A big reminder that my September quilt drawing starts Tomorrow!
I have my quilt already to post so DO NOT FORGET to come back tomorrow!!
You will see it is a beautiful quilt and worth entering.
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Saturday, September 6, 2008
I received an email from my friend Natalie this afternoon and it really was encouraging to me! I can so easily forget that it is OK , I mean REALLY OK, to not have everything together.That in fact God specialises in fixing the mess ups we make daily...hourly...and in my case minutely (if that is a word).
Thanks for passing this along Natalie!The following was taken from a blog called Generations With Vision.
July 24, 2008
A Tale of Two WomenI must tell you the tale of two women. There was the first woman who was very neatly put together. She had inherited three generations of faith. Her great grandmother, her grandmother, and her mother were Christians. She had a very neat life. The furniture was covered, and she hardly ever sinned. The children were placed in boarding schools and she never yelled at them, even once. The pastor never had to deal with her problems. In fact, once or twice he commended her from the pulpit. But this is a tale of two women, and I must tell you about the other. She had no godly mother or grandmother. Her father was an alcoholic, and, to tell you the truth, she was not so neatly put together.One day, she brought her children home from school and engaged in a real relationship with them, and let me tell you, it was messy. She yelled at her children, too much. She was afraid they would be permanently damaged by her yelling. At times, she thought maybe they were a little too close to observe her ways.Her house was often disorganized... although the stacks were neat. She still practiced hospitality. It was new to her, but her husband thought it would be a good idea. Loving strangers? It was hard enough loving her own children! But she did anyway and she did it badly.Her children gave her their hearts and they did observe her ways. They observed her yelling, her tears of repentance. Yes. They observed her fears that they might pick up her sinful habits. They observed her struggles to overcome her anger, the time she ran into the [bedroom because she was afraid she might say something ugly. They saw it all. They saw it all. And, trust me folks, it was a big mess.The pastor was not very happy with this woman and her family. They seemed to require more prayer and counsel than anybody else in the church. "VDP's" he called them. "Very Demanding People."She would bring the big mess to church with her... and fall on her face and say, "God have mercy on me, a sinner." But, let me tell you, that woman went home justified!The moral of the story is simple. God is good. He does really well with big messes, but He doesn't do as much with those who are so neatly put together.As Jesus taught us in His parable, it is not how many talents you start with that matters. It is what you do with the 0.2 talents you have received. What really matters are the risks you take, the sacrifice you lay on the altar, the heart molding done by His Spirit, and your willingness to uncover the mess and to remove the layers of plastic, sterile, institutionalized, white-coated plaster. If you would try risking your furniture, your relationships, and your otherwise neat life for Jesus; if you would bring the whole mess to the cross everyday, there you will find indescribable blessing and peace!
Thanks for passing this along Natalie!The following was taken from a blog called Generations With Vision.
July 24, 2008
A Tale of Two WomenI must tell you the tale of two women. There was the first woman who was very neatly put together. She had inherited three generations of faith. Her great grandmother, her grandmother, and her mother were Christians. She had a very neat life. The furniture was covered, and she hardly ever sinned. The children were placed in boarding schools and she never yelled at them, even once. The pastor never had to deal with her problems. In fact, once or twice he commended her from the pulpit. But this is a tale of two women, and I must tell you about the other. She had no godly mother or grandmother. Her father was an alcoholic, and, to tell you the truth, she was not so neatly put together.One day, she brought her children home from school and engaged in a real relationship with them, and let me tell you, it was messy. She yelled at her children, too much. She was afraid they would be permanently damaged by her yelling. At times, she thought maybe they were a little too close to observe her ways.Her house was often disorganized... although the stacks were neat. She still practiced hospitality. It was new to her, but her husband thought it would be a good idea. Loving strangers? It was hard enough loving her own children! But she did anyway and she did it badly.Her children gave her their hearts and they did observe her ways. They observed her yelling, her tears of repentance. Yes. They observed her fears that they might pick up her sinful habits. They observed her struggles to overcome her anger, the time she ran into the [bedroom because she was afraid she might say something ugly. They saw it all. They saw it all. And, trust me folks, it was a big mess.The pastor was not very happy with this woman and her family. They seemed to require more prayer and counsel than anybody else in the church. "VDP's" he called them. "Very Demanding People."She would bring the big mess to church with her... and fall on her face and say, "God have mercy on me, a sinner." But, let me tell you, that woman went home justified!The moral of the story is simple. God is good. He does really well with big messes, but He doesn't do as much with those who are so neatly put together.As Jesus taught us in His parable, it is not how many talents you start with that matters. It is what you do with the 0.2 talents you have received. What really matters are the risks you take, the sacrifice you lay on the altar, the heart molding done by His Spirit, and your willingness to uncover the mess and to remove the layers of plastic, sterile, institutionalized, white-coated plaster. If you would try risking your furniture, your relationships, and your otherwise neat life for Jesus; if you would bring the whole mess to the cross everyday, there you will find indescribable blessing and peace!
I made it!
I made it through my first long day with Jeff doing his second job.Now I do it again on Monday night.Jeff is schuedlued to work Monday and Friday nights and maybe he will be able to pick up a few extra shifts durring the week.It will sure be busy around here for the next few months but in the end it will be worth it.It is nice to know that I have a hard working husband who will do what needs to be done to take care of the family. It is interesting because if we had not adopted the 6 children we would have been rather comfortable money wise.
I think it could be easy for Jeff to look back and say how unfair it is that we walked down the path we thought God was leading us by adopting the children and now here he has to get another job.He could even question as to whether we heard God right in the first place.I have questioned this all a zillion times.I think most husbands fear the thought of ever being in a situation like we are in right now and because of those fears chose not to do what we did.I remember being afraid of this happening to us and it did and it really isn't so bad (at the moment at least).Anyway, I'm very proud of Jeff.He followed God and is still willing to do what it takes to follow God.
The one neat thing about all of this (the financial and large family thing)is that I am finding that God's boundries for my life are much different,smaller,more secure,more defined, but yet more liberating than I ever thought they were.I think what I was doing was thinking the boundries I had made as the ones God has made for me.
God has been stripping back so many areas in my life until I am begining to see more clearly what his boundries really are for me right now.It is very easy for me to get confused between different issues that I hear others talking about.I remember getting worked up over things like what foods are the best to feed the family,or what toys are the best,or how we should dress,or even schooling issues,Teen group or no teen group,tv or no tv etc...The struggles all stem from wanting to do what pleases God,I just want to do things right.
Well,the more children we added and the more money decreased I found a very freeing thing...the boundries I thought God set fell away and I started to see God's true boundries for our family.We are really at God's grace in his provision for our daily bread...if white bread and caned vegies end up on our door step we eat it,if all we get is a bag of three day old donuts we heat them up and eat them.We could trust God for something more nutricious but maybe we would be like the Israelites looking back to their days in Egypt wishing for what they once had.It is not the food but the blessing we ask God to put on the food that matters.
How about modist dress...well these days most of our clothes are hand me downs and quite a lot are not real modist and classic looking.We wear them anyway.God provided them.Today the kids were sent to church unmatching.It is a big huge thing for me.I love them matching.No more.We wear what God gives us.
I have given up SO many precious school books.I would say over the years I have spent thousands and thousands of dollars on school stuff.No joke.Now it is simple workbooks because although I would love my children to graduate early from school and learn violin,latin etc...they really won't.We have a few hours a day to do school and that is it.And what a shame to see a book I payed 20.00 on be bought almost new for 5.00. Why did I waste so much on school stuff.
It goes on and on...I thought all thses years I was looking for what pleased God but really I was not listening to God I wanted to look like a good christian for my own pride.
I think it could be easy for Jeff to look back and say how unfair it is that we walked down the path we thought God was leading us by adopting the children and now here he has to get another job.He could even question as to whether we heard God right in the first place.I have questioned this all a zillion times.I think most husbands fear the thought of ever being in a situation like we are in right now and because of those fears chose not to do what we did.I remember being afraid of this happening to us and it did and it really isn't so bad (at the moment at least).Anyway, I'm very proud of Jeff.He followed God and is still willing to do what it takes to follow God.
The one neat thing about all of this (the financial and large family thing)is that I am finding that God's boundries for my life are much different,smaller,more secure,more defined, but yet more liberating than I ever thought they were.I think what I was doing was thinking the boundries I had made as the ones God has made for me.
God has been stripping back so many areas in my life until I am begining to see more clearly what his boundries really are for me right now.It is very easy for me to get confused between different issues that I hear others talking about.I remember getting worked up over things like what foods are the best to feed the family,or what toys are the best,or how we should dress,or even schooling issues,Teen group or no teen group,tv or no tv etc...The struggles all stem from wanting to do what pleases God,I just want to do things right.
Well,the more children we added and the more money decreased I found a very freeing thing...the boundries I thought God set fell away and I started to see God's true boundries for our family.We are really at God's grace in his provision for our daily bread...if white bread and caned vegies end up on our door step we eat it,if all we get is a bag of three day old donuts we heat them up and eat them.We could trust God for something more nutricious but maybe we would be like the Israelites looking back to their days in Egypt wishing for what they once had.It is not the food but the blessing we ask God to put on the food that matters.
How about modist dress...well these days most of our clothes are hand me downs and quite a lot are not real modist and classic looking.We wear them anyway.God provided them.Today the kids were sent to church unmatching.It is a big huge thing for me.I love them matching.No more.We wear what God gives us.
I have given up SO many precious school books.I would say over the years I have spent thousands and thousands of dollars on school stuff.No joke.Now it is simple workbooks because although I would love my children to graduate early from school and learn violin,latin etc...they really won't.We have a few hours a day to do school and that is it.And what a shame to see a book I payed 20.00 on be bought almost new for 5.00. Why did I waste so much on school stuff.
It goes on and on...I thought all thses years I was looking for what pleased God but really I was not listening to God I wanted to look like a good christian for my own pride.
Friday, September 5, 2008
A LLLOOONNNGGGG Day
Tonight is Jeff's first evening working his second job delivering pizzas up in Eagan.I believe his shift ends at 9:30 but adding the drive home means he will be gone until close to 11 pm.It is 6:52 pm and so far things are not real horrible,I'm just tired of kids and noise and would like a bit of quiet time.I suppose I have time right now that I can blog a bit and then put some more books on Ebay but I really shouldn't be doing this.No one child is bothering me more than another,but 13 children each coming two times to ask me something (which is a modest estimate) equals 26 times I have to say "I really want to do this.Please go play".Now this is why I am blogging to myself because I know what some 'super moms' with fewer children might think to themselves "Tina ,you should just forget the computer and take care of the kids.They obviously want (need) your attention".Hmmm...I'm just selfish probably more so than most moms.O well.
On to other things...exiting things that happened today...
Lily is a fast crawler so I finally dug out the big fence thing so she will have a little more safe freedom.Joyce,Joel,Odel,Naomi,and Ekie thought it was just the greatest thing! I am surprised Naomi did not do her little Omah (sp?) dance.It is the dance old ladies in Liberia do when they are very pleased or happy like when they get money as Cyrus explains.Now that would make a good video of the week!The kids doing the Omah dance!They are real good at it.
There was a hole in one of our second floor screens and one of the cats escaped and got stuck on the roof.Apparently using one of his 9 lives and jumping off himself did not seem like a good use of one of his lives so Elena and I risked ours to get him back...not really...he came when we called him.
Other highlights...cat poop on the floor,my bribery with snacks to get it cleaned up, hot dogs cooked over the fire,emotional roller coasters some of the kids are ridding on today,making music Cd's,getting school ready,cocoa wheat's,cheesy noodles,floor Friday...
Dinner is served thanks to the boys!What feeds us...26 servings of brown beans & Thirty two hot dogs (with buns)flamed to perfection.No leftovers at our house.
Here is a cute thing...Joel somehow got Lily in his chair and now she is doing school.I think she decided chewing her school was more fun!
On to other things...exiting things that happened today...
Lily is a fast crawler so I finally dug out the big fence thing so she will have a little more safe freedom.Joyce,Joel,Odel,Naomi,and Ekie thought it was just the greatest thing! I am surprised Naomi did not do her little Omah (sp?) dance.It is the dance old ladies in Liberia do when they are very pleased or happy like when they get money as Cyrus explains.Now that would make a good video of the week!The kids doing the Omah dance!They are real good at it.
There was a hole in one of our second floor screens and one of the cats escaped and got stuck on the roof.Apparently using one of his 9 lives and jumping off himself did not seem like a good use of one of his lives so Elena and I risked ours to get him back...not really...he came when we called him.
Other highlights...cat poop on the floor,my bribery with snacks to get it cleaned up, hot dogs cooked over the fire,emotional roller coasters some of the kids are ridding on today,making music Cd's,getting school ready,cocoa wheat's,cheesy noodles,floor Friday...
Dinner is served thanks to the boys!What feeds us...26 servings of brown beans & Thirty two hot dogs (with buns)flamed to perfection.No leftovers at our house.
Here is a cute thing...Joel somehow got Lily in his chair and now she is doing school.I think she decided chewing her school was more fun!
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Sweet Joshua
Josh was working real hard last night and today hand sewing a quilt. I did not help one bit.I say he did a VERY good job!
Josh was REALLY hard at work hand sewing today because I found this special gift on my pillow tonight. Josh made me a little cute Moon Stufty, a mini quilt so Moon Stufty would not get cold and two hanging star decorations to keep Moon Stufty company.
Thanks Josh!I love you too!
Josh was REALLY hard at work hand sewing today because I found this special gift on my pillow tonight. Josh made me a little cute Moon Stufty, a mini quilt so Moon Stufty would not get cold and two hanging star decorations to keep Moon Stufty company.
Thanks Josh!I love you too!
Here is My REAL Video of the Week
This is not the video I had planned in my mind but shows a little of what goes on around me while I am just trying to relax in my chair.
My Video of the Week
A saw this video clip on A Wise Woman Builds Her house blog and thought it were neat.It is nice to see an example even just a few minutes one of Mrs. Duggard's patients in dealing with a few of her children.I have to say I am not even close to being that patient.I wish I was ,though.
I thought this would make a good Video of the Week but I also have an idea of another video so maybe I will have two this week.We will see!
Schooling is not going very well.I suppose I should actually start back up again but just the thought of it makes me get all anxious.I see no way to get everything accomplished.I actually catch myself thinking that public school isn't SO bad...but even if it was an option who would we send?Going through the list in my head separates our bio kids from our adopted kids.That does not seem right.I keep holding on to the thought that once we get more of the kids reading well school teaching will go much easier.I have 8 kids at different stages of the learning how to read spectrum.I will aim at starting back up next Monday.School just needs to stay simple,simple,simple.What to do...
I thought this would make a good Video of the Week but I also have an idea of another video so maybe I will have two this week.We will see!
Schooling is not going very well.I suppose I should actually start back up again but just the thought of it makes me get all anxious.I see no way to get everything accomplished.I actually catch myself thinking that public school isn't SO bad...but even if it was an option who would we send?Going through the list in my head separates our bio kids from our adopted kids.That does not seem right.I keep holding on to the thought that once we get more of the kids reading well school teaching will go much easier.I have 8 kids at different stages of the learning how to read spectrum.I will aim at starting back up next Monday.School just needs to stay simple,simple,simple.What to do...
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Monday, September 1, 2008
Shhh...A Sneak Peak
Ok.I was just SO exited about my September Quilt Giveaway that starts next week that I had to post it just to myself today! I just finished it this weekend and it turned out very pretty. I think it ranks up there with Lily's and Jennie's quilts.It is a pattern called Tossed 9 Patch by The Quilt in a Day lady Elenore Burns. I can say that this was more a two day quilt if I count the time I actually spent machine quilting it.It turned out so well that I went crazy and cut out the squares for 7 more girl quilts and 3 boy quilts.I already have homes for each of them and good thing most of the people do not know each other.I might sometime make one to enter in next year's Waseca County Fair.
Sunday August 31,2008
I'm very glad that birthday season is over for a month.The next birthday is Anya's in mid October.We have had all these neat traditions over the years that worked very well when the family was smaller but are very costly now that we need to repeat things 14 times!Did you know that to feed a family of 16 chinese carry out it is almost 70 dollars!Pizza hits $50,even Mcdonalds is close to $40.We are thinking that instead of getting out-to-eat for the whole family on birthdays we will start taking just the birthday child out.We do usually buy our birthday gifts at the Goodwill,Walmart,or the dollar store.That saves a lot.I bet the wrapping paper and tape costs more than the gifts sometimesIt is hard to have to change things though.I have heard a few of the older kids say things ( in a bitter tone) like "now that we have too many kids we can't do the fun birthday things we did before..."
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