Something I Needed

Produce your cause, saith the LORD;

bring forth your strong reasons,

saith the King of Jacob. ~ Isaiah 41:21

This passage of Scripture served as a reminder to me to pray with purpose and to present my "case" to the Lord God. For He is the sole fulfiller of all my hopes for the future.

After reading this passage I came across another one that I thought went hand-in-hand.

The LORD rewardeth me according

to my righteousness; ~ Psalms 18:20

If I do right, stay in God's will, and pray earnestly, God can not help but bless me. What a wonderful promise!

Exploding Milk...

I am always trying to find new ideas to keep the children interested in Science;

which is quite hard, seeing as 3-5 year olds have

about a 5-10 minute attention span!

Recently I came across an experiment online and

I was finally able to try it out on the kids.

Ingredients include:

Milk

Food Coloring

Dish Soap

Instructions:

Pour milk in a flat container

just enough to cover the bottom...

Drop food coloring into milk in a circular pattern.

Do not disturb the container.

Take dish soap and squirt once onto the dye.

Watch the colors "explode"

Be prepared to do it over and over again,

each time experimenting with different colors

to see the unique tie-dye affect it will make!

Note to self: Great experiment, but next time wear gloves...

Deepest Sorrow...

So...one of my most prized possessions has ceased to work...

Really I am at a complete loss...

Whatever will I do?

How will life go on?

Okay, so I am being a tad bit dramatic, (*shocker*) I know.

Recently my beloved Canon PowerShot A510 has died on me.

I have had this 3.2 mega pixel camera since the 10th grade,

giving it a life span of almost 7 years!

My parents had promised me a digital camera if I attained the A honor roll.

I missed it because of one class in the 9th grade,

so I determined I would NOT in the 10th grade.

I think I shocked my parents when I actually attained it.

I read up on cameras, researched intensely, and searched the web

for the best camera around in 2003.

After much valuable time spent in search of the "best" camera

I determined that I wanted a Canon.

And now...it is dead...

*Sigh*

I have known no other camera.

My Canon was my love and joy (pardon the dramatics, again).

I had the manual about memorized and knew exactly

what setting to use for every situation I was in.

So many special moments were captured on that camera.

I have begun the process of researching once again.

Digital cameras are a whole lot cheaper these days,

however, there are so many to choose from.

Whatever I decide on it will have a lot to live up to;

even if it is the EOS Rebel XS 18-15IS that I drool over...

Winter Days

If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant:

if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would

not be so welcome. (Anne Bradstreet)

January is here, with eyes that keenly glow,

A frost-mailed warrior,

striding a shadowy steed of snow.

Edgar Fawcett

He has made everything beautiful in his time.

Ecclesiastes 3:11

For he saith to the snow, Be thou on the earth;

Job 37:6a

Whose woods these are I think I know.

His house is in the village though;

He will not see me stopping here

To watch his woods fill up with snow.

Robert Frost

God knows...

Have you ever felt bad for yourself?

Thought nobody understood you?

Believed yourself to be the only one to go through your situations?

Worried about the future?

Wondered if anybody knew what you were thinking or feeling?

Today I was thinking more than one of those things to myself, when all of sudden it was if God whispered in my heart, "I know."

I had to stop, rid myself of my worrisome ridiculous thinking and be reminded that yes, GOD, does know. If He knows when a sparrow falls, then, of course He knows about my little heartaches and questions that run through my mind. GOD knows that I am human and that I don't understand His ways. And... I know that I can rely on GOD, trust GOD, and know that perfect peace will come to me when my mind is stayed on HIM.

He is the Lord of lords, and when He speaks

winds and waves obey.

When Jesus whispers, "Peace be still,"

then darkness turns to day.

And as I'm trusting in my Saviour's Word

doubts and fears all cease.

And beneath the shelter of His wings

I'm at rest in perfect peace.

Inside Fun with Snow!

According to state regulations we are

not allowed to take the kids outside if it

is 25 degrees or below with the wind chill.

So...

we brought the snow inside!

The snow kept the children entertained for over

2 hours. We made snowmen, ice castles, and

even hot dogs and missiles!

It was easy clean up and I had an over abundant

supply of it!

Some very mature teachers tried to start indoor

snowball fights which fortunately the children did not

catch on to. Most of them were too busy sneaking in

mouthfuls of snow.

Family Friends

The better part of one's life consists of his friendships. (Abraham Lincoln)

Every since I can remember my family has been friends with the H. family. I have grown up along side their two children; Tab was a year ahead of me and Josh a year behind me. I have already written a post about Tab; today I want to talk about Josh...

Last Sunday night our church held it's annual New Year's service where two senior college men spoke. This year, Josh was selected. As I sat and listened to Josh speak I couldn't help but be transported back in time to my childhood.

Playing hide and go seek outside after dark.

Josh teaching me how to yo-yo.

Me teaching Josh some random ditties on the piano.

Competing with each other in classes for the best grades.

Sharing yo-mama jokes.

Playing at the park next to our house.

Communicating on our walkie talkies and getting onto other people's walkie channels.

The list could go on and on. The list these days is different though. No longer are we all childhood friends running around playing freeze tag. Josh moved into the dorm following high school graduation and no longer is our time together a constant thing as was when we were kids.

Now Josh is a college senior, and is dating a lovely young lady. Josh? The same kid who my sisters and I all had crushes on at some point in our life. Now Josh was standing in the pulpit, the church pulpit...PREACHING. WOW, where had the years gone? Not only was he just preaching...he was preaching, GOOD. I know I may be bias, but he was REAL good. I couldn't help but tear up alittle as I sat there in amazement. Where was the little boy from my childhood, could he be this godly handsome young man who was now standing before me?

Josh has been a part of my life since forever and truly his friendship has made my life better.

My high school graduation 2005

Brooke's high school graduation 2008

Tab's college graduation 2009

Oh Happy Day!

It's the little things in life that make people happy...

It's the little things in life that make ME happy...

You know what makes me super excited?

You know what is compared to being "a party in my mouth?"

D

R

P

E

P

P

E

R

!

Did you know that it is the oldest soft drink in America?

And that

its unique flavor was a hit when it was first introduced in 1885?

Not being much of a soda drinker, I just became acquainted

with this wonderful sensation of Dr. Pepper upon my palate!

So....are you having a bad day? Need a little pick-me-up?

I highly recommend this amazing sensation, bundle of

happiness, and energy burst!

The Land Where I Went

With the new year before me, I have been doing some reflection on what happened in 2009:

How have I changed?

What have I learned?

How I can become better? etc.

I was reading in my journal and come across this entry from January 1, 2009-my theme verse from last year:

But the land, whither ye go to possess it,

is a land of hills and valleys, and

drinketh water of the rain of heaven:

A land which the Lord thy God careth for:

the eyes of the Lord thy God are always upon it,

from the beginning of the year

even unto the end of the year.

(Deut. 11:11-12)

Rereading this passage caused me to think back on this past year. It was a year that came with both its hills, as well as its valleys. Today, once again, I am standing upon the verge of the unknown. What does 2010 hold for me? What will my valleys consist of? But then my eyes go to the best part of this passage...verse 12. The Lord careth for this upcoming year, HE knows what it holds, both the good and the bad. 2010 is sure to have its good times as well as its bad; but, I can rest assured for MY God is in control, from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year.