Today...

• I am letting the kids sleep as long as they want.
• I am only doing fun things.
• Somehow that includes laundry and cleaning the kitchen.
• Somehow that also includes the kids doing their laundry.
• I am packing for a ladies' retreat.
• I might even paint.
• I'm throwing away 100 things.
• I am just being ME.

Tomorrow....

• I will get to hear the author of Calm My Anxious Heart, Intimate Issues and How to Really Love Your Man, Linda Dillow!
• I will have to wake up early.
• I will get to run out in nature with nothing around me but woods for as long as I want and am able.
• I will get to be alone.
• I will get to talk to others.
• I won't have to cook any meals or clean up any messes.
• I will pray.
• I will listen.
• I will study.
• I will be quiet.

Sunday...

• I will get to see my family again!
• Kiss my husband!!!
• Hold his hand!
• Clean up the house from the weekend.
• Do the dishes they left behind.
• Make dinner.
• Oh, well.

Queen Esther

This week I learned that even what we fear the most, God will be there on the other side. I also realized how much I fear.

Esther said, "If I perish, I perish." She did what God asked her to do and didn't freeze from fear of it. If only I could do that. Sometimes it's so hard to know.

FIREPROOF....

Go see it!

A Few Hard Weeks...

I have had a lot of those this year. The kids have been intolerable and I have been ready to give up on schooling forever. Many times I've wanted to pack my bags and hit the road for an extended vacation. It just didn't seem worth it. That sounds horrible doesn't it? But a person can only take so much stress.

And then...

I did my Beth Moore Bible study on Esther. She was teaching on how the enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy. Like in Esther when Haman says to kill, destroy, and annihilate the Jews. That is the enemy's plan for us. One of those verbs would have been enough for the people to understand, but the use of three verbs puts emphasis on how evil and utterly wickedly Haman was and how badly he wanted them destroyed & wiped from the face of the planet. If a man could plan those things, we are foolish to think the Devil isn't more crafty.

I realized that I have been listening to the voice of the enemy. I have been believing that school is too hard, that my kids are impossible, and that I can't possibly do it. God showed me that if He could deliver me from so many other evils He can surely keep me from feeling overwhelmed. I felt like I was hit with a two-by-four, and then I felt like a tremendous weight was lifted from me. Suddenly my children weren't the worst kids in the world, it was just Satan at his old trickery again of lying to me and trying to annihilate me and my children. Hmppff. Someone forgot who was in charge, and it was me.

"'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'" Jer 29:11

If you ever get a chance to do the Beth Moore "Esther" study, I HIGHLY recommend it. It is worth whatever sacrifices you have to make to go there. It is by far the best study I have ever done, and every week gets better. It is amazing!

Debit Cards

Well, so far I have accomplished one more goal this year. I have been withdrawing cash! I am so proud of myself I could spit! It is amazing how much less money you spend when it looks green instead of all plasticy with a red, white, and blue flag on it.

School with Blaine

Blaine and I are doing school this morning. He stops to ask me a question.

"So I'm supposed to color the ones place (does he really know what that is?) pink?"

I walk over to check out what he's doing.

"You're supposed to write a 60 in the blank and color all the numbers with a zero in the ones place...."

He pats my arm, "I get it, Mommy. I get it."

They grow up so fast.

AWANA QUIZ

Elizabeth's AWANA book 4 girls' team placed FIRST on Saturday!
Rebecca's AWANA book 2 girls' team place SECOND.

We are so proud of their accomplishments! Go girls!!!

Pantry Search

After watching the videos I began a search in our own pantry. I realized our raw turkey meat, bread, meat, mayo, chips, and fruit all had MSG in them. Every dressing, sauce, and spice has it too. Many milk products (and even some milk!) has it in there. It literally is in almost everything. I was kind of depressed, but I prayed and went for my regular grocery shopping. Despite my depressions I managed to find a good deal of groceries that did not contain any of the items on the list.

Whole wheat tortillas from Austin, I think. There was only one clean brand.
whole wheat English muffins
Ezekiel bread, my favorite
organic fruit at a pretty reasonable price (apples and pears)
original sunchips
the all favorite popcorn that you pop yourself
I decided to go for raw chicken to cook up ahead of time, slice and have ready for sandwiches. I think it will actually come out much cheaper than lunch meat, and it was on sale.

Eating out is the worst. I'm sure almost every restaurant uses it. That's why everything tastes so good! I am not sure I will be able to resist this temptation unless I watch the videos immediately before going out.

I don't want you all to think I have gone crazy or anything. I had pizza yesterday for the Superbowl and panda express on Saturday. But I figure if we can at least eliminate it from as many factors of our diet as possible, we will be slightly more healthy.