What Type of English do YOU speak?

***Your Linguistic Profile:***

75% General American English

10% Upper Midwestern

5% Dixie

5% Midwestern

0% Yankee

What Kind of American English Do You Speak?
http://www.blogthings.com/whatkindofamericanenglishdoyouspeakquiz/

Some pictures over the last few days and a little update

The girls ended up going home at 7:30 last night. Daddy couldn't not see them! I had a feeling, but Momma thought he'd be good with waiting until morning! I told her if over the next 2 weeks she wants me to take the girls for a day just let me know so they could go out or if she wants them to spend the night I'd do it.

Tonight I got baby DJ. He's going to be with me until Friday. His mom is out at the field (well she goes out tomorrow). I got paid nicely so that's a definately plus. I'm planning on us going walking quite a bit during the week (it's going to be in the 70's this week!!!) and hitting probably all the parks. My goal is to wear all 3 kids out everyday so they all go to sleep easily! LOL This weekend I'm heading to Garmish for a Chapel retreat. I'm really looking forward to that!

I'll update my week as it goes along.

A little update

This past week I really was just not in the mood to write. I tried, but nothing was coming. We have 3 months left of this deployment and although it's went quickly over all I'm ready for it to be over. I miss Chad and the boys miss him. I know these last 3 months will go by quickly, the boys and I have things we're going to do to keep busy. A friend and I are planning on taking all our kids to a resort, it's a few hours away, looks like a lot of fun.

This coming week I'm going to be watching Baby DJ. I watched him a few months ago for a while. His mom and him moved about 1-2 hrs away. She has to go out to the field for the week, so she's bringing him over tomorrow evening and I'll have him until Friday or Saturday. If it's warm enough we'll go to the pool, but I'm not sure if it's going to be they're calling for the 70's next week, which will be nice. If so we'll be going on a lot of walks and the different parks. There's a castle that's close to us that I just recently found so I may take all of us there too. I'm thinking about going driving 2 hrs to Heidleburg, but we'll see how the boys all are.

It's really beautiful today, the kids and I went to the park by our place this morning and we're going to go back out after nap time..yes nap time we all LOVE nap time! Oh I didn't mention today I'm watching my friend's girls, the plan is for them to spend the night. Their Daddy came home for R&R today, the girls don't know he's home yet...they'll find out in the morning when HE comes to pick them up!! I know...awwww! They're going to be so surprised! J & J deserve a little alone time. They've had a hard run of their marriage. They actually split up for over a year, right after she got pg with their youngest little girl. She and the girls lived in Ohio and he was in NC...they didn't talk for a good 6 or 9 months (I can't remember). Then he called and asked if they could try again...so slowly they did. Not long after they officially got back together they moved here and then a couple months later he was sent to Iraq. They are spending his first day/night alone, which as you can tell they deserve and need! They have good girls, the oldest can have her moment's, but I keep her pretty well in line. :)

So say a prayer for me..I'll be having extra kids to care for over the next 6-7 days! I'll try to post over this next week!!!

One Year

 Like I said yesterday today marks 1 yr since the boys and I arrived in Germany. Chad arrived 2 weeks before us. This year has truly just flown by! Today I had the pleasure of taking my new neighbor's to the comissary as well as just around base so the wife who just got here a couple days ago, so she can see where everything is.

Before that though here's how our day went. Church, then Jack decided to twirl around and fall hard and split his chin open, it was in the shape of a cross, not big, but seemed fairly deep to me. We came home, I changed him out of the bloody clothes, cleaned him up a bit. We ran by BK for some quickl lunch and off to the ER. We were there for about 2 hrs. They didn't have to give him any stitches just used glue. He said it was hurting still this evening, but by the time he went to bed he wasn't talking about it.

It's been requested that I share pictures of Germany....so here's a few! :)

 

Wurzburg Residentz

 

 

A beautiful church, Chad and I visited while he was home for R&R

 

Coburg Castle

 

Germany

Germany Fields

Schloss Seehof

 

A View of The beautiful city we live in...to the left is St.Michael's Montesary and on the Right is The Dom (pronounced Dome).

 

Chad and Jack looking into the river by the Old Rothouse aka court house

 

View of river from the other side of the Rothouse You can see the timbered side of the Rothouse, a better view of the timbered is next.

 

 

This is my favorite picture I've taken of St.Michael's at dusk.

 

One of the typical styled buildingsin our city

 

Some buildings and my van is in the picture too...the dark blue van it's beside the light colored car! :)

Alley way to one of the many Beer Gardens in town!

 

Well I know they're not all of the country side, but this hopefully will give you an idea of where we have been living for the last year!

 

One Year Ago

One year ago the boys and I got onto the plane and headed to BWI and then boarded our plane for Germany!!!! In about 8 or 9 hrs it'll be 1 yr since the boys and I arrived in Germany! I love living here! I know our family misses us, but I'm so thankful for this wonderful opportunity! I'll write more tomorrow!

Swimming

Today the boys and I had a great day! We went to the pool with a friend of ours and her 3 kids! I didn't think about grabbing my camera for some odd reason, it's really unlike me I take it almost everywhere I go!! They have a swimbad (pool) just off post and it's great! I could kick myself for us not going before this, it's insanely close and it's HUGE! There were A LOT of people there, but it didn't feel crowded at all. They have this HUGE slide, but amazingly it doesn't go into DEEP water, it's just about 4 feet deep is my GUESS. (Jacob could stand in it on his tip toes). First I took Jacob up the slide with Julia (friend) watched Jack in the baby pool) we went down the slide twice! Then Julia went down it with her oldest daughter, while her youngest initially was being held by her son, but and Linda I know you'll be shocked by this one...Hannah wanted ME! So I held her and she almost fell asleep in my arms and was actually content! Julia came back after going down the slide and her and Faith playing in the deeper water for a few and then we decided for all of us to go down the slide! The kids had a blast! Jack LOVED it. I held him and we just flew down that slide, the faster we went the more Jack loved it! LOL Jacob went down by himself and had a ball! We went down the slide probably 4 more times (me and Jack) and Jacob I can't even count how many more times he went. Then we went to the wave pool, and got to enjoy the waves, then we went back to the baby pool for a while. The kids played in the sand too. No day is complete without playing in the sand for my boys! It all washes off and they're happy and carefree, which is how kids should be...not being afraid to get dirty, wet, etc...just enjoying life!

We got home and I made dinner, Jacob crashed out on the couch and Jack was laying back on their little spiderman couch eating an apple and watching tv for a few minutes. Jacob woke up for dinner, he was so tired he just got up and went to the playroom and sat on the floor and cried. I'm really not sure why he went in there, but I told him he needed to eat because Jack was eating from his plate as well as his own. Jacob was still upset (over tired I am sure) but he finally came and ate dinner. They got ready for bed and I read them a story and they both went straight to bed with 100% no arguments. They were both out in less than 5 minutes! I've decided that at least 3 times a week the boys and I are going to the pool. Julia and I are also going to start walking the track earlier in the morning (8 am...ugh I'm NOT a morning person at all) and then we're going to walk over to the pool (it opens at 8:30 AM! Crazy!!) we're going to take turns swimming a few laps, then just playing in the water for a while, then we can walk home. We'll prob. do the pool after the walk once a week, since the other day that we walk we have German language class, so we can get in an hour of walking then the class.

I'm thinking probably Sunday after chapel and nap time I'm going to take the boys to the pool for a few hours. I'm going to just buy the family pass, since I think with in 2 maybe 3 weeks it'll be paid for. Next year I'll buy it as soon as the pool opens and there's a good chance we'll just go swimming every day. I told Jacob that the only way we can go to the pool is if he gets his school work done. So on the days we go he'll have to just ignore Jack and work. I have preschool things I've been working with Jackson on, so I should be able to help keep him quieter than he'd be if he were just playing.

I really wish it'd cool off right now. Actually I'm wishing I'd have bought an A/C that a lady I knew was selling a couple months ago for less than $200.00...oh what a fool am I!!!!! It got to 100 degree's today and it only feels like it's in the low 90's right now, of course I'm in a 3rd floor apartment and there's absolutely NO WIND, so it could be cooler outside, but it's just plain uncomfortable in here. Next summer I'm just sucking it up and buying an A/C if I don't find a used one before that. If we have one next year I can close all the doors and keep the living room area cool and then at night bring it into the hall between the bedrooms and close the door so the bedrooms are nice and cool at night. I'm still not sure what German's, well European's in general have against A/C!! I just don't enjoy sweating, call me crazy! LOL

Have a great weekend!

Chores

Today I started my day off giving a briefing for PEP which is a week long event for new comers. Pretty everyone comes and talks to them, they go out on the town, walking around a bit, having lunch in a German resturant a couple times, going to a grocery store and going to the bakery ordering bread (mmmm), cheese (double mmmm), and meats (lunch meats), they do this in the best German they can! :) So anyways I brief them on PWOC (Protestant Women of the Chapel aka women's bible study) and also do a briefing for the Chapel over all. I am allotted 15 minutes to give my briefing and to take any questions they have! So after that I took the boys out for lunch and we all had a slice of pizza, nothing special trust me, then I ran home brushed my teeth, then took the boys to my friends place, dropped them off and then off to the dentist to get a cavity filled (aren't I a lucky girl??!!). After that fun was done I went to my friends for the boys, we visited for a good hour or more, they were all outside at the park so I let the boys play for probably 30 minutes then we went upstairs to get their toys that they brought and we were talking. She has a son who's 12 (maybe 13) and she was talking about how when he got back from his day camp that he was at, that he had chores to do from the day before and today's. She shared with me where she got the chart and some of the chore idea's for him to do, in a definately unexpected place, so for those who have kids pretty well 4 and up I definately suggest: www.christianadhd.com then click on "FREE RESOURSES" and you'll see the chore chart link and there's also one that we're doing as well 7 Rules of Behaviors. I've been working on Jacob's chore chart for a little while. We don't give an allowance for doing chores, that's part of being a family  IMO. Jacob does get 10.00 a month just in general, which 50% goes directly into his savings then he has to put $2.00 of that into his piggy bank. The piggy bank money can be saved up to use for gifts for others at Christmas or birthday's. The other $3.00 he puts into his wallet and he can either spend it as he wishes or saves it to buy himself something. Jack's currently is just going into his savings account, but in the next year or two he'll start being able to handle part of his allowance as Jacob does. I want them to definately have saving their money well established so that as they get older and go out on their own has young men,they'll have a sense of what it takes to save, and actually I plan on them having a nice size savings account for them to use as they choose. We actually currently have 2 savings accounts for them, one at our main bank which Chad and I strictly put money into for college for them, then there's their savings that they are depositing money into from money earned, this rule also goes towards when they recieve money from others for gifts (Christmas, birthday's, etc). I had one friend tell me she thought I was making them save too much, but honestly how is making my children establish a decent savings for themselves and teaching them that responsiblity unfair? I think it's unfair to NOT teach our children the value of money and for them to understand that it does take work to save and that there are times we're tempted to pull that money out, but it's resisting that temptation and allowing it to grow so that when we want to buy a home and save for retirement we have a nice nest egg in there. I want my boys to have this established. Do I think this will prevent them from making financial mistakes, no, but hopefully they won't have a lot of hard lessons to learn.

Ok so anyways, done with the money lecture! LOL I'm working on Jacob's chore chart. It has the Scheduled Activities which has make bed, brush teeth and hair. I also added for him to get dressed. (Jacob's been doing this already every morning without being told which is really nice). For his AM chores on Mon. Wed. and Fridays he has to clean out the litter box. I know he's 5, but it's actually a chore he ASKED to do! LOL He's also going to be responsible for feeding and watering Pouce (cat). He'll every morning clean up his bedroom. In the evenings he'll check Pounce's food and water and make sure the toys are all picked up in the playroom. He'll also have to wipe off all the light switches and door handles and finger prints from the doors and wipe off the fridge handles and anything off the front of the fridge. Not all of these will be everyday. Here's a Break down of Jacob's days:

M- Litter Box

T-Wipe off Fridge, doors, light switches

W-litter box

Th-Wipe everything off

F-litter box

He will have things he does everyday which will be:

Make bed, brush teeth, getting dressed, cleaning up room, feeding and watering Pounce, and picking up the playroom.

 

Jack will also have things he can help with: He can make his bed, brush his teeth (with my help), get dressed (w/help), and dust things that are his level. Both boys are responsible for taking their dishes to the table and also putting them into the sink after any needed scraping of food into the trash. Jack also will be helping pick up the bedroom as well as the playroom. These are things both boys have been doing anyways.

My plan is to try these official chores out for a month and then if I feel Jacob can handle it, add an additional one or two more.

He will also have his Consequence Job List for breaking the 7 Rules of Behavior. Right now from the list they give he can be cleaning out closets, cleaning out the silverware drawer, wipe down cabinets, wipe down kitchen appliances, clean windows on the inside of the apartment, clean the bathroom, clean the toilet, wash the baseboards in one room, wipe down window sills, dust, scrub bathroom or kitchen floor (this would be a hands and knee's scrubbing), sweep kitchen, clean 2 shelves or drawers in fridge. That's if he breaks our 7 Rules of Behaviors.

I know it sounds like a lot of things but when Jacob and I went over all of these he understands what's expected of him. I know I'm partial, but the rest of the world's not and Jacob is a smart boy and anyone who's met Jacob has commented on how smart he is. These are things he can understand to follow and there has to be consequences when he breaks family rules. He's over all a good boy and looking at these Rules of Behaviors are already rules we have in our home and there's been different consequences for breaking them, but I really, really like their jobs they give! As Jackson gets older he will see what is and will be expected of him.

I am a strict mom and I do truly believe a good majority of parents are far too laid back with their kids. I see so many disrespectful children, those who come from a what appears to be a Christian home and those who don't. IMO it's unacceptable. I want my boys to have fun as children, at the same time they will learn responsibility.

 

Well that's been our day! I've actually got dinner cooking and Jacob and Jack are both cleaning up things. After dinner if we all have things done we'll go to the park for a while, get a bath, then off to bed! Tomorrow we're going to the pool aka swimbad! There's one about 1/2 mile from where we live. I haven't told the boys yet, I'll tell them in the morning. Jacob will have to get some school work done first thing in the morning since we'll probably spend a good portion of our afternoon at the pool. We may go swimming on Saturday too, it's supposed to be good and hot and miserable, if we don't go swimming we'll play with the water volcano that hooks up to the hose. Sunday we have church, and then in the afternoon I plan on letting the boys play in the water (with the valcano).

 

Ok, I've wrtten I'm sure a long boring book, so I'll sign off now!

 

God Bless

Update

I've recieved a few requests asking how I'm doing. I'm doing ok, honestly. I will not say it's been an easy couple of weeks, it's been emotionally and physically draining, although I think part of the physical is from the heat we're in (yes it's hot in Germany too and we don't have A/C and I'm not paying over $500.00 for a portable A/C). Friday we're planning on going swimming, which Friday's as of right now supposed to be the hottest day of our week, althought Saturday's not looking to be much cooler.

Anyways. My cousin's funeral was on Monday and my mom sent me a very detailed email of the day. Jake was one of those guys who could actually wear pink and pull it off with confidence and without looking rediculous. All the guys who came to his funeral were in pink shirts. My mom said there was at least 300 people, that it was literally standing room only in the church as well as everyone seemed to go to the cemetary too. His mom is of course hurting so bad, which is expected and that pain's going to last for a long time. My step grandma is having a very hard time as well...so please keep both Jeanette (Jake's mom) and Nona (grandma) in your prayers, along with the rest of the family.

We also had a memorial service on Tuesday for the 4th soldier who died. I honestly feel like 5 memorial services is enough. Really it's exhausting emotionally and well I don't want anymore of our soldiers to die. Speaking of which I chatted with Chad tonight and he has a mission tonight, so please be in prayer for him.

The boys are doing good, busy as ever. Jacob has been doing great with his school work (we home school) and Jack has exploded with telling me the knowledge he has in that little head of his...with colors, numbers, abc's, and vocabulary that's just going crazy all of a sudden. Jacob was doing these things long before Jack's showed any real interest in doing. They're very different little boys, both wonderful just as they are. I never have expected my children to be the same, it's still amazing to see such different personalities in 2 children who were created by the same people, having the same people raise them, etc. I find it just as exciting to see that Jack has retained the knowledge that I've been trying to help him learn for months and months and months, it's just as exciting as it was with Jordyn and Jacob!

Well, I'm exhausted and about to go to bed, this will be 2 nights in a row that I'm in bed before 1 am! Christy seems to be setting a nice pace. I'm going for a goal of midnight, and then 11:30! I'd like to be going to bed with Chad by the time he gets home or at least about 30 minutes after he's in bed. So say a prayer for me in this battle. It's not just actually getting into the bed, it's actually falling asleep.

Oh, I've not had a pop in I think 3 or 4 days now! So I'm doing good there. When I went down on Saturday, all the farmer's markets were gone, so hopefully this Saturday I'll get down there early enough. Last weekend they had a festival of sorts going on with magicians, acrobats, jugglers, etc going on downtown and in the Marxplatz where they normally have the farmers market, so I think that's why they weren't there or they'd just left really early.

I'll try to write a better update tomorrow.

God Bless

I Asked God

I asked God...

I asked God why I wasn't rich.
He showed me a man with the wealth of a thousand kings,
who was lonely, and had no one to share it with.
I asked God why I wasn't beautiful.
He showed me a woman more beautiful than any other,
who was ugly because of her vanity.
I asked God why He'd allowed me to become old.
He showed me a boy of 16,

who lay dead at the scene of a car accident.
I asked God why I didn't have a bigger house.
He showed me a family of six,
who had just been evicted from their tiny shack,
and were forced, to live on the street.
I asked God why I had to work.
He showed me a man, who couldn't find a decent job,
because he'd never learned to read.
I asked God why I wasn't more popular.
He showed me a socialite with a thousand friends,
who all left the moment the money and parties were no longer there.
I asked God why I wasn't smarter.
He showed me a natural born genius,
serving life in prison for making ill use of his knowledge.
I asked God why He put up with a thankless sinner like me.

He showed me His Bible.

He showed me His Son

who took my place at the judgment.

I knew then how much He loved me.

What's eating you today?
Are your problems weighing heavy on your heart?
Know, then, that you are loved.

Have a WONDERFUL day!
Then brighten someone else's day, in any way you care to.

Remember, a candle loses nothing by lighting another candle.
Just reach out and touch someone's life and brighten up his or her day.

I've Been Through The Storm, But Look At Me I'm Still Standing, I'm Still Here, by His Grace & Glory

Family Death

I know it seems I've been using my journal this last week as a memorial...well death seems to come in 3's...early Friday morning my step-cousin, Jake was killed in a horrible car accident. From what we know so far, it was raining, he was possibly driving too fast, he definately lost control of his car (there was a witness), and he hit a semi-truck. My cousin and his passenger were both killed on impact. The truck driver is ok, physically although I can only imagine that emotionally is a different story.

PLEASE be in prayer for my family. I'm honestly not sure if I'll be going back to Kansas for the funeral or not. I need to look at plane tickets and talk to my family and find out what they think I should do and still need to talk to Chad.

 

This is the link to the article in the paper and pictures of my cousin's mustang:

Early morning wreck kills two Tonganoxie men | LJWorld.com

Here we go

I started the first part today, what is that you ask....losing weight. I will not say how much I've gained since moving here to Germany, but it's not pretty and I'm well horrified as I stepped on the scale tonight and saw I'm at my highest weight ever. I'm literally going to kill myself if I don't get a handle on this weight...so yesterday I started with for me a big one...no more pepsi or pop in general I had my last pepsi and actually didn't even realize it was the last one. Let me tell you the actual desire is the worst right now. I'd love nothing more than to crack open a nice, ice cold Pepsi. I can literally taste it, but I'm out and I am NOT going to buy anymore. I went to the commissary and refused to even look at it when I went down that isle. I would have totally avoided it, but of course it had items in it that I needed, that Chad requested I send him (Wonder Bread...that stuff has so many freaking preservatives in it, amazing and frightening all in one), microwavable popcorn, beef jerky, & slim jims (all in the pop isle...) But I walked on by. Jacob even asked me "Mom aren't you getting any Pepsi?" I just told him "No".

 

PLEASE pray for me. This is feeling much harder this time around than it was last yr when I gave it up. Chad was an encourager so I think that's probably one of the hardest parts, he's not here to encourage me. I am going to do this though. I am going to lose this weight. I know it's going to take time and a lot of hard work but I can do it. Chad's lost 30 lbs just since April. Now I know that's not a normal amount to lose and so quickly, of course he's working out in the gym a few times a week (when he's at camp), he's really watching what and how much he eats, and well it's hotter than any of us can imagine...normal temps are ranging from 130-150 there right now, so he has to just be sweating some off at night sleeping! He really, really looks great though! He was on the webcam the other night and he just looks great!! I'm really proud of him and happy for him and well I can't be having my husband weighing less than me, so I'm going to be working my butt off (hopefully literally!!). Walking everyday, watching what and how much I eat, and drinking water, lots and lots and lots of water! Tomorrow the boys and I are going downtown, so I'm hitting the farmers market and going to load up on lots of fresh veggies and fruits.

Chad and I have had some good discussions on how we want to change our eating habits, cooking habits, etc. One thing I'm doing it going to start cooking with coconut oil. It's so good for you. For many years it's been put out that it's bad for you and will kill you. It's a lie. It's frightening to think of some of the bull those who have this power will use it and will lie to people. I have a friend who has an extra gallon of it and I'm going to buy that from her to start off with. What's even more awesome is that you can use it on more than just your food/cooking. You can use it on your skin for dry skin, rashes, as well as break outs (which I've been getting terribly the last couple months), and so many other things! I'm working on getting a lot of the junk out of here as well. As it gets ate, most of it will not be purchased again except for special occasions. If I don't have it here, I can't eat it!

So that's where I am at...losing weight, getting healthy, feeling good inside and looking good on the outside.

 

I'm hoping to be in bed by Midnight! That's my next goal. To start hopefully falling asleep by midnight! I am going to have to take something to help me, but at this point I am willing, it doesn't knock me completely out..so if anything happens I can still wake up, it just gets me to sleep. Getting to sleep is really my only problem too.

 

God Bless

And Another Fallen Soldier

The 4th soldier who was injured in last Saturday's attack which initially 3 soldiers from our bn, he died last night surrounded by family. We don't have any details other than later today we should know when the memorial service is.

My stomach is physically hurting right now. I can guess Chad knows but I'm not sure. He went to bed last night about the time he would have died, so unless they woke the soldiers up they wouldn't have found out until this morning. Please please be in prayer for the soldiers over there. We have a little more than 3 months left and honestly this may be the most stressful time for them....so close to coming home, but yet realities of this war are right in front of their face, not like it never is...but when you lose soldiers I think it's there even more so.

Please be in prayer also for the wives who are struggling. It's hard there's no doubt, but there are wives who take this even harder than others. Thank you every single one for your love, compassion, and support throughout this deployment.

God bless

Well I had written out a long entry about the memorial service and all of a sudden it was just gone. There are days I really really really dislike AOL, really dislike them. I will sum it up by saying it was just as emotionally raw as I expected it'd be. The hardest parts are when they do Roll Call. They call out a few soldiers names who are at the memorial service and then they call out the soldiers who were killed, they call each name 3 times, and they get firmer with every call. This is pretty well when anyone who's going to cry, starts. I cry easily anyways, and although there'd be tears before this...they started flowing good and hard at this point. Then the 21 Gun Salute, which this is my 4th memorial service to attend (3 from our last deployment) and I didn't attend the 1st death we had in our company earlier in the deployment (I was sick). Anyways the Guns sounded like they were just right at the windows of the Chapel, which most likely they pretty well were considering how the grounds are at the chapel....pretty well everyone seemed to jump,and more cries. Then Taps, again more tears.

I didn't know the soldiers, but it doesn't matter. The realities of these memorial services for us wives who's soldiers are still alive and over there are that we could be next. It's the realities of our life and this brings it up to the front of your mind whether you want it there or not. I know and I trust that GOD is Chad's shield and that Chad's in God's hand. I have great comfort in that the Lord is keeping him safe. I have great peace that Chad's a Christian and has accepted Jesus Christ as his savior. I know that no matter what happens, I will one day be with Chad...whether it's here or in Heaven. I obviously want him here, but this is just the way it is. I'm not feeling sorry for myself and I am NOT asking for pitty or anything like that. This is just the realities of a Soldier's wife's life. There is always that question of "Will he come home alive?" We don't know that answer, only God does...so the only way I am able to have peace in my heart is that I KNOW God has this taken care of and he knows the end of this chapter in our lives. I can't imagine how hard life would be to not have the comfort of Jesus and I truly ache for those who don't know him.

Now...I had/have a whole other entry I want to do and will continue on with that.

This is from a Devotional that I read every night, these are NOT, I repeat NOT my words...but they have touched me so I'm sharing them in hopes that they will also touch some of you.

From "Diamonds in the Dust: 366 Sparkling Devotionals by: Joni Eareckson Tada

"July 10" I want to Go Home

"But in keeping with his promise we are looking foward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of the righteousness." 2 Peter 3:13

After a week of fun-filled activities at a recent retreat, I listened as the microphone was passed from family to family, each tearfully sharing how wonderful the time had been. Some talked of meeting new friends. Others, of the games, music, and hikes. A few said how they wished the week could go on and on.

Then a little red-haired, freckle-faced Jeff raised his hand. He had Down syndrome and had won the hearts of many people at the retreat. People had been captivated by his winsome smile and joyful spirit. Everyone leaned forward to hear his words. Jeff grabbed the mike and kept it short and sweet as he bellowed: "Lets go home!" He smiled, bowed, and handed back the microphone. Everyone roared with laughter.

His mother told me later that, even though Jeff had thoroughly immersed himself in the week's festivities, he missed his daddy back home.

I identify wiht Jeff. The good things in this world are pleasant enough, but would we really wish for it to go on as it is? I don't think so. The good things in this life are merely omens of even greater, more glorious things yet to come. God would not have us mistake the world for a permanent dwelling. And I'm with Jeff. It's a good life, but I am looking forward to going home. I miss my Dad.

"Home is where your heart is." Never was a saying more true. For when Jesus captures your herat, you are then able to look forward to your home of rigteousness.

 

Lord of my heart, capture my affections this day and hold me fast with Your love. Turn my heart ever increasingly toward You and so I shall long for a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.

__________________________________________________________________

 

Ok that's the end of that days devotional.I read this before I go to bed and pray on them. I set my last thoughts to be on the Lord before I drift off to sleep. One of my favorite songs is "Homesick". I look forward to the day I join my savior in the place that he's been preparing just for me. To think that he has many rooms to fill and one of those rooms is for me. What a gracious father we have, that he has taken so much time to prepare a place that will be perfect for me, that will be a place that I've never felt so much comfort in, that although I think I feel comfort in my home here on Earth, it's nothing compared to what Christ is preparing for us. He is waiting for us to join him. That is exciting to me, to think that he wants me in his house!

Two years ago Jacob got to be in VBS in our home church. One of the songs had a line that said "It's a big, big house. With lots and lots of rooms. It's a great big house. It's my father's house." We so often focus on what's going on in the here and now. I know I do, too much. Our focus can not just be on the here and now, we can't be stuck in what might have been(s), we have to stay focused on what Jesus is preparing for us. We should constantly be striving to be like Christ. We may fall down, but we get back up and keep trying. I know that every day I have to get up and start my day fresh. I have to set my heart on Jesus. One day I will be truly home.

 

"Lord I pray that you will comfort those who are hurting. That those who are searching for you will find you. That they will come to understand that you sent Jesus here to die for our sins. You know we sin and we must remember that sin hurts you and you hate sin. That just because we believe that Christ is your son, that he is our risen savior, that Christ is GOD...that we can not just continue to sin as we did before this realization. Lord we have to work every day to not sin. That we must continue to strive like you. We don't have to scream off rooftops "I'm a Christian", we have to LIVE IT. Lord you know I fail at this, and I'm so thankful that you forgive me for my sins and failures. I pray Lord that tomorrow will be a better day and that the day after will be better than tomorrow in your eyes. Thank you Lord for loving me so much that you want me in your house. Lord I pray that the families of the 3 soldiers who were killed on July 8, feel your comfort. I don't know how they feel and Lord I don't want to know. I pray though that they turn to you and allow you to hold them, love them, guide them through every painful day. Thank you our merciful Lord for your love and grace. In Your Holy Name...Amen"

 

 

 

We'll be having the memorial service today for the 3 soldiers at 2:00 pm, so it just over 2 hrs. They're providing childcare at the chapel so thankfully I don't have to line that up for the boys, although Jacob was asking if he could attend, but I'd just rather let him be carefree for and play vs sitting with all us adults with the heaviness of sadness over us.

 

One one of the soldiers was a husband and Daddy. The other was married to a German national, from the town we're in, no children, the 3rd was a single soldier who's left his grieving parents (not sure about siblings). We have a 4th who's on life support at Landstuhl right now, and he's stable but critical.

 

Some Gave All

 

July 8 our BN lost 3 soldiers and another one has been seriously injured and is on life support. Please in prayers for these soldiers families and those who knew and loved them. I did not know them, well my husband says I bet he knows one of them, but I don't recall. Chad's dealing with this the best he can. He said it brings back memories, and he's struggling right now missing our friend Sean, who was killed his first time in Iraq, 2 1/2 yrs ago.

Please pray for these soldiers. They have to continue with missions, etc no matter what happens. Now don't think the Army is being cruel and just sending them back off to war without reaching out to help them. They will be having a memorial service at their camp on Wednesday (the memorial service here is also on Wednesday). They have councelors, social workers, psychiatrists, and chaplains down there as well as "open door policy" with their 1st Sgt and I believe their commander to talk to who ever they are comfortable talking with and being able to talk about their feelings). Yet with all that outreach, the job must continue, the mission must go on.

One of my greatest fears is losing my husband I do not want to know that pain.

Tonight at our FRG meeting one of the wives said "I feel so sad for these families, yet relief and happy for myself because I know my husband is alright at least for right now". I think every spouse in there shook their head in agreement. I do ache for the wives who's husband's now dead, yet I'm so thankful that MINE is alive and doing ok. It's a jagged road we walk on sometimes.

 

Well, I'm off to bed. We have school work to do tomorrow, I have lots of laundry, as well as getting some food ordered for the memorial service on Wednesday.

 

God Bless

What Kind of B&J IceCream are YOU?

 Ok what's awesome about this...this is actually my VERY FAVORITE Ice Cream! I LOVE it way too much, there for I only eat it a few times a yr!

 

                                             

 

 

***You Are Chocolate Fudge Brownie Ice Cream***

You just don't know when you've had enough (or too much)!

What Flavor Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream Are You?
http://www.blogthings.com/whatflavorbenandjerrysicecreamareyouquiz/

Happy 4th of July!!!

 

Let us remember why we celebrate today. It's not about the BBQ's, the boating, swimming, the get together's, the "celebrating". It's not about the fireworks at the end of the night. It's about remembering WHO gave us our freedom, it's about thanking GOD for the nation we live in, it's about remembering......God, Our Troops, Freedom.

 

Someone shared this poem with me, and I think it's perfect.....

 

Jesus on the 4th of July

We gather `round to celebrate
On Independence Day
Pay homage to our country
As the children run and play.

With barbecues and picnics
And fireworks in the air
The flag we own is proudly flown
To show how much we care.

The stars and stripes spell freedom
She waves upon the breeze
While bursts of colors can be seen
Above the towering trees.

This is all quite wonderful
We revel in delight
But God above in divine love
Has brought this day to light.

With just a stroke of liberty
A touch of His great hand
He gave democracy to us
And helped this country stand.

The stripes upon our stately flag
Were touched by His sweet grace
Each star of white that shines so bright
Reflects His loving face.

So as you turn to face the flag
For battles that were fought
Be filled with pride for those who died
And freedoms that were bought.

But don't forget to thank the One
That gives the bright display
The reason why we paint the sky
On Independence Day

BY: Marilyn Ferguson 2003

 

Monday Morning Question

Krissy at: Sometimes I Think wants to know:

What is one word that describes 'how to live successfully'?  Examples:  fearlessly, joyfully, thoughtfully

 

My answer: Godly. I don't mean to say we'll be perfect, but imo the only way to have a successful life is to live life as we know God wants us to, and we strive to live it that way. We'll stumble at times, fall flat on our face at times, most of all though we'll be striving to be more like Jesus everyday!

 

Go over and play with Krissy!