Abby has powered down

Everything came out just fine!! Look, though, at how the battery was disintegrating. I'm glad it wasn't inside her a second longer. 91 hours and 30 minutes was quite long enough, thank-you very much. By the way, those ragged looking edges aren't sharp, really, they are pretty flaky and she didn't seem to be in any pain at all popping it out.

My little Energizer Bunny

Yesterday Abby crawled into Rebecca's room and when I went in there to get her out (that room is NOT safe for an 11-month-old!) I saw that she was choking a bit on something. When I bent down to give her mouth a sweep, GULP!, down it went, whatever it was. She immediately turned and picked up a little button battery and popped it into her mouth. I swept it out and looked around on the floor. Rebecca had three of those little batteries and I could only find two of them. I knew it was VERY possible that the thing Abby swallowed was the battery.

Jim called Poison Control and asked what we should do if she had swallowed a button battery. They advised that she go to the ER and be x-rayed so we would know whether or not she had actually swallowed it. If she HAD, then we would know to "watch the diaper" for the battery to show up again. In 4-5 days if it doesn't show up they recommend a second x-ray to see where it got "hung up".

So off to the ER with Abigail. This was the first visit to the doctor (of any sort) since she was two months old. I got to find out how much she weighs: 16 lbs. 13 oz. with clothes on. At least she doubled her birth weight (8-3) before her first birthday! I also had to answer a question I wasn't looking forward to. Is she up-to-date on her immunizations? I'm not ready to deal with much opposition to my decision to delay immunizations and perhaps decline most of them altogether. Fortunately, I received no flack about that!

Eventually she went into x-ray. She pitched a total fit! You would think we were pulling out her toenails the way she carried on. She didn't like being restrained one little bit. The restraint lasted about 35 seconds. It was such an infringment upon her rights! Goodness. Anyhow, the technician went to get the developed x-ray and popped it up onto the screen. "Well," she said, "there it is." There on the film was a little shape of a battery. Great.

So now I get to go on a little treasure hunt every day or so. Should be fun. If our hunt proves fruitless we have to go back and see where the battery might be lodged. Poison Control said they have better luck with kids passing a AAA battery. Those batteries don't tend to lodge anywhere in all the nooks and crannies of the digestive system. The little ones, however, do get stuck much more easily.

The nurse sent me home with a big ol' handful of examination gloves. Yea!

Pray that everything comes out okay.

Fall Fun

Here's a great picture of my three oldest kids playing in the leaves:



Edited to add: This picture was taken just as the
kids had thrown armfuls of leaves up into the air!

Canning Pears 2006

Here are (some of) the pears I canned this fall:







Aren't they pretty??

Favorite (F)oto Friday: Abigail

Three Things Thursday ~ Vol.2 No.10

1.) I'd rather wash dishes than fold laundry.

2.) I'd rather clean a toilet than clean the floor.

3.) I'd rather vacuum than sweep

Bonus:
4.) I'd rather 'work' on the computer than any of the above.

Christmas Bags

Here's the Christmas-y fabric I'm using to make Christmas gifts bags. It's a great idea from KimC at Life In A Shoe. It was her Works-For-Me-Wednesday Christmas tip.

Adam's Birth Story - Part 2

I've recently finished (finally!) writing my son's birth story. I am posting it here for anyone who cares to read all about it. It turned into a rather lengthy story because I don't know how to be brief. J I found that I couldn't tell the birth story without including some (lots of) backstory as well. Because of that the story will be posted in three parts.

Some may find that there is too much information here. For you I'll summarize the story:

1. I couldn't get pregnant 2. I got pregnant 3. I had a healthy baby

The End

For the rest of you, here is the second installment: (read Part 1 here)

---

Birth Story Of Adam Tod xxxxxxx

Born Wednesday, December 17, 2003 3:34 a.m.

(cont.)

I had been having contractions since week 22 of my pregnancy. Which was quite irritating because then I had difficulty deciding if “anything” was really happening. That evening (Tuesday, after the exam) I was packing some Christmas gifts to mail and having contractions as usual. I was really trying to decide if they were any different than usual, if they were noteworthy. I just couldn’t tell. Arrgh! About midnight, I headed for bed. I took my ever-so-lovely-Ambien (I had been having tremendous trouble sleeping the last 5-6 nights). I got into bed. I did a few hee-hee-whooos and tried to get comfy in bed. Then Jim, asked me, “When are you going to go to the hospital?” “Should I go now?” I asked. “What do you think we should do?” Jim said that it would better to call people (to come stay with the kids) now rather than later. So I got back out of bed and got dressed. Jim called CheriB from church to come and stay with the kids until we knew for sure that we were really going to deliver (I had a couple of false runs to the hospital with the other two kids). Then Jim’s dad would come and take over. I actually don’t remember Cheri arriving at the house. It was starting to be very obvious that this baby was coming. Jim and I drove the 30 minutes to the hospital. We got there around 1 am and I was promptly admitted. This time in the hospital was different from the others because I had only Jim with me. The other two times I had a lot of company. My two sisters, my friend, Joy, and my parents were all there. They weren’t all in the delivery room the whole time, but they were there. This meant that someone was taking pictures, someone was taking video, someone was getting me ice chips, etc. This time it was just Jim. Not that there’s anything wrong with my sweet husband, but hey, he’s just ONE person! After he got me into the hospital, my contractions were so strong that I didn’t want him to leave me to go get my bag from the car. I kept thinking that he could run down to the parking lot just as soon as my friend, Joy got there but she was working and wasn’t going to be there for a while. I had tested positive for Group B Strep so I had to have a !@#^% I.V. I detest IV’s. I had the previous 2 babies without IV’s. I was pretty bummed weeks earlier when I tested positive and they told me that I absolutely HAD to have that horrid IV. So I consented. I wish I hadn’t caved to the bullying, but that’s old news now! Anyway, the contractions were getting stronger and I wanted to get into the wonderful Jacuzzi tub. They gave me a HepLock so I could have the meds and still be able to get into the tub and move about freely. That was nice anyway. Ahhh. The tub. Nature’s epidural. I love the Jacuzzi tub! The nurse told me that I could be in the tub for one hour and then I’d have to get out so they could monitor the baby and see if it was handling the warm water and the labor. I had wicked contraction after wicked contraction in that tub but it was fairly manageable. I started wondering, though, how I was ever going to get out. There didn’t seem to be much time between contractions. How am I going to get out of this tub, get dried off, and get back into the bed BETWEEN contractions? I was hanging on to the grab bar right above the tub during contractions. Jim was kneeling on the floor (how comfy!) and pressing his fist into my lower back (at my demand request). I decided that I didn’t want the pressure of the nurse coming to tell me that it was time to get out and then waiting for me to do it. At the 45-minute mark I told Jim that I wanted to get out then. Plus, I was having a lot of pressure and felt like I might need to go to the bathroom. I had a few false starts getting out of that tub. Every time I started to hoist myself up with that grab bar another wave of contraction pain washed over me and I sank back down into the relative comfort of the water. Finally, though, I did get out and immediately had to go to the bathroom. While on the toilet, I had an incredible urge to push. The nurses didn’t want me pushing on the toilet so we hurried up (as much as I could) and got to the bed.

Now on the bed, the contractions were really intense. I sure missed the water. Jim held my hand and tried to help me with my breathing, but it wasn’t working. For the first time during any of my deliveries, I stated that, “I CAN’T DO THIS!” A nurse took over for Jim, locked her eyes on mine and really helped me through the pains. She kept trying to get me to focus, but I was having a hard time. It hurt so much and it had been 5½ years since I’d last done this and I was feeling very defeated. Another nurse called my doctor and said that I wanted to push and he’d better get there. The doctor wasn’t at the hospital since I had just checked in less than 2 hours previously. The nurses were trying to get me to put off pushing but there was no putting it off. This baby was a-coming! During the whole pushing stage, although only 8 minutes long, I felt so out of control. I felt like I was being dragged along under a freight train barreling through town! Anyhow, push I did. Oh my goodness. It hurt so much and I just wanted it to end.

(to be continued)

Click here for Part 3

My People

My parents came and visited us last week-end. It was so nice to have them here. Last time they came for a real visit I announced that I was pregnant with Abby (though I didn't know it was Abby at the time!) It was great to have a visit with them in my own home when I wasn't sick as a dog. I was so miserable last time...

Anyway, I'm so blessed to have the parents I do. I'm so glad that there are people in this world that are "my people". I'm glad I belong to them and they belong to me. I'm happy to belong.

Thank-you, Mom and Dad, for making the trip over here, for braving the weather, for risking travel with sinus pressure, for sharing our cramped quarters, and for loving me, my husband, and my kids.

Miss you.

How Cynical Are You?

You Are 52% Cynical

Yes, you are cynical, but more than anything, you're a realist. You see what's screwed up in the world, but you also take time to remember what's right.

How Cynical Are You?

Adam's Birth Story - Part 1

I've recently finished (finally!) writing my son's birth story. I am posting it here for anyone who cares to read all about it. It turned into a rather lengthy story because I don't know how to be brief. J I found that I couldn't tell the birth story without including some (lots of) backstory as well. Because of that the story will be posted in three parts.

Some may find that there is too much information here. For you I'll summarize the story:

1. I couldn't get pregnant 2. I got pregnant 3. I had a healthy baby

The End

For the rest of you, here is the first installment:

---

Birth Story Of Adam Tod xxxxxxx

Born Wednesday, December 17, 2003 3:34 a.m.

My entire pregnancy was different than the last two had been, beginning with the difficulty I had in getting pregnant in the first place. June 2000 we began trying to get pregnant again with no success. After taking a few rounds of Clomid (bad idea) and then switching doctors, I wound up December 10, 2002 having surgery. I had stage 4 (severe) endometriosis and a 8 cm cyst on each ovary. My (new) doctor said that a procedure done during the surgery and the clearing up of the endometriosis itself would make it very likely I could get pregnant in the next 2-4 months. I had been taking natural progesterone cream to balance out my hormones and needed to know each month if I was pregnant before I stopped taking the cream. I had to use the cream for 3 weeks and then take a week off. If I was pregnant I was NOT to stop using the cream. Thus the constant checking to see if I was pregnant. April 1, 2003 I took a pregnancy test that yielded a very faint pink line after about 15 minutes or so. The instructions said not to trust the results after 10 minutes! So what was I to do? Take 5 more tests, that’s what! I kept thinking, God, I know this is April Fool’s Day, but you wouldn’t mess around with me like this, would You?!? Over the next few days I did end up taking those five additional pregnancy tests. The results were some very faint positives that I was hesitant to trust. Finally, though, I made an appointment with my doctor and had them do a pregnancy test. Jim didn’t know that I was having a pg test done. He just thought I was going in for yet another appointment regarding all of my cycle problems. The doctor’s office called me with the results. It was positive! I sat down on the garage steps and cried. The nurse asked if I was o.k.. I managed to tell her that I was fine, it was just that I had waited so long for this. I pulled myself together and left for Boise to enact a plan I’d had for many months (years). When I got home, I gave Jim the package I had purchased and asked him what he thought of my idea of a Christmas present for Micah. He pulled from the sack a small t-shirt that said “I’m the Big Brother”. Jim looked at me and hesitantly said, “But he’s not...unless...you’re not, are you?” I smiled and nodded my head. Then we handed the shirt to Rebecca (6 y.o.) and asked her what she thought of this shirt for Micah. She read it and said that he wasn’t a big brother. I asked if she was very sure about that. She looked at me and then figured it out. I then told her and Micah that I was pregnant and that we were going to have a new baby in a few months. Micah (almost 5 years) started running around with Rebecca who was saying, “How did this happen? We’re having a baby!!” Then she went running down the street to her friend’s house screaming, “My mom is pregnant!” Fast-forward through months of nausea, weariness, tachycardia, vertigo, sleeplessness, Braxton-Hicks, two family weddings in two weeks, severe belly button pain, camping (once! never again while pregnant!), and homeschooling a first-grader. Yadda, yadda, yadda. I was due December 13th. I delivered my first two babies one day before their due dates but I had allowed the doctors to break my water once they were reasonably sure I was ready. This time, however I wasn’t planning to let any doctors tell me when the baby “should” be born. I wanted to see what would happen, how labor would go if we didn’t do an AROM (artificial rupture of membranes). My doctor, though, was getting antsy and kept asking me how much longer I wanted to go. My due date came and went. More pressure from the doc. Eventually, on Tuesday, December 16th ( a whole three days "late"), my doctor wanted to check and see if I had dilated beyond the 1 cm. that I had been. In doing the “checking” he took a swipe and stripped my membranes. I didn’t know he was going to do that. It hurt. It hurt like crazy! I nearly went through the wall behind me. Yikes!! Funny, though, it didn’t irritate me (that he did that without asking) until later. Anyway, exam over, I went home.

(to be continued)

Click here for Part 2

Something to consider...

Here is an excerpt from an e-mail from American Family Association:

Help recruit 1,000,000 families who will agree not to shop at Wal-Mart or
Sam's Club (owned by Wal-Mart) on the Friday and Saturday following
Thanksgiving. Here's why:

In a show of support to help homose*uals legalize same-sex marriage, Wal-Mart has agreed to automatically donate 5% of online sales directly to the Washington DC Community Center for G@y, Le$bian, Bise*ual and Tr@nsgender People. The cash donation will come from online purchases made at Wal-Mart through the homose*ual group's Web site. This move follows Wal-Mart's joining the National G@y and Le$bian Chamber of Commerce and agreeing to give generous financial help to that organization also.

Every purchase made online for books, music, videos, clothing and accessories, children's clothing and toys, and electronics at the site will automatically send 5% of the sales to the CCBLBT People. The agreement is an indication that Wal-Mart is totally committed to supporting the homose*ual movement.

Wal-Mart also gave a generous cash donation to the Northwest Arkansas G@y, Lesbi@n, Bise*ual, Tr@nsgender Community Center, helping to provide a place where homose*uals can come together to "socialize."

Many observers feel it would have been a wise business decision for Wal-Mart to remain neutral in the cultural battle over homose*ual marriage. But this was an ideological decision by Wal-Mart - not a business decision.


Take Action

1. Sign the petition to Wal-Mart letting them know you will be one of the 1,000,000 families who will not shop at Wal-Mart or Sam's Club on the Friday or Saturday following Thanksgiving.

2. VERY IMPORTANT! Millions of Americans are not aware of Wal-Mart's support for homose*ual marriage. PLEASE FORWARD THIS TO ALL YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY.

3. Print out and distribute the Wal-Mart Pass Along Sheet by clicking here. For past Wal-Mart Action Alerts, plus answers to your questions (where to shop?), Click Here.

Click Here to Sign the Petition to Wal-Mart Now!

I'm already in the process of figuring out where else to shop and have significantly reduced the amount of shopping I do at Wal-Mart. I'm down to about 25-30% of how much I used to shop there. In any case I won't be dong ANY shopping there the Friday and Saturday after Thanksgiving. Consider what you might be able to do to encourage Wal-Mart to better support traditional family values.

See my previous references to Wal-Mart's support of the homose*ual movement here and here.

Three Things Thursday ~ Vol. 2 No. 9

Three things I said I'd never do:

1) Get married.

2) Have children.

3) Be a teacher.

I've done (or am doing) them all. I wouldn't change a thing except the resistant attitude I had when I made those resolutions. I'm glad God has given me what He knew was best for me instead of what I thought was best. I wish I'd remember to trust him now like I say I should have when I was younger! (follow that?)

It's rude to laugh at your son during prayer...

...but sometimes it can't be helped! The other night before dinner, Micah (8), was saying the prayer. He thanked God for our day and for our food and for our sweet baby, Abby (10 months), and added, "help us enjoy her while she lasts." I couldn't help myself. I laughed out loud. It caught me totally off guard. Fortunantely, Micah is good-natured and wasn't offended by my laughter. J

What (Shade of) Orange Are You?

You are Mahogany

Stable and decisive, you lack the hyper energy of most orange colors. You're still energetic, but you tend to project a peaceful, relaxed vibe. You love to feel cozy. You often rather wrap up in a blanket than go out for the night.

What Color Orange Are You?

Please Vote!

30 Day Organizational Challenge

I've decided to join the 30 Day Organizational Challenge. I'm not sure I will be organizing as much as just cleaning up a lot. The room I need to work on is the laundry room/computer room. I'll probably discover as I clean that I really do need to get it better organized so I'll have an easier time keeping it clean. The before pictures are below. It's nice to have before pictures because then I can see just how far I've come.

Visit Organizing Junkie to see the before pictures of other participants.

So. Enough said. Welcome to THE PIT.

The more things change...

...the more they stay the same. My sister and I used to play "library" too!! :-) This is the library of my two oldest kids, Rebecca (10) and Micah (8).

YOU EMMERGED OUR WINNER

Received today, November 3, 2006:

Subject: YOU EMMERGED OUR WINNER (1ST OF NOVEMBER 2006)

GUINNESS
CUSTORMERS PROMOTION
dv-2006 program guinness plc,
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FINAL NOTIFICATION.

We happily inform you about our (guinness Rnational lottery Program)held on the 1ST OF NOVEMBER 2006, which youenterd as a dependent client and finally took the 1st position in oursecond (2nd) category winners,that falls within the 2006 in BRESCIAITALY NIGERIA.

Your email was attached to the ticketnumber(44-40-23-777-01) which made you a winner of (us$1.500,000.00) and your name being recorded in our guinness world book of record as the 1st lucky winner of the year 2006. You have been approvedthe sum ofUS$1.500,000.00 which will be sent accross to you immediately.

All emails are selected randomly through a computer ballot whichsubsequently won you the sweeptake of guinness internet weblottery.

CONGRATULATIONS YOU EMERGED OUR WINNER!!!
This is part ofour security mearsures put in place to avoid double claiming or asituation where unwanted person(s) would be taking negative advantage ofthis promotions, thereby impersonating in order to claim another personswinning prize.

Here is our fiduciary agent responsible for your theprocessing / release of winnings for all Second Category winners where your winning falls into:
MR ROY SMITH
EMAIL: r_roy101@yahoo.co.uk
GUINNESSR CLAIMING
SECURITYAGENT.

Fullnames
Residential address
Phone number
Occupation
Present country
Age
Marrtal status
Sex

ONCE AGAINCONGRATULATION!!!!
Yours sincerely
GUINNESSRCUSTORMERS
PROMOTION.

WARNING!!!! WARNING!!!!
KEEP THIS INFORMATION
CONFIDENTIAL AND BE CAREFULL

I copied & pasted the above letter exactly as I received it. Misspellings and all. I'm stunned that this kind of ploy works on some people. Do people actually rush to provide the information requested? It's ridiculous!

What Kind of Candy Are You?

Butterfinger

They call you sticky fingers for a reason!

What Kind of Candy Are You?

Three Things Thursday ~ Vol. 2 No. 8

Things I do to cheer myself up:

1) Talk on the phone to my mom or sisters. That usually provides me the balance I'm lacking at that particular moment.

2) Take a nap. If I'm feeling really low, chances are I'm short on sleep so a nap truly works wonders.

3) Häagen-Dazs - Chocolate & Dark Chocolate Ice Cream Bars. Oh yeah. (I think I need cheering up tonight during Survivor!)

Mattresses, Mirrors, and More

I went into a new store yesterday that had just opened the day before. New chain stores that open near my house are a really big deal because that means I don't have to drive all the way to Boise to go shopping!! The store was Mattresses, Mirrors, and More, or something like that. Holy cow! I'm so glad I went in! There were all kinds of things there that I didn't realize I needed. I know I need them because there they were...all over the store. They wouldn't be selling all that stuff if I didn't need it right?!?! If I hadn't gone into that store I wouldn't have known that I needed a Plantain Press or a Bean Peeler. Goodness! That was a close call.

As it was I managed to get out of there with one thing that I had planned on buying, two things that I would have bought eventually, somewhere and one fun, impulse buy. It all totalled $36. Not too bad.

I wish you could smell my impulse buy:

Happy November!

I'm still here. I'm just really busy and haven't taken the time to blog. Homeschooling a third and fifth-grader while potty-training a 2 1/2 year-old and chasing after an increasingly active 10-month old has been exhausting.

I'm also trying to get more organized about the 90+ meals we consume in a month. Food shopping once a month (except for milk, fruit, veggies, etc.) takes a bit of getting used to. I'm getting better at it but it's taking some time and adjustment. I'm also trying to get used to shopping for things at stores other than Wal-Mart. I've shopped there for so long I don't know where to get some of the things I'm accustomed to buying there. :-( It's hard but I'm determined that Wal-Mart won't be using MY money (not much anyway, it's a weaning process) to support the things they do!

I guess I'd better go now. I hear my sweet little Abby girl calling to be taken out of her crib.

The Sabbath and Education

I'd like to share a really good article that I read the other day in a newsletter I get from Veritas Press. It's written by Rev. Gregg Strawbridge, the pastor of All Saints’ Presbyterian Church in Lancaster County, PA. I don't agree with everything that I find him saying on the internet, but this article is very good. It's a little lengthy so I'm just giving you an excerpt. You can read the whole article here.

No one works to earn rest in the presence of God. It is a gift before one labors. Originally it was not a six-then-one day pattern for Adam, it was a one-then-six pattern. This should remind us of the structure of salvation. It is redemption then service. The order is always grace then faithful obedience—not works, then grace. The sabbath gift was certainly not a meritorious reward of rest for Adam’s works. At this point we may need to adjust our thinking. Many of us believe that Sunday is the last day of the week, though on the calendar and in our theology it is the first day of the week. Sunday for Christians should not be the last day of the weekend, but the first day of a new week in which to have dominion in the world. We are to be future-thinking people, not those who cling to passing hours, begrudging a coming week of fruitful labor.

Read the rest here.

Bonding

I have had a lot of one-on-one time with Abigail these last few days because Jim took the older kids up in the mountains to go deer hunting. He took Rebecca and Micah up on Monday and came back Wednesday evening for their bells practice. They left again Thursday morning taking Adam along this time. Jim got his deer Wednesday morning but still went back because the kids have so much fun. Jim's parents park their RV up in the mountains for the month and stay up there most of hunting season. Anyway, all that to say that I've been enjoying my sweet baby and enjoying not having to take care of anyone else. I took a bunch of pictures of her today and you can view some of them below or more as a slideshow here. Enjoy!

Also here are some hunting pictures from last year. (I don't have pictures from this year yet.)

File Under: Huh?

How can something be new AND famous?

Just wondering.

Reciprocal Blogroll

You are welcome to join my new blogroll. It's very simple. Just link to me on your blog and I'll add you to my blogroll. Send me an e-mail (mail *at* cindee *dot* net) with your request and I'll check out your blog and add you to mine.

I just ask that your blog is not offensive (to meJ) and is free from foul language. Just heed Philippians 4:8 and things should be great!!

Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.

Rebecca's Birds

Check out my daughter's blog. She's got a new post up that shows great drawings she did when she was 8.

LibraryThing

Newly added to my sidebar is LibraryThing. I love LibraryThing. Someday I will have all of my books catalogued there and will know exactly how many books I have. I'm guessing I have 1000+. It will be interesting to me to see the real number. You can see what I've catalogued so far by clicking here. It will be a slow process.

Abby, my little duckling

Hey, I've got a duck on my head!

I can't see it, but I think it's here somewhere!














Aha, is that it?!














Yay, I've got it!














Anybody have a clue why I can't see the Flickr photos I posted here. I can't seem to get it to work!! I put in the URL correctly but the photo won't show up. :-(

Figured it out!!

Which Superhero Are You?

My results:
You are Spider-Man
You are intelligent, witty,
a bit geeky and have great
power and responsibility.


Click here to take the "Which Superhero am I?" quiz...

Let My Lifesong Sing

I was thinking of changing the name of my blog. I thought about it for a long time and finally decided that it would be rather like renaming one of my children for no particular reason. I've settled for just making over the look of my blog (maybe, probably...eventually, sigh!) and NOT changing the name. I had even written a post about the new name of my blog. I'm going to publish the post anyway because it still is about things that are on my heart even though I chose not to change my blog name.

********************

The (would-be) name of my blog (Let My Lifesong Sing) comes from a song written by Mark Hall of Casting Crowns. This song continues to my heart and conveys something that I strive for, living a life of worship. I need to keep on understanding that everything I do is an offering to the Lord and I want my offerings to be the best I can offer. I am to be a living sacrifice. My actions need to reflect that.

Romans 12:1-2
Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. (NASB)

Here are the lyrics of his song:

LIFESONG
Empty hands held high
Such small sacrifice
If not joined with my life
I sing in vain tonight

May the words I say
And the things I do
Make my lifesong sing
Bring a smile to You

Let my lifesong sing to You
Let my lifesong sing to You
I want to sign Your name to the end of this day
Knowing that my heart was true
Let my lifesong sing to You

Lord, I give my life
A living sacrifice
To reach a world in need
To be Your hands and feet

So may the words I say
And the things I do
Make my lifesong sing
Bring a smile to You

Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Let my lifesong sing to You

Here's an excerpt from an interview with Mark Hall:

Can you explain what you mean by the title track off “Lifesong.”

All the songs you ever hear from us are songs that we’re talking about in our church, things that we’re talking about and dealing with in people’s lives and as a group. We started talking about worship and about the fact that to think that we can live our lives however we want to all day long and then wander into a church at night and read a bunch of words off a screen--to think that’s worship is a misunderstanding of what worship is. (emphasis mine)

Colossians 3 says that “Whatever you do in word or deed, do it all for the glory of the Lord.” So everything I do is to bring a smile to his face.

The song started when you woke up this morning. Today is your song. Everything that you’re doing. I remember at a prayer time one night, saying out loud, “God, let my lifesong sing to you” and I knew when I said it that it was something that we would hear again. This has kind of turned into a theme for us.


Here is a link to the whole interview.

Another quote from Mark Hall:

“This is your life song. This is your act of worship: what you do with the life you’ve been given. A life of worship says ‘God, I’m waking up today. I’m going to do a lot of things, I’m going to go a lot of places, I’m going to talk to a lot of people, but my goal is to point others to You and to make You smile today.’ The more we live like that, the more we become like him, and the closer we get to His heart, the more we see that His heart is for people. So then you start seeing people that are hurting. And ministry becomes the overflow of a life poured out at Jesus’ feet.”

This is my prayer.

Quotable Quotes - 09/30/06

My favorite quote this week comes from a blog I read regularly, Life In A Shoe. In reference to the necessity of training the wills of our children, KimC says,

"How will they obey an invisible God in the hard times of their lives if they can't obey us now..."

Wow! You can read her entire post here.

Stone or Clay?

Which of these materials could become a bowl?:

Clay or Stone?









Maybe I should ask which of these could more easily be made into a bowl, because you are correct. They BOTH could be shaped into bowls.









The thing is the process of becoming a bowl is so much easier on the clay because it is yielding, malleable, pliable, willing. The stone can become a bowl but it's going to be a much tougher process on the bowl. Tougher on the one forming it as well. Instead of warm, gentle hands in direct contact with the bowl as it's being formed it will be hard, sharp, tools chipping away at the stone. Still, it must be done gently else the bowl will break. It's going to be difficult. Sparks will fly.










Are you clay in the Father's hands? Or stone? Do you need to be more willing to let the Father have His way in your life?

Are you trying to shape one of His children entrusted to your care?
Are they more like clay? Or stone?
If they are a stone, be careful. You want to make a bowl; not shatter the stone.
If they are clay, don't overlook them. You want to make a bowl; not a hardened, unformed lump of clay.

But now, O LORD, You are our Father,
We are the clay, and You our potter;
And all of us are the work of Your hand.
Do not be angry beyond measure, O LORD,
Nor remember iniquity forever;
Behold, look now, all of us are Your people.
Isaiah 64:8-9

Grocery Store Alternative

For those in Washington, Idaho, Nevada, California, and Oregon who need a grocery alternative to Wal-Mart because of recent developments, I suggest WinCo Foods. Here is a list of their locations. I have done my food shopping here for many years because of the great low prices and their HUGE bulk foods section.

Anybody have any other suggestions for alternative grocery stores in your area?

Where am I going to shop?!?!?

I'm SO disappointed that Wal-Mart is about to make the descent into the pit. The pit of Places Where I Can No Longer Shop due to the events and organizations that it sponsers. According to the American Family Association,

"Wal-Mart has given its full endorsement to the homosexual agenda and homosexual marriage. Boise State University in Boise, Idaho, will observe LGBT Diversity Week October 9–13. One of the sponsors for the Diversity Week is Wal-Mart." Read the rest here.

This hits close to home. Very close. About 25 miles away. If Wal-mart does not pull it's support of this event, I'm going to have to find some other place to shop. I spend around $200 dollars a month at Wal-Mart, more or less. I'm sure I'll have to pay more in order to buy my stuff somewhere else. That's a bummer. I've shopped at Wal-Mart so long, I don't even know where to go instead...

Peter LaBarbera, president of Americans for Truth, a group that monitors the homosexual agenda throughout American culture, says,

"I think the corporate world is now in a rush to embrace the gay agenda fully. They don't see a downside, and it's up to pro-family Americans to create a downside. And to do that, those in the corporate environment with traditional values have to take a stand against the diversity agenda in order to see its growth stymied. Read entire article here.

Spread the word. Contact Wal-Mart. It's up to us to make a difference. Please post this information on your blog or link back to my post, either way it's fine. We need to get the word out!

WFMW - Precooking Hamburger

This week are instructions are: "Instead of sharing a new WFMW idea, go back in your archives and find your WFMW that you consider your best one." I've only posted four tips so I'm reposting my very first one.

For several years now before I freeze it I cook most of my ground beef (with diced onion, salt, and pepper). THEN I divvy it up into ziploc bags and freeze it "flat and smooth". That precooked meat is then really quick to use for spaghetti, tacos, stroganoff, pizza, sloppy joes, or whatever. I just add whatever other spices it's needs and voila! I'm done. It also takes up less space in the freezer if it's precooked. (It's good for 2-3 months in a big freezer)

I also premake porcupine meatballs and hamburger patties and freeze them on cookie sheets. I transfer them to ziploc bag when they are totally frozen. The patties go straight to the grill from the freezer and cook in just a few minutes. The meatballs go straight into a casserole with sauce and into the oven. Cooks in about 1 1/4 hours. It saves me so much time in the end to "do up" the meat all at once.

Oh, I also premake and freeze meatloaf, but I thaw it before cooking it.

Do you have anything that you precook and freeze?

Visit Shannon at Rocks In My Dryer for more great tips!

Abby's Nap

After she finally quieted down and went to sleep, I went in to check on her. This is what I found!:

Be strong to the finish...

...and DON'T eat your spinach!!!

2-year-old Idaho boy dies after eating spinach

Quotable Quotes - 09/21/06

updated to fix link

My favorite quote this week is from Shannon at Rocks in My Dryer. She refers to the show LOST as:

The Queen Mother Of All That Is Good And Right In Television.

I have to say that I agree!!
Do you have a favorite quote that you'd like to share?

Three Things Thursday ~ Vol. 2 No. 7

1.) I'm finding that I really miss the way church "used to be". I'm missing the good old hymns (I never was tired of them in the first place) and I'm increasingly disenchanted with the newer, fluffy songs. It's true that there are some really, really good new songs and some fluffy old ones, but by and large I'd like to go back to the old music or at least a good mix of the old and new.

"Make new friends but keep the old.
One is silver and the other gold."

2.) I dislike church shopping because of the disconnectedness that accompanies it.

3.) I kind of like church shopping as it gives me a chance to meet new people and renew acquaintences with old friends.

My Tummy Hurts

I just read a really good post. Here's an excerpt:

My Tummy Hurts

Her seven-year-old words echoed down the hallway.
Defiant, rebellious, and angry.
~I won't~
~Only if~
~But she~
~NO~

Consequences meted out,
as painful to me to lose our
bedtime stories as it is for her.
Choking back tears,
her words rang out louder.

(read the rest here)

Spiritually Single

I just read an article on Lisa Whelchel's website and I'm wondering what you (general reader) think of it. Do you agree with what she says here? Here is a link to the original article as well as the article itself.

Spiritually Single

My husband isn’t a Christian, so I struggle with raising
our children to be believers by myself. While my husband doesn’t prevent us from going to church, my kids wonder why he doesn’t go with us and why we disagree on some parenting issues. How can I parent in a way that respects their dad yet honors the Lord?

Common sense tells us we should submit to our husband only if he’s submitted to God. There’s one major roadblock to this, however: God’s Word isn’t common, and it doesn’t always make sense! Case in point—1 Peter 3:1 says, Wives, fit in with your husbands’ plans; for then if they refuse to listen when you talk to them about the Lord, they will be won by your respectful, pure behavior. Your godly lives will speak to them better than any words” (TLB).

You may be thinking, What? I’m supposed to follow my husband even if he isn’t following God? There’s no telling where we’ll end up! Besides, my children’s spiritual well being is too important to risk. But that’s where trust comes in. Even if you’re unable to trust your husband, you’re still called to trust God.

Are you willing to submit to your husband’s authority as head of your home and then trust God to take care of your kids? Can you keep from nagging or disparaging remarks when you walk out the door without your husband on Sunday mornings?

By respecting their dad, you’ll honor the Lord. And by modeling obedience to God’s Word, you’ll accomplish your primary goal of training your children to be believers. (And they may not be the only ones who come to believe because of your quiet faith.)

Tell me what you think.

Free Blog Design Contest

Susie at Bluebird Blogs has a contest going where 2 people can win a free blog design. Here's the scoop:

"Autumn is my favorite time of the year, and it's just right around the corner. To celebrate the beginning of the season, I'm having a contest for 2 lucky people to win a totally free, completely customized blog design from Bluebird Blogs.

Information on how to enter:

- Send an email with your name and blog address to bluebirdblogs@gmail.com.

- Entries will be accepted from 7:00pm EST on Thursday 9/14/06 until 11:59pm EST on Friday /22/06.

*Bonus* - Mention this contest in a post on your blog and receive 5 extra entries into the drawing!

The winner will be announced at Bluebird Blogs on Saturday, September 23rd, 2006. Good luck to everyone! "

File Under: Huh?

Here's an example of another inane idea the Postal Service has for making the carriers job even more complicated sure packages are scanned and delivered properly:

Tell me, if the carrier checks the other box on that sticker, who's gonna care? The recipient? "Let me check and see if I received my package. Oh, yes, here it is. It's marked 'Delivered'. I must have gotten my package then."

Maybe it's the sender who needs that information. What are they going to care that the box has been checked? Um, it's been D-E-L-I-V-E-R-E-D!

Most Likely Scenario: The Post Office needs to know if the package has been scanned into the system as attempted or delivered. Still, if it's been delivered, then it's been D-E-L-I-V-E-R-E-D and the post office WILL. NOT. SEE. THE. EVER. LOVING. STICKER. THAT. SAYS. SO.

Just who this information benefits I don't know.

And you wonder why the workers go "postal"? Just ask my sweet husband. Actually he is much more patient with the USPS idiocy than I am. I'd have quit by now! I'm lucky to have such a patient hubby.

WFMW - Holey Jeans, Batman?!

This is just under the wire but it IS still Wednesday. So, here goes:

IF you have a Shopko in your area, this may work for you as well. My son wears the knees out of his jeans SO quickly. Thankfully Shopko has this Kid Tough Promise:

Are you the parent of one of those youngsters who always seems to be coming
home with jeans ripped at the knee? No problem if you purchased those trousers
at ShopKo! We have a Kid Tough Promise! Any garment you buy at ShopKo will last until your child outgrows it, or we’ll replace it! (Same item. Same size.) Now
that’s a promise that will make any parent smile!

I take advantage of this deal several times throughout the year. I buy about 3 pairs of jeans for him in the fall and just replace them as needed. At first I felt like I was being sneaky and doing something that I shouldn't because it was SUCH A GREAT DEAL. But I'm over that now and very thankful to the mom of 3 boys that told me about Shopko's Kid Tough Promise.

Go over to Shannon's at Rocks in My Dryer for more helpful hints.

A cartoon for my rural-letter-carrier husband

Enjoy!:














http://www.toothpastefordinner.com/

Jon Stewart Post 9/11 Speech

Hat tip to the Headmistress at The Common Room for the link to this video. I completely agree with her statements:

Jon Stuart's (sic) post 9/11 speech is deeply moving. We don't agree politically, and sometimes he has a foul mouth. When he controls his mouth, he makes me laugh. I am sure that theologically we aren't even in the same book, and for this I grieve for him. But this was masterful. I wonder if he's watched it lately?

TIP: If you have trouble, as I do, with some videos starting and stopping while it's trying to load fully, here's what I do. I start the video and walk away. After it's played through once then I go back and watch it and this second time it plays without interruption. This video is almost nine minutes long and very much worth watching but if you try to watch it the first time around it will probably take about 15 minutes with all the irritating interruptions. However, if you don't have that kind of trouble then please, just ignore all that I just said!! :-)

9/11/01 - September 11 Tribute

Latchkey dogs?

I don't even know what to say about this. It's just so ridiculous. I say, someone in this position probably shouldn't own a dog.

Moms & Dads for Modesty

You'll notice a new button on my sidebar. Go to Everyday Mommy to read more about it. I totally agree!