It looks like a pretty cool site to win something from. I'm going window shopping here shortly, just in case I win!
You can find go to the site yourself for a chance to win, as well, just by clicking here
GOOD LUCK!!!
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Blogging About Another Blogger
Today, I am blogging about another blogger that I follow. She is giving away a $75.00 gift certificate to NOVICA!
It looks like a pretty cool site to win something from. I'm going window shopping here shortly, just in case I win!
You can find go to the site yourself for a chance to win, as well, just by clicking here
GOOD LUCK!!!
It looks like a pretty cool site to win something from. I'm going window shopping here shortly, just in case I win!
You can find go to the site yourself for a chance to win, as well, just by clicking here
GOOD LUCK!!!
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Stormy Night
This past week has been extremely exhausting, both mentally & physically. If you haven't heard about the devastation in my state, then you are living like a nomad. Our state is hurting, closer to home, my county & town are hurting. I live in Santuck & my kids attend Eclectic schools, which is where a EF-4 tornado hit last Wednesday night. I will never forget it & neither will my children.
In preparation of the approaching storm, my husband readied the storm shelter that we have. He ran extension cord through the air vent to power a fan & the radio. He made coolers of snacks & drinks for the kids, just in case we were stuck in there for a while, you just never know. Also, the children packed bags with mp3's, DS's, etc. He also put in benches along side the walls, which made it more comfortable for everyone stuck in this concrete room in the ground.
After I got home from work, I went out & checked out the storm shelter & then went inside to change & get dinner started. I turned on the news briefly to find out that the same system that had decimated a town in Mississippi, was on it's way here. I started making dinner & just as it was done, then sirens started. Immediately, we sent the children to the shelter, then I turned on the tv & they said that the storm would be in Santuck/Eclectic area in a half a hour. I turned dinner off, covered it, made sure all kids had shoes on, grabbed my purse & Kevin's extra pair of glasses. We also
grabbed a backpack full of flashlights & batteries. I was most impressed with how well we thought ahead. We have never done all this before like this. We went out in the shelter & waited. We were listening on the radio about it approaching, then the power went out and that's when we heard it. It was just over the tops of the trees a 1/2 mile across from my road. It is a sound like no other. The twister was on the ground right by my house. Thank you God for our shelter. After sitting in our shelter a little longer we came out & all you could hear at that point was sirens, lots & lots of sirens & our cell phones. People & family had heard it was in Santuck & wanted to know if we were okay. Yes, we were fine, but a phone call from my friend, who's husband is an Elmore County sheriff's deputy revealed that my neighbors were not okay & neither was my town. People were dead & they were searching for children. I cannot even wrap my brain around the feeling that I had at that point. My children were worried about their friends & teachers. We all gathered in the living room with only light from flash lights & we prayed for our town, its people & for the rescue workers that were trying to find people. Morning could not come soon enough.
We finally got the kids to bed. I made them sleep with shoes on, just in case because according to someone I talked to on the phone, it looked as if another storm was on it's way. Thank God, it turned & went another way, but we weren't sure. The kids were sleeping, but we sat on the front porch, waiting to hear anything. We waited to see if the next storm was coming & when we found out it wasn't, we went to bed ourselves. I think it was around 1:30 or 2 a.m.
The next morning the sun was shining, the birds were chirping. You wouldn't have ever known the horror of the night before, unless you went a 1/2 mile down my road, total devastation. Houses gone, trees chopped in half, six people dead, innumerable injured. All day long there was a buzz of helicopters over head, you never hear that at my house.
Later that day I drove up to view the damage... it was something I have never seen before... carpet in trees, frames of homes wrapped in trees, homes with just slabs, trees everywhere, a trampoline hanging from a power line, windows blown out, people just looking destitute, lost, tired.
We started gathering donations of food & clothing from my house. My little town of Eclectic got to the business of taking care of needs. We don't have time to wait on the government, these are OUR people, this is OUR town. The government can cut them a check later, but their needs are many & time is not our friend at this point. People still have jobs to go to, children to feed & clothe.
I took Kevin up with me to donate & there was a little boy that was at the donation drop off point that lost everything. We were told that he wanted a pair of boots & they didn't have his size. I inquired about his size. Kevin says, 'He wears the same size as me.' That seemed like the end of the conversation. We went back home, because K had soccer to get ready for, but instead of getting ready to go, he came out of his room with his FAVORITE pairs of boots & he said, 'Mom, these are that boys size that we met, I want to give them to him.' (if you aren't crying at this point, you need a heart check). We made sure that the boots got to that little boy that had nothing. We don't know his name, but that's not important. My son is my hero right now. He has no job, can't help much with the clean up efforts, but he gave what he could. He not only gave his boots, he gave his heart.
My town has pulled together & we will recover. This will forever be etched into the minds of the children. It's going to be a long road, but we will make it. My sympathies go out to the families that lost loved ones in this storm. I can't imagine. Pray for the rescue workers that night, they have seen some horrific things that they will have to live with forever.
To those of you that have donated your time, your money, your belongings, thank you.
In preparation of the approaching storm, my husband readied the storm shelter that we have. He ran extension cord through the air vent to power a fan & the radio. He made coolers of snacks & drinks for the kids, just in case we were stuck in there for a while, you just never know. Also, the children packed bags with mp3's, DS's, etc. He also put in benches along side the walls, which made it more comfortable for everyone stuck in this concrete room in the ground.
After I got home from work, I went out & checked out the storm shelter & then went inside to change & get dinner started. I turned on the news briefly to find out that the same system that had decimated a town in Mississippi, was on it's way here. I started making dinner & just as it was done, then sirens started. Immediately, we sent the children to the shelter, then I turned on the tv & they said that the storm would be in Santuck/Eclectic area in a half a hour. I turned dinner off, covered it, made sure all kids had shoes on, grabbed my purse & Kevin's extra pair of glasses. We also
grabbed a backpack full of flashlights & batteries. I was most impressed with how well we thought ahead. We have never done all this before like this. We went out in the shelter & waited. We were listening on the radio about it approaching, then the power went out and that's when we heard it. It was just over the tops of the trees a 1/2 mile across from my road. It is a sound like no other. The twister was on the ground right by my house. Thank you God for our shelter. After sitting in our shelter a little longer we came out & all you could hear at that point was sirens, lots & lots of sirens & our cell phones. People & family had heard it was in Santuck & wanted to know if we were okay. Yes, we were fine, but a phone call from my friend, who's husband is an Elmore County sheriff's deputy revealed that my neighbors were not okay & neither was my town. People were dead & they were searching for children. I cannot even wrap my brain around the feeling that I had at that point. My children were worried about their friends & teachers. We all gathered in the living room with only light from flash lights & we prayed for our town, its people & for the rescue workers that were trying to find people. Morning could not come soon enough.We finally got the kids to bed. I made them sleep with shoes on, just in case because according to someone I talked to on the phone, it looked as if another storm was on it's way. Thank God, it turned & went another way, but we weren't sure. The kids were sleeping, but we sat on the front porch, waiting to hear anything. We waited to see if the next storm was coming & when we found out it wasn't, we went to bed ourselves. I think it was around 1:30 or 2 a.m.
The next morning the sun was shining, the birds were chirping. You wouldn't have ever known the horror of the night before, unless you went a 1/2 mile down my road, total devastation. Houses gone, trees chopped in half, six people dead, innumerable injured. All day long there was a buzz of helicopters over head, you never hear that at my house.
Later that day I drove up to view the damage... it was something I have never seen before... carpet in trees, frames of homes wrapped in trees, homes with just slabs, trees everywhere, a trampoline hanging from a power line, windows blown out, people just looking destitute, lost, tired.
We started gathering donations of food & clothing from my house. My little town of Eclectic got to the business of taking care of needs. We don't have time to wait on the government, these are OUR people, this is OUR town. The government can cut them a check later, but their needs are many & time is not our friend at this point. People still have jobs to go to, children to feed & clothe.
I took Kevin up with me to donate & there was a little boy that was at the donation drop off point that lost everything. We were told that he wanted a pair of boots & they didn't have his size. I inquired about his size. Kevin says, 'He wears the same size as me.' That seemed like the end of the conversation. We went back home, because K had soccer to get ready for, but instead of getting ready to go, he came out of his room with his FAVORITE pairs of boots & he said, 'Mom, these are that boys size that we met, I want to give them to him.' (if you aren't crying at this point, you need a heart check). We made sure that the boots got to that little boy that had nothing. We don't know his name, but that's not important. My son is my hero right now. He has no job, can't help much with the clean up efforts, but he gave what he could. He not only gave his boots, he gave his heart.
My town has pulled together & we will recover. This will forever be etched into the minds of the children. It's going to be a long road, but we will make it. My sympathies go out to the families that lost loved ones in this storm. I can't imagine. Pray for the rescue workers that night, they have seen some horrific things that they will have to live with forever.
To those of you that have donated your time, your money, your belongings, thank you.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
James Says Watch Your Mouth
Let's see here, I'm guilty. Before I even start this blog I wanted to get that out of the way, so there is no confusion about it. What am I guilty of? Letting my mouth run wild.
James 1:26 says this:
Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight reign on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.
When I read this this morning, it really hit me. Usually when things slap me in the face, it means I need work in that area. This is one that hit me. GUILTY! I have on more than one occasion let a cuss word fly, also, just words & even tones in general that are not pleasing to Him. Sometimes it's not what I say, but how it comes across. On more than one occasion I have had to apologize to someone because of my mouth.
Scripture says:
James 1:26 says this:
Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight reign on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.
When I read this this morning, it really hit me. Usually when things slap me in the face, it means I need work in that area. This is one that hit me. GUILTY! I have on more than one occasion let a cuss word fly, also, just words & even tones in general that are not pleasing to Him. Sometimes it's not what I say, but how it comes across. On more than one occasion I have had to apologize to someone because of my mouth.
Scripture says:
- That the tongue is like a sword (Proverbs 12:18)
- That the tongue is evil, filled with poison (James 3:8)
- That the tongue is a fire & set on fire from hell. (James 3:5-6) SCARY, HUH?!?!?!?
- That the tongue is like a sharp razor & plots destruction. (Psalm 52:2)
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
What's Your Gift?
GIFT- noun
I have several gifts. One of them is the gift of hospitality. I didn't even realize I had it un
til the pastor at our church was talking to me and he said, 'You know what? You have the gift of hospitality.' That was stemming from introducing myself to some new visitors that had come in with a child and them showing them where to go. I have to admit, that felt pretty good to finally realize it. Go Team Me!
Another one of my gifts is the gift of serving children. I work in children's church at Grace Point Community Church. I LOVE working with the children & I am good at it! I have such a wonderful time teaching them & talking with them. They are so honest about God. Yes, it's challenging sometimes, but it's so rewarding. They love the stories, games, videos that go with the stories. I have been asked on more than one occasion, 'How do you get them to just sit like that & not run around like wild animals?' Well, the answer is CANDY. Yes, it's bribery at it's finest, ladies & gentlemen, but I look at it like this.... If God uses Smarties or Tootsie Rolls to get his word across & plant a seed in a child's mind & heart, then who am I to question it. You wonder...so, God told you to use Smarties? No, not exactly, but he did give me the gift of teaching these children & the brainpower to figure out how to get them to listen to His word.
What are your gifts? Everyone's is different. I like to work with children at church, you may not. I don't like to work with teenagers, can't stand it, but others do love it. Some people have silent gifts, as I like to call them. They are the ones that clean up afterward, set up chairs or whatnot before an event, some are pray warriors (that's an important one), some are givers.
So, as you read this post, I challenge you. If you don't know what your gift is, figure it out. If you have it figured out, but don't use it, start using it! If you have figured it out, but are afraid to use it, step out and try it! You never know!
1. something given voluntarily without payment in return, as to show favor toward someone, honor an occasion, or make a gesture of assistance; present.
2. the act of giving.
3. something bestowed or acquired without any particular effort by the recipient or without its being earned: Those extra points he got in the game were a total gift.
4. a special ability or capacity; natural endowment; talent
That's the definition from http://dictionary.reference.com/ .. We all know what most of them mean, but let's discuss #4....an ability or capacity; natural endowment; talent
What's yours? All of you that read this are just normal everyday people that are just doing normal everyday things, get kids off to school, work, home, homework, dinner, showers, bed, repeat....... (sounds like the back of the shampoo bottle). Do we all have gifts, as described in definition #4? Why YES, YES WE DO! Do we know what they are all the time? No. Do we use them all the time? No.
til the pastor at our church was talking to me and he said, 'You know what? You have the gift of hospitality.' That was stemming from introducing myself to some new visitors that had come in with a child and them showing them where to go. I have to admit, that felt pretty good to finally realize it. Go Team Me!Another one of my gifts is the gift of serving children. I work in children's church at Grace Point Community Church. I LOVE working with the children & I am good at it! I have such a wonderful time teaching them & talking with them. They are so honest about God. Yes, it's challenging sometimes, but it's so rewarding. They love the stories, games, videos that go with the stories. I have been asked on more than one occasion, 'How do you get them to just sit like that & not run around like wild animals?' Well, the answer is CANDY. Yes, it's bribery at it's finest, ladies & gentlemen, but I look at it like this.... If God uses Smarties or Tootsie Rolls to get his word across & plant a seed in a child's mind & heart, then who am I to question it. You wonder...so, God told you to use Smarties? No, not exactly, but he did give me the gift of teaching these children & the brainpower to figure out how to get them to listen to His word.
What are your gifts? Everyone's is different. I like to work with children at church, you may not. I don't like to work with teenagers, can't stand it, but others do love it. Some people have silent gifts, as I like to call them. They are the ones that clean up afterward, set up chairs or whatnot before an event, some are pray warriors (that's an important one), some are givers.
So, as you read this post, I challenge you. If you don't know what your gift is, figure it out. If you have it figured out, but don't use it, start using it! If you have figured it out, but are afraid to use it, step out and try it! You never know!
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
What's Your Bag?
I follow a very funny, uplifting, blogger named Missy over @It's Almost Naptime and she has challenged all her fellow mommies/bloggers to share our mom tips.
I have a few:
(1) Teenagers-- withhold food & you will be amazed at how great your house will look in a matter of minutes.
(2) Large family-- LARGE crockpot! LOVE MINE... in fact there's a huge chicken roasting in it right now. All I have to do later is make a couple of sides and WALAAA! - dinner in 20 min.
(3) Home haircuts... Three boys & a husband..I cut their hair with clippers, it saves $$$ big time! Wish the two girls would go for it.
(4) In the trunk... throw blanket, seat cushions, dry socks, pull over hoodie-- Lots of children, lots of sports. Sometimes I get stuck at the ballpark/stadium/gym for HOURS. I hate wet feet...it makes me cold.
It's not many tips, but it's a few I use.
Monday, January 3, 2011
2010
I wanted to do an end of the year blog before the end of the year, but between my whole household being sick & Christmas, it just didn't happen. 2010 went by QUICK!! It's hard to believe that we have stumbled upon a new year already. I think it was pretty uneventful, I believe.
The oldest child, J, is doing well. He is in Connecticut going to school and I believe he's doing okay. Seems to enjoy school. He's all grown up & stuff, so I don't get much info into his life, but when we do talk, he seems happy & to enjoy school. He wants to be a history teacher one day. It nice to hear a goal, finally. Before, he seemed to be just wondering in the wind, sometimes flying against it, instead of with it, but now he has a goal. My hope for him in the new year is to keep reaching!
Soon to be 17 year old daughter, H, intelligent, happy, eager to do her best, thinks I am crazy how I parent most days, looking at colleges, daughter. She's achieving things I wish I had in high school. She has the heart of a servant. God will use her for great things. What more could a mom ask for? (except for driving.. please dear child, learn to drive in 2011) Goal... driving, please.
Next, 16 year old son, started out rough, school wise, this year, but seems to have learned that if you want to go & do, you have to get your act together at school. Seems friends & socialization took the place of school work, but we are back on the right track & was exempt from exams, so we are moving forward. Hopefully, 2011 will bring even more good things for him and he continues to excel. He has military aspirations & will be 17 at the end of 2011, so I will be a military mother, again. Proud. Hope for 2011..to get some 'get up & go' & to take pride in what he does.
The 13 year old daughter, A, well, life is just so darn hard when you are thirteen. She has taken up softball, which for someone that didn't seem to have an athletic bone in her body, she's doing really great!!! I hope it continues. She has plans to play in the spring, so I am excited about that. She hates to do school work, but she is a wonderful writer and loves music and doodling. Goal for 2011, to have a little more self esteem & kindness.
Next is the 13 year old son, Z, so thinks God broke the mold when he made him. Loves his little brother like no tomorrow. I am hoping that will continue through life. Aspires to do his best in everything. Is really into sports. Loves them all. Has the wonderful quality to just let things roll off his back like water on a duck. That is one of his greatest attributes. Goal for 2011, to continue to be happy & take life with a grain of salt and to listen a little better.
Now that brings us to the soon to be 9 year old, K, he is one of a kind. He has the gift of humor and LOTS of it. He is the cutest 8 year old I know. He wants a dragon like the one on How to Train Your Dragon. (if you haven't seen it, rent it, it's great!) He hates Mondays and is extremely difficult to get to go back to school after the weekend or a long holiday. He the kind of person, that if you don't want the answer to the question, then don't ask him! Goal for him in 2011, to get up a little happier in the a.m. & to keep me laughing & giving me wonderful stories to tell!
Well, that's the review for 2010. I realized something the other day, two of them will be graduated & gone by May 2013. While I will be happy that the grocery bill will go down, the idea of me getting older is not good. So, here's to 2010, you are gone, but thank you for no major illnesses or accidents and to 2011, we ate black eyed peas & collard greens on your first day on the job, so bring on the good luck & money!
The oldest child, J, is doing well. He is in Connecticut going to school and I believe he's doing okay. Seems to enjoy school. He's all grown up & stuff, so I don't get much info into his life, but when we do talk, he seems happy & to enjoy school. He wants to be a history teacher one day. It nice to hear a goal, finally. Before, he seemed to be just wondering in the wind, sometimes flying against it, instead of with it, but now he has a goal. My hope for him in the new year is to keep reaching!
Soon to be 17 year old daughter, H, intelligent, happy, eager to do her best, thinks I am crazy how I parent most days, looking at colleges, daughter. She's achieving things I wish I had in high school. She has the heart of a servant. God will use her for great things. What more could a mom ask for? (except for driving.. please dear child, learn to drive in 2011) Goal... driving, please.
Next, 16 year old son, started out rough, school wise, this year, but seems to have learned that if you want to go & do, you have to get your act together at school. Seems friends & socialization took the place of school work, but we are back on the right track & was exempt from exams, so we are moving forward. Hopefully, 2011 will bring even more good things for him and he continues to excel. He has military aspirations & will be 17 at the end of 2011, so I will be a military mother, again. Proud. Hope for 2011..to get some 'get up & go' & to take pride in what he does.
The 13 year old daughter, A, well, life is just so darn hard when you are thirteen. She has taken up softball, which for someone that didn't seem to have an athletic bone in her body, she's doing really great!!! I hope it continues. She has plans to play in the spring, so I am excited about that. She hates to do school work, but she is a wonderful writer and loves music and doodling. Goal for 2011, to have a little more self esteem & kindness.
Next is the 13 year old son, Z, so thinks God broke the mold when he made him. Loves his little brother like no tomorrow. I am hoping that will continue through life. Aspires to do his best in everything. Is really into sports. Loves them all. Has the wonderful quality to just let things roll off his back like water on a duck. That is one of his greatest attributes. Goal for 2011, to continue to be happy & take life with a grain of salt and to listen a little better.
Now that brings us to the soon to be 9 year old, K, he is one of a kind. He has the gift of humor and LOTS of it. He is the cutest 8 year old I know. He wants a dragon like the one on How to Train Your Dragon. (if you haven't seen it, rent it, it's great!) He hates Mondays and is extremely difficult to get to go back to school after the weekend or a long holiday. He the kind of person, that if you don't want the answer to the question, then don't ask him! Goal for him in 2011, to get up a little happier in the a.m. & to keep me laughing & giving me wonderful stories to tell!
Well, that's the review for 2010. I realized something the other day, two of them will be graduated & gone by May 2013. While I will be happy that the grocery bill will go down, the idea of me getting older is not good. So, here's to 2010, you are gone, but thank you for no major illnesses or accidents and to 2011, we ate black eyed peas & collard greens on your first day on the job, so bring on the good luck & money!
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