I love Christmas. Let me say that again. I love Christmas. I love the smells, the tastes, the songs, the cookies. I love Christmas trees and Christmas presents. I love wrapping gifts with the expensive ribbon because even the least expensive thing seems better when wrapped with a lovely, poufey bow. I love the Manger Scene, and Baby Jesus.... I love that we have a Jesse Tree and we faithfully place the ornaments (or the children do!) each day from December 1, onward. I love Christmas lights - a reminder of the Light of the World who came to be WITH US here.
This Christmas was full of love, handcrafted gifts, and numerous gift certificates! I think my favorite gift given at our house was a regifted, previously falling apart diary that my first princess lovingly repaired and then passed along with care to the second princess. The second princess (unbeknownst to us) had been secretly longing for her own diary. She unwrapped the diary, said with big breathy words,"Oh are you sure you want ME to have THIS?" then looked into her loving sister's eyes, they both smiled, and a warm and extended embrace was shared. *sigh* It warmed the cockles of my heart.
This was also the Christmas of LEGOS! Thanks to a number of family members (you know who you are, but we don't want to make anyone blush) our girls went from Legoless (sounds like one of the characters from Lord of the rings.. oh.. I am wandering off..) to abounding with Legos! After opening all of the gifts (and the pile was simply brimming over) the girls colored, stuffed their new handbags with goodies, put on a swipe of new lipgloss, paged through new books, and deconstructed toy packaging of a number of things. Then we sat down, all 5 of us, together on the floor (beside the bag of wrapping paper leftovers that the King of the place collected and tied up). Then we set to work. E and I worked on the Bus, while L and Dad worked on the pizza parlor. After a little instruction on how to read the directions (and by the way, Lego is GREAT with their directions!) everyone was putting pieces of Legos together and the beginning of a small town came together. A was moderately interested in the Lego project, but found her new exciting Littlest Pet Shop toy MUCH more interesting.
After that we had a short drive over to our new friends, the Perry's, home. They had a passle (over 40, I think) friends and kids all together. We ate and talked and laughed and had a wonderful time. We had only planned on staying about 1 1/2 hours, but we were there for almost 4! (Time flies...)
Upon returning home, the Lego projects were completed, we had a bite to eat, then the little ones were shuffled off to bed. Mom and Dad sighed relief, looked outside, and it had just begun snowing. Who could ask for anything more?
Another wonderful Christmas here at the Happiest House on the Block! Blessings to you and yours on this wonderful holiday! May the peace of Christ be with you!
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Saturday, December 18, 2010
A Christmas Miracle, or The Camera Was In The Trash
We were sad when we went to bed. The camera was lost. Our girl was turning 7 in the morning. There would be no record of the waking moments when we give her gifts and she enjoys her breakfast and presents. It was sad.
Then this morning, at 5:30 am (which is BEFORE my children wake up, but not MUCH before) I had a thought.. and inspired thought.. that we had looked everyplace BUT the trash. We had discounted the trash as the hiding place for the camera because the trash guys had come yesterday morning. BUT I had cleaned up the living spaces in preparation for the birthday celebration... and I distinctly remembered dumping the trashcan by the desk. Even though it seemed crazy - and we all know how disgusting the thought of trash digging is for everyone - I decided to don my sneakers, brave the cold, and dig through the trash. It seemed unlikely, but I was there, in my pj's and sneakers, contemplating things and praying, while I lifted the smelly lid, considered which bag to open first, and dove in. I only had to open one bag.. it was the heaviest one.. and there, with the papers and used up glue sticks... WAS OUR CAMERA! Thankfully we have an acceptably good case, so it didn't have any "garbage residue" on it.. and I happily walked back to the house. I IMMEDIATELY cleaned off the case, then sprayed it with Lysol spray. Then (after it had dried) I extracted the camera (did I mention THOROUGHLY washing my hands... twice)... and it worked just fine, no worse for the wear, just a little chilly from the freezing weather conditions.
So we have our camera. And we have our cat. And I think Dennis summed it up nicely by saying,"Maybe that isn't the best place to keep the camera." Duly noted. The camera needs a better home. Let's put it far, far from the cat. And her tuckus. And the trashcan. *sigh*
Then this morning, at 5:30 am (which is BEFORE my children wake up, but not MUCH before) I had a thought.. and inspired thought.. that we had looked everyplace BUT the trash. We had discounted the trash as the hiding place for the camera because the trash guys had come yesterday morning. BUT I had cleaned up the living spaces in preparation for the birthday celebration... and I distinctly remembered dumping the trashcan by the desk. Even though it seemed crazy - and we all know how disgusting the thought of trash digging is for everyone - I decided to don my sneakers, brave the cold, and dig through the trash. It seemed unlikely, but I was there, in my pj's and sneakers, contemplating things and praying, while I lifted the smelly lid, considered which bag to open first, and dove in. I only had to open one bag.. it was the heaviest one.. and there, with the papers and used up glue sticks... WAS OUR CAMERA! Thankfully we have an acceptably good case, so it didn't have any "garbage residue" on it.. and I happily walked back to the house. I IMMEDIATELY cleaned off the case, then sprayed it with Lysol spray. Then (after it had dried) I extracted the camera (did I mention THOROUGHLY washing my hands... twice)... and it worked just fine, no worse for the wear, just a little chilly from the freezing weather conditions.
So we have our camera. And we have our cat. And I think Dennis summed it up nicely by saying,"Maybe that isn't the best place to keep the camera." Duly noted. The camera needs a better home. Let's put it far, far from the cat. And her tuckus. And the trashcan. *sigh*
Friday, December 17, 2010
Once upon a time there was a lovely family who cared deeply for each other. They gave up half of everything they owned to go on a long journey across a broad land. They crossed mountains and valleys, met new friends and faces and experienced new and exciting adventures. Along with their cat.
One day, while living in the new country, the family went to collect their small and functional, but not fancy, digital camera in order to capture images of their child turning 7 years old. They searched high and low, dug through drawers, crawled under beds, cleaned out the car, looked behind books on the bookcases, searched the bathroom cabinets, moved furniture... no stone was left unturned (they even went outside to see if they had somehow left it there when taking photos of the children playing in the snow... for the first time ever... in their lives...). Then they began to recall how, upon the arrival of the Christmas tree, their cat had gotten nervous and taken up residence behind the computer... on the computer desk... where they kept their digital camera... right next to... the trashcan. The cat was famous for clearing surfaces before resting on them because of the extreme size of her... ahem...tuckus...They were beside themselves. It did not help that the trashmen had come and collected all of the household trash the day before. So there was no trash to look through... or analyze... or even bother with...
Because it was a week before Christmas they put out a plea to the community at large - would any kind soul offer their digital camera for this poor family? The rest is yet to be known...
One day, while living in the new country, the family went to collect their small and functional, but not fancy, digital camera in order to capture images of their child turning 7 years old. They searched high and low, dug through drawers, crawled under beds, cleaned out the car, looked behind books on the bookcases, searched the bathroom cabinets, moved furniture... no stone was left unturned (they even went outside to see if they had somehow left it there when taking photos of the children playing in the snow... for the first time ever... in their lives...). Then they began to recall how, upon the arrival of the Christmas tree, their cat had gotten nervous and taken up residence behind the computer... on the computer desk... where they kept their digital camera... right next to... the trashcan. The cat was famous for clearing surfaces before resting on them because of the extreme size of her... ahem...tuckus...They were beside themselves. It did not help that the trashmen had come and collected all of the household trash the day before. So there was no trash to look through... or analyze... or even bother with...
 |
| The Culprit |
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Come on in... welcome home...
We moved to Durham at the end of July. I have resorted to telling people it was August, because it is easier, and those first few weeks were more like camping, so they don't count, right? But I digress....
I was looking online at a post about how Americans are less connected to each other, their communities, and the social world in general. No, we are not imagining it.. it is really happening. Where once we knew our neighbors and sat outside on summer nights watching the kids play ball in front yards or in the streets in front of our homes... we now sit inside, alone, watching movies and playing video games. We bowl, but not in leagues. And we go to church, but don't know people there.
That wasn't how it was intended to be. We weren't made to be alone. Connection is what God puts us here for - in families, in churches, in communities. God wants us to be connected - to forgive, to love, to know each other. You can't do those things alone. "Bear one another's burdens"... what does that look like? I have to say, we were part of a wonderful group in our former location... they did bear each other's burdens. Someone had cancer - he told the group. We prayed for him. But we didn't leave it there. We cooked dinner if the family needed it. We called to see how things were going. We checked up - "How is treatment going".. we laughed when he laughed and were concerned right alongside of all that concern.
When babies were joined to a family, we cooked food, brought diapers, and commiserated about the fatigue that every new family feels. We celebrated with gifts and cried when little ones were lost, no matter how little they were.
We had potlucks - at least once a month. Everyone brought food and shared it. We took turns making breads, salads, main dishes, and sides. Recipes were shared. Waistlines were broadened. We joined Weight Watchers together and counted points, side by side.
We shared books, and book recommendations. We played games and went camping. The boys chased the girls with sticks and the girls talked in groups, spinning in their beautiful dresses and examining their shoes. Our children knew each other's names, some of them went to school together, and all of the children had parents who loved them and were involved with them... both their own, and other people's.
When we moved, they came and carried our heavy stuff with us. They helped us clean our place. They brought books on tape for our kids to listen to in the car as we drove to our new location. And as we drove away, we cried because we knew the treasure of what we had left behind was just that.. a treasure.
*sigh*
So now we are in a new place and looking for that same thing. As I look back I remember that when we moved to the LAST new place, we didn't find that group immediately. In fact, we spent a long time searching for that group. We visited numerous classes, went on outings, had people over to our house, had birthday parties, and had more than one invitation ignored, forgotten and rejected. (Or were we ignored, forgotten and rejected? I can't remember which it was because both things happened...)
We found that group, but they were just beginning and they hadn't formed a solid identity. They were hoping to be outreach focused - "bring them in" was kind of an unspoken thought. But people are drawn to what is wonderful... life giving... where they can laugh and cry and "where everybody knows your name... and they're always glad you came..." I hate to make the parallel, but Cheers had something to teach us. Community is good. Community is worth the effort. Community takes time.... BUT once you have a community and it is open and receptive, warm and inviting... you can't keep people out because we all crave that connection. And this group became that community. And although that group seemed hidden away... it is a group that all types of people are drawn to... and they are coming in.
So we are here. And they are there. And I keep seeing the smiling faces on Facebook... and missing my dear community.
But I know we can have it again.. we might have to help build the walls and construct the roof, but community is something we have had and we can have it again. How to get there? There are a ton of ways, but some folks have saved me a bunch of time by creating a list! Follow the link to 150 ways to Build Social Capitol. It is all related to a book called "Bowling Alone" in which the authors discuss the fact of America's decline into loneliness. There is a whole blog relate called Better Together where you can find articles, discussions, and the list of ways to Build Social Capitol.. or just make friends!
Now, where did I put my phone book? I need to call up a new friend and plan to meet for tea....
I was looking online at a post about how Americans are less connected to each other, their communities, and the social world in general. No, we are not imagining it.. it is really happening. Where once we knew our neighbors and sat outside on summer nights watching the kids play ball in front yards or in the streets in front of our homes... we now sit inside, alone, watching movies and playing video games. We bowl, but not in leagues. And we go to church, but don't know people there.
That wasn't how it was intended to be. We weren't made to be alone. Connection is what God puts us here for - in families, in churches, in communities. God wants us to be connected - to forgive, to love, to know each other. You can't do those things alone. "Bear one another's burdens"... what does that look like? I have to say, we were part of a wonderful group in our former location... they did bear each other's burdens. Someone had cancer - he told the group. We prayed for him. But we didn't leave it there. We cooked dinner if the family needed it. We called to see how things were going. We checked up - "How is treatment going".. we laughed when he laughed and were concerned right alongside of all that concern.
When babies were joined to a family, we cooked food, brought diapers, and commiserated about the fatigue that every new family feels. We celebrated with gifts and cried when little ones were lost, no matter how little they were.
We had potlucks - at least once a month. Everyone brought food and shared it. We took turns making breads, salads, main dishes, and sides. Recipes were shared. Waistlines were broadened. We joined Weight Watchers together and counted points, side by side.
We shared books, and book recommendations. We played games and went camping. The boys chased the girls with sticks and the girls talked in groups, spinning in their beautiful dresses and examining their shoes. Our children knew each other's names, some of them went to school together, and all of the children had parents who loved them and were involved with them... both their own, and other people's.
When we moved, they came and carried our heavy stuff with us. They helped us clean our place. They brought books on tape for our kids to listen to in the car as we drove to our new location. And as we drove away, we cried because we knew the treasure of what we had left behind was just that.. a treasure.
*sigh*
So now we are in a new place and looking for that same thing. As I look back I remember that when we moved to the LAST new place, we didn't find that group immediately. In fact, we spent a long time searching for that group. We visited numerous classes, went on outings, had people over to our house, had birthday parties, and had more than one invitation ignored, forgotten and rejected. (Or were we ignored, forgotten and rejected? I can't remember which it was because both things happened...)
We found that group, but they were just beginning and they hadn't formed a solid identity. They were hoping to be outreach focused - "bring them in" was kind of an unspoken thought. But people are drawn to what is wonderful... life giving... where they can laugh and cry and "where everybody knows your name... and they're always glad you came..." I hate to make the parallel, but Cheers had something to teach us. Community is good. Community is worth the effort. Community takes time.... BUT once you have a community and it is open and receptive, warm and inviting... you can't keep people out because we all crave that connection. And this group became that community. And although that group seemed hidden away... it is a group that all types of people are drawn to... and they are coming in.
So we are here. And they are there. And I keep seeing the smiling faces on Facebook... and missing my dear community.
But I know we can have it again.. we might have to help build the walls and construct the roof, but community is something we have had and we can have it again. How to get there? There are a ton of ways, but some folks have saved me a bunch of time by creating a list! Follow the link to 150 ways to Build Social Capitol. It is all related to a book called "Bowling Alone" in which the authors discuss the fact of America's decline into loneliness. There is a whole blog relate called Better Together where you can find articles, discussions, and the list of ways to Build Social Capitol.. or just make friends!
Now, where did I put my phone book? I need to call up a new friend and plan to meet for tea....
Friday, November 12, 2010
Veritas Press - Online Classes
We have had the joy of using Veritas Press as our curriculum provider for the last number of years. I love the recommendations they make for reading, they have wonderful literature guides, and I appreciate how I can pay them to plan my year of academic work for me! (Bless them!)
This fall they offered us (and anyone else, for that matter!) a chance to try out their online Scholars program of classes, for 30 days. We took them up on the offer, so my 1st and 2nd kiddos worked their way through the self-paced courses. L did "Explorers to 1815" and E did "OT and Ancient Egypt" online.
What we found was wonderful. The videos were entertaining and attention grabbing... the course was full of stories, quizzes, games, and a ton of review. They used all types of interactions between the material and my children - and they drew so much more from the history (and Bible, too!) than I can with my limited time and knowledge. I loved it when I had to fold laundry and got to listen in! If I had the $250 to enroll my children in the courses I would do it. If you are in need (or just want) some more support - these online courses are wonderful and I have to recommend them. For those of the classical/chronological history persuasion, these courses are ideal.
They are self-paced.. which was great, but meant my kids just wanted to do history all the time for the 30 day trial! (How many things can you say that about?)
I have to give Veritas Press 2 thumbs up for these courses. I look forward to seeing what other online offerings they plan for the future!
This fall they offered us (and anyone else, for that matter!) a chance to try out their online Scholars program of classes, for 30 days. We took them up on the offer, so my 1st and 2nd kiddos worked their way through the self-paced courses. L did "Explorers to 1815" and E did "OT and Ancient Egypt" online.
What we found was wonderful. The videos were entertaining and attention grabbing... the course was full of stories, quizzes, games, and a ton of review. They used all types of interactions between the material and my children - and they drew so much more from the history (and Bible, too!) than I can with my limited time and knowledge. I loved it when I had to fold laundry and got to listen in! If I had the $250 to enroll my children in the courses I would do it. If you are in need (or just want) some more support - these online courses are wonderful and I have to recommend them. For those of the classical/chronological history persuasion, these courses are ideal.
They are self-paced.. which was great, but meant my kids just wanted to do history all the time for the 30 day trial! (How many things can you say that about?)
I have to give Veritas Press 2 thumbs up for these courses. I look forward to seeing what other online offerings they plan for the future!
Sweet Things - Thankfulness...
It is this time of year that we all begin to think about what we are thankful for.. in our house that means we cut construction paper into strips and begin our Thankfulness Chain. I place our basket of supplies (pens, pencils, stapler, construction paper strips) in the middle of the dining room table and we all take a little time each day to write some of the things we are thankful for, on the strips. Then we make our chain and the color and the thankfulness decorates our home. It is a gentle reminder of all the blessings we have - from our pets, to each other, to a place to sleep and food to eat.. the list is endless and I am so grateful that we have saved the chains from previous years to read.. It is such fun to read about the baby being thankful for her bottle, or the big sister being thankful for her dolly... In all of this thankfulness I love that I pause and consider the many ways that God has blessed us. We have a home. We have enough to eat and a warm place to stay out of the cold. But in the middle of all of the "things" we are thankful for, I am reminded again of the simple gift of walking with God. That simple gift cost Jesus so much - and it is a blessing I am thankful for every day.
The chill in the air and the color of the leaves....
L made her own (very small) Native American Long House!
E and A were busy learning about Hatshepsut - the first female Pharoah... they think she was the one who found Moses in the bulrushes and brought him to a life of priviledge.... They made Hatshepsut hats and wore them everyplace!
The girls also studied the Code of Hammurabi and practiced making their own cuneiform writing with playdoh "tablets"...
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| We had a great time at the Pumpkin Patch, too! The weather was beautiful! |
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Then we made Egyptian Paddle Dolls (they were named Julianne and Emma!)... and L made a horn book!
Lest you think all we do is have fun around here (and we try to have fun, believe me!)... we did get some meaningful study in...
Saturday, November 6, 2010
What happening around the happiest house on the block...
I just realized my last post was in September and here we are in November. I don't know what happened to October, but I sincerely hope we did something good with it! I just had to share about our new friends here in NC where we have been for the last about 12 weeks (give or take a week... see, that's how October got lost!).
We are so grateful for our new friends the Gould's. They moved here about the same time as we did and have been finding their way through the maze of moving into a new location, almost in tandem with us. They have 3 sons and 1 daughter and their kids are about our kids ages. We had a wonderful dinner with them last night - potato soup, salad, bread and pumpkin dump cake - YUM. In a time when we have felt like we are the newbies everyplace we go - they made us feel like friends and we so enjoyed them. I hope I can extend that same hospitality and kindness back in the near future - we enjoyed them so much!
We are so grateful for our new friends the Gould's. They moved here about the same time as we did and have been finding their way through the maze of moving into a new location, almost in tandem with us. They have 3 sons and 1 daughter and their kids are about our kids ages. We had a wonderful dinner with them last night - potato soup, salad, bread and pumpkin dump cake - YUM. In a time when we have felt like we are the newbies everyplace we go - they made us feel like friends and we so enjoyed them. I hope I can extend that same hospitality and kindness back in the near future - we enjoyed them so much!
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Birthday Fun!
E made a lovely bracelet and necklace set for sister.. mom and dad gave her a jewelry box, so they fit nicely inside the new box!
There were many other lovely gifts - clothes, some fun stories and toys, some cash (she's saving for her American Girl doll), a fancy little Strawberry shortcake doll, some hair dodads, fun cards, and things for horsin around... She felt very appreciated! Thanks to all!
Then we headed out to church (where they sang Happy Birthday in BOTH children's church and Sunday School) and we had lunch at home. The afternoon fun began with a scavenger hunt for the girls (thanks to Daddy!)... that ended up at goodie bags - can't have a party without goodie bags!
Then everyone came inside for pizza, soda, cake and ice cream (and yes, we all did have stomach aches afterward!)...
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
August Homeschooling Fun
We have started the year with a BANG! L is studying the Explorers to 1815 in History and E and A are starting at the beginning, together, doing Old Testament and Ancient Egypt.. and our accompanying crafts show it!
L started off with a salt dough relief map of the world, tracking Magellan's trip around the world! She did a top notch job!
E and A studied THE GREAT FLOOD and E built an ark and floated it in the sink! It actually floated!
With the younger 2 girls, they made some very nice Pharoah Menes hats representing his rule of upper and lower Egypt.. Notice their Pharoahish scowls!
Then E and A had a LOT of fun (har har) making LOT'S wife from salt dough, too!
They had a great time using the leftover salt dough from Magellan's map to make dresses for Lot's wife. After they baked in the oven they were amazing and hard as rocks! I love the surprised look on Lot's wife's face in these sculptures.Finally - we also studied Hagar and Ishmael... and the girls made "animal skin" water bottles (from cloth and yarn)... they wore them all day. It was so much fun!
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
A Happy Marriage - Completely stolen, but so worth the read...
On the Road to a Happy Marriage
Bridal showers are fitting times for the "older women" (in this case a future mother-in-law) to share some words of wisdom for a happy marriage from her treasury of experience. Following are the wise words shared by Natali's future mom-in-law, Sheryl, a delightful lady with wit and charm. Enjoy.
"For this bridal shower, Sandra asked me, as Natalie’s future mother-in-law, to prepare and speak a few words —Her question with this request was this: ‘What scripture do you think is THE most helpful/or important in married life.’ Wow! That’s quite a question. It’s true that scripture is helpful in how to handle other people in all variety of circumstance. The reality, though, as I looked back on my own marriage, the best advice I could give Natali would be to marry my husband, Bill—He has really made being married most easy, most rewarding, and least challenging of most any relationship. So that would be my FIRST suggestion—on the ‘road to a happy marriage.’But, of course, you can’t do that Natalie; he’s already married. So you are doing the next best thing by marrying “little Bill,” who I do honestly believe will be a very pleasant person to live with. I’ve lived with him, and I know that for a fact. As females, though, thinking broadly—what scripture would be most helpful to remember in married life.
As I thought about verses in scripture RELATING TO MARRIAGE, the most prominent ones are:
Proverbs 25:24 (also 21:9)
It is better to live in a corner of the roof, than in a house shared w/a contentious woman (which none of us want to be) and contrasted to the Proverbs 31 wife—who is described EXTENSIVELY--She is excellent, trustworthy, good to him, hard-working, compassionate—(which ALL of us want to be). I want to go back to the first woman:There’s not a lot of scripture describing the rest of the personality of the ‘bad’ wife—so she could well have many of these other virtues—She could be hard-working, compassionate to the poor, she could keep a good house, rising early, and staying up late
None of these things are mentioned—about the “bad” wife. The reality is, none of these other things matter one whit if the wife is contentious.
**Contentiousness is not something you do, it is conveyed through speech. As far as our good wife goes (v.26) “SHE OPENS HER MOUTH IN WISDOM/ AND THE TEACHING OF KINDNESS IS ON HER TONGUE” So her speech patterns are quite the opposite; rather than a wrangling, argumentative attitude, she is generally wise and kind in speech. When I married, I remember thinking I was ready to have my own family, and make it “my way.” I wanted some things specifically different from my original home, and some things like my original family.--basically, I really looked forward to having something new, that would be Bill’s and my little world. And it’s true: when you marry, you ARE creating. You are creating a new family, a new world. We are made in the image of God—--Made in His image, we are a tarnished, and certainly inferior creature—but, in His image, we reflect Him and His attributes. ** He creates, therefore we create also. How did He create? By the spoken Word.How do we create our own little worlds?—By our spoken words.
**SPEECH IS THE MOST IMPORTANT CREATIVE TOOL WE HAVE AT OUR DISPOSAL* Our WORDS, every day, with our husbands, our children, our friends—carry power and create our individual worlds THOSE WORDS EITHER BUILD UP, OR TEAR DOWN** We wield so much power by our use of words. **WORDS CAN CRUSH OR RELEASE; THEY CAN BRING TEARS, OR A SMILE.And every day, words will be at your disposal:—to encourage, or depress; As the wife and mother, you will be the weather vane—sunny or cloudy, happy or grim. When people enter your home it will be YOU that provides the atmosphere. That’s why the word “contentious” is used to describe a really bad wife. All the things we DO at home are the decorations; the WORDS create the atmosphere. We need to be careful of our speech, because it IS so powerful So—I have a few suggestions for all of us: Habits of communication are extremely hard to change—so early on in a marriage it’s important to establish good, clean habits of speech with one another:
1. We need to speak less—When you feel a hesitation, don’t say it. Wait. It’ll keep. If you’re having a disagreement, wait to speak. Those words that come out in anger can never be eliminated. You can’t reel the projector back and record over.
2. Don’t be sarcastic with your husband. That kind of speech, under the guise of “teasing,” is not speech that builds up.
3. Eliminate, or at least keep to a minimum, the voice that dominates all others, and sucks everyone silently into the world it creates: the T.V. Your voice is the atmosphere of your home.
The words you speak are a gift from God so use that gift wisely and carefully if you want to have a happy marriage.
Follow this link to go to the original - on a site that I love and can't read enough...
http://www.protocolmatters.org/site/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=59:on-the-road-to-a-happy-marriage&catid=13:myblog&Itemid=6
Bridal showers are fitting times for the "older women" (in this case a future mother-in-law) to share some words of wisdom for a happy marriage from her treasury of experience. Following are the wise words shared by Natali's future mom-in-law, Sheryl, a delightful lady with wit and charm. Enjoy.
"For this bridal shower, Sandra asked me, as Natalie’s future mother-in-law, to prepare and speak a few words —Her question with this request was this: ‘What scripture do you think is THE most helpful/or important in married life.’ Wow! That’s quite a question. It’s true that scripture is helpful in how to handle other people in all variety of circumstance. The reality, though, as I looked back on my own marriage, the best advice I could give Natali would be to marry my husband, Bill—He has really made being married most easy, most rewarding, and least challenging of most any relationship. So that would be my FIRST suggestion—on the ‘road to a happy marriage.’But, of course, you can’t do that Natalie; he’s already married. So you are doing the next best thing by marrying “little Bill,” who I do honestly believe will be a very pleasant person to live with. I’ve lived with him, and I know that for a fact. As females, though, thinking broadly—what scripture would be most helpful to remember in married life.
As I thought about verses in scripture RELATING TO MARRIAGE, the most prominent ones are:
Proverbs 25:24 (also 21:9)
It is better to live in a corner of the roof, than in a house shared w/a contentious woman (which none of us want to be) and contrasted to the Proverbs 31 wife—who is described EXTENSIVELY--She is excellent, trustworthy, good to him, hard-working, compassionate—(which ALL of us want to be). I want to go back to the first woman:There’s not a lot of scripture describing the rest of the personality of the ‘bad’ wife—so she could well have many of these other virtues—She could be hard-working, compassionate to the poor, she could keep a good house, rising early, and staying up late
None of these things are mentioned—about the “bad” wife. The reality is, none of these other things matter one whit if the wife is contentious.
**Contentiousness is not something you do, it is conveyed through speech. As far as our good wife goes (v.26) “SHE OPENS HER MOUTH IN WISDOM/ AND THE TEACHING OF KINDNESS IS ON HER TONGUE” So her speech patterns are quite the opposite; rather than a wrangling, argumentative attitude, she is generally wise and kind in speech. When I married, I remember thinking I was ready to have my own family, and make it “my way.” I wanted some things specifically different from my original home, and some things like my original family.--basically, I really looked forward to having something new, that would be Bill’s and my little world. And it’s true: when you marry, you ARE creating. You are creating a new family, a new world. We are made in the image of God—--Made in His image, we are a tarnished, and certainly inferior creature—but, in His image, we reflect Him and His attributes. ** He creates, therefore we create also. How did He create? By the spoken Word.How do we create our own little worlds?—By our spoken words.
**SPEECH IS THE MOST IMPORTANT CREATIVE TOOL WE HAVE AT OUR DISPOSAL* Our WORDS, every day, with our husbands, our children, our friends—carry power and create our individual worlds THOSE WORDS EITHER BUILD UP, OR TEAR DOWN** We wield so much power by our use of words. **WORDS CAN CRUSH OR RELEASE; THEY CAN BRING TEARS, OR A SMILE.And every day, words will be at your disposal:—to encourage, or depress; As the wife and mother, you will be the weather vane—sunny or cloudy, happy or grim. When people enter your home it will be YOU that provides the atmosphere. That’s why the word “contentious” is used to describe a really bad wife. All the things we DO at home are the decorations; the WORDS create the atmosphere. We need to be careful of our speech, because it IS so powerful So—I have a few suggestions for all of us: Habits of communication are extremely hard to change—so early on in a marriage it’s important to establish good, clean habits of speech with one another:
1. We need to speak less—When you feel a hesitation, don’t say it. Wait. It’ll keep. If you’re having a disagreement, wait to speak. Those words that come out in anger can never be eliminated. You can’t reel the projector back and record over.
2. Don’t be sarcastic with your husband. That kind of speech, under the guise of “teasing,” is not speech that builds up.
3. Eliminate, or at least keep to a minimum, the voice that dominates all others, and sucks everyone silently into the world it creates: the T.V. Your voice is the atmosphere of your home.
The words you speak are a gift from God so use that gift wisely and carefully if you want to have a happy marriage.
Follow this link to go to the original - on a site that I love and can't read enough...
http://www.protocolmatters.org/site/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=59:on-the-road-to-a-happy-marriage&catid=13:myblog&Itemid=6
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Note to the Buyer of our home...
Dear Buyer-
When you made your offer we were so thrilled... you promised us you didn't want to be one of THOSE buyers who haggle over every detail and scrape and claw to get as much as you could ... because you knew what you wanted - our house. We were so pleased. That was what we wanted, too, just to sell our house.
Then came the inspection. The inspector was great - thorough, complete.. he even stayed after the inspection to tell us what good condition the home was in. He told us how he glowed to you over the condition of the home - how he told you it was the best 10 year old home he had seen in a while - and how the colors were decorator chosen (HA - we just picked them ourselves). He suggested we have the windows repaired (which we weren't aware of problems with) and we sighed with relief - knowing that there was no big thing wrong with the house. Then came your list of demands. Replace the toilet flappers, trim the trees, and, oh by the way, get those doggone windows fixed - NOW!
This was not what you promised, but we wanted to get the house sold... so we offered you some cash and you took it. We were glad you took it because we didn't have time to find repairmen (that we would have to get, per your instructions) to do the minor things that needed to be done.
Then we cleaned and polished, disinfected and mopped, scrubbed, painted again in some places, and got the house ready for you. We even called the carpet cleaner to come out again, because he said if we had a few spots to take care of, he would do it for free... so he came and cleaned the carpet, and the stairs, too. We decided to offer you the refrigerator free - we can't take it to our new location and there isn't room in storage for it. You accepted. We were happy for you.
We removed everything from the house, made sure you had copies of all the paint colors, id numbers for all the parts and pieces and names of all the brands. We really wanted to be sure you had everything you needed to start off right in this new house. We left things that we thought you could use - like our hose roller, and the fireplace cleaning tools. We can't take them with us, and you will need them. We left lightbulbs that fit the lights - again we won't need them and they fit those lights. We were happy for you - that you were getting our house - and that you wanted to be in it so badly. It was a little weird how you drove by every day in a caravan of cars, just to see how it was going - but we chocked it up to you being excited.
Then came the walk through.
You decided to do it the day before closing - again we chocked that up to you being excited - and so we had everything ready.
We waited, had our dinner and were getting ready for bed. Then we go the call. You said "WHERE ARE THE CURTAINS!!!??? YOU TOOK DOWN THE CURTAINS???!!! How DARE you remove those curtians... that was practically the ONLY reason we wanted the house." (OK - my interpretation here might be a little strong, but it came off that way to me). "We AREN'T buying the place unless you return those curtains FIRST THING IN THE MORNING! We aren't signing ANYTHING unless you get us those curtains!"
We were shocked. You said you didn't want to go back and forth over little things - that you loved the house the way it was. You must be confused - every window in the house has window coverings - there were blinds in each one. We asked our realtor to let you know that the curtains were purchased to match OUR furnishings - and our colors - and our rugs and pillows... and that they were personal items to us. We had saved and scrimped and waited until we could get just what we wanted... and everything matched so nicely..and now you wanted the curtains.
Our relator was gracious - sensing our level of upset...and understanding that we had never intended to sell the curtains... she offered to buy the curtains from us. By the time she called back we had determined that it was unlikely that you would be reasonable about the curtains. So we took her offer. And we prayed for you - and we prayed for us - and we decided that if you were going to have to have the curtains, then you should have the other linens that matched them, too. So we gave you the matching items, in addition to the curtains.
It wasn't easy - but we feel like we did the right thing. And so I say to you - buyer of our home - when you sell that same home to someone else, someday... Be sure and let them have the curtains.
Thanks for buying our place - we are very grateful - we hope you enjoy the curtains...
Love,
Kim
When you made your offer we were so thrilled... you promised us you didn't want to be one of THOSE buyers who haggle over every detail and scrape and claw to get as much as you could ... because you knew what you wanted - our house. We were so pleased. That was what we wanted, too, just to sell our house.
Then came the inspection. The inspector was great - thorough, complete.. he even stayed after the inspection to tell us what good condition the home was in. He told us how he glowed to you over the condition of the home - how he told you it was the best 10 year old home he had seen in a while - and how the colors were decorator chosen (HA - we just picked them ourselves). He suggested we have the windows repaired (which we weren't aware of problems with) and we sighed with relief - knowing that there was no big thing wrong with the house. Then came your list of demands. Replace the toilet flappers, trim the trees, and, oh by the way, get those doggone windows fixed - NOW!
This was not what you promised, but we wanted to get the house sold... so we offered you some cash and you took it. We were glad you took it because we didn't have time to find repairmen (that we would have to get, per your instructions) to do the minor things that needed to be done.
Then we cleaned and polished, disinfected and mopped, scrubbed, painted again in some places, and got the house ready for you. We even called the carpet cleaner to come out again, because he said if we had a few spots to take care of, he would do it for free... so he came and cleaned the carpet, and the stairs, too. We decided to offer you the refrigerator free - we can't take it to our new location and there isn't room in storage for it. You accepted. We were happy for you.
We removed everything from the house, made sure you had copies of all the paint colors, id numbers for all the parts and pieces and names of all the brands. We really wanted to be sure you had everything you needed to start off right in this new house. We left things that we thought you could use - like our hose roller, and the fireplace cleaning tools. We can't take them with us, and you will need them. We left lightbulbs that fit the lights - again we won't need them and they fit those lights. We were happy for you - that you were getting our house - and that you wanted to be in it so badly. It was a little weird how you drove by every day in a caravan of cars, just to see how it was going - but we chocked it up to you being excited.
Then came the walk through.
You decided to do it the day before closing - again we chocked that up to you being excited - and so we had everything ready.
We waited, had our dinner and were getting ready for bed. Then we go the call. You said "WHERE ARE THE CURTAINS!!!??? YOU TOOK DOWN THE CURTAINS???!!! How DARE you remove those curtians... that was practically the ONLY reason we wanted the house." (OK - my interpretation here might be a little strong, but it came off that way to me). "We AREN'T buying the place unless you return those curtains FIRST THING IN THE MORNING! We aren't signing ANYTHING unless you get us those curtains!"
We were shocked. You said you didn't want to go back and forth over little things - that you loved the house the way it was. You must be confused - every window in the house has window coverings - there were blinds in each one. We asked our realtor to let you know that the curtains were purchased to match OUR furnishings - and our colors - and our rugs and pillows... and that they were personal items to us. We had saved and scrimped and waited until we could get just what we wanted... and everything matched so nicely..and now you wanted the curtains.
Our relator was gracious - sensing our level of upset...and understanding that we had never intended to sell the curtains... she offered to buy the curtains from us. By the time she called back we had determined that it was unlikely that you would be reasonable about the curtains. So we took her offer. And we prayed for you - and we prayed for us - and we decided that if you were going to have to have the curtains, then you should have the other linens that matched them, too. So we gave you the matching items, in addition to the curtains.
It wasn't easy - but we feel like we did the right thing. And so I say to you - buyer of our home - when you sell that same home to someone else, someday... Be sure and let them have the curtains.
Thanks for buying our place - we are very grateful - we hope you enjoy the curtains...
Love,
Kim
Monday, March 15, 2010
Boxes
We have just sold our home and moved into an apartment. Here I am surrounded by boxes. They are the physical reminder that we have a lot of junk! They also provide a picture to me of what my life is like, a lot of the time. When things are in boxes I don't think about them. They are packaged away nice and neat, and in a way they are "safe" there. I don't have to care for them or clean them... they are in a box. It is when I remove things from the boxes that they suddenly become what I have to deal with, live with, and take care of.
I am reminded of the fact that there are so many things that I choose to file away in the boxes of my heart and mind... problems I don't want to deal with, concerns I don't want to consider, and things that I would rather just not bother with, for the time being. But sometimes I just need to remove the items from the boxes and take care of them - there is stress when you are surrounded by boxes of uncared for things... and it is the same way when I leave emotional boxes around. I am realizing that my good Father is right beside me - and putting those things into those boxes isn't the right solution - I have to take them out and give them to Him. He can then care for them, repair what is broken, and get rid of what needs to just go away. So today I resolve to go through some of my boxes - both those in my living room, and those in my life. And I know that, with God here with me, I can take care of a few of the things I was "saving for later".
Ecclesiates 12:13-14...
13 Now all has been heard;
here is the conclusion of the matter:
Fear God and keep his commandments,
for this is the whole duty of man.
I am reminded of the fact that there are so many things that I choose to file away in the boxes of my heart and mind... problems I don't want to deal with, concerns I don't want to consider, and things that I would rather just not bother with, for the time being. But sometimes I just need to remove the items from the boxes and take care of them - there is stress when you are surrounded by boxes of uncared for things... and it is the same way when I leave emotional boxes around. I am realizing that my good Father is right beside me - and putting those things into those boxes isn't the right solution - I have to take them out and give them to Him. He can then care for them, repair what is broken, and get rid of what needs to just go away. So today I resolve to go through some of my boxes - both those in my living room, and those in my life. And I know that, with God here with me, I can take care of a few of the things I was "saving for later".
Ecclesiates 12:13-14...
13 Now all has been heard;
here is the conclusion of the matter:
Fear God and keep his commandments,
for this is the whole duty of man.
14 For God will bring every deed into judgment,
including every hidden thing,
whether it is good or evil.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Spring in Texas
There are so many things I like about Spring in Texas. First of all I love that it comes early - because Spring is something that I love. It doesn't carry with it all the trumpeting granduer of some springs - I feel more like Spring here is more subtle... The days are warmer, the trees begin to blossom, then you have a chilly day.... the Oak leaves begin to fall... and suddenly the roses are sending out the new shoots of growth... and one day, the sun shines through, you open the windows, and there you are.. it is spring!
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