Wacky Weekend

What a busy weekend. Here is a brief photo journal of the fun. I'll post more later, it's a busy Monday as well, so this will suffice for now.

Here are the Pampered Girls from the Friday night Pampered Chef party. I so wish you all could have joined us, we had such a nice time.

Brent was here for a few days, it was so nice to be with him again. On Saturday morning we went to Indy to meet Jani and brush up on some old songs and learn a couple new songs. It was so good to be with Brent and Jani again. So nice to sing with them again as well. We all wished we had more time and more opportunity to practise before Youth Challenge, but alas it is not to be. The above photo is of Brent in Waiting..... (as if there are not a thousand young ladies dieing to "fill in the photo.)

Below is Jani, Baby B, and I.

Saturday night when I got home from Indy, our family went out to the Gilley's for Indian Tacos. So yummy! Most of our church family was in attendace and some camp friends as well. A great time was had by all. (sorry, I forgot my camera.) Well, we need to get school finished and the Fall Solo Recital is tonight, so lots to do. Hope all is well with you.

Hey, here are a few photos for your viewing pleasure. Ok, more for Nanny's viewing pleasure.

But before that, I just wanted to let all my fair readers know that I am hosting a Pampered Chef party this Friday night at 7pm. IF you live close enough, you are welcome to come. IF you don't, and need anything from the Pampered Chef line of products you are welcome to check out the website and order at www.pamperedchef.biz/woffskitchen be sure to put my name in as your hostess.

Challah Bread and Hallah Cloth. The bread is pretty and yummy, but much more salty than we are accustomed to. Next time I make it we will use half the salt recommended.

The boys eating the Challah and holding the 10 commandments that they made. We also gave them skull caps to wear. (Don't ask what we used for skull caps.

Some of the boy's friends at the parade. Those fire trucks were loud!

Siah waiting for the candy to be tossed his direction.

Micah enjoying the parade, even the fire trucks. (notice the ear plugs) And yes, I know the Bob the Builder hat is too small, but he thinks it's cool!

Quotable Quotes:

Micah

"I need some almonds to help my rememory."

"I just fell on my big fat bottom!"

When Matt laid down beside him one morning, Micah said, "there are too much people in my bed!"

Josiah

"Oh Mommy, I just love to hug you cause you're so soft and squishy."

"I went to tricky school and now I'm gonna trick you."

"Mommy, Micah just destroyed my train tracks!" (drama anyone?) :)

A Myriad of Thoughts

Ok so my mind has been going as usual. I normally don't write my rambling mind, but tonight I'm feeling crazy.

* On motherhood.....servanthood.
I must confess, before children I never really thought of myself as an impatient person. If someone was annoying or "pushed my buttons" I could usually let it go pretty easily. No biggie right, silly to stress over the small stuff, I can't change people. Then I had kiddos. I've discovered that when these little ones, as much as I love them, get annoying or "push my buttons" I can't just ignore it. I have to deal with it, cause I'm responsible to mold their character. I realized a while back where the impatience comes from, and it's source is not exactly something of which I'm proud. You see I understand that most of the time when I feel impatient it's because I'M being interrupted or inconvenienced. I have an agenda for the day and these little people keep interrupting ME with their behavior. The idea that I am to be a servant to all as a follower of Christ means more than just a servant to strangers. That while I sing Make Me a Servant on Sunday, it means on Monday when there is a great battle over who had what first or when the potty is covered with...well, you know, cause somebody didn't keep their legs together AGAIN, that is when I am called to be a servant. Jesus help me to take up the basin and the towel not just for a world in need, which at times is an easier task, but to take them up daily for two little guys who need to see you in my life.
* On Aging.
I've noticed as I get older that I tend to be more emotional in some areas, less in others. Less in the sensitive feelings and more in the sadness of sin and thankfulness to God. The other day I was driving alone (a rare occasion) and was listening to the news. A report on ANOTHER child abuse case came over the airwaves. I literally became ill. I had to stop listening and pull my thoughts in another direction lest I lose my lunch. It never ceases to amazing me how devalued children are in our culture. How a mother can hold her kicking, clawing, babies under water until they die is just beyond my scope of understanding. A bigger mind boggeler is that somehow the mother becomes the victim. Now I have compassion on women who suffer from Post pardom. I think most of us Mom's have an idea of how that can feel, perhaps not to furthest extent, but an inkling none the less. So when I hear about young Mom's who in times of high stress, screaming baby, little sleep and no help, shaking their baby to death, well, I am horrified, but I can feel compassion. But in my opinion that is a world apart from what we've been hearing in the news the last few years. And it seems, everyone is a victim, except for the children. God help us.
*On Rosh Hashannah and Yom Kippur.
If you are a faithful reader you will know the boys and I have been studying ancient history. Two weeks ago we "crossed" the Red Sea and are now at the foot of Mt. Sinai. Therefore the last few weeks we have been learning about some of the High Holy Days of the Jewish people. Very enlightening. When God gave the 10 Commandments to Moses, it was like He was trying to establish a basis for relationship again with His creation(they had most likely been worship idols the last few hundred years). He is a holy God and He wants a holy people. So He gave Moses a set of laws to let the Jews know how their relationship would work. He would love and protect they would honor and obey. Unfortunately, as human nature turns out, they began to worship the law and not the Law Giver. So God sent His son. In Jesus they would see relationship, understand what God expected from them and what He wanted for them. But not just for them, for us, for the world.
As the Jews celebrate Rosh Hashannah they not only welcome a new year they also review their lives and hope that they have somehow been "good" enough to make it into the "book of life". They have 8 days to do good deeds and beg God's forgiveness for their sins over the past year and then on Yom Kippur the books are closed, their fates are sealed. What God offered in Jesus is the blood sacrifice that not only covers our sin if we ask, but He offered an example in a life lived sinless. A life not bogged down in the sin/good deed cycle. But a life full, alive and in love with the Creator. So Thankful!
*On Friends and Free Tickets
We had a really fun surprise on Friday! Becca called and said she had 4 FREE tickets for a Steven Curtis Chapman Concert. WOO HOO! So we sattled up our horses and off we went. I so enjoyed the fun, uplifting concert. Call me a heathen, but I don't go to concerts with any other expectation than to just enjoy good clean christian entertainment. But, I left with that and a whole lot more. The words to so many of SCC's songs so ministered to my heart. Songs that encouraged me to be a servant, to live like Jesus and to Dive into (ie trust) Him completely.

And so I will leave you with that, such as it is. Perhaps I will later post a photo album of some of life's happenings here. So good to be on this journey of life with good friends like you.