03/31/11

Do you have this growing in your yard? It is hinbit... related to mint... and has a square stem. I always think it is pretty. Steve always wants to get rid of it. Our yard kind of looks like a lavender field right now. lol

It really is pretty.....

It has been an interesting week around these parts.

It has been a week that has tried my patience.

It has been a week of feeling overwhelmed in many areas.

It has been a week I have had to do a lot of praying.

As always, the Lord's still small voice spoke to me as I was teaching my students today. It had to do with FAITH.

I was teaching on the woman who touched Jesus' garment and was healed and also when Jesus raised Jairus' daughter from the dead.

Both situations required FAITH.

Faith that Jesus could do the impossible.

Faith that Jesus keeps His Word.

Faith alone.

The Lord gave this to me as I was talking to my students and it brought so much comfort to me I had to share today. I am continually thankful for how the Lord speaks to me as I am doing the teaching!

Hold out your hand and spread out your fingers.

Start with your thumb and for each finger spell out the word F. A. I. T. H.

Now take your fingers and ball them up as if you were clutching something in your hand.

Remember this: when times get tough, when you feel overwhelmed, when you feel discouraged, just look at your hand and spell out the word faith. Then, take your hand, and ball it up and say "God will never leave me nor forsake me!" He holds us in the palm of His hands!

We use our hands for so many things. Let's use them to help us remember that important reminder from the Lord.

We have to have faith that He is going to work everything out according to His purpose.

03/30/11

More maple blooms today.

It is quite dreary.

I miss the sunshine.

I am thankful for the rain.

I am weary of the North Carolina Project.

I can't believe March is almost gone.

I photograph as a stress reliever.

I also eat chocolate for relieving stress when photography is not an option.

I would like to take a nap.

Anything you want to share?

03/29/11

Maples blooming.... those little helicopter seed packets are so cute to me. Can you tell what is in the background?

I thoroughly enjoyed "talking" with some of you yesterday. I really wouldn't mind hearing from a few more. It makes me feel giddy to know I am not the only one "talking."

I decided I would continue some chatting. Again, please feel free to chat back!!!

What is something you do when you are stressed and need a stress reliever?

Can anyone guess what I do in that situation?

03/28/11

More views of things budding forth.....
These things are budding forth while we are freezing around here today. It actually sleeted this morning!!! I thought we were getting rid of the winter coats, but mine surely felt warm today.

So... talk to me today.

What did you do today?

I want to hear from my peeps who read my blog!
(Even if you are a lurker and have never commented... come on, don't be afraid. I promise I will not bite.)

03/27/11

Isaiah 12:2-3
Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.
Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.

03/26/11

On this gloomy day I will let you enjoy some beautiful forsythia blooms.

We are still consumed with the North Carolina Project. I am so ready for it to be done.

Pray for my nerves.

Thank you.

03/25/11

Buds.... love to see them. :)


Here is a funny from today:

A student of mine came up and said that she was feeling very weak because of her tooth... she had lost a lot of blood. (The tooth was quite loose but had not come out yet.)

A few minutes later, she pulled out her tooth and did lose SOME blood, but not a lot.

She then came back in and said that she felt weak because of all the blood she had lost with her tooth.

Our "transfusion machine was broken" so we told her she would be alright. :)

Kids... gotta love 'em!

Here is another video I made. Hope you enjoy. :)

03/24/11

There is nothing like watching the leaves sprouting out of a bush or tree in spring. I love the light colored green as it bursts forth to add color and spice to a dull winter-laden world.

Forgive me... today may be a bit wordy. I have had this on my heart for a couple of weeks and it has to be written. I never know if what the Lord is working on with me can help someone else, too.

Have you ever had anything that held you captive?

Webster's defines "captive" as:
taken and held prisoner especially in war;
held or confined as to prevent escape;
in a situation that makes free choice or leaving difficult;
one that is captive;
PRISONER

Satan likes to use things in our lives to hold us captive.

I am speaking from experience.... I have been held captive in my life by fear, anxiety, and some depression.

What may cause captivity for me may not be the same for you. Satan only needs a pin hole into our lives and he can use that to bring us into captivity in our spiritual lives.

Whatever you focus on, whatever your mind goes to, is by what you are held captive.

Most captivating thoughts were once casual thoughts not surrendered to the knowledge of Christ. ..... Whether the captor began as a seed or a tree, its destructive force assumes the size it occupies in your mind.

- Beth Moore

Have you ever noticed that at the end of the day, when all is quiet and you are trying to get to sleep, Satan will attack the most?

How can we be released from this captivity?

Isaiah 26:3 has been brought before me more times than I can count! I know the Lord is continuing to teach me about this:

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee, because he trusteth in thee.

I used to be so filled with fear over who knows what.

I used to be filled with an anxiety level that didn't allow any peace of mind.

I used to be filled with a depressed state.

I still battle it today.

HOWEVER.

I have learned to search the Scriptures and give my fears to the Lord.

I am still learning to read His Word to help me with that anxiety.

I will continue to trust in His Word to keep my mind on Him so that depression will not linger.

I still have lots to learn in this area!!!


God is our watchman and watches over us. He knows how easily Satan can come into our thoughts if we are not constantly captivated by HIM.

I like how Beth Moore says this:
When temptations and troubling thoughts come, the steadfast believer chooses to lay her hand on God's Word and know that it's the truth.

We become victors through surrender to Christ.
We become victors by our dependence on God.
Victorious lives flow from victorious thoughts.
Thinking victorious thoughts comes from setting our focus on a victorious God.

Search the Scriptures.

Stay in the Scriptures.

Stay close to God.

He alone will set the captive free.

03/23/11

I have really enjoyed walking outside and watching the green unfold from the beautiful blooms on the bushes and trees this year. Again... you know how I love those details. :)

The forsythia was so pretty all in bloom! There is more and more green there now.

We have been marblizing at school this week. (It is that art project I always do with my students during Achievement testing.) We have been having fun playing in paint with paper.

We don't use marbles.

I almost "killed" myself yesterday doing my walking/running. I am really needing to learn to stop trying to push myself beyond what is necessary after only doing this for a week and a half. Leave it to me to go gung ho and injure myself.

Advil was a good friend to me today.

I am going to get my bike out today and dust it off.... or maybe take it to a car wash... and see about riding it. I'll probably look like that rude and ugly woman in Wizard of Oz who took Toto from Dorothy. (Que theme music for when she is riding her bike down that dusty road.)

You are now thanking me for having that tune roll around in your head.

Steve is coming along nicely on re-building the deck. It is going to look so pretty and new.

Now I just need to find some good patio furniture off of craigslist for cheap. Our table is in a bad, rusty way. The chairs don't match and are a bit... well.... unclean.

Speaking of craigslist... we got the kids one of those mini laptops off of there last weekend. The guy wanted a super cheap price for it. We are now able to let them work on that for reports and such for school. It is a blessing. We haven't gotten the wi/fi connected yet.

I am also enjoying the freedom of wandering around the house with it playing Solitaire. That is such an addictive game....

I must end this rambling and go find that bike.

I bet you want to come over and see me ride the thing.

03/22/11

I read this devotion last week and it has really stuck with me. I wanted to share. It is so precious to me to know that God loves me so much He takes my tears.

God's Tear Bottle
Psalm 56:8 - Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book?

This is a remarkable insight into the tender heart of our heavenly Father. He has a tear bottle - in fact, perhaps a tear bottle for each of His wandering children.

Ancient "tear bottles" (or wineskins) have actually been excavated by archaeologists in Israel. These vessels were used to catch and preserve the owner's tears during times of grief or extreme pressure. This psalm was actually written by David when he was being pursued by Saul on one side and surrounded by Philistines in the city of Goliath on the other. David apparently not only had his own tear bottle, but also believed that God somehow was also storing up David's personal tears in His own heavenly bottle of tears.

There is a touching story in the earthly ministry of Jesus that provides another example: "Behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment and stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to was his feet with tears,... and anointed them with the ointment." (Luke 7:37-38).
The ointment was obviously not the same as the tears, but followed the washing by tears. Some scholars think these tears came from her bottle, which was emptied on His feet and used to wash them. Others think that those tear bottles that have been found actually contained the collected tears of mourners at a burial site.

In any case, God does know all our wanderings and sorrows and all our tears, and stores them up somewhere. Perhaps it is also a metaphor for His "book of remembrance," which is being "Written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name" (Malachi 3:16).

- Henry Morris

I am so thankfu,l as well, that one day:

...God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. (Revelation 21:4)

03/21/11

I have begun walking again.

I needed to... my body was letting me know it was out of shape. My mind was letting me know I needed it, too.

As I began walking I also began to challenge myself to do a little running.

I figured if those people on Biggest Loser could do it, so could I!!

(Why is it that a lot of times when I watch that show I find myself with a cookie or bowl of ice cream in hand???)

This is new for me as I have never run for exercise before. It was usually all I could do to run a yard and not pass out from the huffing and puffing.

In one week I have come far. I am now able to run a little longer each stretch of the way. I keep telling myself to go to the next mailbox or the next driveway. I still have to walk in between my running spurts but I am just tickled I am doing more with my exercising.

It has given me time to enjoy God's Creation more.

It has given Wesley time to encourage his Mom... He runs like a graceful gazelle while I am coming from behind like an overbearing elephant.

It has given me more energy which I so desperately was needing.

I want to continue... I don't want to give up.

It has reminded me of this set of verses and how we run the race for Christ:

Hebrews 12:1-2
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

I don't want to give up on my exercising and I don't want to give up my race for becoming more like Christ.

I want to become physically and spiritually healthy.

I want to be like Paul when I stand before the Lord one day:

II Timothy 4:7
I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.

03/20/11

Hosea 11:4
I led them with cords of a man, with bonds of love, and I became to them as one who lifts the yoke from their jaws; and I bent down and fed them.

This is what the Lord did for Israel... and it is what He can do for you. Do you ever feel like that picture represents.... tired, broken, and worn? God is there to take our burdens. He feeds us and gives our minds rest when we focus on Him.

Matthew 11:28-30
Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and You shall find rest for your souls.
For My yoke is easy, and My load is light.

03/19/11

Since we are working on NC projects today I thought I would share some beauty from our Cherry tree. I photographed these last weekend. I am always in awe of our God when I view the details of His Creation bursting forth in spring.




It is a beautiful day!

Did you do anything outside to enjoy this beauty?

03/18/11

I realize this looks kind of "wintry" but it isn't.... just took it last weekend. This is one of our evergreens in the yard. They are tiny little "cones" on the end. You can click on this to make it larger to check out those cute little things!
Here is a quote from one of my devotions the other day. I have been reading on God's grace.

"Grace teaches us that God loves because of who God is, not because of who we are."
- Philip Yancey

He loved all of humanity to such an extent that He gave up his own Son, Jesus, rather than give up on us. Take a moment to really think about that - it is gripping.

from Dwell devotional, Monday, March 14, 2011

03/17/11

Happy St. Patty's Day, Peeps! :) I don't have any shamrocks for ya, but here is a bit of green with these beautiful daffodils!

Today I had my "Green" Tasting party at school. It is where I have the students bring in foods that are green like green apples, pears (skin is green), celery, olives, pickles, kiwi, grapes, cucumbers, bell pepper, guacamole, etc... and they must try each thing. In fact, we only give them one piece of each and they have to eat all of it before they can get up and go get other things they would like to eat.

I have kids dread this day..... which always makes me chuckle. I am not feeding them beef tongue or anything. I have to cheer some on, encourage others and sit and eat with a few to get them to try the food, but then some find that they actually LIKE some of the foods they are made to try.

If they walk away learning to eat just one of the things they have tried I have made a difference. I was proud of the kiddos.... they hung in there and did find there were things they had never tried that they really liked.

See those flags teeny white flags in the distance of our multi-colored yard?

That would be the flags that keep Miss Molly in her area. We put in an electric fence last week and she had to be on a leash at all times for a week while we trained her. She has done really well and yesterday was her first day off the leash. When I was outside and went past her flag areas, she would stop and sit. She has done so well!

It is nice that we can let her go where she wants (in her boundaries) in the yard and let her enjoy running and playing. She is still one sweet little, er... BIG pup!

03/16/11

Mikayla loves to play in the mud.

I love that she loves to play in the mud.

She uses her imagination.

She makes mud pies.

Remember those?

Except... she doesn't call them "MUD" pies... they are her "Recipes!"

However, Mikayla's mud pies are definitely not simple.


She starts with some dirt and then adds her water from the "supply."

She mixes the mud up in different bowls and makes her "muffins."

Then she decorates them with flowers and whatnot that she collects.

At work in her "studio"..... aka... the well house.

I never made a mud pie, er, "recipe" as pretty as this when I was little!

She has realized some "critters" have come out at night and eaten some of her beautiful recipes. She has made herself a shelf to avoid that problem. Notice all of the recipes she has in that clear container.

I just love watching her use her mind this way. There is nothing like simple play that teaches so much.

03/15/11

The next set of adventures of our day in Downtown Raleigh.

Here is our Capitol Building built in 1840 after the original State House had burned.... when those working on putting a fire proof roof on the State House left the "fire" going that melted the metal they were using and it caused the State House to catch on fire! Kind of ironic, eh? The Senators and Representatives were in session at the time as the roof began to fall in from the fire. The people were throwing things out of the window to save them.... only to have the walls fall outward and burn all that they tried to save.

This building is one of the only original State Houses/Capital buildings left in the country. Many were torn down and re-built. I am so glad our state didn't have the money to do that when it was popular. We would miss out on beautiful architecture and history!

I had to prove I was there....

Mikayla was "digging" the statue of the three presidents from North Carolina. She "loves" James K. Polk right now because he was from Mecklenburg County, where Charlotte is located, and she is doing her city report on Charlotte.

A statue of George Washington.

Looks a little odd, doesn't it... not what you normally think of when you see him.

An Italian sculptor portrayed him this way... like a Greek god. The people of NC were NOT happy when he was presented because you could see his legs and toes. It didn't matter that he looked nothing like George.

Original Senate chambers

Original House of Representatives.... That painting of George Washington was one of three things that was saved from the fire.

The Capitol Library... Mikayla was all about this room.

Wes checking out the House of Representatives

Our Governor Bev Perdue's office... partly. We stuck our head in to see her but she wasn't there. I didn't vote for her, but it still would have been neat to meet her!

Hope you enjoyed your History lesson today.

03/14/11

Spring break is over.... can't believe how fast it always goes!

We had a busy one with working on the NC Project.... as you all know!

Last Wednesday the kids and I took a trip to Downtown Raleigh to visit the Legislative Building and the Capitol.

I'll be the first to say that I was a bit apprehensive being "in charge" of doing that. I know most of you that know me personally may find that alarming. I am usually a "take charge" kind of gal. Well, truth be known underneath the skin, there is a bit of a timid individual that lives within. If I am experiencing something new I am very nervous about it all. You would think after 16 years of teaching I would be beyond that. However, that is not the case and this trip made me a bit nervous.

I was nervous about driving downtown and hopefully parking in the correct area.

I was nervous about walking around the area and "doing everything right."

I was nervous about meeting strangers for our Legislative tour and being in buildings I have never been in knowing I was the adult and not the child. Sad, huh?

Well, I should have stopped all of that nervousness because I parked in the correct parking area after driving successfully downtown.

I walked confidently with my children to the History Museum and found out what we could do there while waiting for our tour of the Legislative Building.

I walked into the Legislative Building successfully and talked with those at the receptionist desk as to when our tour would begin.

I loved spending that time with my kids! Here are a few pics of our day....

View of the Capitol Building between the History Museum and Natural Science Museum.

View of the Legislative Building with a lot of school children running around. I just couldn't escape school!

Wes and Mikayla by the fake Liberty Bell.

Outside of the Legislative Building on our state seal: Esse Quam Videri - "To be rather than to seem"

Inside our Senate chambers... this was where we had our "talk" with the tour.

If you look at the screen (click on the photo to view larger) you will see a welcome to me and the kiddos for our visit! :)

House of Representatives... we were not allowed inside of those chambers.

When we finished our tour of the Legislative Building we decided to be really "hip" for downtown and experience a hotdog from one of those carts by the street. ha! It was very windy that day so it did present a challenge when trying to eat without making a mess.

Wesley enjoyed a chili dog because he still just can't do a hot dog after getting a stomach bug when he was three....

Mikayla with her sassy purse beside her enjoyed hers...

I must say that was a good hot dog.... maybe it was that I was just very hungry!

More tomorrow on our adventures downtown.....