Schulz Family Snippets

Another New Year Around the Corner

I hope that everyone had a lovely and Spirit filled Christmas. 

Our family enjoyed the holiday season and we were blessed to spend it with family and friends.  We enjoy old family traditions and making new ones.  The kids loved helping me bake and were overjoyed when opening their presents.  Our Lord says that it is better to give than to receive and for me it was true.  I felt so blessed when I saw their eyes light up in surprise as they opened their gifts.  Jael was so excited that her joy overflowed into shouts and screams as each kids opened a present.  She wasn't just excited about what she received.  She rejoiced for each of her siblings.  It was amazing to watch her 5 year old heart expand with love and joy. 

I am so thankful that we will begin our New Year with our own home.  This truly is a gift and I'm so thankful.  We moved our move in date up by two days.  So, I only have  a week and half to pack everything.  The part that is stressing me is getting a handle on the clothes.  It is amazing how many clothes a family of nine can accumulate.  However, I'm thankful that we are so richly blessed that we don't have a clothes shortage. 

I am so thankful for the joy and entertainment my children bring into my life.  They are proof that God has a sense of humor and likes a good laugh.  I can't imagine Him not laughing at some of the things they say and do and imagine.   I'm feeling very blessed and loved by my Heavenly Father and it's evidenced in my children and loving husband.  I can only lift my hands and heart and praise my Abba Father. 

God bless you and have a wonderful New Year.

Unto Christ

"And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ."  Col 3:23-24

The Lord placed this verse before me today during my devotional time and I was so thankful for the reminder.  As I face mounds of laundry, cleaning, a broken dishwasher, packing and homeschool and everything else that being wife and mother entails, I find myself at times feeling a bit overwhelmed.  I have to even admit that I can be downright cranky and obstinate about getting stuff done when I can't see an end in sight.  But, this verse was a gentle and encouraging reminder for me as walk, crawl, sprint and stumble through my day.  Keeping my eyes on Christ does lift some of the burden off of my shoulders and puts a new song into my heart.  I'm also reminded that I'm teaching my children at every turn, even if it isn't intentional.  I'm serving Christ and through that, I'm able to serve others without complaining and grumbling (much) and we all have a more peaceful and joyful day.  It will all get done and if it doesn't well, I'll just throw it into a box and deal with it at the new house.  I want this season of change and rebirth during the holidays to be one of joy and thankfulness within our current circumstances.  I desire for our lives to be a reflection of Christ. 

We all enjoyed our day today and I'm looking forward to another joyful day tomorrow and I will reflect on this verse and as many others as I may need in order to be a conduit for joy and peace and a job well done because we are doing it for our Lord and that in and of itself is enough of a reason to rejoice.

Take heart dear ones.  Jesus is watching and knows what plagues and burdens your hearts.  Keep your eyes on Him and trust that He will transform your heart, if not your circumstances.   God notices what you are doing, even if your husband and children miss what is going on behind the scenes.  They'll be thankful when there is clean underwear in their drawer in the morning, they just don't know it yet.

WE'RE SO EXCITED!!!!!!

Praise God and Yea!!!!  We bought a house and are so thankful and excited!!!!  We lost our house several years ago due to a crook stealing all of our money out of a trust fund.  (He is serving 5 years in jail for what he did to us and others as well)  The world's system has repeatedly held us down and told us that owning a new home was not possible at this time or any time in the near future.  Well, God had other plans and has answered our prayers.  We have begun packing and will be moving right after the New Year.  The kids have been so helpful and somehow find the energy to keep up with me.  Or maybe I'm miraculously finding the energy to keep up with them.  We make progress every day and I'm trying to make it so that we can relax over the holidays.

It has been really cold here and the kids have been amazed by how quickly things freeze.  Earlier, Keren and Lydia poured cleaning solution into the trash can and set it on the deck.  Within 15 min. or so, it was frozen and they were shocked.  I had tried to warn them, but they had to see it for themselves.  Keren just went in to change out the laundry she had started.  She had forgotten to start the dryer and all the towels were frozen.  She looked at me with shock and said, "What do I do?"  I told her to start the dryer and then chuckled. 

We have been very thankful for our warm abode during this cold snap and our packing, cleaning, school, and playing has kept us from getting cabin fever.  (So far that is)

My youngest girl, Gengie, put her coat on the other day and said, "I'm not taking it off until we move to our new house."  I tried to explain to her that it would be many days, but she was determined.  She wore it until bedtime, even through her meals.  This stand only lasted the one day.  It will be interesting to see if she comes up with any more ideas.

Gabe lost his first tooth last night.  His new tooth had begun to grow up behind the baby tooth, so I told him it was time to pull it.  I tried a string, per his request, but the tooth was just too small to tie off.  So, I grabbed it and started pulling.  Of course the tears fell and he squealed and yelled at the IMENSE pain he was in.  Hubby and I rolled our eyes at the dramatics.  Pop, out came the tooth and at that same time, Gabe said, "Momma, I want you to use the string to pull it, not your hand."  So I sat him up and we discussed the approach he wanted, while he cried and kept telling me about how much it was going to hurt it I pulled it out with my hand.  With a grin and chuckle, I told him that he had a great idea, but that it wasn't going to work.  "Why?"  I opened my hand and showed him the tooth.  The tears promptly stopped and a grin spread across his face while he poked his tongue into the hole.  Off he ran to look in the mirror.  After 10 minutes or so of gazing at his new mouth, he walked passed me, smiled and simply said, "Thanks, Momma," and kept walking.  My heart smiled.  He was especially excited to join his sisters in the race to see who loses their teeth the fastest.  He was about 6 months behind them and feared that it would never happen for him.  Growing up can be so stressful. 

Have a blessed day!!!

WATER WOES

Here we go AGAIN!!!!!  We are in a rental and have had so many water problems in the last year.  Only a month or two ago we were having to have our carpet treated and mold killed and drywall repaired due to a leak.   We couldn't find the source of the leak and I've been hyperviligent about watching for another leak.  Well, this evening I could hear a drip.  And sure enough there a huge water leak in a closet that we don't use.   It has a huge black tank in it and it is overflowing.  It smells bad too, so I can only imagine what is in the water.  Of course, this is the same area that the last leak was in too.  The carpet is wet and if I hadn't been sitting at the computer while it was quiet, I probably wouldn't have heard the dripping for some time and the mess would have been even bigger. 

I just talked to someone on the phone and it is the septic tank in the house that is backed up.  Yuck.  I waded through the icky water to follow his instructions for bypassing and restarting the pump.  Thankfully that worked and we can now wait until tomorrow to have someone come out and service the machine.  We are going to try and not use certain bathrooms and laundry is out of the question for right now.   Water I can handle.  Icky water I have a problem with.  I told the man on the phone that I don't know how he does this kind of stuff every day.  I'm thankful that there are people like him who are there to do that kind of thing and know how to fix our problems.  VERY, VERY thankful!!!!

We are in the final days of negotiating the purchase of a house.  I'm really looking forward to this part of the transaction being over.   We believe that God led us to this house and this opportunity but it has been a long process and at times a bit odd and shaky.  We have been praying for a home for some time now and I'm excited about this new journey in our lives.  I'm trying to not lose hope when the owner waivers and changes things.  I'm trying to rest peacefully in the Lord's hands, despite what the humans are doing.  However, there are days when this has been really hard.  I've been losing sleep and worrying and trying to pack even when the future of the deal has seemed uncertain.  Things have continued to sort themselves out and I'm trying really hard to be positive.  I know it is just a house and we can lose it.  We've already been through that before.  It's the human factor that I'm struggling with.  The double minded tendencies and the wheeling and dealing.  My husband says that I have nothing to worry about and that negotiations can be this way.  I have discovered that I'm not one for the roller coaster ride of making and striking deals.  Just show me where to sign and when to show up.  The kids and I have enjoyed making plans for the new home.   The plan is to move on the 10 of Jan.   They have plans for painting their rooms and being able to unpack all of their stuff.  This is a good thing for our family.  See, me being positive. 

I want to thank all of you that responded to my last blog.  I really appreciated the risk some of you took by being so open with me about your feelings and some of your experiences.  I also understand that this is a public forum and it isn't necessarily wise to treat it as a Dear Diary scenario.  However, I do believe that there is a healthy medium where everyone can feel comfortable and not feel attacked for being more open about the life they lead and the struggles they have.   Oh, what an amazing opportunity we have to offer grace, mercy, love and encouragement.  Thanks again to those of you who took the time to respond. 

God bless all of you.  May your evening be dry.

How Many of You Are Real??

I've been posting here for several months and have been blessed in so many ways.  I have encountered many other blogs with inspiring and uplifting messages and have had many loving responses to my blog.  However, as time goes on, I've really started to wonder if many of the women are real.  We can all present a certain persona of being strong, wise, selfless, the mother of perfect children, spiritual giants and married to the perfect man.   But, are there any woman out there that struggle and stumble and sin and don't gush over their children all the time and don't even like their husband all the time?  Or like him some of the time?  I know we are called to seek after the Lord and to set ourselves apart, but how many woman are we pushing away by not letting our not so perfect selves shine through?  I've had several people comment on the pristine image that quite a few homesteaders portray and that they don't walk away feeling encouraged but discouraged.  How can they live up to what they are reading about?   Do we dab at our tears with a monogrammed hankie that has creases from our ironing them?  Or do we cry with mascara running down our faces and leave traces of our runny noses upon those who have been near enough to hold us?  Or, what about the women that cry themselves to sleep at night because they are alone and feeling lost?  Are there any moms out there that lose their temper with their kids and have to repent?  Are there any moms that stay in their jammies all day?  What about you moms that have hubby bring home some fast food for dinner because you are just too tired to even think about cooking?  Or, you just want to be selfish and not be responsible for the evening meal?  Or what about you moms that are scared about where your next meal is coming from because your husband has lost his job and you just want to scream at people who tell you that now is the time to learn how to be frugal?  Frugal only works when you actually have money to be frugal with.  Right?   What about you women that can't stand their mother in law and have struggled for years with being friends with her even though you  know it is "the right thing to do"?  What about those women that don't have the perfect house or the perfect life?  What about the women crying out to God and are feeling like He just isn't listening?  I know you are out there.  I personally would like to see more of you.  I wouldn't feel so all alone then.  I can only speak for myself, but I'm one of those Christian women that stumbles and has to ask for forgiveness.  I'm striving to grow and become stronger in my walk with God and my children and husband.  But there are days when my husband and I do fight, my kids drive me crazy, my friends frustrate and hurt me, my parents and in laws drive me nuts, my pajamas stay on and dinner is not going to be simmering on the stove when Dear Husband comes home.   I'm free and forgiven.  I am not perfect and pray that there are other women out there that will take comfort in knowing that I'm floating around in cyberspace and that they are not alone.  

I want my blog to be an encouragement to others and for those weary and beaten travellers along life's road to not feel like they don't belong because they aren't completely refined yet.   I'm hopeful, I'm growing, I'm free in the Lord and I'm not perfect.  Please feel free to come and sit with me for awhile, I'd love to share your journey with you, whether it truly is smooth or rocky and an uphill battle.   We are all sisters in Christ and I know that there are women out there that will find hope in knowing that they are not alone.  

You Say It's Your Birthday?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KEREN!!!!

I can hardly believe that my oldest is 11 today.  Time truly does fly when you are having fun.  I'm so thankful to God for my daughter.  She truly is a blessing and a light in our lives.  I hope you have a wonderful day, baby girl.

Pack, pack, pack

We are at the beginning of our journey into our new home.  I am so excited.  I have many boxes to pack and reseal, but this isn't dampening my joy.  I am really looking forward to turning a house into a home for my family.  We are truly thankful for the house that we have been renting for the last year.  The Lord brought us to a beautiful spot for rest and rejuvenation.  I have really loved being near a lake and the views are inspirational.  I believe that we were brought here for a time of healing.   I am also really thankful for our new house and the opportunity to have a home again.  My children have continued to grow and blossom wherever the Lord has planted us and I'm so thankful for their joy and health and resilience.  I'm just so thankful that the Lord has finally seen fit to plant us in a more permanent earthly home.  This is an amazing opportunity for us and I want to shout my thanks to the heavens above.  My heart if overflowing right now with joy and gratitude and excitement.  Not just because of the house, but because I know and trust with every fiber of my being that God is love and is awesome and that HE is with me and my children always.  Even when I have been of crushed spirit, HE has never left me.  Even when I felt the sting of rejection from family and friends, HE has never left me.  Even when others have found me unworthy of their love, HE has always loved me.  HE says that the righteous shall never beg for bread, and for our family, this has remained true.  Even when we were looking homelessness head on, HE showed us HIS way and HE provided us with a home to rest in.  These last years have been filled with great uncertainty and hardship, but my Abba Father has been there and I am overflowing because of HIS continual presence in my life.  

Yes, dear friends, HE may tell us no.  HE may allow for us to face hardships and pain.  HE will never forsake us.  HE will gather our tears and transform us through the pain.  We may never have all the answers we seek, but we can trust HIM, even when we are walking through the Valley of the Shadow of Death.   Rejoice, and again I say rejoice.

The kids are scurrying around upstairs after lunch.  They have been well behaved today and a joy to be around.  It is quite cold outside and so we are staying in and staying warm.  We are going to pack some boxes this afternoon and do some more school stuff.  They are working on their penmanship and reading skills.  Keren is learning about purifying the spoils of war and obeying God and not stealing.  She is telling me about it right now.  She is giving me EVERY detail.  At least I know that she is understanding what she is reading.  And while I listen to her, the other children are running up to me so I can hear the Pop Rocks popping in their mouths.  Very funny.

Have a blessed day. 

Suffering

Today has been a day of mixed and mottled emotions.  I have found myself swinging from joy to trepidation about the future.  I've struggled with resting in God's having control of the future, even the good stuff.  I have gotten so used to expecting the other shoe to fall, and so often it has lately, that I'm now struggling with holding on to my joy when things are going in a more positive direction.   I know that God is wanting me to rejoice and to not worry.   I found comfort in the following quotes as I pondered the development of my own character.  I hope that they encourage and inspire you.

"PERFECT THROUGH SUFFERING"  Heb. 2:10

Steel is iron plus fire.  Soil is rock, plus heat or glacier crushing.  Linen is flax plus the bath that cleans, the comb that separates, and the flail that pounds and the shuttle that weaves.  Human character must have a plus attached to it.  The world does not forget great characters.  But great characters are not made of luxuries, they are made by suffering.

I heard of a mother who brought into her home as a companion to her own son, a crippled boy who was also a hunchback.  She had warned her boy to be very careful in his relations to him, and not to touch the sensitive part of his life but go on playing with him as if sh were an ordinary boy.  She listened to her son as they were playing; and after a few minutes he said to his companion:  "Do you know what you have got on your back?"  The little hunchback was embarrassed and he hesitated a moment.  The boy said: It is the box in which your wings are and someday God is going to cut it open and then you will fly away and be an angel."

Someday, God is going to reveal the fact to every Christian, that the very principles they now rebel against have been the instruments which He used in perfecting their characters and molding them into perfection, polished stones for His great building yonder.     Cortland Myers

"Suffering is a wonderful fertilizer to the roots of character.  The great object of this life is character.  This is the only thing we can carry with us into eternity... To gain the most of it and the best of it is the object of probation."  Austen Phelps

probation:  n. the testing or trial of a person's conduct, character, qualifications or the like. 

I hope that these words and an encouragement to you.  They sure were to me.  I'm encouraged and thankful to be reminded that our suffering is being used by God to make us perfect.  I'm also encouraged to remember that suffering isn't caused by God, but used by God.  The enemy is truly powerless in the presence of our all powerful and living God.  Have a blessed evening.

A thankful heart is a happy heart

I pray that all of you had a yummy Thanksgiving as well as a day that was full of remembrances of things and people to be thankful for.  As I reflect upon this last year and begin to prepare for the new year, I am humbled by the many things I have to be thankful for.   I could bore you with my list, but instead I want to encourage you to think about your own list.  God wants us to see Him present in our lives everyday.  We tend to rush through life, not bothering to look around to see Him very often.  We also tend to get bogged down in our own personal struggles and convince ourselves that He isn't there for us.  He is there, ever present and ever loving.  He may not manifest Himself in our lives the way we want him to, but He is there none the less.  He may show up in the sunset, in our child's laughter, in the smile of a stranger, in an unexpected phone call, in a simple thank you, in a warm embrace, in a dream come true and in an eternity spent with Him. 

My husband, children and I have experienced so much loss in the last 5-7 years.  Whether it is the loss of loved ones, children, a home, our financial stability, a familiar community, or a friend, the pain is heart's core deep and sticks with you the rest of your life.  However, I won't hide my joy and excitement over the things that the Lord has chosen to turn around in our lives.  I am so thankful every time I look into the face of one of my 7 children, to know that God loves them and has plans for them.  I'm thankful that God  is finally beginning to walk us down the road of financial recovery.  It has been a long and scary road for us, but God will be victorious in the end.   I am so thankful for our being able to purchase a home while the world tries to convince us that it's impossible.  I'm thankful for the love of family and friends and the people the are committed to being in our lives despite distance and life's circumstances.  I am thankful that God is stronger that he that is in the world.   I'm thankful that in submission to God, I have found true freedom.

We are safely home from our journey and I have much to reflect upon.  The snow is falling, most of the children are napping and we are warm and together.  I"m thankful that my husband has a job and is beginning to be truly hopeful about our future.   Seeing my old friends warmed my heart.  I miss them so much, but am thankful that our relationships are weathering the test of distance.  I enjoyed seeing family and pray that the broken relationships begin to mend and thrive.  After a slippery and scary start, our journey home was filled with sunshine and happy kids.  However, Satan was willing to try and steal our joy and hubby and I ended up having a stupid argument part of the way home.   Our lives are far from perfect.  We are far from perfect, but we are forgiven.  Jesus' gift has given us so much freedom in Him and I'm thankful for my learning to be free.  As I've gotten older, I begun to realize that so much time is wasted in our struggle to be perfect and have perfect lives.  Our focus needs to be on what God is wanting our lives to look like and who He is wanting us to become.  We need to let go of the wheel and let Jesus drive.  Then we can enjoy the ride and He gets the glory.  That is freedom to me. 

I want to thank those of you who have been praying for us.  I also want to thank those whom have always believed in us, in God in us and who have loved us without ceasing.  Our lives are truly richer because of you.  God bless all of you.

I'm off to start packing---I think.  I could possibly get sidetracked with a cup of coffee, a book and a blanket.  Hmmm.  That sounds pretty good. 

Stormy Weather

We had planned on being home tonight, but the Lord had other plans:  icy roads.  We started our journey at about 5:40 this morning.  Once on the highway, it started to snow and we quickly found ourselves traveling on black ice.  We were traveling slowly but found that we were going too slow to get enough traction on some of the hills.  We began passing cars that had lost control and flipped onto  their tops.  These accidents,a total of four just within a mile or two range, had just happened and people were scrambling to see if anyone was hurt.  The police hadn't even arrived yet and people were spooked enough to pull over and try and wait things out.    Thankfully, only a few people suffered minor injuries.  We decided to try and push forward at a slow and steady pace but quickly found ourselves fishtailing.  The kids began to cry and mom and dad were very stressed, so we decided to turn around and head back to our safe haven in Fort Collins.  We couldn't pull over with seven kids in the car and didn't want to get stuck in a motel if they closed the highway.  Most importantly, we didn't want to get into an accident and risk anyone getting hurt.  We had a long journey ahead of us and at the speed we were going, not knowing how far the bad weather stretched, we were looking at a 24 hour trip.   When we pulled into the driveway of our brother and sister in laws' house, we had traveled only 40 miles round trip and had been gone for almost 2 hours.  They had sunshine over their house.  You would never believe that we had encountered such awful driving conditions.  We decided to try waiting an hour to see what the weather reports said about road conditions and were not surprised to find out that they had closed the highway.  Even though the highway opened up again a few hours later, we decided to have a "bonus day" and stay put.  We will try our journey again tomorrow.  The weather looks quite a bit more promising.  

We have had a great time while visiting family and friends.  Everyone was more than willing to interrupt their holiday schedules to spend time with us and we are so thankful for that.  We made many  memories visiting old stomping grounds, discovering new points of interest, breaking bread with loved ones and just hanging out with so many of the people we care about.  We are so thankful for this opportunity to be with family and friends.  We look forward to coming again next year and are hoping that many of you will come and visit us.  It is so refreshing to be around those that pour love into your life.  We were overflowing with love this journey. 

We do look forward to getting home.  We are beginning a new journey there as we prepare to move into our own homestead in Jan.  We are beginning our second year in Montana and the Lord has encouraged us with a very positive start.  These last years have been filled with much heartache and loss but God has continued to bless us with joyful occassions as well, like the birth of Gideon (only one example).  We are truly thankful to God for the blessings He continues to grace our lives with and the love He surrounds us with as well.  We are thankful for the family waiting for us in Montana.  Knowing we are not alone there is very comforting as well.  God is good, even when life is hard.

God bless all of you.  We love you and are so very thankful for you. 

Happy Birthday Jael

Today is Jael's 5th birthday and she is just overflowing with joy and excitement.  This morning she got to pick out what we had for breakfast:  eggs, bacon and english muffins.  She alone also got the special treat of having coffee.  She then opened presents and is now waiting to decorate her birthday cake.  They all have their own cake to decorate.  Aunt Kristin baked them all this morning.   This evening we are going to Chuck E. Cheese's to celebrate all the kids' birthdays with family and friends since we weren't able to do it during the year.  You can only imagine the anticipation.

We have a praise report.  On our drive here on Thurs., while we were stopped in Sheridan Wyoming, we finalized the purchase of our new home in Montana.  We are so excited.  I can hardly believe how quickly the Lord worked.  It happened so quickly that I am only now beginning to feel an emotion other than shock.  We will have a month to pack and then will move into our new home.  Thankfully, most of the packing is already done because I didn't unpack much during this last year.  We will have to retape many of the boxes (we occassionally had to rumage through them to find something) but I'm not feeling overwhelmed (yet) about the other stuff.  Grandma Wendy said that she would come and stay with us to help us pack and that offers me much comfort.   We will be within the town limits, but can have chickens because they are considered pets.  We are hoping that ducks will also be an option.  I will be able to plant a garden and unpack all of our things.  I'm so thankful to God for this opportunity and the chance to start over and have a home.  We will begin packing once we return from our vacation. 

Hubby had a job interview before we left and we are still waiting to hear back from them.  He is really hoping that he will get this job.  I'm hopeful too.  We'll have to wait and see what the Lord has planned.  We are excited at the prospects. 

I pray that you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving.  I pray that all of you are feeling loved and aren't alone for the holidays.  God bless and take care.

And We're Off

The time has finally arrived for us to take our family vacation.  It has been a year since we moved to Montana  and we are really looking forward to seeing family and friends.  We have many wonderful activities planned and the week will soar by.  We are so excited.  The car is loaded and we are waiting for Daddy.

Why are we waiting for Daddy?  Well, he is at a job interview.  God's perfect timing once again.  However, he has not finished packing, so we won't be able to pile in the car and leave as soon as he gets home.  Isn't it usually the mom that the family has to wait on? 

My last entry indicated our feeling ready to start looking for a home.  Well, we quickly found a home that we are very interested in.  We are in the final stages of negotiations and hopefully we will have a green light today or tomorrow.    We have offered this home up to God and have been able to be really patient.  I have an amazing amount of peace and we are trusting in God to work it all out if this is the home He has for us. 

I'm amazed at all the activity going on in our lives currently with the vacation, the job interview, the house hunting, the holidays and 5 of my kids having birthdays between now and the end of January.  WHEW.  God is blessing me with an amazing amount of peace.  His peace the surpasses all understanding.  I'm so thankful for this peace.  It isn't a peace that I can manufacture or sustain.  My brain tells me that I should be freaking out, but my heart and Spirit are calm.   I thank my Heavenly Father for His gentle care during this time of great activity. 

I'll be back in touch when we get back.  Everyone have a blessed Thanksgiving.  Take care.

Beginning Again

We are slowly beginning the process of looking for a new home.  I am really excited at the prospect of being able to have a "home" again.  A place where we can fully unpack and decorate and garden too.  We have been living our of boxes for  a year now and I'm finding myself longing to be able to nest.   I think this is a good sign because for so long I didn't care where we lived or if we were living out of boxes.  But, I'm missing the comfort of familiar surrounding and memories.  All of our family pictures are packed away and I'm looking forward to one day, hopefully soon, being able to pull them out.  The kids have discovered their toy and room boxes and have begun slowly pulling their stuff inside.  I don't blame them.  Yes, it gives me more to pack when we eventually find a home, but it brings them comfort and I completely understand.  When my in laws visited last summer, my sister in law noted that there wasn't "me" in the house because everything is packed away.  So true.  Hubby has had a hard time coming to the place of wanting to stay here, even though we agree that God brought us here, so we haven't settled in to our new city.  However, he is warming up to being here and this opens up the door for us to start looking for a home.  I'm feeling ready emotionally and physically.  I want to make curtains and paint walls and decorate and plant  a garden.  The home we are renting has been wonderful and we have enjoyed its location immensely, but I believe the Lord is prompting us to begin our journey again to find our earthly homestead.   I never knew I would care so much about having an earthly home, but I do.  

 I know that a large part of my spiritual journey these past years was to learn to surrender all things to God.  This was a doozy for me in many areas.  I had to grieve the loss of 5 of my precious babies, the death of loved ones, the ending of familial and friendly relations, the loss of my home and even leaving the state I was born in.  There were many other things I had to lay upon the alter as well.  Ironically, as only God can do it, I was learning to be the mom of a large family.  He has blessed me so richly with and through my 7 living children.  I learned peace and contentment through this process.  I'm human  and stumble with fleshly desires, but God continued to be gracious and has also helped me to embrace certain things about myself and the unique person that He created me to be.  I've become much more comfortable in my own skin.  I've come to a place of identifying myself in Christ alone.  When I get side tracked, I've become much more in tune to God's pulling me back on course.  I feel peace and am ready for the next journey in our lives.   This last year has been so hard in so many ways, but God is ever faithful and He blessed my isolation with His intimacy.  I'm so thankful for His gentle and unending love.  I'm so grateful for His grace and mercy and the hope that He kindles within me.  Thank you, Abba Father, for everything.

A New Season for Our Country

A new season for our country has begun.  May we enter into this time with much prayer and thoughtful consideration for the country our children will inherit.

We had a great time trick or treating.  The kids brought home 4 huge bowls of treats and the older ones enjoyed traipsing from house to house.  We picked a neighborhood that didn't seem to have much foot traffic, but many homes for them to stop at.  It was an enjoyable experience.

We are beginning the final countdown until we return to our old home state to visit family and friends.  I can hardly believe that it has been a year since we were last there.   Our week is jam packed with plans and we are really looking forward to seeing everyone.   We left with 6 children (#7 on the way) and are returning with 7.  Gideon will be meeting his Grandma for the first time.  We are really looking forward to this reunion.  I'm sure it will be filled with love and tears and many wonderful memories.  I can only imagine the photos we will get to sift through and lovingly add to our albums. 

Our weather seems to have shifted from Indian Summer into full blown fall with touches of winter.   The kids are still willing to brave the elements, but they spend much more time preparing for their excursions.  It's hard to believe that at any point now it will be bone chilling cold outside.  I have to admit that I don't mind the cold and the snow, especially when we are tucked away inside the warmth of our home.  When we venture out into the cold, I don't mind it too much either.  I am always thankful when the roads are safe, but I don't mind bundling up and breathing the clean air.  However, the negative numbers will keep me inside.  I'm not crazy.   I have enjoyed being in a cooler climate.  I know that there aren't many of us out there, but we do exist. 

The kids surprised me with breakfast this morning.  I usually hear them when they are up to something, but today I was pleasantly surprised.   Yummy eggs and homemade bread (that Mommy had made earlier in the week).   And I didn't have to clean up the mess.  Tonight we are going to make pizza.  The kids are really excited.

Gideon is beginning to turn into a toddler.  He walked while pushing a toy cart.  My emotions were very mixed.  I'm so thankful that he is strong and healthy, but my baby boy is growing so quickly.  He seems determined to catch up with his siblings.  I thought the youngest was supposed to enjoy being the baby.  Not in my family.  They are born ready to go. 

"...No one having put his hand to the plow and looking back is fit for the kingdom of God."  Luke 9:62  

We must be willing to let go of the ties that bind us to the past.  We must be willing to keep our eyes on Jesus.   When we repent, we are forgiven for the past.  When we follow after Jesus, we cannot maintain a grasp on the things that pull us into our past lives.  We need to be willing to throw off the chains of loss and regret and pain and let our souls take flight, powered by the Holy Spirit.  So often we set conditions for if and when we will follow after Jesus.  This hinders our relationship with Him.  God tells us that He is the Great I AM.  Not I WAS.  We need to look forward and embrace the life that God has set before us.  Trust God to tie up the loose ends and to resolve everything that lies behind us.  He will let us know what needs to be done, but we can only hear Him if we are seeking Him.   Trust in Him, Beloved.  Follow Him, Beloved.  He will lead you.  He will always love you.

Be Off With You, Mouse

I don't mind this kind of mouse. 

This last week has been full of activity.  We were able to scare our mouse away.  We started a routine of banging on the wall and yelling every time we heard the mouse chomping away in the wall.  After 3 or 4 days it must have decided that we were way too noisy and packed its bags and left--never to return. 

We made carmel covered apples and the kids went bonkers over them.  It was fun and easy and I enjoyed their excitement. 

We also went to visit friends that we hadn't seen in quite a few months.  We enjoyed our time of fellowship with them and are hoping to see them again really soon.  During the visit, Hubby went on his first hunting trip.   He went as an observor because he is trying to decide if it is something he is interested in.  Unfortunately, my daughter Lydia and I saw more wildlife at Sportsman's Warehouse than the guys did. 

We are only a couple of weeks away from our visit to Colorado.  We are looking forward to seeing family and friends after being away for a year.  It will be a time of fellowship and memory making.  I can hardly believe that it has already been a year.

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."  Phil 4: 6-7

We hear this verse so often that we tend to tune it out.  However, our ability to tune out God's word does not remove its vital and life saving message.  We need to take the overfamiliar and relearn it.  We need to be willing to focus again on the core words that God has given us in His word and reapply them, search them, identify with them anew.  Our lives are continually changing, but God's word is ever relevant to us.  Are we being anxious for nothing?  Do we trust God to take care of our immediate needs?  Do we trust in His love enough for us to even share our dreams with Him?  Yes, He already knows them, but the intimacy is greater if we are willing to tell Him ourselves.  The peace that surpasses all understanding is a gift that we have to open our hearts to recieve.  This peace stems from trusting Him, even when the world is pulling us apart.  First comes the trust that blossoms from not being anxious.  We cannot have trust if we are riddled with anxiety.  Once we have come to a place of trust, our prayers become intimate and thankful.   The intimacy serves as a conduit for God's peace to flow within us.    Amazingly,  God doesn't stop there.  His word tells us that the peace He offers will guard our hearts and minds.  There is freedom in that.  The world bombards us with messages that shake us and feed our doubts.  However, God is the source we need to tap into in order to be free from anxiety and doubt and the messages that plague us from the enemy.  We are not alone and we are not without hope and we can also have peace.  God's peace.  Beloved, reach out to your Abba Father and recieve all that He has for you.  We may not always understand, but we can trust Him.  He is the only One worthy of our unwavering trust. 

Fulfilled

We had a wonderful weekend.  We always enjoy having Daddy home for two days.  We went to a Fall Fest behind the library.  The kids made napkin holders out of three pieces of wood that they hammered together.  I now have 6 of them.  They also got realistic looking bug tattoos.  We then went to an ice cream parlor and they rode a carousel.  On Sunday we took advantage of the clear skies and drove to another city to do our weekly shopping.  We enjoy driving through the mountains and the kids had a great time. 

Now that Spider Season is coming to a close, I have found my own Mouse Season following at it's heels.  We have a mouse that has taken up residence in our bedroom wall.  I cannot figure out how it gets in there.  One of our indoor cats is a mouser, so I don't think it is getting in from inside.  However, I can't find the hole outside and it is driving me nuts to hear it chewing when I'm trying to sleep or read and I hate to think about the mess we'll have if it has babies.  We're trying to make a ton of noise whenever we hear it, hoping that it will decide we are just too noisy to live with.  I'm also considering unscrewing the electric outlet and dropping in some poison.  It sits and chews near the outlet.  I just don't want it to die in the wall.  Ugh, I can only imagine the Snake Season we'll have if the Mouse Season produces offspring. 

Even though the wildlife seems to run amuck, we do enjoy living out here in the country.  It is so nice to hear the birds and to not worry about traffic.  We also enjoy the local herd of deer that stops by to eat in our front and back yard almost every day.  There are about 7 of them and we love to stand at the window and watch them.  They'll stand and watch us too, especially if the kids are being noisy.

We are trying new slow cooker recipes this week.  My husband is a fan of eating the same few recipes over and over again, but I'm going to try stretching him  a bit.  We are going to have chicken and dumplings tonight.  The kids are excited.  They say that it smells yummy.  I am a huge fan of slow cooking.  I'm hoping that it tastes as yummy as it smells.

Red letter words of Jesus.  "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He anointed Me to preach the Gospel to the poor.  He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are downtrodden, to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord."..."Today the Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing."  Luke 4:18-21

Are we living as if this scripture has been fulfilled?  Jesus says that it has been fulfilled, but do we believe Him?  Do the truths spoken by these few short sentences permeate our lives and thoughts?  I know that I struggle with feeling set free.  But, are my feelings a true representation of my reality in Christ?  No, they are not.  So often our feelings and fears are in contradiction to Scripture.  We need to be living our lives based on what the Word says and not how we feel or even by what we are seeing.   I want to encourage you to seek out the truths from the Scriptures that apply directly and most closely to your areas of doubt and uncertainty and proclaim them over your lives.  Proclaim them loudly and with confidence and then wait to see what transpires.  We cannot let our present circumstances darken our minds to the truth.   We are victorious in Christ.  Hang in there and believe in the power of your most awesome and mighty God.   The Enemy wants to side track us by focusing on what we don't have or see in our lives.  Don't let him distract you from God's blessings and provisions.  I personally am looking forward to a favorable year from the Lord full of freedom.  How about you?

Lover Of Our Souls

We went to the lake 5 miles from the house to enjoy a nice fall evening.  The kids had a great time hiking and climbing the trees.  They truly enjoy being outdoors and exploring.  As they have gotten older, they have become braver and more curious.   Daddy and I are usually trying to keep up.  They are a delightful little gang. 

We have had our first snow of the season.  The kids were so excited to put on their boots and build a snowman.  We had snow in our yard for 2 days and then it melted away.  The mountains surrounding our valley still have snow on them and probably will until early summer.  We had snow on certain peaks until mid June this year.   It was a bit warmer this week so the kids spent more time outside.  Not living on a busy street has been wonderful and the kids enjoy the freedom to ride their bikes.  Our neighbors have enjoyed having kids in the neighborhood again. 

Our water heater gave out last week.  We live in an area that has really hard water and the heaters only last about 6 or 7 years.  It took about a week for us to get a new one.  Thankfully I was able to manually restart the heater each time it went out, but it was a constant guessing game and often we were out of hot water.  Needless to say, I'm still trying to catch up on laundry. 

Keren and I talked about her being a mentor to her younger siblings.  She likes the idea of being able to have large amounts of influence on her siblings.  I talked to her about being aware of what she is teaching them in regards to beliefs, behaviors, thoughts, words etc.  I'm hoping that this will drain away some of her impatience when they are wanting to be with her so much of the time.  I'm also hoping that she will also start being more reflective of her own behaviour, especially when she realizes how it impacts others.  What an exciting time of life between childhood and adulthood. 

God placed this verse in front of  me this week:  "That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him.  I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know what is the hope of HIs calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe."  Eph 1:17-19

We can know God's will for our lives.  We can have an intimate relationship with the lover of our souls.  We need to ask that he opens the eyes of our heart and pours in wisdom, knowledge, and understanding of Himself.  We also need to be in His word, seeking to know Him and open to receiving whatever it is that He is wanting to teach us.  Seek, seek, seek.  It isn't easy.  He expects us to be devoted and discerning and committed.  He will not leave us empty.  He will reward our diligence.  He loves us and wants to be intimately close to us.  We have to decide how committed we are to our relationship with him.  His commitment to us was decided on the cross.  We never have to doubt.  He asks us to wait and to trust.  He will not disappoint.  He will renew us, change us, give us new life.  We have to decide if we are willing to not only receive what He is offering, but if we are willing to walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death if He requires it of us.  How precious is getting and having knowledge of Him to each of us?  Only we can decide if we are willing to count the costs.   Oh, beloved, He is worth it.  He loves you and will never forsake you.  He desires your freedom from the chains that bind you.  He desires you to sore in the knowledge of Him, never again being burdoned by doubt of who He is and if He loves you.  Seek Him, beloved.  Seek Him.  God bless. 

A Twist on Modern Technology

What a cutie patootie.  I love this photo that we recently took of my youngest.  While eating his bedtime snack, he reached out and grabbed the remote control.  He was quite proud of this feat and was going to hold on for as long as possible.  We couldn't resist taking a picture.  Quite a clever boy. 

Aunt Kristin sent a box of treats and crafts for the kids.  They had a great time putting this candy creation together.  When it was time to eat it, they devoured the roof and all the candy and left most of the walls behind.  Thank you, Auntie Dear.

When I was a boy of 14, my father was so ignorant, I could hardly stand to have the old man around.  But when I got to be 21, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in 7 years.                Mark Twain

I chuckled when I saw this quote.  I know that anyone who has a teenager, or remembers being a teenager, can relate.  Take heart.  They eventually grow up. 

The economic upheaval that our country is facing has left many of us feeling uncertain and a bit shaky.  We can debate about what has caused the problems and argue over how to fix them, but often we are left feeling worse.  I want to encourage each of us to turn to God during this time of uncertainty.  We can't know what the future holds, but we can know the character of our Heavenly Father.  He will not forsake us.  We need to seek Him and trust Him, even when things seem so bleak.  My husband was recently unemployed and we are still trying to dig ourselves out of a financial mess.  However, God was and has been faithful.  No, there isn't a lot of money for us each month, but we are learning to make every penny stretch until it screams, especially with seven kids.  We need to be praying and in the Word daily.  We also need to encourage and lift each other up.  I know that the uncertainty can be overwhelming and that fear grips our hearts and the end seems nowhere in sight.  The only way to combat this is through the Word and our trusting in our Heavenly Father to see it through.  Often times it can be so hard to understand why He lets certain trials into our lives, but we are called to have faith in Him regardless of our circumstances.  Our circumstances will change, He won't.   Our faith doesn't come from our minds, it is in the heart.  So often we let our minds dictate if and how much faith we will have in any given situation.  Faith is a heart's core decision.   Pain is inevitable when we follow Christ, but misery is optional.  Hang in there.  God is in control and He is greater that what is happening in the world.  He loves us and so deeply wants us to love Him.

"For I know the plans that I have for you,"  declares the Lord,  "plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope."  Jeremiah 29:11

Off to the Playground

We are expecting snow on Friday and Saturday, so we suspended formal studies this morning and went to a local playground.  It was our first time to the park and we had a wonderful time.  It was a fenced in play land and the kids went crazy for an hour. 

Gideon enjoyed swinging.  He smiled the whole time and almost fell asleep near the end. 

Gabriel was all over everything and ironically was the last one up from naps.

Lydia helped push Gideon while Mommy spun Keren, Gabe and Jael on the tire swing.  She also enjoyed the slides.  Keren ended up not feeling well from the spinning, so there are not any photos of her.  She felt better after eating lunch.

Makayla helped push and enjoyed the slides and climbing around on the high stuff.  She is a pro climber.

Jael was all over everything, whooping her cry of joy and having a great time. 

Genavieve enjoyed the swings and the bumpy slide.  She would have nothing to do with the covered slide.  She also enjoyed the red lounge chair swing.

My ACTION photo.  Too funny.  Those are Genavieve's feet.  We had so much fun and plan on taking Daddy back at some point.  We'll have to see what the weather does over the next few weekends or he may have to wait until next spring.

Educate your children to self control, to the habit of holding passion and prejudice and evil tendencies subject to an upright and reasoning will, and you have done much to abolish misery from their future and crimes from society.          Ben Franklin

And you shall love the Lord you God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.  And these words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart; and you shall teach them diligently to  your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way  and when you lie down and when you rise up.  And you shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead and you sahll write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.     Deut 6:5-9 

Thank you God for a fantastic day full of fun and sun.  We are truly blessed.  I'm so thankful for each day I spend with my children.  Their love is precious to me and I have changed for the better because of them. 

Fall Begins

"It is almost a miracle that modern teaching has not yet entirely strangled the holy curiosity of inquiry; for what this delicate little plant needs more than anything, besides stimulation, is freedom."  Albert Einstein

I chuckled when I read this quote because I had been recently thinking about what a parent would do if they were homeschooling a child that excelled like Einstein.  The question of, "wouldn't he or she be better of in a public or private school?" had been posed.    The answer is no.  If Einstein himself questioned what he saw happening in the school system, then homeschoolers should be encouraged in their endeavors.  God has given us parents the creativity and wisdom to meet any and all situations that we encounter with our children head on.  Take heart and rejoice and enjoy. 

We had a great time posing Gideon for photos.  He was an agreeable subject.  The kids enjoyed trying to get him to smile for Mommy.

The trees are turning and the air is crisp.  We have enjoyed the change in seasons.  We went up to a lake that is near our home and the kids enjoyed running around and being crazy.  It was quiet because the campers have gone home (only one love camper there) and the boats are off the water (only a random devoted fisherman motoring by).  The sunset was beautiful and the children's laughter and energy were refreshing.  It's amazing to think that the summer has already passed by.  I can especially see the passage of time in the children.  They grow so quickly, discover new ways of expressing themselves and become more and more unique individuals with each passing season.  My youngest is swiftly approaching one and it seems like only yesterday that I have birth to him.  My oldest is on the verge of eleven and even though I can feel the passage of time with her more heavily, it still has happened too quickly. 

We are still plugging away with school.  We are also making plans for our vacation in 7 weeks.  We are so thankful that the price for gas has been going down.  The kids would love to begin packing and the younger ones always want to know if  today is the day.  Oh, how that week will fly once it is here and we are amidst our loved ones. 

I pulled our some of my old cookbooks and am looking forward to trying some new recipes over the next weeks.  The kids are supportive of this attempt to extend our menu.  Their dad has his few favorites and he would prefer if I just alternated through the three recipes.  I'm hoping to add a few more to his list. 

The kids built a church in the back yard.  They used fallen branches to out line the walls and pulled all the lawn chairs into the  center.  They even mapped out a prayer closet.  They have spent quite a bit of time out there improving it and reading their bibles and letting their older sister teach them.  Mommy and Daddy have even been invited as guest speakers.  It is encouraging and inspirational to see.  I am so thankful for their love of their Lord.  I pray that this passion sustains them throughout their lives.

Wherever God has put you, that is your vocation.  It is not what we do, but how much love we put into it.     

                                                                                                                                                          Mother Theresa