Update Your Life

Well, it is almost the end of the first month of the year, and I feel like it has been forever since it was warm. Okay, so Tuesday it was in the 60's, but today it is right now 37. If it would stay cooler I could adjust, but it keeps bouncing around warm then cold. That's what I get for living in the South, shut up...




Big went with his dad on Monday to get his driver's permit. I don't know if I am ready for my baby boy to drive, but I can't keep him small forever. So far he has driven 3 times and only managed to almost run out in front of another car once. (Only screamed a little bit!!) When he gets his head around driving, I am sure that it will be alright, but until then, I will ride along holding the door handle, holding my breath waiting until I have to correct his driving. (Maybe more screaming...)





Little turned 7 on Wednesday, January 14th and continues to tell me things she can do now that she is 7. She really wants to cook something, by herself! I don't think so!! She also seems to think she can wear lipstick now, but I have told her repeatedly that makeup comes much later. She will understand it eventually, hopefully. She is getting a little bit of an attitude, complete with looks that I shouldn't be getting until she is at least 14. I keep telling her that all those looks will get her is her pants a little warmer in the back...



I will leave your good folks, the 3 of you who actually read this, with a recipe that is so easy and good. Just remember, it makes somewhere around a gallon so be prepared.

Chicken Stew

1 whole chicken, boiled and boned--save the broth

5 potatoes cubed, boiled until tender

2 packages chicken Ramen noodles, cooked and drained

Put all into large pot. Add 1-2 cans cream of chicken or cream of

mushroom soup

2-3 large cans Pet milk

2-3 cups chicken broth

1-2 seasoning packages from noodle pkgs.

Salt if necessary. If too thick add more broth or

milk. Opt. 2 cans mushrooms

I put in 2 of everything except mushroom soup and mushrooms. It comes out very creamy and yummy. I also just boil 2 large chicken breasts instead of a whole chicken which helps in getting the meat off. Little loves this stew and this is the only thing that she says I can make as good as MaMaw.....

Peeps

Hello my peeps! Don't you just love the south and their fear of anything snow or ice? I am sitting here watching the fire burn and waiting for 12:30 to roll around so I can go and pick up my bundles of joy from school because it might snow this afternoon. It is not even under 40 degrees right now and hasn't been during the day this year I don't think and so snow will not stick or accumulate, yet we have to let the kids lay around the house be home safe just in case. I am all about my kids being safe but coming home 2 hours early because it might snow later? I never got out of school for that. Same school and system, but the snow had to be actually falling and sticking before we got out early. Also, they go in 2 hours late tomorrow so that "if" it does snow and stick, there will be time for it to melt before they go in. Lucky for me we went and traded in our movies through the mail for free ones at the store so we are set for at least 6+ hours of quiet reflection family togetherness maybe not getting on each others nerves.

We are all doing as well as we can. Hubbie is fighting sinus congestion that is making his teeth and back of neck hurt. There is nothing quite like feeling like your teeth are going to fall out unless you can poke your finger through your gums into your nose. I had the same about 2 weeks ago, but I got mine cleared out pretty well. His has stayed and he is not sleeping well because of it. I think last night was the first night he has slept more than 3 hours at a time since Saturday. We are dosing him with Sudafed, generic Mucinex, Ibuprophen, water, Tei Fu oil on his neck, ALJ herbal, Colloidal Silver in case of infection and saline spray. Some combination of OTC and herbal remedies should clear him out. It won't kill him.

Little and Big are doing well, just waiting for Christmas holidays to roll around. Next week is their last one before they are out for 2 weeks. Hubbie is out the same time. I love Christmas time and getting to be together, but sometimes it is hard to be in one house for extended periods of time. But, it will be good and fun and loving and I can't wait.

God grant me serenity and understanding for the 2 weeks of forced togetherness and please allow us to all coexist without anyone causing another to lose their cool. Amen.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is upon us once again. This year I have plenty to be thankful for and I will rejoice in the festivities. My husband is back safe from his trip to India and Nepal. He says that he is still processing all that he saw and encountered there and it's been over a month! I can see small differences in him since he came back, but with the things he has shared with me and the pictures I have seen he couldn't not change a small bit. If he didn't, I would be worried!

Dear son is doing well, and growing like a weed as they say. He has grown probably 3 inches since June and there is no sign of slowing. It is making it hard to find pants that fit him as his waist is smaller than his inseam. Fun fun shopping.

Dear daughter is growing as well. She is learning that just because one of your friends acts a certain way does not mean that you should act that way too. Especially if the way you are acting includes getting in your mom's face and swirling your head around while saying,"I don't care about..." whatever. Or if it is looking at your mom and saying "What are YOU looking at?!!". Never good. I finally had to tell her that I can out attitude her anyday and that if she ever tries it again I will beat her up one side and down the other. I think she believes me. She is 6 after all...

We are hosting a few friends at our house Thursday night after the family Thanksgiving lunch. It should be very interesting. I haven't given a dinner party before. I don't think this will be one per se. Just a lot of us sitting around stuffing ourselves and saying stupid things in bad accents. My house is rife with bad accents!!

Friends are plentiful, family is loving and supportive, all are well and in the US still. Life is good.

Season for change...

Well, fall is here, but that is not the change I am talking about. Yesterday was my dear son's 15th birthday. Our lives will never quite be the same because soon he will be learning to drive. I don't know if I am ready for this yet. He can't even keep up with his retainer, and he has been threatened several times, how is he going to keep up with car keys when the time comes? I know, I know. The keys will be something that he WANTS to keep up with, so they will not disappear as often. I think his brain just keeps moving to fast for him to process where he puts things down. I have every hope that this trend changes, but so far I'm not holding my breath.

Another area of change this week- on Wednesday my darling husband is going on a trip to India and Nepal to do some pastorial teaching to Nepalese missionaries and will be gone for 12 days. 12 days without seeing him, hearing from him, or even experiencing the same weather as him. I am not really looking forward to his being gone, but I do realize that it is for a good cause. I am a natural worrier. I see things and visualize exactly how they can go wrong. I'm not a pessimist, as my friends can tell you, I just can't help but see the negative aspects a little stronger than the positive aspects. If our daughter is in a tree, I can almost see her falling and breaking her spleen (yes I know a spleen doesn't break, it ruptures, but it doesn't sound as good...). If our son is mowing the bank I can see the mower turning over on him. I can't help it, I'm a mom and I try to keep everyone safe...except this time I can't. Dear Hubby will be in a foreign country out of my reach and areas of knowledge. I won't be there to tell him not to pet the cobras and that he can't keep the vampire bats as pets. I won't be there to keep his clothes slightly less than rank from not being able to wash them. I won't be there to tell him everything will be just fine, and to just go to sleep. I won't be there, period. But you know what? I may not be there, but God will be and he will keep him safer than I ever could. My husband may smell a little when he travels back, but that will be just fine. He will be back and I will be glad, even when I am having to boil his clothes to make them wearable again. All will be well, and so will I...

Pray for me.

Twice in One Week?

Can you believe it? Two blogs in a week. Whatever can have gotten into me?

Just had a few words and thoughts...

What is the deal with the gas prices? I realize that the refineries are shutting down, but the gas that we are buying now was already refined before this, so why is it costing us more now? Supply and demand is one thing, but price gouging is another, right?

How are we going to afford to eat and continue to work if the price of gas doesn't come down below $4.00/gal? If the price stays up over $4, if will take a lot of the take home pay to buy the gas to get to work to make the money to buy the gas... you get the picture. It's ridiculous.

Tomorrow is a full day of band related stuff. At 2:00 is the County Fair Parade through the center of town. Yippee!! Followed by the Night of Bands at the city High School from 6:00 until everyone has performed. Another great big yippee!! What more can you ask for? Heat, candy bounced off of the street and marching bands for 4 hours. You're jealous I know...

I mad Little mad when I picked her up from school. Undoubtedly I was an extremely mean and unfit mother because I wouldn't agree to her plan...to go to Wal-Mart. On a Friday, when there is a run on gas for your car? I don't think so!!

I think I will stop ranting about the little things and just relax. Breathe, breathe, OHMMMMM.......

It's Been Such a Long Time

Hello again. I know it's bad when you quote 80's song titles as the title to a post, but sometimes they say it all. I can't even say I have been extremely busy, and haven't had time to post. I've just been lazy.

The kids are back in school and have a mixed opinion on it. Some days they like it, some days they tolerate it. Big just got to go back to school after yet another round of strep-throat. Little has had some ick and yuck that makes her cranky. Both are now on antibiotics so maybe the end is near.

Hubby is preparing for his trip to India/Nepal and is doing a fine job. Even if some days he is too serious about everything that is said and done around the house! He's walking and drinking lots of water and eating lots of rice...lots of rice. I think he will be fine.

I am trying to be supportive and helpful, but when your husband is going into a country not known for their favorable feelings toward Christians and is going to be traveling for 12 days in said country, it can be troublesome to sit and think about. I'm proud that God has given him this opportunity, but I don't have to like it.(Yes, I am SUCH a grown-up:})

Not much else noteworthy going on in our small chunk of the world, so I will go. Leave a comment so I know you are reading!!

Like I Was Saying

So, it's been awhile. Can't say that I've been real busy, just lazy. There is quite a bit going on in our little slice of the world, just not anything to keep me from posting.

Right now, my family is preparing for dear husband to go on 2 trips to preach. Next Friday he will be leaving to go to Michigan for a week with the director of missions to preach in some small churches in lower MI. In October, God willing and providing, will see him going to Nepal to help teach young believers and preachers to share the gospel more effectively with their fellow Nepalese and maybe a few Tibetans. Not really an extremely safe trip, but if God's will is for him to be there, who am I to question. I must say that I will still worry and pray for his safety, but if it be God's will....

The kids are great. Although today the big is upset because he must get his hair cut. Not a big deal for some, but his hair is BIG! There must be a good 3 inches of hair that goes up in height. He looks about 5' 9" when he is only 5' 6.5". At 14 I think I should still have the right to tell him, and take him, to get it cut down to a reasonable length/height. The little wants her hair cut also. She wants it cut just below her ears and I am having a hard time with the shortness that she wants. I'll have to think about it, but I think shoulder length would be acceptable. Is it because I'm a little jealous of her beautiful hair? Maybe, but maybe it's because I think that she looks cuter with a little length on her hair. We'll see how it comes out.

I am still struggling with keeping the house presentable at all times. I know that as a pastor's family we should be ready at all times for people to come to the house in case they need counseling, but it is extremely hard. Especially now that canning season is here and I would like to put up as many cans of vegetables and jellies that I can. Oh, well, I will find the time if it is to be.

To end this post, let me say that my heart is full of praise for God and that I pray that all I do is to the glory of God. May His will be fulfilled.

Nothin' much, you?

Well, there is really nothing much new going on at Providence central that won't bore you to tears. Everyone is healthy, now that I am getting over some bizarre head cold, and everyone seems to be enjoying things as they are, except Hubby who has a hard time enjoying a lot of things right now. He is extremely busy doing stuff and planning stuff and trying to figure out how to get the mower going so that we can mow the 2 foot tall yard that I understand how hard it is to relax.

I, on the other hand, can always find a way to relax which is the bain of housecleaning. I really need to work on that whole 'get the housework done first' thing that great stay-at-home mom's have. I just can't get into the idea and I really need to. Any suggestions on how to get my behind motivated to clean as I should? (Short of drastic measures like an e-mail saying my in-laws were coming over in 4 hours. :) )

I will end this post by saying God is the greatest provider of our needs ever. Sometimes we forget, but I have been reminded of it repeatedly over the past week. I won't go into details, but because of His love for us as a family, no one has to sell a kidney so that the 'white man' (KIDDING) doesn't come and take things. It's too much. We don't deserve what He does for us, but He does it anyway. Thanks God!!

Later dudes and dudettes!

Saturday's all right...for updates

I decided that today I needed to spend a little time on my blog. It's been a while, but I'm here now...woohoo. Not much new around here that is exciting or interesting, unless you want to hear about my stomach virus...no? oh well. Hubby had been working on his sermon for tomorrow, until a request for his presence to speak at a Valentine's Banquet from a church near where he teaches came in. It seems the speaker they had lined up had a slight fever and his stomach was not feeling well and...you get the picture. This means that dear hubby will be up late again tonight making sure the sermon is God centered and covers all the things that he feels led to put into it.

Little bit is now 6 and informs us constantly that she can do it(whatever she is wanting to do without supervision) because she IS six now you know. This approach rarely ever works, but at least she tries. Boo is now taller than I am and constantly 14. Oh to be able to let him see that both his father and I have been 14 at least once in our lives and it all comes out OK.

A wonderous event has happened to a dear friend of many years, he and his wife have just had their first baby. Noel Grace was born on February 11 weighing in at over 8 pounds. I am told she looks just like her dad, bless her. Congratulations to the new parents!!

I will have to post again on Monday to tell how hubbies sermon goes. He has just started in 1John and it promises to be wonderful. See you then...

New Year...

Well, it is the new year again. I have been waiting for today since before Christmas...the day the kids go back to school. For our house, however, only one was able to go, the other has a bad case of strep throat. It is not as bad as the case of Scarlet Fever the other one had after Thanksgiving, but it is still not a fun thing.(Just so you know Scarlet Fever is now known as Strep Throat with a rash...)

We had a very nice and quiet Christmas with not too much running around and general holiday craziness. Hubby's sister and her beau came for Christmas supper at our house this year and it was really a nice time. My hubby's first Christmas service was all that it should be and more and the Lord's Supper was humbling as ever. When you have to stop and think if you are worthy of taking the 'sacraments'(lest we feel Catholic... crackers and grape juice) it really makes you look back over the months and ponder.

I hope that this new year leads my family into closer communication with our Lord and that we answer his calls, whatever they may be. I hope our hearts are open and we are allowed to hear God's voice calling to our hearts. May the new year hold great things for your family as well, and may your heart yearn to hear God.
s

Later that month....

Wow! It has been almost 2 weeks, and I don't have any good reason why.
There really is not anything happening to keep me from posting. I guess I just didn't have anything rattling around my brain to write about. I still don't. Well not really.

The only thing that I have been pondering is why there doesn't seem to be an abundance of Christmas Spirit this year. I have read about limited examples of it, but not like normal. It's almost like someone came and sprinkled Mueslix on top of your Honey Nut Cheerios. The goodness is still there, but there are hard, crunchy, twig-like things in your way of enjoying the sweet honey goodness. Is it the economy? The price of gas? The fact that milk is $4 a gallon? Or is our hearts turning sour?

Hubby, this is for you....
This season, open your Bible and read the 4 gospels. Let your heart be open and read closely about why Jesus was born. So that we may live and be saved from God and His wrath. Let's not only celebrate the fact that He was born but also, that He died so that we may live the life of Christians. Helping, hoping, worshipping, "gospeling",sharing, and praying, and doing this daily. All of it.

Let's spend time this Christmas in our prayer closet and go into next year with a new heart set toward God. Let's just do it!

Merry Christmas

Saturday.....

Anxious for what?

Sunday, dear hubby sermonized on Philippians 4:6. This is a pretty good follow up to my last post, sort of. The verse tells us to be anxious for nothing, but to give thanks and supplication. I should have just given thanks to the parents and to God for everything. Instead I tried to make things even. God doesn't want even. He wants everything. My parents didn't want even, they just wanted to provide something helpful to my family. I should take the blessings we get and praise God. I should be praying a prayer of thanks that we are worthy of helping through God making us humble. I should be praying endlessly for everything. I should be studying the Bible more to get more understanding of how God wants things and what I should do.

I should go lay down. My brain is hurting from all of these thoughts forming that are awesome to think about. Maybe I'll just go read a little more from Philippians...

God is so Good!!

Day before yesterday, the hubby's truck decided to go into menopause and overheat on the way to work. He returned home, took my car, and continued on his way. After work, my dad came to help him take the water pump off so that it could be replaced.



Yesterday, as hubby still had the car, my parents were coming to drive me to pick up the kiddies from school. Dad decided to go ahead and pick up the pump so that they could put it on as soon as hubby was home. Job done, and Dad wouldn't let me give him the money for the pump or the new belt he had also bought. "Hey, let us take you and Mom out to eat so that we can pay some of it back to you." Sounded good, so we took them to Casa Fiesta (House Party?) Mexican Restaurant. Time for the bill...and they took it from the waiter and refused to let us pay for it. I am not sure whether to be happy that the amount for the pump will not have to come out of the monthly budget, or upset that they wouldn't let us do something for them in thanks and repayment.

I know this is one of those moments to say "God is so GOOD!", but I still feel a little hurt that they wouldn't let us do anything for them. As this is the way of parents though, I will let this pass. I learned 2 things:
1) When taking your parents out to eat, get to the waiter before they do so you can grab the bill
and 2) Just don't take them out to eat. Cook a meal at home so that there is no bill that they can pay and if they try to give you money for it, then YOU can tell them no!!

Any thoughts?

Let's Start Something Good

This is my first post on my first blog in my first attempt to get my thoughts out of my head and into someone elses...

I am coming to you live, deep in Providence, both a place and a gift from God to allow me to be here now. I have read friends blogs and they are more gifted in sharing their thoughts and ideas, but I hope to keep up and entertain you, maybe even "learn you a little somethin'".

My posting will probably be sporatic and spastic, but bear with me...it will be worth it!