Crazy Organization

I spent a good portion of my day, yesterday, doing laundry. I have been putting off doing it because the task just seemed too daunting. I hate it when I allow things to pile up only to become overwhelmed because I have let it get too bad. I feel so much better when I just buck up and get 'er done, but I really have to be motivated. Yesterday was just one of those days when I said, nuffs enuff!! I continuously switched wet clothes to the dryer and folded and put them away. Which part is your least favorite? I hate hanging clothes. I also strongly dislike folding wrinkled clothes. I sometimes put things in the dryer only to let them sit until they are wrinkled and then I must use more electricity to unwrinkle them. Again, I get overwhelmed.
I did get my messy closet somewhat organized. I took stuff out that I can put on rummage and put other stuff in that had been sitting out in my bedroom looking cluttered. That felt really good. My bedroom should be a sanctuary, but it looks more like a storage room/tool shed. We really need a tool shed. Just another project to get done. Since our home has continually been under renovation for the last 2 years, we have kept the tools out on a shelf in our room. They are away from little hands that could be harmed by them, but still in a very out there place in our bedroom. I feel like calling Oprah and asking her to send Nate my way to help us redecorate our bedroom. I wish I had taken the embarassing "before" pictures so you could see what a true disaster area my bedroom was. However, I was too ashamed to reveal my secret stow away to anyone. So, I have only let you see the "afters". It's a long way from where I want it to be, but, TRUST ME, it's a major improvement!!!

PiPa Came To Town

Eric's Dad, Brian (a.k.a. PiPa) came for a visit today. He came bearing gifts from Grandma. Two new dresses for the girls and a cool dinosaur puzzle for Michael. Everyone loved their gifts. We are going to go out for supper tonight before PiPa has to get on the road. He has spent the weekend in Jax for a training seminar for Bank of America, "Bank that I love". We joke with him and sing the song (to the tune, "God Bless America"). Brian laughs pretty easy. He's a pretty jolly guy. Well, enjoy the pics........

Girls at the Calf Feed

Sherry and Scott just bought some calves and they need to be bottle fed. Sherry invited us over to the house to help feed them. The girls had a great time. They are really cute, but very messy!

Growing Like A Weed

Our kitten is growing very quickly. Joey just moved her onto our deck so we can see her all the time. She/he is so adorable. I can't wait until she is old enough to play with. The kids are dying to hold her/him. We have no clue if it's a boy or a girl. I'm kind of hoping it's a girl. If she/he is anything like her mommy she will make a great pet.

GIGATT ATTGIG

God is good all the time, all the time God is good. That's what the title means. It's so true.
Saturday morning, we sat in front of Bud's grocery from 8 a.m. until almost 1 p.m. We didn't see much traffic for the rummage sale we were holding, but we were trusting God to provide for our Haiti mission trip. We need about $2000 for our mission workers to go without paying out of pocket. I was really hoping we would clear $200 at the sale. O, ye of little faith......We made $600+ dollars!!!! Like I said, we didn't have many customers throughout the day, but God still provided.
The same day, we found out that Jim, the man at our church that was diagnosed with inoperable pancreatic cancer, went back to the doctor for a needle biopsy and got the results back, Friday. He said the doctor is changing his diagnosis. It is operable and with radiation and chemo, Jim should be just fine!!! Tell me God isn't good? I praise Him for the miracles that come our way everyday.
Do you have any testimonies like this? God is still in control! Testify!!!

We thought our outside kitty might be expecting again, but we weren't sure. Then, yesterday I heard a mewing squeak coming from under our side deck. To my pleasant surprise, there was a little white fluff ball squealing down there. Joey (we originally thought she was a boy, but the name stuck) is being a good mommy. We don't know if there were others and they didn't make it, but we are happy to have just one. I have several people who have been wanting a kitten from Joey, but unfortunately there aren't enough from this litter to go around. Don't worry, though. Joey will be preggers again soon, I'm sure. She has many courters...

Wedding Wednesday

Yes, you read that right. Lauren is getting married today. Her imaginary friend, Don, has become her fiance overnight. She told me this morning she was getting married. Of course, Daddy had to know, too. We discussed it over breakfast this morning. We asked her if Don loved Jesus. She said yes.
Later in the morning, I asked her if she was ready and she told me Don wasn't. I asked her where he was and she informed me he was with his mommy. I told her that was normal. Boys need their mommies on a day like today. It's a big step. I think the wedding is on hold for now. We'll keep you posted.

How Clear's The Water Papa?

I don't know if you have ever heard the song by Johnny Cash, "How High's the Water, Papa?", but I changed the title around a little for this blog.

We finally have clean smelling water! It's been 2 years! Two years of rust on our appliances and tubs and clothes. The smell of rotten eggs coming from the faucet when you are brushing your teeth is enough to make you hurl! Well, (no pun intended) we now know what's it's like to see clear, clean water come out of our pipes. We have a brand new well and along with that we had to clean out our pipes. We had to "shock the lines". This required several gallons of bleach that needed to sit in our pipes all day. You would not believe how much gook came out! It was, bar none, the nastiest thing I have seen in my life. Just to think I have been bathing my children, myself, etc. in this water. I do realize I am blessed to even have water considering some people don't. It just makes me feel all the more grateful to have what we have.

The yuck that builds over time in our house pipes makes me think of the yuck we allow in our spiritual lives. I allow all kinds of grimy, nastiness to corrupt my spirit. Do you? Think of Christ, who is pure and holy, living inside of you. Now think of the sin He willingly died to take away. What have you allowed to sneak back in? If Christ is holy and our sin in exceedingly sinful, how can we let it back in if we have Jesus? Something to ponder.......

A Day In The Swamp!

Stinky swamp, I know. I wish Tallahassee was closer. My son has developed a "fair-weather" liking for the Gators. Don't ask me why. Lauren, at least, would say "Go Noles!" when prompted. We had a nice day, even being in Gainesville. Eric had to go the the Health Department for an appointment for his upcoming trip to Haiti. He has to get all kinds of vaccinations. I'm a little apprehensive, however, I know they're neccessary. We took the kids to the Oaks mall and let them play on the indoor playground for a bit. I redeemed our
Chick-Fil-A coupons courtesy of slickdeals and we enjoyed watching our 3, very sociable, children interact with the other kids.
On the way home, we stopped off at a firehouse where our friend Robert, from church, works. He gave the kids a tour and let them play on the truck. It was really fun for them.
Then we came home to get our water back to normal again. Yes, that's the main reason we spent the entire day out of the house. We "shocked" the water lines with bleach. You would not believe the yuck that can build up in your pipes over time. I will blog about this tomorrow. I really need to get to bed. I can barely keep my eyes open.
We are having a rummage sale tomorrow to help fund the trip to Haiti.........what busy lives we lead........

Woe Is Weigh Wednesday

Well, poopy! I'm not enjoying Weigh Wednesdays! I gained 2.5 lbs. I haven't really been trying to lose, but I certainly haven't been a glutton. I need to get my butt off of this computer chair and exercise. But it's raining. I've got so much laundry to do. My girls are still too young for me to leave them while I walk. I have so many really good excuses. Do you?

Blessed Be The Name

The Lord gives and the Lord takes away. That's how the song goes. How many of us, though, bless His Name when He takes away? We are very quick to praise God when a check mysteriously shows up in our mailbox, but when a good friend announces she is moving far away or a dear Christian tells you he has cancer and has less than a year to live, do we praise God? Is it possible? Should we tell God, "Thank you for giving my fellow worker, in Christ, a disease that is inoperable? The answer is one I, in my flesh, have trouble verbalizing. The song says, "Blessed be Your name, when the sun is shining down on me, when the world's all as it should be, Blessed be Your name. Blessed be Your name, on the road marked with suffering, though there's pain in the offering, Blessed be Your name." That to me, says, the answer is yes. I can't say "Thank You" right now. I'm not happy. I'm deeply grieved over these two situations that have become realities to me this past week. A friend shared with me, who has become very special in my life and the lives of many others, that she and her family will be moving by next summer. I know God has a plan, but it's hard for me to be excited or thankful. I know that shows my spiritual immaturity (as Oswald Chambers would probably say), but I will try to praise Him nonetheless. A dear brother, in Christ, who is close to my father's age, has an inoperable malignancy on his pancreas. He will be taking chemo and radiation to try to delay the pain that often comes with a growth that develops on nerve endings and blood vessels. I am praying for total healing. I know my God is fully capable of restoring Brother Jim to perfect health if He so chooses. It wouldn't be the first time.

Another one of my very close friends is having a mammogram today. Her doctor found a mass and wants to see what's going on. I pray we will know something by the end of today.
I ask you, if you read this and you are a believer in Jesus Christ, please pray for these families. They have a lot of hard decisions to make over the next few months. One way or another, God is good all the time and all the time, God is good, Amen?