I must say that I am glad this week is almost over. It's been good, don't get me wrong, but tonight, my patience is stretched thin. I've had an awesome day, I spent it in different places...in the yard with the kids, talking with neighbors, with my Dad flying airplanes and trying to catch pop up's, and finally with my Mom and Bill. I think the ride home got to me. The kids were starting to argue (no! Imagine that!), and Graham and Drew were playing with the Ipods. Drew said he thought he could "text" on his, and proceeded to ask me if he could text all his friends, and Aunt Tracy. Yup, I'm telling the truth. Then he said the craziest most ABSURD thing a 7 year old going on 16 year old could say...he said, "I want an Iphone soooo bad!" I almost slammed the brakes on the 'burban. I then told him that he would be lucky to see a regular cell phone during his teenage years, much less an Iphone. I mean, give me a break. Crazy kid. I'm still reeling.
I love Sundays! There's a couple references to Sunday's that I like...one is in a song called, It's Almost Sunday", and the other one is a quote from the latest Karen Kingsbury book that I just read. She wrote, "it only matters what you do between Sunday's". How true. My Dad once told me that church was a lot like a gas station. You went there often to fill your tank up, or you would run out. You would run out of steam, energy, that awesome feeling after a Spirit filled time of worship, everything. I always feel like I'm at my wit's end once Sunday rolls around. I pray every Sunday morning (my absolute FAVORITE time of week) that God will just clear out all that 'junk' that gets in my heart during the week. Sometimes that's anger, resentment, discouragement, helplessness, whatever it may be, and every time, He does just that. I'm in the choir, and often on the praise team that helps him lead, and unless I pray that, it does me no good at all to stand up there and sing. If I don't do that, the worship becomes about me, and it shouldn't be.
So, I hope anyone who reads this stops and ponders how you spend your Sundays. Whether it's at home, or with family, or whatever else, God will meet you there. He doesn't stay cooped up in our sanctuaries, but is often found in kitchens, in cars, or in the gentle whisper of a song or a book. Zephaniah 3:16 ..."do not fear, O Zion; do not let your hands hang limp. 17 The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing."

Plugged In

Well, it's official. We are all officially "plugged in" to today's world. Not really, but that's what I feel like. All the boys now have either a Nintendo DS, a Nintendo gameboy XP, iPods', you name it and it's electronic~they've got it. They're getting to be quite expensive. And their eating habits, oh my stars, I get sick to my stomach just thinking about it.
They are so much fun, though. I never would have thought that having kids get what they want would make me feel so warm and tingly inside! I love watching them receive gifts, and I love buying them things! I don't do it often, but when they do get something, they are so thankful! I love it! My heart just feels warm and fuzzy thinking about it.
Todd found an inexpensive iPod on the internet (generic, obviously) that he bought for himself. It came in the wrong color, though, and when Drew found out, he asked if he could have it. It wasn't working out very good with them sharing the one Nana gave them for Christmas. I know, I know, Tricia told me so. I didn't listen. He's loving it, and listening to it as I write this.
I did have to tell him about the volume thing~I felt like my mom. I had to tell him that he could damage his eardrums listening to the music at that high of a volume. I mean, my mom said that almost word verbatim! Ooh, it gives me chills. I hate it when I do that. Anyway, all is better now, and he's listening to it a normal decibel.
Well, that's all for now, Tonka Fire Station is calling us all downstairs to movie and chex mix night!

God moments

Do you ever have a serious moment with God? I have them in the weirdest places! The shower, the kitchen, in bed at night, but most often in my car. It's no surprise to anyone who knows me that God speaks to me through music. That's what He did today. I was in my car, enjoying a child~free moment, and He got me. I went to Lifeway to use a gift card I'd gotten for Christmas, and I bought several things, one of which is an AWESOME cd by a group called Austin's Bridge. The first I'd heard of this group was late one night on the Gospel Music Channel, they did a live concert, but I'd kind of forgotten them. Today I bought their cd, and there's this song on it called, He's In Control. It talks about how God is in control of every situation, whether good or bad. I've been in both lately. I've been convicted several times of not fully trusting in God...I sometimes keep praying for the same things over and over again. And one day, I felt the Holy Spirit asking, "Why do you keep asking Me? Do you not trust Me enough that I didn't get it the first time?" This song was a reminder, and amidst the strange looks of passengers around me in their respective cars, I couldn't help but shout GLORY! We serve a Mighty God, and He cradles us in His arms just like a new father cradling his new born baby...He treats us like that sometimes, I think, to remind us that He is Abba Father!

Ten Secrets To A Happy Marriage (as written by Karen Kingsbury)

1. God has us here to serve one another. Love acted out is serving.

2. Women need respect and nurturing. Love your wife so she knows you'd lay your life down for her. Continue to date and admire her. Share a hobby~find something you can do to have fun together.

3. Laugh often.

4. Be patient. Love crumbles quickly under the weight of unmet

 expectations.

5. Spend more time trying to fix yourself than your spouse.

6. Keep short accounts. The Bible says, "Do not let the sun go down while you are angry." Make it a habit to forgive.

7. Determine up front that divorce is not an option.

8. Learn about love languages. Not all people show love or receive it the same way. You want a back rub and your wife wants a clean kitchen. The love languages are fairly simple: acts of service, time, physical touch, gifts and words of affirmation. Learn them. Love is better received when it's in the language the person speaks. (The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman)

9. Words of affirmation are a love language for all men. Use them often!!

10. Men are born to be leaders. He cannot lead unless she gives him the confidence to do so. If you love your husband, build him up. Confident men do not seek love outside the home.

Funny Story Of The Day

Jonah and Noah have been begging me if Andy Stalls could come over today, and I promised them that he could, so he's here even as I write this. They've been busy playing upstairs, and I hadn't seen them in a while when I heard crying. It was Noah, as usual. He's cried lots of times today, I think he must be tired, so it will definitely be an early to bed night for all.

Anyway, I heard him say that Jonah had done something to him (imagine that!), so I called them both downstairs for a chit chat (or come to Jesus meeting, as I like to say). Jonah has this rubber snake that he likes that they were playing with and Noah said that Jonah slapped him with it. I asked Jonah about it, and he said, "I did NOT slap him with it, I only hit him.", to which I told him that technically, he slapped him. All is better now, he asked forgiveness, and Noah gave it along with a twin brother bear hug (which is much different than your traditional bear hug), and now they're back upstairs playing. Ah, blessed chaos. What would my life be without it?!?!

Still not sleepy...

I still can't even begin to think about sleeping, so I'm going to write one of my most favorite passages of Scripture.

Isaiah 43 But now, this is what the Lord says-he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. 2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. 3 For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour; I give Egypt for your ransom, Cush and Seba in your stead. 4 SINCE YOU ARE PRECIOUS AND HONORED IN MY SIGHT, AND BECAUSE I LOVE YOU,I will give men in exchange for you, and people in exchange for your life. 5 Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring your children from the east and gather them from the west, 6 I will say to the north, 'Give them up!' and to the south, 'Do not hold them back.' Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth-7 everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made."

Book Savvy

I just finished yet another Karen Kingsbury book, Between Sundays. Wow! This woman totally amazes me. I've now read almost all of her books, with the exception of one Christmas one, and I'm more amazed at her each time. I mean, she's a great gal, I'm sure, but I'm amazed at the way God works through her writing. She's an open door for Him to come through, and every single time I read one of her books, I can feel the Holy Spirit moving in me. She inspires me to write, and every time I finish a book, I start writing again. I seem to forget that it's something I love to do, and something I think I'm pretty decent at. Proverbs 31 Ministries told me that, and I even forgot about that. It's like I'm so consumed with things that go on from day to day, that I'm in a daze. I tend to take my eyes off the prize, which is our Heavenly Father, and try to do things my way. I can't do that! I need someone to poke me in the side every once in a while and remind me of this. Maybe I can enlist the help of some friends...

Today was the boys' first day back at school, and I missed them. I did get some work done for a neighbor of mine, so that is out of the way. I told Jonah and Noah that I would see if Andy could come over tomorrow. If the weather is anything like it was today, I'll take them to the park to play. It was gorgeous outside...sunny and 70 degrees! In January, no less! Crazy! That's why I've been having headaches...me and the rest of the fam. It was so nice that we went on a walk when Graham and Drew got home from school. Well, I walked, the rest of the boys (plus Kari from next door) rode. She made sure they didn't get too close to the stop signs. I know, paranoid mom, but those people fly around those stop signs, and Jonah and Noah aren't too sure of their stability on their new bikes. I was going to take Andy the dog, but I figured I'd save that grueling task for good 'old Toddly. We all need the exercise desperately, and that'll give us a goal for the week.

It hit me that school is half over. I cannot, absolutely cannot believe that. I've been saying that I have another year with Jonah and Noah at home, but I don't . I have a few months, then summer, then it's over! I can't even think about it. I was going to make sure they knew all their alphabet, and their numbers, but turns out I didn't have to worry. Their older brothers have taught them lots, and they're pretty much as ready as they're ever going to be. Their handwriting could be better, but they're four. I mean, what are teachers for? I had one tell me to make sure they knew all their alphabet, lower and upper case, and their sounds. Whatever. They'll do great whether they know all that or not. I just need to make sure that they know where their heel is! (Remember Graham asking to use the teacher's phone so he could call his dad and ask him?!?!)

Well, I will go for now. I have the wide awakes, and my hubby is at a friends' house watching the championship game. Go LSU! Right now the score is LSU 31, OSU 17. If you're impressed, don't be. I didn't know what else to watch, so I turned the game on. Then at least I can pretend I knew what all had happened. Ha ha ha! :)