Am I mornal?

Firstly, I can barely stand the overwhelming desire
I have......... daily
to procreate

Am I normal?

I certainly don't know. will these feelings ever go?
Someone said to me recently that I was being selfish

Am I?

So #6 would be selfish?
Where is that written?
Does anyone know...because if you do,
I'd love to know so I can see for myself

....having children over 5 in # is selfish......

They say, " why can't I just enjoy what I have?"
I Do! In fact I love it,

that is why I want more!

it is so much fun, not a dull moment
sure there is craziness at times
but that is life

the good and great and and amazing blessings
far out way the negative
but
what is the negative?

more conflict to resolve, I guess
(I think I am catching on and learning something about relationships)
but then spun around that is a good thing
that is life learning
family
friendships
laughter
fellowship
heartship
stewardship
craziness
busyness
loudness

it is wonderful..........
so, as I wait patiently, well
pant I suppose
for another child

we have adopted to other members into a family
they are of the furrier variety
and pics will follow

as I type they are farting in their sleep
lovely
and it is almost unbareable to continue

and tonight as MJ came out of the shower she asked:

MJ: Mama, what happens if the dogs see me naked? Will they run away?
.........
I chuckled

to be continued..........


pause.......

as I sit and think, the farting smell is not going away
I am wondering

is it more crap on my floor????

Can't wait to try this!

(I think a post is more fun with a pic)

Fruit Salsa and Cinnamon Chips

3 kiwis, peeled and diced
2 Granny Smith apples - peeled, cored and diced
12 ounces raspberries
1 pound strawberries
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
3 tablespoons fruit preserves, any flavor

10 (10 inch) flour tortillas
Melted butter
1 2/3 cups cinnamon sugar (1 1/3 cups sugar and 1/3 cup cinnamon)

Directions
In a large bowl, thoroughly mix kiwis, Granny Smith apples, raspberries, strawberries, white sugar, brown sugar and fruit preserves. Cover and chill in the refrigerator at least 15 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Brush one side of each flour tortilla with melted butter. Sprinkle buttered side with cinnamon sugar mixture. Then cut into wedges (with pizza cutter) and arrange in a single layer on a large baking sheet.
Bake in the preheated oven 10 minutes. Repeat with any remaining tortilla wedges. Allow to cool approximately 15 minutes. Serve with chilled fruit mixture.

.....................................................

I grabbed this receipe from the

The Girl Talk Bloggers

love those chicks!

The Snare of Compare

downloadable PDF.

I need to stop thinking
it drives me crazy

I feel so sorry my friend
who I drove crazy tonight
for almost 2 hours!!!

i love my life
I really do
but
with so many decisions to make
running my life with the peeps of mine
there is just lots to consider...daily......

I just feel like I flounder
all the time
should I?

ultimately, the Lord is in control
and at the end of the day
do these things matter?

if I am to be the hands of feet of Christ
am I?
do my closest neighbours (my hubby and kids) see Him in me?

what does a life transformed by Him look like?

I know I am transformed.......I certainly didn't to anything
He asked me to follow and I said yes!
and I am transformed
and I am and I feel like the more I learn about Him
the less I know

He is love, grace, mercy and hope, goodness and faithfullness
joy, peace....
rest in these truths

live with the crumbs on the floor
don't push away these sweet people
don't wish these days to go faster

the joy is today and now

today was a perfectly lovely day

my friend brought over stitching rings
and taught my kids how to embroider
even the boys!
what a blessing she has been to me

she picked up all the supplies, with kids in tow
set them all up
and came to our home to do it!
thanks Jules...what a blessing you are in my life:):)

so, for hours they worked on their pieces
we sat on blankets in the mud pit of our backyard
lovely
had snacks, embroidered and made wool soap

I do have pics but not yet

it was such a joy to learn something new
to do this cool project I have been wanting to do

and one good thing is 2 of kids were even inspired
to sew the crotch of their ripped jeans back together!

bubs and berry....3 cheers for you

next stage, is sewing their creations onto pillow cases

I am not a crafty person and need all the help I can get
so I look to my friends who are:)

thanks friends!!!

and to a new lovely friend:)
who shared her home and pool and
invited us all

and also had me not shut up
ugh!
thanks:):)

to quote Anne Of Green Gables
"Tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it....yet"
Miss Stacy

Wordless Wednesday

An excerpt from...

my eldest pulling my middle dolly,
his idea,
to give her a ride she would enjoy

I am proud of him

these past 3 years have brought him so much closer to his siblings
because he spends so much time with them
of course it is hard some days when we all get on one anothers nerves
but don't we all?
I get on my own nerves let anyone else that has to deal with all the time
I can't stand dealing with myself!!!

I wouldn't trade this times for anything!
when we are not too cool for him
when he can be seen in public with us
it is wonderfully wonderful

one of our pastors news letters he sent out the other day.......

my heart aches with such heaviness for our youth
for our wee ones

and for us
for all of us
who are entrenched in worldly things
that lack meaning and depth and purpose
............................................................................................

I am sitting here right now with my seven-year-old son, Josh, watching Bugs Bunny reruns from when I was a kid. Peppy Le Pew and that poor cat? It never gets old. In one way it feels like some things never change. My kids love so many of the things I loved growing up.

Then I read a recent article in Maclean's magazine, "Inside the dangerously empty lives of teenage girls". Dr. Leonard Sax, a medical doctor, psychologist, researcher and author outlines in frightening detail the significant shifts that both teenage boys and girls are experiencing.

Here is what he reports from his recent research. Many teenage guys are lazy and unmotivated. They sleep in and easily blow off their school work. They are lost in their violent video games and pornography. They are comfortable abusing alcohol and drugs at parties. They expect girls to give them sexual favors in exchange for acceptance in the social scene.

Many girls on the other hand live under the shadow of anxiety, with 20-25% acting out their anxiety by alcohol and drug abuse, cutting or burning themselves, and developing an eating disorder. They will hide in their rooms with their computer, facebooking all night. They edit their photos to make themselves look thinner, remove blemishes and try to create the perfect image. They will offer up those sexual favors to guys, almost always one way and completely detached from love or a sense of relationship, just to fit in with the popular crowd. They deal with many symptoms of anxiety disorders and yet, when you see them, they look beautifully put together and confident.

As I talk with my own son, Nathan, who is thirteen and my daughter, Rachel, who is eleventeen, they confirm that this guy isn't making this up. My youth staff says they see this everywhere.

Is this the part where I as a parent and pastor start to rant against the evils of Facebook, movies, video games, the porn industry, and how our culture that is wreaking havoc? Is this where I ramp up the guilt on the parents for not doing more to protect their kids? You know, all that I feel is this deep, deep love for our kids. My heart hurts.

If this doctor is right--and all the evidence I hear suggests that he is right--could it be there is a new kind of poverty in Canada? Could it be right in our homes? As I read this report I feel like we are suffering from a poverty of the soul. It is the poverty of love and identity and healthy close relationships.

Maybe it is a form of generational poverty. Parents may be so busy trying to make it with the nice house, good job, the comforts and status markers of success that their souls are bone dry. They are exhausted and living with constant stress. The cupboards of their hearts are empty and their children are emotionally starving. Heart disease of all kinds sets in.

I am struck by Jesus' very first words when he started his public ministry: "God's Spirit is on me. He's chosen me to proclaim the message of good news to the poor. He sent me to announce freedom to prisoners and recovery of sight to the blind, to set the burdened and battered free. He sent me to announce, 'This is God's year to act!'" (Luke 4:18-19)

The incredibly great news of Jesus is that God's love is completely inclusive and totally holistic. He loves you and me and our kids to the very core of who we are. He wants to rescue us, not just from sin, but also from isolation, brokenness and despair. As a church family, we are launching into a series called, "Say What? Getting, Living, and Giving the Good News". As I reflect on the pandemic of emotional and relational poverty hitting our world, I echo Jesus' words, "This is God's year to act!"

I look over at Josh watching the Bugs Bunny and Tweety show. Maybe things have changed. Maybe this world is different than the one I grew up in. Maybe we need to truly get, live and give the message of Jesus like never before.
............................................

I think if we spend half as much time thinking about
how to keep our families together
and keep our childrens hearts

as we do obsessing about what organic foods we eat
or what sports they"should" play
we'd have some different looking families and kids

it is never too early to start training our kids
but it can be too late

don't wait until it is too late....

The smallest joy....

a few more from Florida....
she makes me laugh

so, here we are on counseling Monday
911 has been called
only 25 fights have broken out as to
who will be digging worms first

the dishwasher is still not working properly

and, well

I had to come and look at pictures
take a step back and laugh

my expectations are too high
not realistic
not His plans for my day

so instead
the kids are digging for creatures in the mud pit out front
building a habitat in some old mason jars

we did some table school with our guest
who has been here for 4 days
and I am sure can't wait to get home
to the sanity of his home:)

this is today

don't miss it

it will be gone tomorrow

"God teach me your ways, help me die to myself
and my expectations of my home.
Give me your eyes to see the goodness, the joy
the hearts of these children who want my attention
my time, my ears and my affections"

This is my job, my life and I give it all to You...today"

In my thinking too much....

in my struggles with trying to come at my life
from every angle

I was stopped this morning and reminded

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding
in all your ways acknowledge him
and He will make straight your paths"
proverbs 3:5,6

I don't know the future
but Jesus does
I cannot lean on my own understanding
because I really know nothing
but God knows everything

what I can do is acknowledge Him in all my ways
and He will make my paths straight

there is much freedom in Christ
I don't need to have to all the answers
all the time
I barely have any answers most of the time

He has to fill in the gaps

thank-you Jesus.

Wow!!!....2 months have flown by

so, we did move
it was lovely

we unpacked
and still are

it is long and lovely

we are definitely not settled
there is much work to be done

that is lovely

our neighbours and more than lovely
we love it!

we are adjusting
Blu keeps asking when we are going back to our old house:(
so sweet

the flow of this house has not had a chance to happen yet
as life has been too messy
to0 disorganized

so, another lesson of letting go of things
and not letting stuff that is not done bother me

giving lots of grace
the kids are also trying to figure it out

lots of grace

.................

I can't get the kids inside
which is wonderful

I love that they get to learn what it takes to move
how to put a house together
how to work
how hard it is
how much time it takes

and you don't get paid for it!...hee hee

these are valuable life lessons

and part of those lessons are for me
knowing when to stop
because it is never ending

not forgetting to have fun when the work is done

as I could just keep on working morning, noon and night

and of course the balance

balancing my thankfulness and my daily bread and praise to
the meaningless of it all in the grand scheme of things

I mean, the meaningless of stuff

how did I/we get here anyway???

do I put this chair here or over here
what color should I paint this?
and so on

meaningless.....yet, I cannot escape it
it is the culture I live in

and I like my home to function well. to be visually appealing to me
peaceful. creative and humble

this "Style At Home" culture is too much me
I am burdened by the thoughts that I have so much
and so many have nothing

here I am worrying.....I am worrying.....
give me a break!!!
Christ says not to worry about ANYTHING
and here I am worrying about whether
my drapes match the bed?
how self centered of me?

now what?

what do I do with these feelings that are always there
we have too much
we need to share
how do I do this?
how do I live this out in this life?
with this family?

what is God calling us to do?

do I think too much?
..............

the above photographs were taken from our trip to Florida
2 weeks after we moved in

what a lovely time we have

"May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart
pleasing to you."
psalm 19:14