Something to think about the next time you light your tree

Chirstmas just isn't Christmas with out them. We have to have them on our trees and for some on the outside of the house.  They make the season so pertty and I for one enjoy riding around to look at them each year. They make us merry and all that jazz.  I am sure you have noticed that on the packages they come in the little made in China tag and I am rovelted by that actualy. Every thing is made there, why is so much of our junk made over in China, what about American jobs and all that.  Something even saddier to think about.  Those lights put together just so we can have a Merry Christmas, are made in force labor camps in China.  And we are not talking about hard core criminals here, we are talking about women, men and children who dont tow the State of China's line and do such horrible crimes as Talk about Jesus or talk agenst the comminist regiem. Over a Million people are in these prisions. They produce most of the GNP of China.  Have you ever taken one of those little lights apart? Ever try putting them back together in a rush?  Not so easy.  Think about having to do that for 20 hours a day. Think about if you didn't meet the quota for the day the beating you would get, the food that would be with held. Think about living in a cell smaller then most of our bedrooms with 40 other prisioners.  Hard to beilve but it is very true.    So next time you light up your tree or house, say a little prayer for those who made those lights for you to enjoy with thier blood and tears.  Say a little prayer for the pursicuted church who would not reject Christ and choose to bear thier cross for him in such prision camps. Think about that the next time you light your tree and the next time you want to wine about how hard you have it.

Feeling Rusty

Welcome back everyone and sorry I have been away so long.  This was a very busy weekend for our faimly, well the whole week has been.  Almost done with the busy busy time. We had a wonderful Christmas and the kids made out like you wouldn't belive.  I didn't need to worry about getting them gifts from us but I did anyhow. lol. And our visit this weekend with Josh's Mom went wonderful.  It is so sweet to see him with him mommy, who he loves so dearly. This was the first Christmas we could spend together in years with her. It wont be so bad having her live only 2hours away. We came home today with our package from Broadway Photo on our front door.  Happy yet mad.  Duh it had an exspensive camera in it, it could of been swiped off my porch, plus still a bit upset it didnt make it for Christmas.  But we will get over it, now we are playing with it and trying to figure out our new toy. 

 Well tomorrow is another busy day.  We are having a whole Girl Scout day at my co-leader's house with the girls. She planned out a whole day of working on patches and yadayada lol but I am going to bring my blind frined Riley over to talk with them, since we will be learning about Helen Keller.  He has brail books and worksheets for them and every thing.  I will have to do a post about my dear friend Riley some time. Many intresting storys about him and plus he is a big part of our lives.  But I am going to do my next post about Christmas lights.  You will see why.

About all ready

Well the Big day is almost here.  The presents are wraped the food is bought, the nativity is up and the kids are bouncing off the walls.  It feels like Chirstmas snuck up on me this year and I don't know why.  Maybe it is cuz there is no snow on the ground here?  Maybe it is cuz I just didn't want to face this holdiay for some reason?  I way over spent and will have to pay the piper some how in the New Year.  We scrapted to gether the last of our money to buy the ham and all the fixings for Christmas Day dinner and there should be left overs for the next day.  We are hosting Christmas Day and had org. planed on doing a goose.  We wanted to be differnt but could not find one.  Friday we also will have company over so I am crossing my fingers that there will be engh left overs for that.  Then this weekend we will drive over to ILL to see Josh's Mom.  So busy buys is coming upon me.  I have to get my house spick and span.

The kids have been loving this big Santa Josh got for his dad.  I have been wishing for my camcorder to come so I could record how cute and funny the kids have been dancing with him. UGH but today we found out that it will NOT be here by Christmas! The tracking number we got UPS said it wont be here till the 29th.  Josh called the place he ordered it from online and they was no help and wouldnt do anything since it had been shipped already.  It's so messed up since it was promised to be here by Christmas!  We was looking forwad to having it to tape the kids and all that.  Good thing our whole Christmas didnt hing on this big family gift.  We are bummed but life goes on.  I dought that Broadway Photo will reburst us the coast of shipping like we have asked or that aol shopping will do anything either.  Just one of those things where the little guy gets jipted again.  

Again, It will be a Merry Christmas despite it all! That is my prayer for all of you too!

I hope he loves it Like I did.

Finaly got all my Shopping done. Well almost lol we still have to get stuff for the dinners.  Amist my shopping frenzey this weekend I found the most lovely thing, I had to get it for my son.  It was a hard wood cover journal, heirloom quality it said on the package.  My son is only 9yrs old and may not be ready for such  a nice journal but I had to get it for him.  I got my first diary for Christmas when I was not much older than him and look where we are today lol a public journal.  Zane loves to read, he loves books.  He is such a smart kid (I know every parent says that but in this case it is so true) but his handwritting is horrible.  Maybe this will encourage him to pracite writting neater? lol  Either way I hope he loves it as much as I did my first diary.  I remeber in 3grd. our teacher had us journal writting in the class room so maybe it is just the right time.  I put on the inside where it says This Journal Belongs To:  Zane R. W. Hamm  12-25-03 Love Mom    A book that will be all about you.  Go Write It!

This is by far my favioret thing I bought this weekend.  Maybe cuz inside of me is that little girl who's best friend was her diary, where she wrote all her feelings and adventers in it and her worst fear was that some one would read it.   Aww tearing up here.  (click link to read my first entry on here and see why this journal is special to me)

Look Who is back Out of the Box!

Yes folks he has returned, out of the box.  Only this time he is relaxing, he is on his off hours.  You didn't know Santa was a bikerdude did ya? lol  Looks like he has taken up a bad habbit too!  Shame Santa, what is next a pipe? What an example for the kids! tisk! And Santa, you are inside, what's up with the sunglasses?  You taken tips from Gregg now??  We all know what happen to him, he knocked over a Christmas tree cuz he couldnt see where he was going(so he says).

 

LMBO  Josh couldn't wait till Christmas to give this to his dad, he had to play with him some more. I would like to blame him for dressing him up and making Santa smoke, but no, it was all me, lol.  I was laughing my butt off though as Josh was putting his new Harley SweatShirt on him, I told him aww look daddy is playing with a big doll.  I would just like to say Santa has quit smoking, that he only gave in to peerpresure this one time (notice it was NOT lit).  Normaly he sticks to his cobpipe.  We all make mistakes lol.

It will be a Merry Christmas anyways part1

  (more holiday blinkies on the BTB photo section)

I made the mistake lastnight of staying up way too late playing Pongo games.  Was going for the jackpot on bingo and then switched over to the squishy game.  Anyways you know what happens when I stay up till 3:30?  I sleep in till noon the next day.  NOT A GOOD THING.  I was awake engh to get my older two off to school and get Lilly and Sophia changed and fed, then I took them with me to my room and put the toons on and fell back to sleep.  Waking up to Sophia trying to put my make-up on me sounds funny to you but not to me.  And I know, I can hear what Josh would say in my head, "you have no one to blame but yourself, should of been watching them!" Ofcourse that voice is right.  Then I walk into the living room and I would of took a picture for ya, but it was too shameful. Broken ordiments all over, scarry cuz they could of been cut on the glass.  The gifts Annie and Zane made for us under the tree, ripped open and unwraped.  Cereal all over the house!  Sure the extra sleep was good, but the aftermath has taken over hour or so to clean.  Not to mentchen my anger at the girls and mostly at myself.  So this puts me in a real humbug mood.  I had to pay my gas bill today and did it on the phone.  Charged me $4 to pay it that way, what a scam, but yes, if i had paid it normal and on time I wouldnt have to worry about that, again, that is what I get.  Looking at my money situation is depressing me.  When Josh got his vacation check visions of shopping and finaly getting to get the kids what I wanted to for christmas, danced in my head.

It will be a Merry Christmas anyways 2

Almost every year has been a sparce Christmas for us, sure the kids dont notice cuz the grandparents and reltives always take up the slack.  This was going to be the year I got to do it right, do the shopping and make the big dinner.  Well what we paid for the digital camcorder hasnt even come out yet and our account is looking thin.  I promised to help my sis with her rent next month as our presnt to her and her girls.  I hate banking and bills, after all is said and done I will have maybe $100 for all my kids and for Josh and for the Dinner I had planned on serving Christmas day to the relitvies.  Times like this is good to remember that gifts are not important, but the thoughts behind them.  Lilly will be happy with just a jump rope, that is all she asked for, but ofcourse I wanted to get her a littletikes play kitchen.  And I am sure I can get Zane one of the books from LOTR and tell him the rest are on thier way.  Annie will be happy with a new diary and some pertty hair things I am sure, that barbie she wanted can wait till her birthday again.  Sophia is easy, she is still a baby and just wants to unwrap something.  Josh needs sock, forget that cooler he asked for or that robe, lets be practical again this year.  So much for the shopping spree I had dancing n my head and I can wait for new clothes for myself, I am not totaly done with my weight loss, but I am sure Josh is sick of me wearing his pants cuz mine are way to big for me anymore.  It will still be a Merry Christams because we will remeber that we have been blessed with so much and that the Gift given to us by Jesus Christ is so much more valuble than any earthly treasure.  Amen.

Helping Give your child a longer life

Here is a very intresting artical I read today on AOL Parenting about how the choices we make now for our children will effect them all the way up threw adulthood.  A big DUH! I know.  But there is some good info and some practicies I am doing now with my kids and some things I should probly work on.  In reading the artical it talks about limiting juice intake! I thought it was bad to let them drink too much milk and that juice was ok for them to have threw out the day, but this says it is just as bad as soda or other sugary drinks.  Another scarry thing I read was that plag on childrens arteries can already start to form as early as 3yrs!  This leads to many problems ofcourse.  The biggiest thing is our childrens diets and how much they are active and get exercise.  All things as parents we can have some degree of control over. Ofcours we all want to give our kids the best start but some times lets just face it, we are not very good examples and we get lazy and lask on our dueties.  I am going to make it part of our New Year Goals to cut back on T.V. time and to just get down and play with them. Another thing is keep introducing foods even if they have rejected them before.  It says it takes up to 15 times of offering some foods for them to actaly accept it and eat it. Don't give it up lol  Good report and I highly recomend all parents read it.

A Big HO HO to you all.

OMG look what Josh got lastnight!!!!!!  It is toooooo funny!  He saw it earlier this month and thought it would be perfect for his dad.  His dad collects those dancing and singing Santas.  This one sings like 5 differnt songs, dances, and you can plug a mic up to him and speak threw him.  If you plug him into a radio he will dance to the music playing on it. He is also set off if you walk by him. For over $60 he better LIKE IT! I am cracking up over this thing!  I can just see Nana that lives with his dad, dancing with him.  He is so life like!

As you can see we had some fun with him first, to test him out before we give it to his dad. I am glad it is going over there and we wont keep him.  It would freak me out and oh the kids I am sure would not leave him alone.  I would have nightmares about naughty Santa climing into bed with us.  Did you see him! He grabed my butt! LMBO ROTFL  I had taken some pics of Josh setting him up, not so flattering pics.  We wresled over the camera for over half an hour.  He won ofcourse cuz he is a big brute lol and deleted them.  I had to bribe him with cookies to let me take pics of him taking it down.  All for you guys, to give you a chuckle. Hope you enjoy them and laugh as hard as we did last night.  I told him he better put him away or else Santa might find his way to our bed and then there would really be some intresting pics to post of him on the internet. (evil laugh heheehee)

Starting to feel the Christmas Spirit  ~8-D

  This is perty much the image that Josh came home to today.  OMG was he pissed.  Rightly so.  But after this busy weekend I just crashed, and the kids took advange.  Top it off my montly friend flow came for a visit and that always takes it out of me.  Why does all the drama in my life happen around that time of the month?? LOL must be me and my hormons, not the rest of the World right.  So anyways my house is so trashed and I am so in the dog house. I have dishes to do and laundry to fluf and fold, i have floors that need to be swept and moped and mail that needs to be read and tossed.  I am a mess for a flybaby, sigh, I know I will go shine my sink and that will get me in the mood and help me center.  But dont you wish we could have one the Cat and The Hat, the org. one, come in with his crew and clean up the mess. LOL  I know, I have a maid, its ME.  A bit of an update.  Finaly talked with my Co-Leader.  Not as confrantional as I pictured it to be.  We talked like adults and came to the conclusion that we have a comuniation problem and need to work on that, and other nice plesant chit chat that adults do when they are being nice to each other and all that jazz.  Anyways so the troop meeting is at my house tomorrow and I have to plan it and I have to face the parents myself since my Co-Leader and her daughter can't make it.  So why am I sitting here on my puter when I have to find that darn Cat In The Hat and clean this mess up??

Church play and Tree Trimming

Been messing with pictures from yesterday all day today.  We went out after church to get a new tree topper and picked up this year's family ordiment.  Found it at Cosco.  A set of picture ordiment frames, perfect cuz it came in set of six.  So I have been editing the pics I took yesterday and printing them out to put on the tree.  I must need new ink cuz they are not coming out the best.  I was going to also print the names and date on them but I got frustraited with it lol.

The play was cute and we had a nice dinner afterwards with church. We got all dressed up, I found something to wear but the shoes I had on was tourcher.  Ugh and I went shopping in them so today my feet are killing me.  As you can see from the pics we got a tree toper.  It reminds both me and Josh of ones we had as kids. So much better than the some of the gaudy ones they had out there.  So we have only suffered two ordiment casulties, ugh, better make that 3 I think Sophia just got to one.  I tried to have the breakable ones up high plus we have the tree on a table, but she is a sneeky one.

We got our family presnt online last night with the promise it will arrive by Christmas.  We will see I guess.  Basicly a new toy for Josh. One of those digital camcorders. We have been wanting one for along time, we miss not having home movies.  But guess who is going to be the one to figure out how it all works and how to do all the kewl computer stuff with it?  Ya you guessed it ME>. LOL

I also ordered something that I am going to do with the teens at church.  Took up most of the money josh was going to give me, but I really feel this is more important than cloths I was going to buy and I have been talking about doing this for over a year.  Certain things going on has just confirmed it in my spirit that I can not sit on it any longer.  The program is called Making Abortion Unthinkable.  I am sure I will be talking about this in later posts as I get into the classes and you know the charter limit on here lol. .

Wrestling, snow storm and Christmas Tree

Busy busy and busy.  We had to be up and out the door by 6:45 this morning.  Today was Annie's first wresling meet. She has been so excited about it, she wanted to send invitions to her friends to come and watch her LOL.  Here are some pics of her in her singlet and her wresling.  It was hard to get a good pic in cuz of the lighting and I couldnt get close.  Plus I had to chase Lilly and Sophia around by myself since Josh was coaching.  So we was there from 7:30-11.  It was cool to see those little kids go at it.  Some of them had skills!  Annie didnt win a match but it was close in points.  Josh says she is doing real well for it being her first year.  We tell the kids we don't care if you win or loose as long as you are trying your very best and are having fun.   So ofcourse we have our first snow storm of the year as we are out and about all day long.  It wasn't too bad, seen worse lol.  Just ppl in MO freak each time we get any snow.  I am a Wis. girl so it aint nothing to me, mostly.  As you can see from the pics we went out finaly and got a tree.  Took us about 5 min. cuz we arn't that picky and we was freezing! We had to drive around all day just so we could find the tree lot that Zane's CubScout troop was working, so that our purchase would benfit the troop. STL is broken up into alot of little town ships and Josh wouldnt listion to me when I was telling him he was going to the wrong one, but he did own up to it when he found out I was right lol.   Well more to do still.  Have to be up at church early tomorrow because the kids are in the play and we are having to bring the bread for the dinner.  It crepted up on me, I totaly forgot about it so I am scrambling to do all I need to get done before we have to go in the morning.  Have a blessed day everyone!

Who do they think they are fooling?! So annoying..

Am I the only one who is sick of getting this type of spam " Pairs Hilton Video here"  Oh and  the fake "You've Got Pictures
Somone Has Sent You Their Private Album Online!
Click Here To View Your Pictures" 

#1 I dont know who Paris Hilton is and could care less (yes I have been clued in that she a little rich girl with her own reality show now) Nor do I want to see her getting it on in my e-mail box!

 #2 Really, who is behind these fake AOL e-mails.  You can tell so easy that it is an attempt to steal your password and screen name.  Anyone with half a brain can tell that.  Remember ppl, NEVER give out your password online or other wise.  AOL will never ask you for it besides the sign on screen. This means if you get an Intant Kiss from aol or if you get a big long oh fake bill for roeses you didnt order and they ask you to go to a very generic webpage and ask you to sign in there, DONT DO IT. Report all those e-mails to TOS.

 Those are the top spammers that have been hitting my e-mail box lately and I am sick of the waste of time it is for me to report spam, and tos and delet them.  UGH!

IHOP AND BLACKBERRY BRANDY

Bill's Journal entry today has inspired me. It is no wonder I see him as a father figure, he is so much like my dad, but all in the good ways. 

 The IHOP is a special place for me.  We only go there for when we want to treat ourselves. You may think, oh it's just a crummy pancake place, why hold it in such high regard? Well, found childhood memories that is why!  That is where my dad would take us for special, for a treat, or when he just wanted to make us happy.  He even made up a song about it lol "I hop, I hop, we're going to the IHOP." And we would hop as we went into the restaurant. It took me until I was a teenager to even know that IHOP was initials and not the real name of the International House of Pancakes.  My first smiley face pancake mmm No other time are we allowed chocolate chips for breakfast.  It was where I got to taste all the different kinds of syrup.  Strawberry is still my fav!  Should see if I can get that for home at the store.  Now that I think about it, it has been way too long since we have been to the IHOP.  I need to hop my way over there this weekend with my own kids!! LOL

Also today Bill spoke of Black Berry Brandy for his sick wife.  That is so funny!  My dad hardly ever drank but if he had a really bad cold he would break out the Black Berry Brandy.  And it had to be Black Berry Brandy, no other kind would work!  He said one shot of that will chase away any cold.  Oh was he pissed the one time he really needed it, I had raided it being the stupid teenager I was. Heehaw I blamed my brother.  Last week when I felt like I was getting Sophia's cold I looked in the grocery store for some, I hardly drink anymore and was amazed at the big isle and all the different kinds of booze.  Sigh but NO Black Berry Brandy!

Calm Cool and Collected

I am all cooled down over that whole thing from Tue night.  I STILL haven't got to talk with her.  I didn't call her till today.  I got voice mail and left a message saying I wanted to meet with her in person before the weekend and talk about stuff and the troop.  It took me over a day to call her cuz I was ultra pissed and also I am not one that is very confrontational, some times I have to let my courage, even if I am in the right, build up and play it out in my head.  But I really want to get this all settled by the weekend.  That verse about "If you have ought with your brother, drop what you are doing and take it up with him before you offer up a sacrifice upon the alter" keeps running threw my head. Meaning to me, since I know this women claims to be a Christian also, she is my sister and that if I have a problem with her I should deal with it right away and not let it fester anymore.  That before I can offer anything up to God I have to take care of this problem first, or in his eyes anything I offer up will be no good to him, that I need a clean heart.  And Believe me, I have prayed and prayed and tried to turn it all over to him, but I can't get it out of my head lol. I even joked with my husband last night that if this got ugly we had to move so Annie can be with a differnt troop, cuz I dont want to have to keep dealing with these women. LOL but that thought has passed. I have deiced that I am not going to give up my position in the troop.  That if worst comes to worst I will call the troop coordinator and talk with her about all this and ask her to maybe meet with all of us to mediate over the situation.  But before that happens I want to talk face to face with my CO-Leader.  This is our first year so ofcourse things are not going to be all perfect.  We are still learning and should leave room for growing.  I know at the end of it all I will have grown as a person and a Christian.

We are adults right,This isn't JR High Is it?

As some of you may recall last week I had to stay home with my baby cuz she was sick and I handed over the G.S.meeting to my CO-leader to do at her house.  No biggie, Annie was still able to go and I just thought they was going to work on the sitt-upons and troop blanket we had talked about at the last meeting.Funny though that when she returned home they did something totally different, still no biggie, but then that is where little things become big things.My CO-leader dropped off Annie at the house and told me that they deiced to have two more meetings this month, cuz they didn't want to have any close to Christmas, and they felt like they haven't really worked on badges engh and wanted to get some in.And then she hands me the dues and the receipts for what she spent on the meeting.Now we had not discussed her buying things for this meeting, maybe since the girls was going over after school, a light dinner of hot-dogs, but that was it. She hands me two receipts that add up to over $35!  First I told her, we have been working on badges alot, just cuz they aren't in hand yet, and not totally finished didn't mean anything. And besides the point isn't to see how many badges we can earn but to have fun and learn new things. Next, I looked at the recites and told her, I still have to pay for the neighborhood party next week and I haven't made the deposits for this month, I don't think we have engh in the account to pay all of what she bought, but I will look over the check book after I make the deposits and see what we have. Then she goes into this speal about Well, how can that be? According to her calculations there should be over this and that in there.  I said well for one I didn't do this months deposit yet, been sitting in the troop folder, and also I could show her the checkbook and all the receipts if she would like. Then she goes into that OH we should appoint a parent to be troop accountant, that would make the meetings easier, and OH we should collect dues upfront for the whole year, that way we know what we got and this and that. 

We are adults right, this isn't JR High cont..

I said that would be fine if one of the parents wanted to do that (up till now the parents have showed for the meetings but not have much to do with planning and running, I have basically been doing it all and am happy for more parent involvement) but I liked the way we do dues now, because that way my daughter earns her $2 each time and learns to handle money. She didn't really say anything and was rushing to go back home. She didn't tell me what they worked on, or what they had planned for next week.  And them planning an extra meeting they knew I had a training meeting for the day they planned to meet and couldn't attend.  That was a bit frustrating. Anyway flash to this week, today. She called me earlier in the day asking if I could send the handbook with Annie cuz they was doing something from it.  I asked her what they was going to be working on tonight, and she said Oh, I just closed the try it book, I cant remember. OK So she came to pick up Annie for the meeting, I had to cancel the training I was going to go to cuz Josh was on second shift tonight and I couldn't get a sitter, she came in and we talked for a minuet. I gave her the hand book along with the record keeper I have of what all we have worked on these last few months.  I asked her specifically to update it from last week and tonight and give it back to me to put in the binder. She said that is great and that she would have Annie back by 8:10. I also said to her, that I felt that I personaly would give her half of what she spent last week, that was fair, but let's leave the troop money alone so there is more for activities and buying badges and that I can get that to her this weekend. She was rushing to leave and said that would be fine and whate ever.

Well, 9:00 rolls around, my other kids are in bed and I am waiting and getting a bit worried.  It is rainy tonight and cold, never know about ice.  I called to where the meeting was and the phone was busy, busy, busy, busy, as if it was off the hook or something.  I called another parent's house to see if she was home yet from the meeting but her husband said she was still not home.  OK 9:40 I finally get threw! 

We are adults right, this isn't JR High? con..

The mom said Oh sorry we got carried away, they just left.  OK, how was the meeting, what did you work on? Next meeting is going to be at my house right? OH I have to go, see you next week.  I am very hot at this point.  It is one thing to have a meeting run long, to maybe 8 since they start at 6:30 but till after 9!BUT not to call and say you will be late!  I was going to have a serious talk with my CO-leader when she got to my house. Almost 10:00 Annie comes threw the door and she pulls off, she didn't even come in to talk with me! She sent the book back with my daughter but not the sheet of what they did that night or last week.  So I asked Annie how it was, did she have fun, and wow you are home late, its time for bed.  She told me that they got to play in SoandSo's room and it was fun and all that jazz.  OK, so basically what happen was after the meeting ended they sent the girls off to play and had a pow wow themselves.  And I get the feeling I am back in JR. High and the click has started and I am on the outs.  Miss ONE meeting and see what happens!!! Needless to say, I am NOT a happy camper. Miscommunication is a divider to anygroup and I know most of this is in my head but my husband thinks its hysterical, a Brownie Coo. If you have read any of my past entries you will know that I love my job as a Leader and take it seriously, and that from the get-go the other parents didn't want anyresposiblity, I had to beg for a CO-leader to be just on paper, and now they all of a sudden want to run it all.

not just a human teacher

From the daily e-mail I get called The Laugh and the Lift

Thought for Today

"I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: 'I'm ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don't accept His claim to be God.' That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic - on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg -- or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was and is the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that option open to us. He did not intend to." - C.S. Lewis in his book "Mere Christianity"

Part 1 Venting and unloading

In journal land we are all up set, and grieving over a loss, a true loss, of a favorite friend.  My soul is so very sad right now and there is so much I would like to put out there, but know that it will not be popular I may refrain.  Frank was very talented in his writing and many loved him.  I read an article about him and didn't even Know he had children or that he was a reporter.  People show you only what they want you to know I guess.  He was very entertaining.

This is the second time in Journal Land where we are faced with death of a friend, yes I know Raven was a hoax but the feelings are just as real right.  It could have been a true sanrio with her just as it is with Frank.  What makes me so up set is, I feel like I did not do my part, my job.  I never once talked to them, even though I read his journal often.  I never showed the Love of Christ to him or spoke in to his life.  And now I will never be able to, all bets are off, chances are gone, the end is the end.  The fact is I didn't love him as I should have.  I didn't have him set on my heart and to pray for his salvation.  I know ultimately God knows for if he wanted to he would have sent his servants to him, would he of rejected them? Or would he embrace Jesus with arms wide open?  I think I am sad because the though of Frank in hell is worse than I can bear.  Yes, I know some don't believe in Hell, and dang it is so insensitive for me to even mention it.  Well, this is my journal, my thoughts and my world view. If you choose not to believe in Hell or Heaven or Jesus, you will just have to wait and see when you get there, but Now is the time to make your choices, don't wait till the end, your end.  You make a choice every day weather to receive or reject and those choices is what determines your final destination. 

Part 2

The Gospel in a nut shell is this, WE ALL have sinned, fallen short to the Glory of God and for that we are separated from him.  Don't matter if you are a good person or a bad person, we all have a sinful heart, we all have lied or thought things we shouldn't have. NO ONE IS PERFECT!  But God loves us so much, and longs for a relationship with us.  He longed for it so much and loves us so much that HE took on flesh and died for us, he made that sacrifice that was required for our sins.  ONLY that sacrifice is sufficient to cover our sins, not our deeds or penitence.  And it is a free gift, not something you have to beg for over and over again!  When Jesus was hanging on that Cross YOU was on his mind, Your name was on his lips.  WHEN HE SAID IT IS FINISHED, it was and nothing can be added to or taken away from that.  No matter how bad or how good you are, this gift is open to you. To say yes to Jesus is to receive this gift, a gift of salvation.  Salvation from Hell.  A gift of Life, life abundantly, a gift of HOPE.  This isn't fiction, this isn't gobbly gook.  It is TRUTH. Yet some reject truth for they prefer to live in darkness, than live in the light.  Jesus Died, was barried and roase from the dead on the third day.  He was with his followers for 40days and then ascended to heaven with a promise he will return and bring TRUE peace, that the end of Satan's rain here on earth will come to an end, bring heaven to earth. HE WILL return, are you ready?  If it was tonight, would you be one sealed with the Holy Spirit?  Or if you died today, would you be ready for the Judgment of God?  Would you be ready for all your sins read before you and ready for the punishment you deserve? Or are your sins covered by the Blood of Jesus and that is all he sees is Jesus in you?  That is what he is looking for, NOT your good deeds or works.  Make you choice TODAY, don't put it off for we are not promised tomorrow.

STAY AWAY FROM THIS CULT!

I talked with my sister Marcy tonight. I try and talk with her at least once a week, I miss her so much and wish I could go up there for a visit.  Well in the course of our converstation she was telling me about an old friend from highschool and his wife.  That they had invited her tomorrow to go to church, but it was't a church. Uh, ok Marcy then what kind of "non-church" is it they go to.  Then she told me they was JehovahWitnesses. You can guess the next thing that came out of my mouth lol just kidding, I was being tactful.  "Marcy! You know that is a cult right?!" "No they are not in a cult" "YES THEY ARE!!" "Why do you say that, they are very nice ppl" LOL  I am sure they are, but they are false teachers, and they belive a Lie, don't belive in the same Jesus we do. I had to expslain to her that they get all direction from the Watchtower, and has to have the Bible interpeted for them, they are not allowed to think for themselves.  AND they dont belive in the deity of Jesus.  They dont think He is GOD WHO CAME TO EARTH IN THE FLESH. They think he is a god and the son of Jahovah.  Then I had to explain to her who Jesus is, and who he said he was.  And that JW salvation totaly depends on how good they are, on thier works, that is why they are so desprate to knock on doors and get as many as they can into thier cult.  They have no hope!  I MADE her promise me she would not go tomorrow to the Fellowship Hall and she did.  I asked her to please go to a church, one that belives in the Trinity. 

I am happy that she is starting to seek after God, but I pray that she will not be lead to belive a lie. It is so hard for me to be here and not to live by my family.  But I will Trust God, that he has a plan and that they are in his care.

Can't get this song out of my head, wish I could put the song on here for you to hear!googel it!

Fields Of Grace

There's a place that I love to run and play
There's a place that I sing new songs of praise

Dancin' with my Father God in fields of grace

There's a place that I lose myself within
There's a place that I find myself again

Dancin' with my Father God in fields of grace

There's a place where religion finally dies
There's a place that I lose my selfish pride

Dancin’ with my Father God in fields of grace

I love my Father, my Father loves me
I dance for my Father, my Father sings over me

And nothing can take that away from me

Dancing with my FatherGod in Fields of Grace

   Last night was a special one at church.  We had just a night of Praise and Worship and it was awesome!  There was two other churches there and it was great to meet new brothers and sisters in Christ. And it was free exspression of Worship, didn't have to hold back.  We danced and jumped and just like children in the presence of the Lord.  I did let my kids run the iles and dance freely too. (some what frustrating to chase them around church, but it seemed ok this time and they was so cute. lol Sophia had to wear her little tutu)

I loved the diverse music styles and just freely being able to hug my family in Christ and say I need you and You need me, to encourage eachother and to fellowship.  But mostly to sing together unashamed, to be like a little child in the presence of the Lord.  How it should always be.  My spirit was refreshed, and stirred. It was like a little glimps of what it will be like when we all will come together and with one voice and one heart worship at the feet of Jesus.  No one will think about our differnaces but will only care about one thing, Worshiping the LORD and giving him Praise. 

If you ever feel that he is not there, just start to PRAISE him for all the blessings and Worshiping him for who he is.  He dwells in our praises you know! Do it now!  It is the best way to shake off any depression, to surender to him and be still and just KNOW he is there.

 "If Planned Parenthood had existed 2,000 years ago, it would have targeted Mary, an unwed, pregnant teenager, for a profitable abortion,"

Yes that stupid anti-christ suposed to be Christmas card is back with a vengance.  PPL actualy buy them and send them to ppl they love and care for????  I DARE some one to send me one of these!  You will be on my hitlist, on my radar screen.  And by hit list I mean PRAYER LIST.  And I know that God listions to my prayers, he will hear me and he will answer my call for your conversion. LOL  But seriously folks  this got me thinking about what Jesus said about Peace on Earth.  And from the scriptures I have read, he did not come to bring it in his lifetime to the Earth, but in his second coming.  There will be No true PEACE untill then. Sure we as Christians can have the Peace that surpasses all understanding, for we have the Lord but the whole world dosnt have that kind of Peace.

Mt 10:34
Think not that I am come
to send peace on earth: I
came not to send peace,
but a sword.
Lu 2:14
Glory to God in the
highest, and on earth
peace, good will toward
men.
Lu 12:51
Suppose ye that I am
come to give peace on
earth? I tell you, Nay; but
rather division: Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Revelation 6:4 And there went out another horse [that was] red: and [power] was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.
 

Back from the Doctors and the plethora of running I had to do today.  Still have to go pick up hubby from his apprentice school and drop off a Christmas Wreath at the In-laws.

The Doctor Visit went as I pretty much expected.  Annie does have Impetigo and Sophia does have an ear infection.  So I did have to drop over $100 on their meds.  We will get rebursted at the end of the year by the ins. company but still OUCH!! And YES, I did go and get handstairlizer lotion for each one of us to keep in our jackets.  LOL.

I took all three girls with me, but only two of them are sick.  Lilly is the healthy one.  In the waiting room she was so cute!  There was a little boy there and he was just one of those kids who can't be consoled for anything.  He was throwing a fit over a chair he wanted to sit in but his mommy made him share. Lilly the sweetie she is tried to help out.  She offered to share her chair with him. She went to give him a hug (but I told her not to cuz of germs) She brought him a book to look at.  She even said to his mommy that "My mommy sings to us and rubs our back, maybe he would like that" What a sweet 3yrd I have!! I told her how proud she made me, by being helpful and nice to that boy even if he was upset, you showed him love.  That is how we love our neighbors like Jesus asks us too do.

Awww "And a child shall lead them"

WASH YOUR HANDS!

Yes it is that time of year again folks!  Where everyone is sick and they are out to take you down with them.  So PLEASE PLEASE WASH YOUR HANDS!!!

I have been on the phone all day, canceling and rescheduling stuff due to my children being sick.  I have come to the conclusion that I AM WAY TOO involved in stuff.  I had to ask another mom to take over our G.S. troop meeting for tonight. I had to cancel my spot on the Holiday Party planning committee and I had to call my cordinator for Mom's In Touch, and tell her I was not going to make it to the training tomorrow for the Leaders.  I will be sitting in the doc. office, all day I am sure.  You know how that goes.

I believe my daughter Annie has Impetigo.  It is very ugly and I should not have sent her to school today but I was crossing my fingers that I was over reacting.  But the more I think about it, I KNOW that is what it is and am expecting a call from the school nurse any second now.  My baby, Sophia, had a fever over the weekend, but not today, non the less she woke up today crying that her ears hurt!  Ugh.  None of my kids have ever had an ear infection.  So much for those bragging rights hey.  Ofcourse all this may of been prevented with better hand washing habbits!  Some thing I am going to start to get on all ppl about.  I am going to have to get me some of that hand sterilzer lotion and be like that brother from Frashier.

Part 2 Santa vs Jesus

Be good and you will get presents, Be bad and you will get coal.  No unconditonal Love there.  Take your requests to Santa instead of to the source, Jesus,who will bless you because he loves you unconditionaly.  Be greedy, ask for yourself, me me me, my my my.  How is that honoring our Savior?  It is his birth, how can you give a gift to him?  He says Do unto the least of these and you will have done unto me.  I am also suporting a lie, a myth and that is something I do not want my children to see me doing, lieing, for I do not want them to lie to me or anyone else. And I want them to share my faith, and not think that too is a lie I made up to keep them in line.  We have taken the t out of Christmas,  Christ Mas.  the t is the cross, and with out that you are not giving Honor for what he has done for all the world.  Died so that we may beforgiven and have a relationship with God.

There will be mixed reactions to this I am sure, the OH I have never taught my kids about Santa, and will aplaude me and then there will be those who say, Oh you have opened this up to me and then there will be those who will be angry and think how wrong and mean I am.  That is fine we are all allowed to choose our opinon.  But for me and my house we shall serve the Lord and Honor him always.

My older two children have been told already in the past years that Santa is really Mom and Dad and they are just fine.  But I have not done that with my 3yrd and 2yrd.  And I am seeing the contrast.  My 3yrd thinks Christmas is just about her and presents from Santa.  She can't wait till it snows cuz she thinks that is when he will come.  We watched that old cartoon about Santa and how he became Santa.  One of the songs was If we all was Like Santa what a wonderful world this would be.  I say, If we all was more like Jesus what a wonderful world this would be.

Santa Vs Jesus

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Had about a 2hour drive yesterday to go and pick up hubby so I caught part of radio show that brought up this question, how do we celabrate this season and do Christians let the secular influance them and how they teach thier childen on this season.  Talking about pegan idols and Santa being one of them and comparing Jesus and Santa.  Trying to get the transcript to this show, cuz I know I will not do it justice here but I will post my thoughts. 

How many among you who are Christians taught your children to belive in Santa Clause and what happen later when they found out it was a myth?  Did they question you if you made up Jesus also?  I have heard this before and think how horrible the parents feel. The child devasted because they have been lied to thinking, If he was a lie, what else have they lied to me about?   I have also heard of the parents who flat out tell thier kids that Santa is made up for fun by those who choose not to celabrate Christmas to honor Jesus's birth.  As mean as that sounds, those kids grew up well adjusted and was taught to honor the true spirit of Christmas.

On the surface Santa seems harmless and I confess I used to use it as a way to get the kids to stay in line.  "Be good or you won't get any thing from Santa" or have them write to him so I could get thier list of what they want.  I am coming to the relazation of what this has taught them.