them as much as you do your bio kids"

"Picture Jesus walking down the streets of Jerusalem. What moved
his heart? Where was his compassion revealed? What received most of
his attention? The needs of the poor, the down and out, the handicapped, the orphan, the prostitute and the widow.
Over and over again,this is where Jesus poured out his life.He didn't do this
out of duty or requirement. He didn't stop to ask what led the people to their place or need. He reached out because his heart was overflowing with compassion.
We are called to touch the untouchable And it is that very touch- a touch not unlike that offered by Jesus-that gives hope." Red Letters

Adopting a child is a walk of faith no matter where that child is from or how old that child is.
Our family was called to adopt from Africa now our family is called to adopt here in the states.
I don't think it matters what color or nationality you're adopting from.

He just asks us to help.

He just asks us to offer hope.

The Lord will work out the road ahead.

He has Joseph's life plan already worked out.

He knows all the answers to all the questions and He will give us each the strength and endurance to run the race he has put before us.
We will never have all the answers to all of our questions but I know the Lord is faithful..Adoption is a walk of faith but it keeps you leaning on the Father and that is always a GOOD thing.
So reach out and offer hope and don't be afraid. "If you only think about Jesus
believe Jesus and believe things about Jesus, not much new is going to happen.
It is the risk of "acting" like Jesus acted that reconfigures your soul. We are converted by new circumstances much more than by new ideas.Or as I like to say, we do not think ourselves into new ways of living, we live ourselves into new ways of thinking." Tom Davis

So remember God won't hang you out to dry if you have a compassionate heart, because you're acting like the Father.......

Can you pray this prayer?

2008-06-28T04:43:00.000-07:00

I am no longer my own, but yours.

Put me to what you will, rank me with whom you will,

Put me to doing, put me to suffering;

let me be employed for you or laid aside for you,
exalted for you or brought low for you;

let me be full, let me be empty;
let me have all things, let me have nothing;

I freely and heartily yield all things to your pleasure and disposal.

An now, O Glorious and blessed God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
you are mine and I am yours, So be it.

And the covenant which I have made on earth, let it be
ratified in heaven. Amen.

The journey God has put before me today I will do with thanksgiving.

2008-06-27T09:02:00.000-07:00

Our family is like the branches of a tree. We may grow in different directions, yet our roots remain as one.

2008-06-26T06:44:00.000-07:00

Routine gives us continuity and stability. If the routine is constantly having to be altered because of 'extra things' to do or other people's demands, we must think again.
The basic healthful rhythm of life and its "discipline" are being eroded or damaged.

Too often we are like little pathetic trees all shriveled up through straining to keep up a fast pace for long hours. How can such trees bear fruit? How can life flourish? The "trees" that are us also need life-giving "sun, fresh air,and proper food." And the "seedlings" (our children)are even more sensitive to deprivation...

I loved these words from a book I'm reading about family..called The Value of Home In Every ones Life..

I believe one of the best ways to make sure your family has a strong root system is routine.........If we are living this life from one thing to the next with no routine we are sadly missing 'the point'.....Our kids need routine in their life. We need routine in our life.

Ways to do this..
Get up every morning at the same time.
Have breakfast together every morning...Don't let some sleep in and miss this time.
Have reading time everyday at or about the same time.
Regular nap times with very few exceptions.
Movie night
Friday night pizza night.
One day a week where you go to the library or park.
At 5.00 every night we are cleaning up and giving baths.
Everynight at 6.30 we are having supper with dad.

Write your routine down and ask the kids "So today at 12:00 we do what??"...
You may have to let go of some 'good things' in order to start a routine but
the rewards are unmeasurable..

Would you say 'yes'.....Sometimes saying 'yes' is hard work or it's a world of the unknown but saying 'yes' to the Lord is always worth the journey...

2008-06-24T17:23:00.001-07:00

A son asked his father, 'Dad, will you take part in a marathon with>me?
> The father who, despite having a heart condition, says 'Yes'. They
> went on to complete the marathon together. Father and son went on to
> join other marathons, the father always saying 'Yes' to his son's
> request of going through the race together. One day, the son asked
> his father, 'Dad, let's join the Ironman together.'

To which, his father said 'Yes'
> For those who didn't know, Ironman is the toughest triathlon ever.
> The race encompasses three endurance events of a 2.4 mile (3.86
> kilometer) ocean swim, followed by a 112 mile (180.2 kilometer) bike>
> ride, and ending with a 26.2 mile (42.195 kilometer) marathon along
> the coast of the Big Island

> Father and son went on to complete the race together.

> Click Here to View the View of the duo.

2008-06-23T08:03:00.000-07:00

When the hearts of fathers and their children are bound together, God works to spread His gospel and His kingdom through the generations.
Luke 1:17

Taylor and I have a very close and intimate relationship. She is my dear sweet friend and my beloved daughter whom I'm Very proud of in the purest sense.

She is my right arm and my thought finisher..
For these past 15 years I have been honored and at times frustrated with our progress as we have learned to balance our relationship.
It took training and time to get where we are today and a servant attitude on her part.
She is not perfect and just like the rest of us she has her moments and possible even her days of working through this road that God has put her own...
Living in a larger family takes alot of work.
Alot of patience and bearing with one another.
I do tons of encouraging and training in her attitude of the work that is put before us.
I use the phrase "its only for a season" alot..
The Lord has been quickening my heart lately about the relationship she has with her dad.
She has very little time with Scott because there are ALOT of little hearts that fight for his time and she seems contended to wait her turn but I want to raise a daughter that "knows" her father..
I want her to know how he conducts himself ..I want her to know his habits and his shortcomings. I want her to honor him for whom he is..
I want her to fall in Love with her father and go before the Lord with thanksgiving for this man he put in her life.
Very few girls or women have this kinda relationship with their dad and frankly It makes me so sad.
Dads don't or won't take the time to spend with their girls..I see dads that need "their" time to play golf or to hunt when their kids need them so bad..
Am I saying that dad's shouldn't do these things?
Yes, I am if they are away from the home all week and only see their kids minutes a day then they don't have time for a hobby.....Hobbies come after our job as parents.
We get so worked up about "our free time" when we should feel the urgency about our work as mothers and fathers....this is not easy..I struggle with this because my nerves get me like everyone else's..but
We should all be about "Our Fathers business"...That takes time.

Where I'm going with all of this....

We have the opportunity because Scott is one of three owners of a business, for Tucker to go to work with his dad every Friday.
He is learning and most importantly he is working along side his dad.
I approached Scott about Taylor having a day where she goes with Scott and he LOVED the idea and so did she.
They will have two hours on the road and a whole work day working along side her father.
Eating lunch together and growing their relationship.
I can't tell you how excited I am for her.
She will learn so much from being with her dad. It was a sacrifice on my part because all of this adds up for more work for me, but this time binding their hearts will be carried on to the next generation.

I want you to consider how you can bind your daughters and hubbies heart..
I know our solution would not work for most but get creative and make it a priority.
I would love to hear from some of you on how your huband spends time with your daughters.

Ok girls if you have daughters go on over to Taylors blog and check out words of wisdom......

2008-06-22T19:05:00.000-07:00

Taylor

The hands of a hundred different things

2008-06-20T10:55:00.000-07:00

Scott's grandmother my kids great grandmother is 95 years old and is still teaching and being a proverbs woman.
She is a remarkable lady and I miss her knowledge
and the way she rocked all of my babies.
She had to move to a nursing home earlier this year..
She has taught Taylor and I so many different things and I'm
so glad I captured her hands......This is her teaching Taylor how to knit.

Notice she is still wearing her wedding rings after her husband has
been gone for 3o something years.

A broke tent pole.

2008-06-17T13:27:00.000-07:00

Our boys had a tent up in the front yard Tuck is going to use for his camp out and
Cooper being kinda wreck less broke one of the poles. Tuck was upset I was upset and
Cooper just kinda looked at us...
A few minutes later Cooper was writing something and he looked up at me and said "mom how do you spell sorry" I looked into his big brown eyes and had to keep from just grabbing him up and thanking him for reminding me how simple life is sometimes.
I wonder if I can use that one on Scott the next time I do something to aggravate him.
Honey how do you spell sorry...

Friends

2008-06-17T12:35:00.000-07:00

Who are your children looking up to?

Sorry don't have time to post much because I'm busy about my work of motherhood...

2008-06-16T07:25:00.000-07:00

Took His Hand and Followed
Mrs. Roy L. Peifer

My dishes went unwashed today,

I didn't make the bed,

I took his hand and followed

Where his eager footsteps led.

Oh yes, we went adventuring,

My little son and I...

Exploring all the great outdoors

Beneath the summer sky

We waded in a crystal stream,

We wandered through a wood...

My kitchen wasn't swept today

But life was gay and good.

We found a cool, sun-dappled glade

And now my small son knows

How Mother Bunny hides her nest,

Where jack-in-the-pulpit grows.

We watched a robin feed her young,

We climbed a sunlit hill...

Saw cloud-sheep scamper through the sky,

We plucked a daffodil.

That my house was neglected,

That I didn't brush the stairs,

In twenty years, no one on earth

Will know, or even care.

But that I've helped my little boy

To noble manhood grow,

In twenty years, the whole wide world

May look and see and know.

clear pixel Back to BestHomeschooling.org Home

2008-06-13T10:27:00.000-07:00

Sons are a heritage from the LORD,
children a reward from Him.
Like arrows in the hands of a warrior
are sons born in one's youth.
Blessed is the man
whose quiver is full of them.
Psalm 127:3-5a

Our quiver is about to be alittle bigger (by God's grace)...
We have just finished up the process of adopting again and now
our family is waiting on a baby..
We are thrilled to grow our family through adoption again and can't
wait to see what the Lord has in store for us.

I love seeing the faces of my kids through the lens of their sister..Thanks Tay

2008-06-13T10:12:00.000-07:00

A man A boy A fish....

2008-06-13T07:31:00.000-07:00

This is another picture of my wonderful husband fishing with Cullen...
He spends the time needed to build relationships with our children..
He is an incrediable father and I don't stop enough to give him praise, not that he
ask for it or needs it like I do sometimes. He just lives life not wasting a second
building memories with our kids.

With father's day approaching I want him to know how much I appreciate the Lord
bringing him into my life.

Are you on target do you need alittle help from your father?

2008-06-11T08:53:00.000-07:00

Tucker is trying to get a boyscout merit badge in rifle shooting. It's alot of work.Scott has been setting up a target and working with him alittle every other day so that he can get the practice he needs to earn the badge.
As I sit on my mommie perch and watch my sweet man come home from along day at the office and take the time to help each child put ear plugs in and take on the 'right' form to be able to hit their target...I'm in awe.I love the way this mans hands gently guides our children into the right position. This is alot like the way he parents..Gently guiding and just setting them up to hit their target when their older.
....Always reminding them of their target or their goal....
To carry on the torch for Christ...He says "I don't want you to just carry the torch I want you to pass it to your kids.."
So we should set up target training for our children every day and gently guide those little souls to keep their eyes on the Lord....
I can see through Scott how the Lord surely is so gentle and patient and loving with us.

"Train up a child in the way he should go:and when he is old, he will not depart from it." Proverbs 22:6

My front yard.

2008-06-09T17:07:00.000-07:00

I was driving up the drive-way and this view of my front yard made me stop and take it all in. I love this land we live on it's so rich with the past.The trees seems to tell a story about long ago if only we would stop and listen.

I read a quote from a book I'm reading it said
"We are meant to be grown in ground that is rich with the bones, and the blood, and the voices of our ancestors."
I believe we have alittle of all of that on this property.
We have trees that were planted over 80 years ago by Scott's great uncle Steve, the remnants of his once thriving orchard still bear today. My kids eat the apples that they once ate themselves...Their fruit is still bearing....
Aunt Sara's flowers she had around their home comes up every year they seem to multiply. They always remind me of her and yet I've never met her but somehow she still lives all over this land.She left her fingerprints everywhere..I know she loved roses...
I pray that when I've been dead 45 years our fruit and the flowers that we are planting in our children's hearts will still be in full bloom and have multiplied....
I pray my finger-prints can still be seen by my great great grand-children. I hope and pray they can still see the rich soil of our Lord and Saviour growing where my finger-prints were..On my children's heart.

A simple box.....

2008-06-08T16:17:00.001-07:00

Sometimes in our life things are not what they appear. For example a box..To you and I it may not seem like much but to our children it was hours of simple play..
I just need to remember that life may seem difficult for me right now but it's not what it appears because it's God's plan and he sees it differently.He holds the big picture and he knows whats best for us always. So I will continue..and rejoice as I travel these roads of hardship...I'm not the only one going through trials in this life..Our trials are small compared to others.Someone asked me at church today if my life has always been this crazy and I had to laugh because I don't enjoy the trials we have been through but our life has been a bit unpredictable lately. I have enjoyed quieter times that's for sure but on the other hand my faith in my Heavenly Father has grown. If I was still living that quiet life with no hardships I wouldn't have clung so tightly to His hand.We all endure trying times and this just happens to be our season...God is Faithful and for that I'm forever grateful.
Thanks for your prayers...

As for God, His way is perfect.
Psalm 18:30

2008-06-04T09:10:00.000-07:00

Please pray for my dad.. As of last night they called in the family for my dad.
They say that he only has a 10% chance of making it.My heart is so heavy for my father.
I was told by everyone not to go see him because he was talking out of his head and only weighed 108lbs and that he didn't want anyone to see him like that. I have prayed alot and asked the Lord for wisdom and direction. This morning I got his number at the hospital and thought well maybe a nurse is in there and they will answer the phone I dialed and on the third ring that familier voice says hello."hey dad" "hey priss""how are you""not to good""I want to come see you dad but I don't wont to if you don't want me up there""I would love to see you Rob"
I called Scott and he is on the way home to go with me.
As I get the kids settled and get ready I feel the deep emotions coming on.
I HURT in the pit of my stomach for him.Why did he choose this path.
Please pray that I can pour out unconditionlal love and forgiveness on him may he see
God in me......

Do you think you're the captain of your ship?

2008-06-03T04:24:00.000-07:00

Isaiah 28:12. Of God the prophet Isaiah wrote, "He said, 'This is a resting place, let the weary rest'; and, 'This is a place of repose' - but they would not listen." Here's a little of what followed (originally written by Charles Spurgeon):

"Why do you worry? What possible use does your worrying serve? You are aboard such a large ship that you would be unable to steer even if your Captain placed you at the helm. You would not even be able to adjust the sails, yet you worry as if you were the captain or the helmsman of the vessel. Be quiet, dear soul - God is the Master! Do you think all the commotion and the uproar of this life is evidence that God has left His throne? He has not! His mighty steeds rush furiously ahead, and His chariots are the storms themselves. (Pause, Siestas, and hear the sound of those mighty steeds in your spirit. Feel their hoof-beats pound in your chest. He's on His mighty way!) But the horses have bridles, and it is God who holds the reins, guiding the chariots as He wills! Our God Jehovah is still the Master! Believe this and you will have peace. 'Don't be afraid' (Matt. 14:27)."

My favorite line: "You are aboard such a large ship that you would be unable to steer even if your Captain placed you at the helm." So, we might as well stop trying. Anyway, with the best intentions we'd steer that Titanic smack into the next iceberg with all our loved ones on board. You don't let your two-year old steer the car no matter how she might kick and scream from the backseat. God's too wise to let our control issues work out for us. If we keep insisting, He might let us give it a hand for a while but, sooner or later, we'll hit the iceberg. And the iceberg is He.

Regardless of how convinced we are, God has not placed us in control of our environments nor are we responsible for how everyone is behaving or how things will turn out. He is still God and, yes, even over "this," whatever your "this" may be. His, Beloved Siestas, is a LARGE SHIP. Something much bigger than we can picture is going on from a God's-eye view. Our trials are allowed so that Christ may be formed in us and then, through us, serve that greater purpose. Worry always and only forms thicker flesh in us and weights us down until we cannot walk where the Spirit would take us.

I've come to learn from God that worry is a waving red flag to the enemy. It is a dead giveaway that the person owning it does not trust God. The shield of faith is down. So fire when ready. Every time we're tempted to take it all on and worry something to death, let's say aloud from the depths of our souls, "I choose to trust You, Lord. I choose trust. I choose You."

( I borrowed this from Beth Moore's blog)

I just loved this.....

2008-06-02T18:30:00.000-07:00

Feeling like I need someone to push me.

2008-06-01T19:49:00.000-07:00

I'm feeling rather low lately as I deal with the sickness of my father.
You know the little girl who was supposed to have grown up years ago( that would be me)
has suddenly come back..I guess every little girl comes back when her dad is doing poorly.My tears will not stop and my memories of my childhood flood every space in my mind. I want to make all of this better for him but I can't. All I can do is stand at a distance. I want him to be better so that the dream I had of him one day making things right between us would come true, but I'm afraid I would be surely disappointed. The years have come and gone between us and there have been no words spoken that has righted the wrongs. I had convinced myself that he surely just does not care but I will not believe this.
I'm feeling rather tired of dealing with death. Not knowing if when the phone rings if it will be "the phone call".I just keep climbing up in my Heavenly Fathers arms and he keeps whispering in my ear that He is in control of everything and that He will push me. .

Oh Lord don't let me waste my life.

2008-05-30T12:27:00.000-07:00

I have heard the countless stories of people that say "your family must have alot of love to be able to have so many children" I have to admit that I'm kinda saddened by that statement. They go on to say that they could NEVER do that and how special we are.
Well, our family is not special in the sense they are talking, sure my family is special to me but in God's eyes we are just living out what He has told us to do in His word.
We are opening our home and giving a child a deserved chance in a decent happy God fearing home. Why do people get so comfortable in their routine that they can't open their home or their heart to a child in need...
If every Christian family would adopt one orphan then most of our orphan crisis would go away. Instead they pat us on the back and tell us keep up the good work. They have all kinda of excuses on why they could never do it including, I just don't have time to raise another child. I want to scream from the roof tops of million dollar churches that we had better get our priorities straight. We have time for sports and shopping and we have money for the good life but we will not allow our self the inconvenience of having a child in our home to raise and to nurture and to accept. We close ourselves off and talk about how bad the world has become and yet do nothing to help...I want my family to hold all the children that God will allow us to hold. When I get to the end of my life I want to be able to have all the faces of my children around me red, yellow, black, white and know that I didn't waste my life........I may be poor as dirt from raising them all but I hope that the Legacy I leave behind is "She was the mother of many and she didn't waste a minute"..(that's because I don't have a minute)ha!

I want to encourage anyone reading this to open your home and your heart to a child.
It may not be possible to adopt but there are hurting children in your neighborhood.
There are countless single mothers that need some help...Just make a difference......

"Say not you cannot gladden, elevate, and set free; that you have nothing of the grace of influence; that all you have to give is at the most only common bread and water. Give yourself to your Lord for the service of men with what you have. Cannot He change water into wine? Cannot He make stammering words to be instinct with saving power? God has need of thee for the service of thy fellow men. He has a work for thee to do. To find out what it is, and then to do it, is at once thy supremist duty and thy highest wisdom. 'Whatsoever He saith unto you, do it" (Canon Geroge Body,b 1840)

Pictures of our last two weeks...Wow!!

2008-05-25T19:30:00.000-07:00