Social Networking

I have been very convicted this past week about the time I spend on the computer and Facebook. I am ashamed to even say how many hours I would spend surfing around the internet when I could be using my time where it is needed, in my own house! I think that blogs are awesome and its a great way to peek inside other peoples homes and hearts to see what they do and to get great ideas from them, however, Facebook I have noticed is becoming and invasion of privacy for many. You know that saying "less is more" well I feel I am beginning to learn too much and its not needed. Honestly, I don't care that someone is on their way to the pick up a can of tomatoes or that someone else's husband is being a jerk. Really, its a little much. I think Facebook is a great outreach tool to spread news of important things but it can very easily take a lot of time if not careful with it. I like the fact that I can see pictures of distant relatives and friends and that will be about the extent of my use other then trying to encourage others in the Lord and encouragement for myself. I do not want to offend those who use it, like I said its a great tool and maybe I just don't have the discipline to limit myself. Since we homeschool it takes a lot of concentration on my part because I have 2 kids under 3 and its so hard to teach the oldest with the distractions I already have so I am trying to simplify my daily life and what I do with the hours given. I have been to The Homeschool Channel which is a great tool and loads of info and movies for parents and the kids to view. You should check it out those who wish to enrich their teaching with other information. I watched a video yesterday morning on Noah and DNA, very cool. I plan to continue to blog here and this will be sent also to my Facebook page graciously given for the friends I have there and really cherish, I will pop in maybe once a week or so for messages there so God Bless you all and I am off for some Math time, send some prayers :)

180 Movie

I was so excited to finally see the Ray Comfort 180 movie. It is definitely a movie that will get even the biggest skeptic thinking, I love stuff like that. I know that topics like Abortion, Murder, Holocaust, and the Right to Choose are not the favorite things that talk about or debate but they are things we need to discuss. I am so floored at the amount of people who didn't know who Adolph Hitler was, really!!!? I mean have they stopped teaching our kids in school about the holocaust? I am only 36 but when I was in school we learned of it. I am teaching my children about it, its not something that should be forgotten, ever. The connections Ray made about Hitler and Abortion were very good, I mean we would never sit back and watch people be killed for no reason so why would someone think its ok to kill a child? Doesn't make sense to me. God says its murder and I believe it is. What if Mary was Pro Choice?

Well this has been one sad week. At the beginning of the week we get word that my husbands 34 year old cousin was killed in a car accident. A young man, a father, loved one taken way too soon. It breaks your heart when anyone dies but the premature deaths are the hardest I think. A few days after that we get word that my sweet aunts ex hubby, father of her 2 girls, 39 years old dies suddenly. Wow, what is going on, so young. I feel so bad for these families. Words can't say anything to help the pain, I guess sometimes the only thing we can do is to just be there. So yesterday my parents call too tell me that my cousin, mid 40s is in the hospital, he just collapsed at work. They believe it could be his heart and copd. Another young man with kids. It really goes to show you that you just never know. Its the famous saying we all have said I am sure but its so true. The bible says we are not promised tomorrow and this week was definitely a wake up call to me to try to be more relaxed, enjoy the little things. I have a tendency to stress over so much, really stuff that I can't even doing anything about. Why do we do that? What is it with us that we think worrying will change something? Just like Jesus said, "Don't worry about tomorrow or what you will eat, your clothes, or anything" Matthew 6:25 My goal for the week is to try to get into a pattern of relaxing, trying not to stress and worry so much, it really doesn't get us anywhere does it? I want to relax like this little monkey picture, so cute and care free :)

Holiday wreaths and easy crafts

I am in a crafty mood and have been making bandana wreaths, I love them and they are so cheap! I also have all the stuff to make the bottle cap jewelry that is my next mission. Its fun and easy and the whole family can do it! This one is our Halloween one, so cute the kids can help!!

In time of Loss

I woke up this morning and signed on to check email and messages and seen that a precious little girl named Gabby whose Facebook page many of us followed had lost her battle with cancer last night. My heart just sank. Its every parents nightmare. I can't imagine because my mind won't even allow the thought, its not the normal process of the way things are "supposed" to happen. I remember listening to a preacher talk about the tragic loss of his daughter who was going on a missions trip and her plane went down, she was 18, a christian and just wonderful by all accounts. Why? Why do these horrible things happen to the innocent, thats the million dollar question. The preacher said that there was NO emotion that goes with the loss of a child thats normal, its normal for us to grieve the loss of a grandparent, parent and even sibling. Not a child, there is no emotion that is normal to go with that. Its not how its supposed to be. There is only one way to cope with this kind of loss and its God. When King David lost his child he said "Why should I go on fasting, can I bring him back? He will not come back to me, I shall go to him" 2 Samuel 12:23 As Christians we have one hope and that is in God and that one day we will be reunited with our loved ones. My cousin was tragically killed when hit by a car at the age of 3, my aunt and uncle were not christians at the time. My aunt said the only thing that got her through was that she could be with her again if she believed and trusted in the Lord so her and my uncle got saved and eventually because pastors of a church, they are still serving the Lord and one of the sweetest couple I've ever met and love the Lord so much. Words from me won't be of much comfort to the family of Gabby, there is probably not much anyone can say. As of right now we need to just pray for them that God give them strength and all of those who've lost a loved one, a child or someone tragically. God is their only Hope.

Psalm 33:20

"Our soul waiteth for the LORD: he is our help and our shield"

Rainy Days

Its been raining so much here that it starts to get me in a lazy mood of wanting to do nothing but bake, cook and relax. Not always good! However its these times that I appreciate all we have. When you are forced to stay inside with little kids when the weather is bad you find all kinds of things that make you realize how fortunate we are, like having a Wii, playstation, computer, internet, movies and cable. It makes me feel like "How spoiled are we"? What did they do 100 years ago? I am sure that was some good old fashioned family time. I sort of envy that in a way because with all this technology it seems we get lost in so many things that we have no time for family time. I remember hearing someone say that they text the kids when its dinner time. I try to keep an even balance because I think we do need to remember that times change and we change with them but I don't want to lose the closeness of the family. Its easy too do. So tonight I think after dinner we will read a book together and just enjoy each other. One day these "Rainy days" will probably be the days I long for the most.

Sick Days and Schedules

As much as we shoot for abiding by our schedule there are days where things happen that you can't control, such as today, our oldest is suddenly sick. At least we completed our prayer journal and our english test. I will use this day to get some laundry caught up and enjoy some time just relaxing with the kids. I can remember when our son was in school and he would get sick I would rush to the school to get him and be so worried. I am so thankful that I am able to homeschool them and be here with them when they are sick, sad, or even scared. I never in my wildest dreams thought we would homeschool, I had never even thought about homeschool. I had no clue how anyone would even start at that. Honestly there is such a misconception of homeschool that it turns most people away. I remember reading EVERYTHING I could about homeschool and looking at people who were home schooled and thinking "Wow they are really smart, this may work"! I also felt in my heart that even God would approve, right?! I understand that every family is unique in their own way and have things that work differently for them but for us, this works! I will never act as if its not hard because this is the biggest challenge of my life, aside from being a parent, homeschool is really hard and you have to work a lot as well. So when days like this pop up and I may be frustrated because it strays me from my schedule I am just going to be thankful to God that I am able to be at home with my sick kids and enjoy every moment with them that I can. After all God has Graciously Given them too me Genesis 33:5

Blogging, too much or not enough?

I love to blog, even if I don't have many followers I feel like my blog is like an "online journal". I always journaled as a kid and early adult. I was the girl who always had the diary too. I am sure my brothers read it more then once! I think writing is a therapy in a way for some. Its a place you can vent, chat, complain, voice opinions and not feel like you need to be careful. I am thankful for any and everyone who pops by and reads this. I hope that someway my words can encourage any of you. Sometimes I wonder if "blogging" is a good thing, sometimes we get so caught up in it that it can take priority over other important things that need to be done. I think as long as we maintain a happy balance that blogging is great. I have read many of your blogs that have inspired me or given me ideas that work for our family now! I think its great that we can meet so many wonderful people we other wise wouldn't have if there were no internet, Facebook and blogger! I hope you all continue in your blogging journey and I look forward to continuing to read them! God Bless and have a great Sunday! We are off for a Family Sunday dinner!