My favorite verse

“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." (Jeremiah 29:11)

This is my absolute favorite verse. I picked it up after about 2 years of reading Karen Kingsbury books pretty much exclusively. This seems to be a constant throughout all of her wonderful books, or maybe it is just the Baxter series.

Over the last couple of years, when I remember this verse it brings me an incredible amount of peace. I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not harm you. When life feels overwhelming or scary I remember this and it helps me to relax. It helps me to test my faith in God. Not to say I never get stressed or worry, but this can pull me back to the reality of a life with God in it.

How about you? Do you have a favorite verse?

Anger

1 Timothy 2:8 I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling;

Too bad there aren't more people out there that live by this verse. We see it in football on my oldest son's team all the time. They are 10-13 year olds and it is pretty competative, but I tell you what the real competition is in the stands between the parents. My poor husband was so embarrassed by the mother's on our team that he went and sat with the other team at the last game (I couldn't be there).

My younger son's team has been fairly free of this behavior, but tonight a meeting was called and the coaches were not invited. But they found out about it and went to the meeting. I felt so bad for them, they were being acused of embezzaling funds from fundraisers. I really cannot believe this. This has been a wonderful team, coaching has been great for the most part (a little too much swearing for my liking with 7-9 year olds). John went to this meeting tonight, I was home with my sick baby girl. Anyway, he said there was so much yelling and screaming and horrible accusations amongst the league volunteers and the coaches. It makes me so sad to think that our season was tarished with this kind of anger.

If men (and women) would just pray about all things life would be so much happier. I am so proud that John and I do not live in that kind of drama. Not that we don't have our own quarrels that we need to learn how to deal with anger amongst ourselves, but that we do not embarrass ourselves with the words and actions like the ones displayed tonight, in front of children nonetheless.

We do feel that part of this comes with the area we live, in Southern California, my son says we live in the Ghetto. Usually I think he's over-reacting, but after these examples of un Godly behavior I have to agree with him. He is my spiritually mature child, maybe he sees something I don't see or don't want to see.

Favorite Five 10/24

I am so glad I found this on Sandra's http://familycorner.blogspot.com/ site. I like to look back on my week and think about the good things, it helps me to stay positive. Thanks to Susanne http://www.susannesspace.blogspot.com/
for doing this.

1. Topping my list is that I found out the boys football schedule for November and Josh can take his first communion with his class.

2. Josh writing a letter to a soldier this morning. His school is delivering letters to soldiers in Iraq and school supplies to kids. We sent in 2 sets of scissors, pencil sharpeners and rulers.

3. Cooling weather, at least at night. Still in the 90s during the day, but having the windows open at night means no air conditioning during the day.

4. Planning and organizing our church harvest/halloween party.

5. Finishing 2 school projects for kids this week. WHEW!

He's amazing... I did something right.

On the way to school this morning Luke said his teacher asked a "question of the day" yesterday and he wanted to see what my response would be.

Q: If you could change one thing in the world, what would it be?

Me: Hmmmm, homelessness.

Luke: That everyone would be strong Christians, because then that would solve most of the worlds problems.

:::my jaw is hanging on the ground:::

Me: Oh wow that is a much better answer.

Luke: I asked Dylan (a christian friend at school) what he put and he said that all cars would be hybrid. Then Dylan asked what I put and I told him and his response was... that is a much better answer!!!

I am so thankful he has a good christian friend at school.

My heart swells when he says stuff like that. He folds his hands and bows his head before every meal, I think even at school b/c he does it in public at restaraunts all the time. I just can't believe he is so spiritually mature. I need to keep nurturing that so it never changes!

More proof God is on our side

You may have been following our distress about football and missing church and Josh having to miss his first communion on 11/2. I found out about 2 nights ago that Luke's playoff games were changed to 11/1, so it was kind of feeling like maybe it just might work out for communion on 11/2 for Josh... some how some way, but if it didn't I was okay. I was just being still and waiting, mainly because I had accepted that his first communion would have to be postponed. Today I got a call from Josh's coach with the schedule for the remainder of the season... NO TOURNAMENT on 11/2, it was postponed to 11/16. Did you hear me? NO TOURNAMENT on 11/2. The day is completely open and free of football, except for pro football on TV. We can celebrate his communion at church with our church family and have a party afterwards and celebrate this special day for Josh. It is just so wonderful to me that 2 weeks ago I was in tears, complete distress over the thought of the Josh missing his first communion and now about 2 weeks later there are absolutely no conflicts. God does know my heart, He knows my pain and my struggles and He doesn't want that for me or for Josh. Interestingly it felt like he gave us peace over our choices and that it was all okay with his help and then this. I love being a faithful follower of God, I love that I am learning and remembering to lean on Him more.

It will feel so bittersweet to end this football season, so many trials this year, so much joy watching Luke and Josh play. We will soon be able to look at it from a distance and try to listen to God about what his plans for us are for next season. I know to everyone else it seems like such an easy decision, choose church over pop warner .... the decision just isn't that easy, so much to weigh out. We listen to ourselves and our unhappiness over missing so much church and then we feel this pull like we just cannot give up Pop Warner to go back to JAAF (junior all american football), we just cannot imagine it. That feeling has to be coming from somewhere, now to figure out where.

Simple Woman's Daybook 10/20/2008

Flor Today...

Outside my Window...A beautiful clear day! It is only going to be 82*! YIPPEE

I am thinking...I wish I could get a new clothes dryer.

From the learning rooms... Courtney needing to study harder on spelling and start her report on Monkey's today. And Josh needs to finish his California state project. We are running out of time.

I am thankful for... God working out our football/church issues. It seems like things are moving in the direction that maybe Josh will get to take his first communion with his class afterall.

From the kitchen... a big mess after a big weekend. Gotta go clean it.

I am wearing...denim capris and a purple shirt. No shoes. :)

I am reading... When Joy Came to Stay by Karen Kingsbury.

I am hoping... to get through this busy school project week and get everything turned in on time.

I am creating... a thought to make a table runner for my kitchen table. I am sick of the kids throwing the placemats all over the place and so my table always looks messy.

I am hearing... absolutely nothing! No dogs, cars, squeaky dryer... nothing.

Around the house... I want to clean my laundry room this week. I hate when it is a mess.

One of my favorite things... watching my boys play football.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week...Today I have an appointment with my 7th graders school counselor. A check in kinda thing. Harvest Festival at the school on Friday and Halloween party at church this weekend. So I need to make goodie bags and get to the store to buy 50-60 apples for bobbing for apples. I might even need to make a bunch of cakes for a cake walk.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...



It is probably too big for the column but it is an amazing picture of my oldest son's football team praying before the game. It gives me chills whenever I look at it. With their heads bowed and their arms on each others shoulders. God is Good! Luke is right on the other side of 52, top left of the picture, you can see his profile and his eyes are closed. What a good kid.

My little girls devotion book.

I give each of my kids a new devotion book for Easter, almost every year. Courtney and I were reading hers today and it is just so amazing much you can learn from a child's book. Here is the devotion for today - October 19.

Well Done!
Be sure to do what you should, for then you will enjoy the personal satisfaction of having done your work well, and you won't need to compare yourself to anyone else. Galatians 6:4

When you're young, it seems like everyone can do things better than you can. Your older friends can ride bikes, but you still need training wheels. Your older brother can write his name, but you still need help. Even though you can't do everything older kids can do, try to do your very best at the things you can do. And before you know it, you'll be big enough to do all those other things too!

I can't do everything, that much is true, But I'll do my best at the things I can do.

I find the Bible so amazing. The words in the Bible go with the times. How many years ago were these words put down and they still work for us today? God is so all-knowing. I also think it is amazing that this verse, or almost any verse, I imagine, could be read by an adult from the Bible and sound like they were written for an adult and then that same verse could be read in a child's devotion book and can be understood by a 6 year old. God is so amazing, always there for each and everyone one of us, ready and waiting to share all his goodness with us... it is all just waiting there for the taking.

Thank you God.

On of the many important things that I want my children to learn to do just do their best, don't compare themselves to someone else, just do your best and do it in the Glory of God. I am so thankful for devotional books that I can use as tools to help me teach these things to my kids.

This devotion was from Little Blessings, "Blessings Every Day: 365 simple devotions for the very young".

We miss church.

Football has taken a huge toll on us this year. We signed the boys up for football last spring knowing that games were on Sunday. At that time our church was offering Wed night services and honestly I realy felt like God put the love of football in our hearts and He would make it all work out for us. I really believed it would work out so that we could attend church most Sundays. Well it turns out we have missed all but maybe 2 Sundays in the last 6 weeks and will have to miss the next 3 for sure. You can see it in our behavior towards eachother. The devil is definitely working us through busyness and it does not feel good, not one bit. The problem is this league is so much better than the leaque we played for last year... so much better and $500 per kid is a lot to spend on an activity when it isn't a good experience. So the last straw was last week when Josh's coach called about something and mentioned to me that our playoff tournament would be on Nov. 2. My heart sunk to my toes. Their last seasonal game is the week before that and I thought maybe we would get a week off before playoffs start. I have been very faith filled that God will make this work out. So back to the reason why my heart dropped to my toes... November 2nd is Josh's first communion. During this football season we have gotten up to leave for Luke's games by 7ish to finish with Josh's games by 3:30ish, to rush home shower up and get Josh to first communion classes at 5 and Luke to confirmation at 6.... without one, not one, complaint from them about not wanting to go because they were tired from football.

So I ask God, how are we supposed to choose between playoffs and first communion? How? Subsequently we found out that Luke's playoff tournament is the same day so now we pretty much have no chance of the first game starting after 11 so we could do both. Plus even if we did that, the focus on this wonderful, monumental occasion will be squished out by playoff games.

I ended up talking to our pastor and we are going to put his first communion off until after the holidays and then we can give him the celebration he deserves for this special occasion.

Then our pastor asks me if the church started a Saturday night service would we attend. Oh my goodness.... is this possibly an answered prayer? Remember to the beginning where I was very faithful in believing God would make this season work out for us? When I found out about Nov 2nd, it was like a big neon sign saying God's plans are not always your plans. Maybe God doesn't want us with this league afterall and this season was that answer. So we decided next year we would just ... suck it up and play for the other league again and just make the best of it... until pastor asked about Saturday nights. It is all still in the planning, but I am back to being faith-filled that God's plans will be made known and I am going to try harder to wait and not worry.

Still pretty bummed about Josh's first communion, but that is the way it goes. So it looks like we will be spending our 17th anniversary in Fontana watching our two wonderful boys play football all day long. How much better can it get?

Simple Woman's Daybook 10/13/2008

For Today...

Outside my Window... It is dark now but today was a windy day with the smell of smoke in the air. I guess it is time for fire season. Watch out Southern California.

I am thinking... that I hope I am not getting the stomach flu.

From the learning rooms... algebra for a 4th grader. Whew, thank goodness I loved algebra.

I am thankful for... A great time in Las Vegas this weekend. It was really cold 55-65 the whole time. Remeber we are still in summer temps here in the SW and 55-65 does feel really cold.


From the kitchen... The smell of air popped popcorn.

I am wearing... A nightshirt with moons and stars all over it.

I am reading... I am between books, I finished Sunset by Karen Kingsbury this weekend.

I am hoping... to get caught up on work over the next 2 days.

I am creating... My Christmas list for the kids.

I am hearing... The sound of my husband and son laughing at a show on TV.

Around the house... Suitcases and duffle bags, pillows and blankets brought in from the suburban after our road trip to Las Vegas.

One of my favorite things... POPCORN.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week... Hmmm a fundraiser for the preschool at our church tomorrow night... At Shakey's Pizza, nothing until Friday night and Saturday which is football practice and Saturday is also the Harvest Bizarre at church. Football games on Sunday.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...






A couple of pictures from our trip to Vegas. My ILs were celebrating their 40th anniversary and the whole family went. They renewed their vows at the Graceland Chapel and Elvis officiated. We all dressed appropriate to the 60s, in poodle skirts and all.


"http://thesimplewoman.blogspot.com/"> Please take a peek at her blog and read some of the daybooks on her list.

Scary

Why is whenever I think about the presidential election I get scared? I do, so I try not to think about it too much. When Clinton was in office I don't really remember ever being scared about that state of our country, but the thought of Obama puts me in a tailspin. And it isn't about my team winning or losing... I fear about his morals and patriotism... or I should lack thereof, his lack of knowledge of foreign affairs and of course the thought of taxes going up. EEEK Ok I think I will stop thinking about it.

Simple Woman's Daybook 10/6/2008

For Today...

Outside my Window...is another beautiful clear day and grass that needs to be mowed. We are slowly moving in to fall, Saturday is was cloudy and cold, 65* I think, tomorrow it is supposed to be 95* again.

I am thinking... that I need to pay a couple of bills today.

From the learning rooms... Josh brought home the outline for a school project. It is a salt map project of the state of California. We really need to not wait until the last minute to get started on it.

I am thankful for... a verse I read this morning... John 14:4 "You know the way to the place I am going."

From the kitchen... blueberry muffins and Einstein begals.

I am wearing... Blue jeans and a blue t-shirt

I am reading... Sunset by Karen Kingsbury

I am hoping... that I can start getting excited about a trip we are
taking this weekend. I am dreading it.

I am creating... a list of things to do before our trip.

I am hearing... birds chirping through an open window in my office and an occasional car driving by.

Around the house... is football helmets, shoulder pads and cleats. How will I ever get these boys to learn to pick them up.

One of my favorite things... is being home alone in a clean house.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week... Pick up our new stove/oven at Sears, get ready for a trip to Las Vegas this weekend with my husbands family. Hoping my husband lets the boys skip practice on Wednesday and Friday since we won't be here for the game this weekend. School board meeting Tuesday night. Hopefully nothing else.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...


Thanks Simple Woman for providing this weekend daybook. http://thesimplewoman.blogspot.com/

Bible verse help

I think this is probably a good place to come for help. My 9 y/o son, Josh, is working on his religious knot for cub scouts. For one of his assignments he needs to write down his favorite verse. I have been looking for some for him to choose from, but am coming up short.

I was wondering if you could help me with some ideas. I want it to be something he understands, child-like. I appreciate any help you can give.