Change is Good!

I have finally done it. Against my initial desires, I have switched from Blogger to WordPress. There are just so many features that make this jump worthwhile.

You can find me at http://slavabogu.wordpress.com/

Please change your links to reflect my new site address, and happy reading!

Oh, the Funny Things They Say

A few nights ago, I got a call from my mom. "3 1/2 minutes to launch. The Space Shuttle. Turn on the T.V. Bye." Click.

This was the first time all three of my kids were old enough and understood enough English to really enjoy watching the shuttle take off into space. There were many questions throughout. Towards the end, after I had said they were traveling to the space station, Funny Boy very seriously asked, "Mama, do they have to dress up like aliens to go there?"

Later, when we had recovered from laughing, Sweet Pea asked, "Mommy, can they breathe up there?" to which Bossy Boy replied firmly before I could answer, "They can breathe for two hours." Really, he does think he knows everything!

We got a kick out of watching the kids' excitement and curiosity about space travel.

Then yesterday, my heart melted when my husband told Funny Boy that "Mama is crazy" after I did something silly. Funny Boy said, "She's not crazy. She's just right for me."

You tell him, Funny Boy, because we are just right for each other. :)

Menu Plan Monday

If you didn't see my post on the beef chimichangas from last week, click here. They were awesome! aaaaa

Once again, I am recycling a recipe I did not use last week.

Monday: Leftovers & Salad

Tuesday: Crisp & Creamy Baked Chicken

Wednesday: Family Night Supper at church

Thursday: Kielbasa, veggie, fruit

Friday: Something in the crockpot

Saturday: Sandwiches for lunch, Taco Soup for dinner (unless I think of something cooler I am interested in:) )

Sunday: On the road again...picking up children from grandparents!

So there you have it folks...the menu is not so well thought out this week, but I am off to take two of my three children to their grandparents.

Happy Cooking!

Sunday Scripture

Ananias and Sapphira

1Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. 2With his wife's full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles' feet.

3Then Peter said, "Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? 4Didn't it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn't the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied to men but to God."

5When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened. 6Then the young men came forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him.

7About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8Peter asked her, "Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the land?"

"Yes," she said, "that is the price."

9Peter said to her, "How could you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also."

10At that moment she fell down at his feet and died. Then the young men came in and, finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events.

I read this passage during my quiet times this week and was reminded of how arrogant we are to think we can deceive God. My children have been learning a catechism. On of the questions is Does God know all things? followed by the answer, Yes, nothing can be hidden from God.

We would do well to remember that no how much we deceive ourselves and others, God cannot be deceived. May our fear of the Lord and our reverence for Him keep us living lives of integrity.

Have a blessed day of worship!

Summer 2007 Update

In May, I shared the goals we wanted to accomplish as a family this summer. To help us meet those, I decided to do regular "checks" to see where we are. Below is a list of goals and where we are on meeting them.

1. Read books together. We are currently reading Traitor in the Tower together. Two of the three children can hardly bear to wait for the next chapter to see if Richard's father will be released from prison and what John Bunyan will share with Richard.

2. Work on math skills. We have been very successful in doing this with our older son, but I have been less successful at including the younger kids in working on this.

3. Physical Exercise. The kids are doing great in this area. Mom and Dad are not doing so well. :(

4. Household Chores/Projects. We are doing okay in this area. We have cleaned out some things, but have a long way to go in decluttering and deep cleaning. Still, I think it would be unreasonable to expect much more than what we have accomplished at this point, given our schedules and the fact that it is summer, after all!

5. Cooking. I am doing terrible in involving the children in this area. My oldest has helped once or twice, but the youngest two are often napping when I prepare dinner. I have decided to table (pardon the pun) any real effort in this area until July, when our schedule slows way down from the busy rush of sports camps and VBS.

6. Scripture Memory. Horrendous. Only one child has memorized a verse, and it wasn't in Philippians as planned. It simply had to do with his heart attitude and what God says about it. I have got to get better in this area.

7. Time with extended family/fun. We're doing well here. We have spent time with grandparents and extended family already, have played with friends, have been to the pool, have watched together the only TV show the kids really watch (Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?), etc. One area we need to work on is father/children time.

8. Catechism/Daily Bible Reading. We are doing so well in this area! We have worked a lot on learning a catechism together. So far, we have memorized just over 30 questions and answers, and the kids love to quiz each other and especially their parents. :) Also, we have made it a point to have the kids start reading their Bibles daily as Mom and Dad do. I can't say we've made it every day, but they are reading their Bibles most days. It has been so exciting to hear what they are learning.

So there you have it. My grand ideas for the summer and the reality of where we are with those ideas. To see the original goals and descriptions, click here. If you have any tips on accomplishing these goals, please let me know.

Smart Habit Saturday: Making the Bedroom a Haven Again

It's Saturday again...time to review the habits I am trying to establish and decide if I want to implement a new one.

This Saturday, I want to start making a habit out of making up my bed every day. This is something I always did prior to marriage, and due to schedules early in our marriage when I worked outside the home (or maybe just due to my husband's generosity), DH started making the bed in the morning, and I got out of the habit. This went on for about 5 1/2 years.

Shamefully, I must admit that now I have been home 5 1/2 years, and I have never regularly gotten back into the habit. My DH no longer makes the bed...after all, I am up last. There is something about going to sleep in a bed that has been made up during the day that just makes it feel cleaner. I miss that feeling. I also am tired of pillows laying all over our bedroom floor. Our bedrooms are supposed to be a haven of peace, and mine just isn't right now. This is a small step to reclaiming the room.

I actually started this new habit three days ago, and I am going to try to keep it up, even if it means getting rid of half the bed pillows that irritate me as I put them on the bed each morning!

Now, for an honest assessment of how I am doing in my other SMART Habits:

• Touch the mail only once: Week 1 has gone really well...6 out of 7 days, I have met my goal.


• Drink no more than one diet coke a day: I'm still working on this. About half the time I manage it. The other days, it might take me three to get through the day!

Friday Photo: Love My Dogs, Hate Their Hair

How many times of running the washer do you think it took to get rid of the hair from the dog's towels? Care to share any tips?

Wow!

Well, I finally made the Beef Chimichangas after their presence on my weekly menu for three weeks. They were a HUGE success!! My husband raved about them, my kids couldn't get enough of them, and best of all, the recipe was so easy!! These were so good I couldn't wait until the next Menu Plan Monday to share.

We will definitely keep this in our recipe file, although due to the fact that they are fried, we won't have them a lot.

I would make one change: the sauce for the chimichangas was really spicy, and the filling was not, so next time I'll probably put half the jalapenos in the filling and the other half in the sauce. With the exception of my younger son, we all really like spicy food in this house.

Count Your Blessings, Name Them One by One

I have so may things to be thankful for, but sometimes, when I am dealing with wild animals the natives my children I forget that. Sometimes, when my husband makes me want to scream irritates me forgets things gently disagrees with me I forget that.

Seriously, my husband and children are blessings and I believe it is useful to have a list of my blessings and things for which I am thankful to reflect on upon occasion. God gives us so much, and it is so easy to think we deserve to have this or that or just to take our gifts for granted. With that in mind, I present my first weekly set of 7 things for which I am thankful, in no particular order.

1. St. Mary' Lake, Glacier National Park, Montana (It was here that I became convinced that God was real and not a fairytale--yes, I was quite slow on the uptake).

2. Daffodils (They are the first sign of spring to me. I used to love picking bunches of them from my Grandma's yard).

3. The color blue (I find it very peaceful).

4. My younger son's laughter (It is a belly laugh, full of good humor, and makes me want to join in).

5. My daughter's hugs. (They are, quite possibly, the sweetest things on earth. There is nothing better than to have her little arms wrapped around me and hear the words, "I love you, Mommy. You are the best mommy in the whole world.").

6. My husband and older son sumo wrestling on the sand (To see the two of them cutting up together gives me great pleasure, especially to see my son having a father-son relationship and enjoying it so much).

7. Gulf Shores, Alabama (Growing up, I spent many weeks here with my cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents, etc. After being to a variety of beaches around the world, I still prefer Gulf Shores and the surrounding area).

So there you have it, this week's list of seven things for which I am thankful. What are you thankful for?

Adoption is at the Heart of the Gospel

For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!" Romans 8:15

And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. Romans 8:23

But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!" Galatians 4:4-6

Even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. Ephesians 1:4-6

Adoption is at the heart of the Gospel. There are several biblical instances of adoption, such as the adoptions of Moses and Esther. In both cases, God used their new life circumstances for His glory. Even more apparent is that our relationship as children of our Heavenly Father, as demonstrated by the verses above, is made through adoption.

All of my children are adopted. I love them deeply. Yet for all my love, there have been trying times. One child, extremely angry over his life circumstances, has allowed his heart to be eaten up with rage and self-centeredness. You may think it unkind of me as a mother to say such a thing about my child, but I could tell you many things which have happened that demonstrate this. Has this child been difficult to love? Yes, at moments, because I am sinful. Will the reward ever be known? I don't know, but God has shown me much about who He is and who I am through these circumstances. And, graciously, He has given me a great love for this child who so desperately needs the hope of Christ. God has also made very real to me the fact that He alone can bring true healing to the human heart.

If we are honest with ourselves, we will admit that prior to knowing Christ, we too were ugly on the inside (and occasionally after knowing Christ), yet He loves us. The Bible tells us that we love Him because He first loved us. Yes, even as we were ugly and "unlovable". Despite who I was, my God was faithful to adopt me as a co-heir with Christ.

Isaiah 64:6 teaches us that our righteous acts prior to grace are as filthy rags (or filthy garments or polluted garments, depending on the translation). When my child does disgusting things to exert control or does cutesy things that ring false to gain favor, I must remember the state of my own garments before knowing Christ.

As an adopted child, I cost the Father greatly. His Son carried the burden of my sin. Yet, He has remained steadfast in His relationship with me. Through adopting my children, I have experienced motherhood, a wonderful privilege accompanied by tender moments and humorous moments. I have also experienced knowing God more, and learning about the wickedness of my heart.

My love is not as easy and forgiving as I once thought it. My perseverance and patience is not longsuffering. My ability to put my neighbor or even my child's needs above my own has been weak, at times. But, through it all, God has brought me into a deeper knowledge of Him, a more honest examination of myself, and a life that has eternal meaning. He is teaching me to be faithful, to persevere, to show a true love rather than a fickle one.

I don't know for what purpose God chose my children out of the millions who need mothers and fathers, but I do know that He chose them to be mine for a time. I pray that one day His call on their lives will bring glory and honor to Him and His truth will be made known in a greater capacity. I thank Him for the privilege of loving my children and having them for however long He allows me to.

To learn more about how adoption is at the heart of the gospel, I strongly urge you to read this message by John Piper and the accompanying letter he wrote his wife as he shared his commitment with her to adopt their daughter.

Menu Plan Monday

Okay, so my mom decided to drop in at my sister's house for a week. Of course, my sister lives a mile from me and works during the day, so I spent lots of time with mom, which was good, really good, except my menu plans were extremely messed up for the week. Aahhh, but if life were too organized it would be boring (at least that's what I keep telling myself).

Below is the key for new recipe ratings:

aaaaa As my grandpa used to say, "luscious"
aaaa A new family favorite
aaa Pretty good, worth making occasionally
aaNot our favorite or a mixed review
aYuck!

Last week we tried:

Aussie Sausage Rolls a

This recipe is definitely not a keeper! We were a little surprised by how much we disliked it as it had a 5 star rating from Taste of Home. Perhaps we just didn't know what we were doing with the phyllo dough, but it tasted like many many layers of paper were around the meat--not something we cared for much. It might be good with some modifications, but with so many other recipes out there, I doubt we'll bother.

Here is the game plan for this week:

Monday: Hamburgers, Chips, Salad

Tuesday: We'll eat at the ballpark as our choir is performing the National Anthem!

Wednesday: Family Night Supper at church or sandwiches at home

Thursday: After three weeks, we're finally going to try and get the Beef Chimichangas on the table!

Friday: Grilled Chicken with a side of pasta

Saturday: Chicken & Rice Casserole, a green vegetable, Bread

Sunday: Crisp & Creamy Baked Chicken, Broccoli Casserole, Bread

Happy Cooking!

Sunday Scripture

Faith Without Works Is Dead

What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled," without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

But someone will say, "You have faith and I have works." Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe--and shudder! Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness"-- and he was called a friend of God. You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.

James 2:14-26, ESV

Smart Habit Saturday--Oh, How I Used to Love the Mail...

It's Saturday again, and that means it is time to reflect on the last smart habit I tried to establish, and implement a new one.

This week, I am going to start going through the mail and getting rid of it each day it arrives. I used to love getting mail, but now I get junk, and bills, and more junk...and occasionally something I am interested in. Thus, I have developed a bad habit of looking through the mail, pulling out what I am interested in, and leaving the junk for another day. When I finally sort it, it becomes several little piles--shred, discard, pay, reply, magazines to read, etc. I have grown to hate all these little piles that clutter up my living room. I want to start sorting the mail and doing everything that needs to be done in regard to it on the day it arrives (except, maybe, for reading the magazines that day). My family will certainly appreciate our living room being paperless!

Last week's smart habit was to reduce to one per day the amount of diet coke I drink. I succeeded every day, even going without diet coke at all one day, until today, the start of a new week, when I have had 2 1/2...okay, yes, it's soon to be three...diet cokes. So, I feel pretty good about it, but need to regain control after today!

What's your Smart Habit? Join Lara over at the Lazy Organizer to share what you are working on this week.

ABC Meme

A - Attached or single? Very, very attached, with superglue permanent bonding.

B - Best friend? The person very, very attached to me--my husband!

C - Cake or pie? Cream Cheese Pound Cake with a sad streak made by Granny.

D - Drink of choice? Diet Coke (or a non-alcoholic strawberry daiquiri, or any of a variety of frappuccinos made at Starbucks)

E - Essential item? Kleenex…if I don’t have them, my little girl will definitely sneeze and you have NEVER seen a sneeze like hers. I take them EVERYWHERE!!

F - Favorite color? Blue, followed by purple

G - Gummi bears or worms? Worms, but I really prefer chocolate.

H - Hometown? Mableton, GA

I - Indulgence? I think I indulge myself too much, but if I have to choose, I would say books are my main indulgence.

J - January or February? January…we have 7 birthdays and our anniversary to celebrate that month.

K - Kids? Absolutely. My life would be entirely too sane without them. :)

L - Life is incomplete without? Knowing and glorifying God

M - Marriage date? 11 Januarys ago (no, I didn’t forget…I just don’t like to post these dates on the web)

N - Number of siblings? 3

O - Oranges or apples? A crisp, cold, tart, juicy apple

P - Phobia/fears? MRIs. I almost had a panic attack last time.

Q - Favorite quote? He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose. Jim Elliot

R - Reasons to smile? My God, my husband, my children, my two crazy Chihuahuas who think our living room furniture is a puppy-sized version of Pump It Up, flowers, the ocean, mountains, need I go on?

S - Season? Uh…spring and summer?

T - Tag three. Emmyjmommy ...okay, so I'll just tag one.

U - Unknown fact about me? I was listed in our senior class yearbook as the fastest reader in the school.

V - Vegetarian or oppressor of animals? Absolute oppressor!

W - Worst habit? For me to know and work on and for you to never notice. :)

X - X-rays or ultrasounds? Both. I am so thankful for anything that proves helpful in difficult situations.

Y - Your favorite food? Fried Okra or Mississippi Mud

Z - Zoo animal? My favorite is the meercat, closely followed by seals, elephants and monkeys.

Menu Plan Monday

As we are out of town, I am posting early and without the banner, but for more Menu Plan Monday ideas, visit the Organizing Junkie.

Well, we fairly successfully carried out last week's menu items minus a few changes necessitated by a sick child and travel plans.

I decided to review the new recipes we try each week. This is the key:

aaaaa As my grandpa used to say, "luscious"
aaaa A new family favorite
aaa Pretty good, worth making occasionally
aa Not our favorite or a mixed review
a Yuck!

Here are my reviews of last week's new recipes (find the recipes in last Monday's post):

Bacon Chicken Alfredo aaa

This was pretty good, although a little heavy. We liked the flavor. We used 12 oz of fettuccine rather than the 16 oz the recipe called for, and we still found it a little dry. Next time I make it I will use more sauce or less pasta. This made enough for two meals for a family of 5.

Apple-Onion Pork Chops aa

We had a mixed review on this one. I liked it and found it easy and healthy. Our oldest son liked it, our daughter liked everything but the onions, our youngest son did not like it, and my husband liked it but said he only cared about the meat--the apples and onions he could take or leave. If I make it again, I will cut the amount of vinegar in half as it was a little strong.

This week's menu:

Monday: Fast food or sandwiches as we are traveling home

Tuesday: Aussie Sausage Rolls, Potato Salad, Green Beans

Wednesday: Family Night Supper at church

Thursday: Chicken & Rice Casserole, Bread, Salad, Dessert (all doubled as we are preparing supper for a family whose child was just born)

Friday: Beef Chimichangas (we didn't get to make them last week), Chips & Salsa, Ice Cream

Saturday: Breakfast for Dinner (muffins, eggs, bacon, fruit) or leftovers if we have enough. With the children home during the day for summer, I am not sure how much will be consumed at lunch.

Sunday: We are meeting some out-of-town friends on their way home from vacation for lunch. For dinner, we'll have a sandwich and an apple on the way home from church.

Hope all of you have a great week of preparing meals for your families!

Sunday Scripture

Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; in no way alarmed by your opponents--which is a sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for you, and that too, from God.

Philippians 1:27-28

Smart Habit Saturday--A Diet Coke A Day Keeps the Doctor Away

Lara at the Lazy Organizer has started a great trend of choosing to intentionally form smart habits at the rate of one (or so) per week. Since I have so many things I need to intentionally work on, I decided to join in on the fun.

The idea is to choose a new habit every Saturday and work on implementing it in our lives, giving blog updates on a regular basis. These habits can be personal, work related or family oriented...any area where you realize a change needs to be made.

This Saturday, I would like to start a new habit of drinking only 1 diet coke per day. That may not sound like much to many of you, but diet coke is sort of my addiction (ranging from 2 - 4 a day depending on the availability).

Occasionally, I break the chains of addiction, but then I fall right back into my bad habit. Not only do my friends regularly tell me that the artificial sweetener used in diet coke is bad for my mental and physical health, I have also discovered that I have severe headaches for 3-4 days whenever I go through withdrawal. Surely that is not a good sign. Beginning today, I am striving to cut way back, saving money, my health, and my memory.

What's your Smart Habit? Let us know.

Friday Photo(s)

My babies are growing up. We are now officially in the flip-flop wearing, running-thru-the-sprinkler-playing, sleeping-in-late (I can dream, can't I?) and relaxing days of summer!

A huge "Thanks a Million" goes out to the incredible team of teachers who worked with my children this year! We will miss you all! You have been a blessing to our family.

Thursday Lyrics: He's All You Need

He's All You Need

When you're alone,

Your heart is torn,

He is all you need.

When you're confused,

Your soul is bruised,

He is all you need.

He's the rock of your soul,

He's the anchor that holds

Through your desperate times.

When your way is unsure,

His love will endure

And peace you will find.

Through all your years,

The joy, the tears,

He is all you need.

When you give in

To that familiar sin,

He is all you need.

Guilt has you paralyzed.

It slowly eats you alive.

He is all you need.

He'll be faithful to you

Though your heart is untrue

And your love's grown cold.

His forgiveness is real.

It'll comfort and heal

Your sin weary soul.

God loves you so.

He'll never let you go.

He is all you need.

He'll be faithful to you

Though your heart is untrue

And your love's grown cold.

His forgiveness is real

To comfort and heal

Your sin weary soul.

Through all the years,

The joy, the tears,

He is all you need.

I used to love the music of Steve Camp. I haven't listened to him in a long time, but today I was reminded of what an excellent musician he is. Camp uses his craft to the glory of God, for which I am thankful. You can listen to this song here. For other Steve Camp music, visit audience ONE.

The words of this song remind me that God is indeed all we need, all sufficient for every situation, feeling, struggle, or joy I have in life. Thank you, Jesus, that I can rest in You!

Follow the Yellow Brick Road

For the spring play, the Drama Club performed The Wizard of Oz. For a drama club composed entirely of second and third graders, I thought it was a bit ambitious, but I was pleasantly surprised by how nice of a job they did. To make it manageable for the children, they divided lines between multiple children playing the same parts. Thus, there were eight Dorothys and multiple scarecrow, tin men, and lions among other things.

Our oldest son played a munchkin (see the above pictures). He had more lines than last time and did a great job. I am continually amazed at how adaptable children are. He has been in the U.S. less than two years, and yet he has learned English well enough to nicely perform parts with multiple lines in his school's drama club.

A big thanks go out to all the teachers who spent extra time after school to teach our children this art!

Menu Plan Monday

Last week was the first time in a long time I planned a week's menu ahead of time, and I didn't post it. But, having deciding it really worked to be more organized (something only procrastinators--me--and spontaneous people--not me--ever disbelieved), I am doing it again this week.

Here's the plan:

Monday: It's soccer night and the kids' last week of school, so we are celebrating by eating out!

Tuesday: Bacon Chicken Alfredo, French Bread, Salad

Wednesday: Family Supper at church

Thursday: Apple-Onion Pork Chops, Steamed Broccoli, Mashed Potatoes

Friday: Either leftovers or Beef Chimichangas

Saturday & Sunday: Eating at the grandparents!

You can check out more menus at the Organizing Junkie. Happy eating!

Sunday Scripture

7But whatever former things I had that might have been gains to me, I have come to consider as [[a]one combined] loss for Christ's sake.

8Yes, furthermore, I count everything as loss compared to the possession of the priceless privilege (the overwhelming preciousness, the surpassing worth, and supreme advantage) of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord and of progressively becoming more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him [of perceiving and recognizing and understanding Him more fully and clearly]. For His sake I have lost everything and consider it all to be mere rubbish (refuse, dregs), in order that I may win (gain) Christ (the Anointed One),

9And that I may [actually] be found and known as in Him, not having any [self-achieved] righteousness that can be called my own, based on my obedience to the Law's demands (ritualistic uprightness and supposed right standing with God thus acquired), but possessing that [genuine righteousness] which comes through faith in Christ (the Anointed One), the [truly] right standing with God, which comes from God by [saving] faith.

10[For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection [[b]which it exerts over believers], and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed [in spirit into His likeness even] to His death, [in the hope]

11That if possible I may attain to the [[c]spiritual and moral] resurrection [that lifts me] out from among the dead [even while in the body].

Philippians 3:7 - 11, Amplified Bible

Friday Photo

These pictures were taken in May of 2002. Sweet Pea was wearing her great-grandfather's christening gown for the child dedication service at our church. She was not quite a year old, and the cutest little bundle of joy I had ever seen. Now, she is finishing kindergarten.

Those of you who know me well know that I become on occasion, sentimental teary-eyed a basket case of emotions over Hallmark commercials, sad stories, happy stories, anything sentimental, and most of all, my family. So you can imagine what I am going through now that my baby is finishing kindergarten! I actually have two children finishing kindergarten, but somehow it is knowing that my youngest is getting this big that has me so emotional. I know I should be happy, but it seems time is flying by so quickly, and I wonder if I have made the best use of it.

I know that we read and played and learned and laughed a lot together, but I'll be honest. I regret every moment spent reading my own books, every moment she was awake that I watched TV, every moment that I wasted on the computer, because those days will never be back. Even though most of our friends and family would probably say I did more than enough with her in those years, it doesn't change the fact that those years are now gone, in the twinkling of an eye.

So, I am renewed in my determination to make the most of this summer...spending both quality and quantity time with my children. I want our home to be a place where they want to be, a place where they want to bring their friends, a place where they feel loved and secure and cherished, a place where their mom and dad teach them about what is truly important in life (and folks, contrary to the "I Love Money" song they learned at school, that ain't it).

Moms and dads, let us all remember that we have them but for a short season. Let's enjoy those moments.

Prayer Needed for Pakistani Christians

The Taliban has informed Pakistani Christians in a northwestern town that their churches must be shut down by today, and that they must convert or die. The government is offering little protection. Please pray for our brothers and sisters to have faith that cannot be shaken, a peace that passes understanding no matter the circumstances, and for their persecutors to be thwarted.

You can read more about this story here and here.

Thursday Lyrics: Heavenly Father, Beautiful Son

Heavenly Father, Beautiful Son

Father, You loved me
Sent Your Son to redeem
Jesus, You washed me
By Your blood I am clean
Spirit, You’ve opened these blinded eyes
And brought me to Christ

Heavenly Father, beautiful Son
Spirit of light and truth
Thank You for bringing sinners to come to You

Father, You gave me
To Jesus to keep
And Jesus, You love me
As a shepherd, his sheep
Spirit, You've given me faith in the Son
And made our hearts one

Father, You're waiting
To hear my requests
Jesus, Your loving
Open hand is outstretched
Spirit, You're in me, You intercede
And help in my need

Words and music by Mark Altrogge
As recorded on Valley of Vision

I really enjoy this song. It is from the Valley of Vision recording by Sovereign Grace Ministries. Click on the link above to hear a clip of this and other songs included on the CD. The music in this recording was based on the puritan prayers compiled in the book, Valley of Vision. I have not read this book yet, but it has been recommended to me numerous times.

Tell Me Something I Didn't Know

You Will Not Be a Cool Parent

And that's pretty okay. While your kids may not think of you as a friend, they will respect you. You know that kids need discipline and structure, and you're not afraid to give it to them. Just be careful that your strictness doesn't lead to rebellion. It's good to have standards and rules, but you don't need to have an iron fist when enforcing them.

Would You Be a Cool Parent?

High Paying Jobs :)

My daughter found a dime a few days ago. This weekend, she put it in her pocket and added two pennies I generously gave her. She felt rich.

We were on our way to a birthday party at the bowling alley. Almost always of a sweet nature, she excitedly said, "Mom, I brought my money. I have a dime and two pennies. I can PAY today."

To which I replied, "Sweetie, that is so thoughtful, but how many cents do you have?"

DD: "uh, 12 cents."

Me: "That's right. I imagine it will take about 800 cents for you to go bowling, though."

DD (with a gasp): "Mom, do bowling lane workers make the most money?"

Me: "No, sweetheart. Even your lunches cost more. Did you know we send about 2,000 cents a month just for you to have lunches at school every once in a while? Not even every day?"

DD: "Wow." And after a thoughtful pause..."Do lunchroom people make the most money, Mom?"

You CAN make a difference!

I have a hero. I don't know her name, but I chat with her frequently. She is just another mom who picks up children at the local elementary school. Two of her children are special needs, and she has to be there when school is released to get a daily report. Her other children are much the same as mine, laughing and bouncing as they arrive to tell Mom all about their day at school. Three of her children are adopted, all from foster care she provided. I admire her desire to make a difference in the lives of a few children, her willingness to sacrifice normal for something better.

May is National Foster Care Month. Click on the picture below to find out more about how you can make a difference!



There are 513,000 children in foster care in the United States. Here are the most recent stats I could find on foster care in my state.

• As of 2003, there were 6,079 children in the foster care system.
• 25% were under the age of 5.
• 52% were between the ages of 11 and 18.
• The average length of stay for these children is 34 months. 34 MONTHS.
• Over half of these children are not reunified with their birth families.

Imagine being a toddler or elementary school age child and spending three years without a family of your own. Now imagine being a teenager and doing that. Adolescence is hard enough with a family to support and guide you.

Think about spending your formative years in a group home and then trying to be a spouse or a parent, maintaining a home and having had no one to learn how to do these things from. How do you know how to be a mom or dad, a husband or wife? Where have you learned how to solve problems and work through disagreements? Who has shared Christ with you? Prayed for you? Disciplined you? Felt joy in your successes and sadness in your times of disappointment?

Scripture tells us that pure and undefiled religion is caring for orphans and widows in their times of need. How are we doing that?

Great Posts by Hubby

My excogitating hubby has written two great posts lately.

One is about Mother's Day and those struggling with infertility. As one who formerly struggled with this, I urge you to read his post and encourage a friend struggling with this on Mother's Day.

The other post is about how we should view our brothers and sisters in Christ.

I am so blessed to have this man as my husband!

Summer 2007

The summer of 2006, with the exception of our family trip to the beach, was a complete disaster. I was new to being a mom of three. My sons were new to almost every experience they had. They needed more structure, something I don't particularly enjoy in the summer and didn't implement as needed. They couldn't understand that because we didn't go to the pool one day did not mean they would never go again. Their responses to not getting their way (as well as my response to their responses) made a house full of noise, disorder, and unhappiness. A lot of cleaning was left undone. We had to do a lot of fixing things they broke normal repairs.

We lived in chaos, trying to have fun together, but disappointingly, in the end , we were all overjoyed about school starting, except for my daughter who was content, even happy, to be at home by my side.

This school year, we have come a long way. We understand each other better. We have learned about ourselves. God has taught us about Himself. I do not want to go back to last summer.

This summer, I am determined to have a game plan. A friend wisely recommended that I make a few goals for the summer, and then order my summer around accomplishing those goals. She also suggested that I give more structure to my son who needs it, and more freedom to the ones who don't, while still accomplishing those goals. For example, one son may need a schedule for his day. My other son may need to know what must be accomplished by week's end, but I can leave him to figure out how to accomplish that.

With this in mind, here are my goals for the summer, in no particular order:

1. Read some books together. My goal is to read seven or eight books together, and then the children will have some reading to do on their own. Our current book list includes Shanghaied to China (a Trailblazer fictional story that shares part of the true story of Hudson Taylor), Spy for the Night Riders (another Trailblazer book, this time involving Martin Luther), Traitor in the Tower (A Trailblazer book involving about John Bunyan), a biography about Walt Disney, a biography about Betsy Ross, The Call of the Wild, and Little House on the Prairie.

2. Work on math skills. There are a number of reasons for this, but the main one is that my son will hopefully be in a different school next year with a tougher math curriculum, and thus he needs some help catching up to others in his grade.

3. Physical Exercise. My boys NEED this, my daughter loves it, and I could certainly do with some as well. To this end, we will be spending time outdoors and participating in some summer half day camps as well as swimming.

4. Household Chores/Projects. Being part of a family means pitching in to be good stewards of what God has given us. Also, we need to teach our children how to do certain jobs for the time when they eventually move out of our homes. Thus, this summer, we'll be doing some regular chores and some special projects around the house.

5. Cooking. My children all want to help in the kitchen. Honestly, this is often difficult during the school year. I want to take the time to teach them how to cook some things this summer. I haven't decided if this will mean one night a week per child or several nights a week with all the kids.

6. Scripture Memory. I will be memorizing trying to memorize the book of Philippians this summer. I would like my kids to memorize part of it. I am still trying to decide which part, but it will probably be the second chapter. In any case, their minds soak up so much information it should be a piece of cake to them, right?

7. Time with extended family/Fun. Summer also provides us with extra time to spend with out of town grandparents and other family members, and we would like to do some of that as well as create some fun family memories.

8. Catechism/Daily Bible reading. Last summer, we worked on a catechism but once school and thus, AWANA started, we fell out of that habit. We will be picking that up again. Also, now that all the kids can read independently to some degree, I want them to be in that habit of daily spending time in the Word.

Given camps, VBS, time away with relatives, etc., it will be hard to have a firm schedule for the summer, so at the moment I am thinking a weekly one will work better.

What are some things that have worked for your family during the summer? I would love to read your ideas on this subject.

Sunday Scripture

Praise the LORD, all nations!

Extol him, all peoples!

For great is his steadfast love toward us,

and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever.

Praise the LORD!

Psalm 117

Teaching a Boy to Fish

A couple of weeks ago, I went to our state's nature center with my oldest son. We were on a field trip to a destination that his teacher had never before taken kids to see. I was delighted that we were doing something other than going to the zoo for the umpteenth time as most of the other classes were doing.

I think his teacher was as surprised as I was when we heard that one of the activities was going to be fishing. Mind you, we were with a bunch of eight and nine year olds. As we were being led in this, our wildlife instructor told the kids to hold their poles and hooks in a certain fashion and then gave examples of people who didn't listen and got hooks barbed in them. All I could think about, at least rationally, was the legal liability, but inside I was secretly feeling pleasure. Almost everything is sanitized these days, and I was glad my Boy would have an opportunity to do something basic, something that has been done for thousands of years.

My son had never been fishing before. This is partly because he hasn't been home that long, and partly because his father would rather sit inside and read a book or blog on the computer. My hubby, who is a wonderful gift from God, killed all the romantic spirit of one of our early dates when he refused to sit out and look at the stars with me on his Papaw's farm. The road was gravel, and he "might get dirt on his jeans."

Anyway, back to the fishing. As a child, my uncles took me fishing, but my father (like my husband) would rather figure out a gadget inside the house than get dirty outside the house. His one exception to this was his pride in having a beautiful yard. And, after all, he could always go buy fish if he wanted some to eat.

For me, memories of fishing are reminders of easier days when, as a child, all I cared about was getting a fish to bite, not how am I going to pay for something or how are we going to reach our children's hearts about a sin habit they have or whether or not the mass they found might be cancerous.

No, fishing was relaxing...sun and sparkling, splashing water, proving that girls could bait their own hooks, and getting a little muddy without caring. It had been a long (as in at least a decade) time since I had done that. I was excited about passing on the bug to my son. After all, his father and grandfathers weren't carrying on the tradition the way my husband's grandfather and my uncles had done for us. Some of you may have heard about catching fish with dynamite--you just didn't know that it started with my husband's grandpa. My uncles, on the other hand, were purists who spent vacations fly fishing in Oklahoma and Arkansas, or in the salty waters of the gulf. Nothing tasted better than our own fish caught and cleaned at the beach, then fried up that night.

The Boy was wildly excited, giddy with happiness, bouncing with sheer joy at the thought of catching a fish.

And then...

The worms. They. Freaked. Him. Out.

Here he was, with his peers, who mostly were handling it, with his teacher, who caught more than anyone, and with me, who showed him how to do it the first time around. The second time, it was his turn. I knew the feeling he would get after successfully baiting his hook. I had had that same feeling before.

I eagerly awaited his expression.

We never got there.

He picked the worm up (f..i..n..a..l..l..y) and screaming, dropped it to the ground. It almost escaped, but mom deftly caught it and once again baited the hook.

The next time, I told the Boy he must do it. After watching him almost lose the whole container of worms (provied for usage by many people), and seeing him fuss for a few seconds, I gave in.

And then I got the greatest pleasure, because he who baits, fishes. Or in this case, she.

And so, even though he enjoyed fishing when he got the rod back from Mama, I think I enjoyed the experience even more.

Oh, yeah...he did manage to catch one himself! Triumph.

And the next time he fishes? Well, it's coming up soon, and Mama won't be around!

Friday Photo

Saturday is Grandma's birthday! We love you Grandma!

Thursday's Thoughtful Lyrics: There You Go

There You Go

Is this the strange feeling
Of you working all to good
'Cause I am so confused
I don't even ask for what I should

When I asked for and deserved a stone
You broke and gave your body as bread
And even the stone that dropped down and rolled away
Spoke of the one who bled

There you go working good from my bad
There you go making robes from my rags
There you go melting crowns from my calves
There you go working good of all I have
Till all I have's not that bad

When I asked for and deserved a serpent
You gave a net full of fish
And even the serpent that told the lie
When lifted high foretold the gift

For you so loved the unlovable
That you gave the ineffable
That who so believes the unbelievable
Will gain the unattainable

This song, put out by Caedmon's Call a number of years ago, remains one of my favorites. I don't own many CDs put out by Caedmon's Call and can't speak to what they do now, but I loved this CD and still enjoy listening to this song.

Unfortunately, half the time that I listen to "Christian" music, I think to myself that while the song may not necessarily be bad, there is nothing overtly Christian about it. Sometimes it seems that to be a musician in the genre of Christian music, you don't have to be familiar with the Scriptures, you just have to sing wholesome songs. That is one reason why I still listen to some older music, such as Rich Mullins or Keith Green or Scott Wesley Brown.

Pathlight is Online

Just a quick post to tell all of you about an exciting new adventure my hubby and I are embarking on today. We are the new owners of Pathlight, an online Christian bookstore.

We both love books, and are excited about this opportunity to be involved in the book business. I purchased a few titles from my own store this week, and was able to get several missionary biographies to read with the kids this summer for a slightly lower cost than Amazon offered. They were from the Trailblazer Books series, by the way, and have been highly recommended to me. I can't wait to get into them soon!

Since I am a SAHM, hubby and I thought this would be an exciting way to generate some extra income. I wouldn't ask anyone to purchase items they didn't already need/want, but if you're considering purchasing a Bible, or a Christian book, CD, or DVD, please check us out and give us a try. Our website is http://www.pathlightstore.com/.

National Tax Freedom Day

From the Tax Foundation...

America's Tax Freedom Day Arrives April 30 in 2007, Two Days Later Than 2006

Tax Freedom Day, which shows just how long we work for the government rather than ourselves, will fall on April 30 in 2007, according to the Tax Foundation's annual calculation using the latest government data on income and taxes. (Click here to read the full study).

"Tax freedom will come two days later in 2007 than it did in 2006," said Tax Foundation President Scott A. Hodge, "and fully 12 days later than in 2003, when tax cuts caused Tax Freedom Day to arrive comparatively early, on April 18."

However, 2007's Tax Freedom Day is still slightly earlier than it was in 2000, when the economic boom, the tech bubble and higher tax rates pushed tax burdens to a record high, and Tax Freedom Day was postponed until May.

For those of us living in Alabama, our tax freedom day actually arrived much earlier than the national average, occurring on April 12th!

Sunday Scripture

The Preeminence of Christ

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.

Colossians 1:15 - 23, ESV

Friday Photo

My hubby went to Korea in 2005. It always amazes us to see the English signs in foreign countries, particularly Asian countries. Now, before anyone gets up in arms about this, let me say that their English tends to be much better than my Chinese, Japanese, Korean, etc. Still, it is funny to see Billboards that say "I Feel Coke!" How, exactly, does one feel coke?

The sign captured in this picture struck me as humorous as well.

Hope everyone has a good Friday!

National Park Week

According to the National Park Service, National Park Week is being observed from April 22 - 29, 2007. America is fortunate to have some incredibly beautiful and awe-inspiring national parks.

The picture above was taken at St. Mary's Lake, Glacier National Park, Montana. I had the privilege of working in Glacier National Park one summer while I was in college. God used the beauty of His creation to begin drawing me to Himself. Formerly a scoffer, I began to realize that something so majestic and intricate in design as the places I was seeing could not be an accident. Although God sent someone my way to share the gospel several months after this, His drawing in this place was the start of my coming to know Him.

Going to the Sun Road, Glacier National Park

So, in honor of National Park Week, enjoy the pictures which are of some of the national parks I have visited, and thank you, God, for the wonders you have made!

Yellowstone National Park

Petrified Forest

Mesa Verde

The Badlands

By the way, these beautiful pictures are available for purchase at photo by QT Luong/terragalleria.com, all rights reserved.

Thursday's Thoughtful Lyrics

Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing

Come, Thou Fount of every blessing,
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
Sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount! I’m fixed upon it,
Mount of Thy redeeming love.

Sorrowing I shall be in spirit,
Till released from flesh and sin,
Yet from what I do inherit,
Here Thy praises I’ll begin;
Here I raise my Ebenezer;
Here by Thy great help I’ve come;
And I hope, by Thy good pleasure,
Safely to arrive at home.

Jesus sought me when a stranger,
Wandering from the fold of God;
He, to rescue me from danger,
Interposed His precious blood;
How His kindness yet pursues me
Mortal tongue can never tell,
Clothed in flesh, till death shall loose me
I cannot proclaim it well.

O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I’m constrained to be!
Let Thy goodness, like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to Thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here’s my heart, O take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above.

O that day when freed from sinning,
I shall see Thy lovely face;
Clothed then in blood washed linen
How I’ll sing Thy sovereign grace;
Come, my Lord, no longer tarry,
Take my ransomed soul away;
Send thine angels now to carry
Me to realms of endless day.

This is another of my favorite hymns. My heart is prone to wander, and I am so thankful that God has sealed my heart, that His goodness like a fetter does bind my heart to Him.

News That's Weird But True

DNA from unfinished Cinnamon bun nabs thief .

Love my cat, love me!

Another story of being so stupid, it's criminal.

President Gets His Groove Back

President Bush has some fun after promoting Malaria Awareness Day on Wednesday.

NPM: John Donne

Another personal favorite when it comes to poetry is John Donne. Here are a couple of his works that I greatly enjoy:

Death, be not proud (Holy Sonnet 10)

Death, be not proud, though some have called thee
Mighty and dreadful, for thou are not so;
For those whom thou think'st thou dost overthrow
Die not, poor Death, nor yet canst thou kill me.
From rest and sleep, which but thy pictures be,
Much pleasure; then from thee much more must flow,
And soonest our best men with thee do go,
Rest of their bones, and soul's delivery.
Thou'art slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men,
And dost with poison, war, and sickness dwell,
And poppy'or charms can make us sleep as well
And better than thy stroke; why swell'st thou then?
One short sleep past, we wake eternally,
And death shall be no more; Death, thou shalt die.


Batter my heart, three-person'd God

Batter my heart, three-person'd God ; for you
As yet but knock ; breathe, shine, and seek to mend ;
That I may rise, and stand, o'erthrow me, and bend
Your force, to break, blow, burn, and make me new.
I, like an usurp'd town, to another due,
Labour to admit you, but O, to no end.
Reason, your viceroy in me, me should defend,
But is captived, and proves weak or untrue.
Yet dearly I love you, and would be loved fain,
But am betroth'd unto your enemy ;
Divorce me, untie, or break that knot again,
Take me to you, imprison me, for I,
Except you enthrall me, never shall be free,
Nor ever chaste, except you ravish me.

What poems speak to you? Please share your thoughts.

NPM: Emily Dickinson

Emily Dickinson is one of my favorite poets. I did a major paper on her work during college. Here are a few selections in honor of National Poetry Month.

IF tolling bell I ask the cause

IF tolling bell I ask the cause.
“A soul has gone to God,”
I ’m answered in a lonesome tone;
Is heaven then so sad?

That bells should joyful ring to tell
A soul had gone to heaven,
Would seem to me the proper way
A good news should be given.


GIVEN in marriage unto thee

GIVEN in marriage unto thee,
Oh, thou celestial host!
Bride of the Father and the Son,
Bride of the Holy Ghost!

Other betrothal shall dissolve,
Wedlock of will decay;
Only the keeper of this seal
Conquers mortality.


and perhaps the one I enjoy the most...


SUCCESS is counted sweetest

SUCCESS is counted sweetest
By those who ne’er succeed.
To comprehend a nectar
Requires sorest need.

Not one of all the purple host
Who took the flag to-day
Can tell the definition,
So clear, of victory,

As he, defeated, dying,
On whose forbidden ear
The distant strains of triumph
Break, agonized and clear.

National Poetry Month

April is National Poetry Month. In honor of it, I am posting a poem about where I live now.

Daybreak in Alabama

When I get to be a composer
I'm gonna write me some music about
Daybreak in Alabama
And I'm gonna put the purtiest songs in it
Rising out of the ground like a swamp mist
And falling out of heaven like soft dew.
I'm gonna put some tall tall trees in it
And the scent of pine needles
And the smell of red clay after rain
And long red necks
And poppy colored faces
And big brown arms
And the field daisy eyes
Of black and white black white black people
And I'm gonna put white hands
And black hands and brown and yellow hands
And red clay earth hands in it
Touching everybody with kind fingers
And touching each other natural as dew
In that dawn of music when I
Get to be a composer
And write about daybreak
In Alabama.

by Langston Hughes

I love poetry. The sound of the words read aloud, the rhythms and rhymes, the nuances of each carefully selected word communicating a picture made from letters rather than sight. I think in our day of digital photo and Internet, this is becoming a lost art.

Tuesday Trivia

Your Vocabulary Score: A-

Congratulations on your multifarious vocabulary! You must be quite an erudite person.

How's Your Vocabulary?

Take this quiz and see how erudite you are!

Georgia Finally Integrates

I grew up in a middle class suburb of Atlanta. I read Gone With the Wind for the first time in 5th grade, and wept at Scarlett's bad choices. I enjoy Southern food, Southern hospitality, sweet tea and kids running barefoot outside. When I hear Ray Charles' recording of Georgia on My Mind and think of the moonlight on the pines, it brings back fond memories.

My grandmother and grandfather were baptized together as teenagers in a "warsh" hole made by damming up a small creek. They were double cousins (no, that's not blood related--her aunt married his uncle). Grandma dropped out of school after 8th grade to go to work so her sister could continue in school. They were dirt poor, but she is one of the most industrious women I know. Having worked hard to create a better life for her children, she never lost sight of her values and belief in God and His ability to change people.

I remember when Jimmy Carter won the presidency. I was a child and didn't know about the politics...but I was proud he was from Georgia. In sixth grade, several students got to eat lunch with the Governor when he toured our school. I was one of them. We had fried chicken that day, and to be polite, we all tried to eat fried chicken with plastic forks. It didn't work out that well, and I think the Governor himself was relieved when we went to the finger-lickin'-good way of doing things.

Georgia football is pretty much the best football there is. There is nothing like watching the Silver Britches hunker down 'tween the Hedges. I marched in the band at UGA. Long before I got there, someone made a stink about the band playing Dixie, so they switched to playing Tara's Theme, from Gone With the Wind. Sweet Georgia Brown was another staple for the after game show.

Atlanta has become a city of opportunity and growth. While I do not support the lottery, Georgia has made good choices with their profits--enabling students to attend college through the HOPE scholarship. When education, income, housing and other ways of measuring one's standard of living are calculated, Georgia fares much better than many of her counterparts in the Southeast United States.

Yet for all my love of Georgia, I am amazed and embarrassed that Ashburn, GA found ways to avoid integration until the year 2007. Read the details here. It is unbelievable to me that in this day and age, a county can have separate proms and homecoming kings and queens based on race. Here is an example of a place where "separate but equal" is still being practiced. It seems to me this is a lot worse than the Imus incident of a few weeks ago that everyone was up in arms about.

My husband and I have been fortunate enough to travel to many parts of the world, meeting many people along the way. The hopes, dreams, feelings and needs of people are basically the same--God, food, water, shelter, clothing, family, friendship.

A Kazakh child crying in an orphanage feels the same emotional loss as an Eastern European child abandoned by her mother. A black child with a scraped knee feels the same pain as a white child. A man without a job, unable to support his family, has the same feelings of shame and loss of respect for himself. A woman watching her daughter or son marry feels the same love. A couple, watching their newborn enter the world, feels a similar pride and joy.

I know there are enormous humanly insurmountable problems throughout the world. I probably should be happy that this town is stepping in the right direction. But, frankly, it is without comprehension that despite how far American society has come, we still have areas where it is okay, yea even normal, to practice racial discrimination.

I long for the day, and at this point am convinced it will only be in heaven as we fall at the feet of Jesus, when people will love and care for one another without regard to race. There, we will be too busy worshipping God to care about skin color.

Watching Dreams

Many months ago, I posted about how children often take everything literally. One example I mentioned was when my daughter, at about age 2 1/2 or so, asked why we stand on the word of God when we aren't supposed to stand on books. This question came about from singing the B-I-B-L-E.

Yesterday, she once again reminded me that she understands things very differently than I do. I woke up after having a disturbing dream. Hubby and I were talking about it, because I often wake up and find my mood is based on the kind of dream I had. It is weird, but my theory is that I am waking up before my body is ready and my dreams are interrupted.

My daughter said she didn't dream. I said, "Honey, everybody dreams, you just don't remember yours." She said, "Mama, I don't have time to watch any dreams. I'm too tired." Apparently, she thinks of dreams as little movies we can watch while we're asleep--if we're not too tired!