A Life Of Contentment

1,000 Gifts: 46-66

noreply@blogger.com (Barb J.) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 23:00:00 +0000

Blessings I counted this week:

46. Pinterest (my new, current addiction)

47. The cool new buttons on the right (my facebook page, pinterest, e-mail, etc.) that my friend Nancy made for my blog.

Reading my favorite magazine at my own kitchen table in the Manor.

49. A rare, peaceful weekend with nothing to do.

50. Laughing until my cheeks hurt while watching America's Funniest Videos.

New (old) bunk beds for the boys' room at the Manor.

52. Country music.

53. Christian radio stations.

Boys at work

55. All the beautiful cardinals I keep seeing on my way to work.

56. Clean, freshly folded laundry.

New faucets in the bathrooms in the Manor.

58. Warm gloves on a cold day.

59. Lavender scented lotions.

The fact that I have things to smile about.

61. Thrift stores.

62. My cell phone, so the kids can reach me anytime even if I can't be with them every moment.

The boys' excitement at putting some of their things in their room in the Manor.

64. The sound of Hubby's voice during our once-a-week phone calls.

65. My snow boots, that keep my feet warm in the winter even if it hasn't actually snowed yet.

(Wo)man's best friend.

1,000 Gifts: 25-45

noreply@blogger.com (Barb J.) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Blessings I counted this week:

25. Found some much needed pants for Adam at a thrift store.

26. The kids and I are never without enough food to eat.

A lost dog now found.

28. A 4-year-old laptop that continues to work well.

29. Public libraries.

Freshly baked cookies.

31. My friend and Savior, Jesus.

32. A mechanic friend who only charges for parts.

The wonder of God's natural creations.

34. The opportunity to visit Hubby every week.

35. Duct tape.

Three little boys playing Army.

37. A thick quilt on a wintery night.

38. Small town country life.

A part-time job that provides a little income for the boys and I.

40. Feather pillows.

41. Blog friends who encourage.


A feline who brings comfort to a little boy by determining to sleep with him every night.

43. Ice makers in the fridge door.

44. A body free from diseases or major health problems.

The occasional uninterrupted nap.

My child is being refused a public education

noreply@blogger.com (Barb J.) — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 02:24:00 +0000

Adam checks out the Revolutionary War memorabilia during a homeschool field trip in the fall.

Sometimes, we have to make absolutely momumental decisions in our lives. Our lives fell apart two years ago, and we are still facing the consequences of the event that led to the changes. Because my husband can't be with us right now, I have to fully support our family myself. When your husband is in prison, there is no child support. I currently work three days a week, but am looking for a full-time job. Without a full-time job, there is no way I'll be able to pay the bills.

When I started working, I was determined to be Supermom and homeschool, work full-time, and run a home completely on my own. But the truth of the matter is that although I can do it, I can't do it very well. I am spreading myself too thin already, and one of things that is suffering most is Adam's schooling.

I thought we could do it at night and on the weekends. But Adam is a morning person. He doesn't do well doing school in the evenings. And buckling down to school on the weekend is hard when you also have to do laundry, grocery shopping, house cleaning, etc. Justin, at 16, takes many of his courses on the computer. As far as his other course go, I simply assign the work before I leave in the morning and check it and answer any questions when I get home at night. But Adam is young, and needs hands-on instruction.

And so, after much thought, prayer, and receiving of advice from my elders, Adam and I decided that he should try public school. In the end, we decided to start him immediately, as there is only a little more than four months left in the school year. By the end of the school year, we should know if it is working better than trying to work and homeschool at the same time as a single mom is.

This was huge decision for us, and one that I have constantly obessed over. On the one hand, I feel like I am going against the things I believe in, like being responsible for my own child's upbringing and education. But on the other hand, I want to give my child every educational opportunity available. Adam has never stepped foot in school before, and the adjustment will be extremely hard for both us, I think.

But today I bit the bullet and Adam and I went to our local elementary school to enroll him. They were having a teacher workday (or in-service as it is apparently known in this state), and we figured we could enroll him today and let him start next week. I called and talked to the guidance counselor yesterday, who set me up with an appointment with the principal today.

When we got there, I fillled out a bunch of paper work before seeing the principal. Since we hope to moving into our new mobile home as soon as I find another part-time job to supplement the one I already have, I put the new address down on the paperwork. Then the woman noticed the address on my driver's license was different. Not thinking anything about it, I was honest and told him we were living with another homeschooling family while our new home was being fixed up and made livable.

And then.... they refused to enroll my son in school. Apparently, some obscure law in this state says that you can go to school if you are homeless, or if you rent or own the home you reside in. So despite the fact that I lived in this state for a year and a half, because we are living with another family my son will not be allowed to attend school. I was told at the school that the only way I could enroll him while living in a friend's household was if I turned over custody of my children to the owner of the home. I love my friend, but I am sure as heck not giving them custody of my children! (Not that they would want that anyway, lol). And to top it off, the principal wouldn't even come out and talk to me! She sent someone else out to give me that message.

So I can't give Adam a proper education and work at the same time but the public school system refuses to give him an education, either. Talk about slipping between the cracks! Well, so be it. God will point me in the right direction, I'm sure.

Alternative mobile home underpinning

noreply@blogger.com (Barb J.) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 15:00:00 +0000

In order to get the power turned on, we were required to have the Manor inspected. In order to have the Manor inspected, we had to have certain things. One of those things is underpinning. Brick or stone was way out of the question because of the price, and vinyl was going to end up being more than I could hope to get anytime soon.

My "adopted" father, Buck, is really good at coming up with ways to do things cheaply, and he came up with the idea of using tin as underpinning. Not only that, but he found a man in a nearby town who sells reclaimed tin, and he bought it for me. I love this idea. Using recycled products keeps them out of the landfills and is better on the budget as well - a lot better.

Cutting a hole in the tin underpinning for a vent. The sparks were flying as the metal was cut, and we didn't realize until we saw the photo that there was a full gas can close by.

On top of that, I think the tin was a better idea for another reason. The dogs will be in a fence right off the back of the manor. They would have broken vinyl underpinning in a matter of weeks, but the tin is strong and will hold up. It will also hold up much better against the weedeater during the summer. And at any time later, if I want to paint it, I can.

The tin came in 20-foot sections, and we simply bolted them on. Easy peesy. We cut out access doors and holes for the required vents, and viola! Simple is better!

I am linking this post up to Simple Lives Thursday.

noreply@blogger.com (Barb J.) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 03:17:00 +0000

His Steadfast Love Thomas Nelson (November 1, 2011) by Golden Keyes Parsons

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Golden Keyes Parsons writes historical fiction for Thomas Nelson Publishing, and is also a popular retreat/conference speaker. Her highly acclaimed Darkness to Light Series chronicled the journey of her French Huguenot ancestors in 17th century France. Her newest novel, His Steadfast Love, a Civil War novel set in Texas, just released November 2011. Golden lives in Waco, TX, with her husband, Blaine, where they enjoy their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren and are avid sports fan of their alma mater, Baylor University.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

It isn't until the Civil War comes to her doorstep that Amanda Bell must choose between love and family.

It's the spring of 1861 on the Gulf Coast of Texas. Amanda never thought she would marry because of a promise she made to her dying mother, but her attraction to Captain Kent Littlefield is undeniable.

When Texas secedes from the Union, her brother Daniel aligns with the Confederate States, while Kent remains with the Union troops.

Her heart is torn between the two men she is closest to and the two sides of the conflict. Amanda prays to God for direction and support, but hears only silence. Where is God in the atrocities of war-and whose side is He on?

Amanda senses her life is at a turning point. She must trust God to deliver her family through the chaos of war with her heart and her faith intact.

If you would like to read the first chapter of His Steadfast Love, go HERE.

noreply@blogger.com (Barb J.) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 11:00:00 +0000

The manor (yes, I've decided to give the old trailer we plan to move into a grand name!) comes equipped with a furnace which runs on propane.

The furnace

Part of starting over on my own is experiencing new things, and propane heat will be one of those new things for me. The only heat I've ever used before is natural gas or a heat pump. I started calling around to see about getting a propane tank and filling it up, but the cheapest quote I got was for $539. Too much!

Our new heating system

But if country people are good at anything, it's coming up with creative ways to do things. My "adopted" dad, Buck, came up with cheap system. He came up with two old propane tanks (possibly previously used on grills?). The system is that I fill one up and it sits until the other one runs out. Then I'm supposed to switch the gas line to the other tank and go have the other one filled up. Honestly, I'm not sure how that will work when we actually move in, as I don't feel very comfortable messing with the gas line. But it works great right now, as I'm only turning it up when we are in there working. When nobody is in there, I leave it at about 50 degrees, which is as low as the old thermostat will go. This keeps the pipes from freezing.

The duct work under the trailer was in pretty good shape, thankfully. The vents inside were a different story, however.

Can you imagine this on your kitchen floor? Yuck. Needless to say, I took them up. So now the vent holes in the floor look like this.

I found vents for $6 each, but every dollar counts right now. So I decided to just buy one or two as I have the money. So far, I've gotten two. The new vents look like this.

Much better, don't you think?

noreply@blogger.com (Barb J.) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 02:28:00 +0000

The Captive Heart Bethany House (January 1, 2012) by Dale Cramer

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Dale Cramer spent his formative years traveling the world as an Army brat, then settled in Georgia at the age of fifteen when his father retired.

After high school he became an electrician, a job that took him to places as diverse as power plants, stadia, airports, high-rise office buildings and a hard-rock mining operation.

Twenty-five years of experiences in the trades provided him with the wealth of characters, stories and insights that populate his novels.

When he married his childhood friend, Pam, in 1975 he had no way of knowing they would not have children until fifteen years later.

In his early forties, when Dale left his job to become a stay-at-home dad, he suddenly found himself with time on his hands, so he pursued a lifelong dream and taught himself to write.

Using an online writer’s forum as a training ground, he wrote his first short stories in 1996. As his writing skills improved he turned to novels, publishing his first book, Sutter’s Cross, in 2003.

Since then, Dale has published four more novels and garnered a measure of critical acclaim with two Christy Awards, a listing among Publisher’s Weekly’s Best Books of 2004 and numerous other Best lists. Dale and his wife Pam live in Georgia with their two sons.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Bandit troubles intensify as Caleb Bender's family tries to settle into their new life in 1920s Paradise Valley. When El Pantera kidnaps Rachel and leaves her brother, Aaron, for dead, Jake Weaver and the Mexican native Domingo pursue the bandit leader to his mountain stronghold in a hopeless rescue attempt. Jake and Domingo manage to escape with Rachel, with the bandits hot on their trail. In a desperate attempt to avoid recapture, Domingo puts himself squarely in harm's way, giving Jake and Rachel time to get away. This is not the quiet life Caleb Bender envisioned when he led his family out of Ohio. What is a father to make of his daughter's obvious affection for a man outside the fold? And how will a pacifist Amishman like Caleb respond to the events that threaten his family and their way of life?

If you would like to read the first chapter of The Captive Heart, go HERE

MY REVIEW: This is the second book in the Caleb Bender Daughters series, and I think it was better than the first! I wouldn't normally think of Amish stories as being adventurous and exciting, but Dale Cramer knows how to do it. From bandits to forbidden love, The Captive Heart isn't a book to be put down. I held my breath through the whole novel, waiting to see what would happen next. Cramer made it interesting to, in that many in this particular Amish village are struggling with their belief that violence, even to defend oneself, is a sin. It's an interesting subject and I look forward to the next installment already!

One Thousand Gifts: 1-24

noreply@blogger.com (Barb J.) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 11:00:00 +0000

This year I have decided to pay more attention to the theme of my blog - living a life of contentent. It's not an easy task to be content with your life. In an effort to do so, I have decided to join Ann Voskamp, author of "One Thousand Gifts", in counting 1,000 gifts (or blessings) from God. It is my belief that anyone who has been given 1,000 gifts can not help but be content with life. Counting one thousand gifts in a year equals out to about three per day. So without further ado, here are the gifts I have counted this week:


A little boy's excitement at receiving a gift from Mawmaw

2. The concept of new beginnings that comes with a new year.

3. The relief of finally telling the blog world why my husband isn't around right now.

The bond between a boy and his dog.

5. Finding a long lost sister on Facebook

6. Friends who pray for me

My two adorable autistic nieces, and the love they share with my boys.

8. Hugs from my 16-year-old son, who has to bend down to hug me now.

9. The anticipation of knowing we are very close to moving into a home of our own.

A little boy and his Teddy.

11. A sweet hymn sung in church last week that focuses on hope.

12. To-do lists that keep me sane.

A fat, soft, furry cat that will let me hug him every now and then.

14. The opportunity to forgive others as I have been forgiven.

15. Fresh starts

Good friends who make sacrifices for me.

17. The smell of fresh ink on a brand new book.

18. A heating pad to bring warm release to tired back muscles.

The innocence of a children's Christmas pageant.

20. Spell check.

21. Good books that I can't put down.

A Christian couple who is always willing to take in strays like me.

23. Those quiet moments after all the kids fall asleep.

24. A tomorrow that is always fresh, with no mistakes in it.

Sunday Scriptures: Forgiving Others

noreply@blogger.com (Barb J.) — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 20:35:00 +0000

Today is Sunday, which means we went to see Hubby. Visitation at the prison is never fun, but it's something we will always do as long as we are able. Sometimes it's just me, sometimes it me and kids, sometimes it's me and Hubby's mother... but it's always me. I can't send him money to help buy his toiletries, and I can't send him books, etc. to read all the time. All I can do is visit and write letters.

Usually I go on Sunday afternoons, but this morning I had to wake the kids up and start getting them ready before 6 a.m. You have to call to make an appointment two weeks in advance, and if you are unable to do that and end up calling one week and three days in advance, like I did this week, you don't get the time you want. The prison we visit offers Sunday visatation at two early morning times and two afternoon times. This time, the earliest morning appointment was the only time slot they still had available, as they limit the number of visiting families.

And so it was that the boys were rather irritable this morning. I am thankful that we have had a mild winter so far, as the heat in our old van doesn't work. But it's still cold very early in the morning, hence the boys' need to bundle up in blankets on the way up there.

Anyway, what I really wanted to talk about this morning is the why behind our forgiveness of Hubby's sin that landed him where he is today. It is because I believe that Jesus died in order that my sins may be forgiven, and I am obligated to forgive others as I have been forgiven. It says it all right here:

"The punishment inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient. Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him." 2 Corinthians 2:6-8 (NIV)

Hubby has accepted his punishment by the "majority." And the bible deems it sufficient. As the verse says, there is no reason for his family to punish him as well. Even though we have forgiven him, he is still often "overwhelmed by excessive sorrow." He loves seeing his boys, but often times his eyes fill when tears when they wrap their arms around him in a hug. He tries, for our sake, to remain stoic and strong, but you can't be married to a man for 17 years without learning the difference between allergy tears and tears of sorrow.

Most Christians understand about forgiving, but some will never understand. "I know we should be forgiving, but I just can't," is a common refrain from people who have never even met Hubby, or from those who have met him and can't offer forgiveness for his repentance. Lest you think the verse above is the only bible verse that talks about this, I'll leave you with some more.

Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. Colossains 3:13

And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” Mark 11:25

“Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Luke 6:37

Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying ‘I repent,’ you must forgive them.” Luke 17:4

Book review:: The Maid of Fairbourne Hall

noreply@blogger.com (Barb J.) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 23:37:00 +0000

The Maid of Fairbourne Hall Bethany House (January 1, 2012) by Julie Klassen

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Julie worked in publishing for sixteen years (first in advertising, then as a fiction editor) and now writes full time. Two of her books, The Girl in the Gatehouse and The Silent Governess won the Christy Award for Historical Romance. The Girl in the Gatehouse also won a Midwest Book Award and The Silent Governess was a finalist in Romance Writers of America's RITA awards.

She graduated from the University of Illinois and enjoys travel, research, BBC period dramas, long hikes, short naps, and coffee with friends. Julie and her husband have two sons and live near St. Paul, Minnesota.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Pampered Margaret Macy flees London in disguise to escape pressure to marry a dishonorable man. With no money and nowhere else to go, she takes a position as a housemaid in the home of Nathaniel Upchurch, a suitor she once rejected in hopes of winning his dashing brother. Praying no one will recognize her, Margaret fumbles through the first real work of her life. If she can last until her next birthday, she will gain an inheritance from a spinster aunt--and sweet independence. But can she remain hidden as a servant even when prying eyes visit Fairbourne Hall?

Observing both brothers as an "invisible" servant, Margaret learns she may have misjudged Nathaniel. Is it too late to rekindle his admiration? And when one of the family is nearly killed, Margaret alone discovers who was responsible. Should she come forward, even at the risk of her reputation and perhaps her life? And can she avoid an obvious trap meant to force her from hiding?

On her journey from wellborn lady to servant to uncertain future, Margaret must learn to look past appearances and find the true meaning of "serve one another in love."

If you would like to read the first chapter of The Maid of Fairbourne Hall, go HERE

MY REVIEW: Margaret was a spoiled, rich girl when this novel started. She didn't even notice those around her that she considered below herself. The Margaret Macy at the beginning of the book was not someone I would have liked in real life.

But like all women, eventually Margaret had to make a hard decision. And when she did, she had to create a new life for herself. This is where I began to see myself in Margaret. One of the marks of a good novel is being able to put yourself in the character's shoes, and I found myself understanding what this character was going through.

Like Maragaret, the actions of another forced me to make hard decisions. And while we were never rich (just middle class), I had to learn to be "poor." I am learning yet. There are some hard lessons, but good ones, to be learned from having to adopt a new lifestyle. Margaret learned her lessons, and God rewarded her in the end, with love and with a return to her previous life. It gives me hope.

noreply@blogger.com (Barb J.) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 16:41:00 +0000

The Daily Buzz had a post a while back ago entitled "25 Clever Ideas to Make Life Easier." I got some really great ideas from the article, like this:

A great space saving idea in the house...

And a space saving idea for outside, as well...

So long, Christmas!

noreply@blogger.com (Barb J.) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 02:03:00 +0000

The boys open gifts from their paternal grandmother.

On Christmas Eve, I drove the kids a couple of hours to their grandmother's house, above. On the way home, we stopped at my little brother's house, below.

The boys pose with their cousins.

My brother and I still enjoy getting together on a regular basis.

On Christmas morning, the kids opened their gifts from me, below. I think I used more wrapping paper than gift bags this year, and it shows! Two families can make quite a mess at Christmas!

What a mess!

noreply@blogger.com (Barb J.) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 04:43:00 +0000

I think the week before Christmas has always been a stressful one, but this one really takes the cake. I'm still trying to get used to doing the holidays without Hubby, which is hard in itself. But check out Justin's yellow eye and huge, swollen nose.

Let me see how I can explain this nicely. Justin's friend (who, by the way, has about 100 pounds on Justin) walked into the room when Justin was playing with the friend's little brother. The "friend" said he thought Justin had taken his brother's toy from him, so... he "jumped" Justin. To make a long story short, Justin and I spent a few hours in the emergency room and the end result of the whole situation is that Justin has a broken nose... just in time for all the Christmas photos.

This is a hard one for me. Like any mama bear, I don't like it when someone hurts my children, especially without any kind of cause. I am struggling to be forgiving. Justin, on the other hand, is one of the most forgiving people I know. He came back from the emergency room that night and acted completely normal to his friend, like nothing ever happened. It does bring to mind the old saying, though... with friends like that, who needs enemies? As you can see, I need to spend some time in prayer asking for help with forgiving. I guess if I can forgive my husband, I can forgive most anything. Actually, we were talking about forgiveness in bible study yesterday. Forgiveness is a conscious decision - a state of mind. You have to do it. It doesn't always happen overnight, though, that's for sure.

Also, just in time for Christmas photos... While I was at work today, Adam decided to take a pair of scissors and cut his own hair. Hmmm, I don't think the bangs are quite even. What do you think?

Mercies in disguise

noreply@blogger.com (Barb J.) — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 21:38:00 +0000

I really love this song by Laura Story. It's talks about the possibly of how our blessings and mercies can actually come out the hard times in our lives, instead of the easy times.

I was driving home from work one day feeling sorry for myself and my situation when I heard this song on the radio. It was just another reminder to be content with my life - no matter what it brings.

The words to the chorus are:

Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops 
What if Your healing comes through tears 
What if a thousand sleepless nights  
Are what it takes to know You're near 
What if trials of this life are
Your mercies in disguise

noreply@blogger.com (Barb J.) — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 03:33:00 +0000

This will be our second Christmas with no home to call our own. But no matter how impatient I get for God to answer my prayers in my own time, I never take for granted certain blessings He has given me. God has allowed me to spend a lifetime mothering two boys. Trying, with His help, to mold them into the great Christian men I hope they will become.

When I put my little boy to bed every night, covering him up, making sure he is "snug as a bug in a rug," and kissing his cheek, I am reminded of how very blessed I am.

As usual, Adam is very excited about Christmas. Sometimes I let him fall asleep while listening to a CD or tape of nature sounds or classical music. Tonight, he asked if he could fall asleep while listening to Christmas music. I didn't want him to get all hyped up, so I found an old cassette tape of Christmas songs by Frank Sinatra.

It was so sweet watching him fall asleep with his Christmas hat on his head, his teddy bear tucked into his arms, and the scratchy sounds of old blue eyes crooning "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear."

Moving to a new prison

noreply@blogger.com (Barb J.) — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 02:33:00 +0000

Last week Hubby was moved to a different prison. He went from a maximum security to a medium security. He was only at the maximum camp for 10 months - actually, he has been on a waiting list for a medium spot for several months now.

I guess for security reasons, they never tell either the inmate or the family exactly when or where they are moving. I've known since he went on the waiting list that I could show up for visitation one day and he just wouldn't be there anymore.

Two days ago, I got a call. They had packed him up at 5 a.m. that morning and moved him. We thank God that he moved to a prison in the same city as the one he was already in. I used to drive nearly two hours one way to see him every week. Then he was moved for a short time somewhere even farther away and I didn't get to visit at all. Then he was moved to the maximum security prison that he was in until a couple of days ago. That prison is only about 35 minutes from me, so I am able to visit every week.

The new prison is actually right next door to the one he was in. They literally could have walked him over there. Instead, they bused him three hours away to some kind of central processing place and then bused him back. How much sense does that make? I wonder how much taxpayer money they used (in gas for the bus and wages for the guards and driver) to do that? That's the government for you, I guess. Using taxpayer money efficiently just wasn't on the agenda.

It takes a village to find a lost dog

noreply@blogger.com (Barb J.) — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 00:03:00 +0000

I'm not really choking her. I'm just so happy to have her back safe and sound!

We've always been "animal people," meaning, in part, that our animals have always been part of our family. Although nothing could ever replace our children, or course, our three dogs and two cats are a huge part of our family. Which is why we were devastated this week when one of dogs went missing.

It was as simple as going to church Sunday night and saying goodbye to Gracie, then coming home a little over an hour later and realizing she was REALLY gone. Her gate was wide open, so I can only assume that the Nancy's 4-year-old let her out. But that wasn't really the problem. Gracie has gotten out a lot of times - we went through a period of time when she wouldn't stop chewing through the wire of the fence. She always sat at the back door until someone noticed her and let her in. She never had any inclination to go visit a neighboring dog or explore the acres of woods that surround the house.

But this is deer hunting season, and Sunday is a prime hunting day. Last Sunday, the hunters were really close to the house, and their shots sounded really loud as they echoed through the trees. And Gracie has always been "gun-shy." I believe that she may have been sitting at the back door waiting for someone to notice her when the hunters started firing (Ronnie and the teen boys heard them from inside the house). I know from experience that a sudden, loud, noise like a gunshot will make Gracie bolt.

Over the next four days, Nancy, Ronnie and I spent hours upon hours combing the woods behind the house and putting up posters all over the town and even into the next state (we live close to the border). I spent a lot of money on gas and followed up on lead after lead as people called in to say they thought they had spotted her.

Wednesday evening we had 200 "lost dog" fliers made, and Thursday morning Nancy and I spent a few hours going door to door asking people if they had seen Gracie and giving them a flyer.

Our prayers were answered late Thursday afternoon, when a young woman from church happened to driving down our street about 1/4 mile down the road from us and spotted Gracie in the woods. She had never seen Gracie before, but recognized her from the fliers I had handed out at church Wednesday night. I was out of town, but Nancy and my niece went immediately to start searching the woods. However, it's almost impossible to say where exactly in the woods you saw something, unless you mark a tree with a big red "x" or something. Luckily, the woman came back and pointed out the exact spot, and my niece was able to find Gracie without any more trouble.

Poor Gracie, who was already a shy dog, was curled in a ball, shaking from head to two. She was very subdued after we brought her home. She has lost a few pounds and was extremely thirsty. She kept drinking water every little bit for the rest of the night.

Normally, Gracie stays outside and we bring her in twice a day (for about an hour at a time) to eat and socialize. But for now, she's inside full-time - at least until our nerves calm down and I get a lock for that gate.

We didn't need any more losses in our lives, and are thanking God for blessing us with Gracie's safe return. Nancy and Ronnie were really great about helping make and hang posters and providing emotional support, too. Our bible study group prayed for Gracie Wednesday night. And of course, I had to take a "thank you" pie and brownies to Nezzie, whose sharp eyes spotted Gracie, and her mother, Lisa, who ran in her socks through the rain to get to our front door and bang on it to let us know Nezzie had seen Gracie.

When it comes to finding a scared, lost, dog... it really does take a village.

Yes, I am making "kissy faces!"

noreply@blogger.com (Barb J.) — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 02:27:00 +0000

For one of our Five In a Row unit studies, we have been "rowing" the book "The Raft," by Jim LaMarche.

So yesterday I drove the boys to the river, so Adam could see the kind of river that the boy in the book may have spent his summer days playing in.

It had rained all morning, so it was cold and muddy when we went that afternoon, but we still had fun. We didn't do anything but explore and see what we could find.

Adam found this humongous leaf, which he carried around the rest of the time we were there. He started referring to it as "the leaf of all leaves," and even brought it back to show Nancy's little boy, Hunter. Adam was also enthralled with the tree below, which grew sideways and had other little trees growing out of it.

The boys had fun exploring the river and surrounding forest together.

We were all captivated by the changing colors in this perfect vine.

Despite the cool weather, we had a good time as a family, and it didn't cost a thing. As an added bonus, Justin found a good fishing spot, below, that we can return to next spring.

Trick or Treat on Main St.

noreply@blogger.com (Barb J.) — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 21:14:00 +0000

Yesterday was Halloween, so I got home from work as quickly as possible so I could take the boys trick or treating. My oldest boy put a mask on with his sweatshirt and headed to the small family graveyard, which now lies just feet from our home, so I could take his picture. When you're a 16-year-old boy, you want to be scary. Justin and I both decided he was too old to trick or treat, though, so he didn't wear his mask or anything when we went out.

Justin and I took Adam down to Main St., where many of the houses are more like old southern plantation homes.


Some of the houses really get into Halloween with fake graveyards and the like.

Some of the houses have big, wooded yards.

My little ninja.

Review: My First Hands-On Bible

noreply@blogger.com (Barb J.) — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 03:05:00 +0000

My youngest has been wanting his own bible for a while, so I was more than happy to try the "My First Hands-On Bible." Now, keep in mind that this bible is apparently geared toward preschoolers. The original review request said ages 2-7. Since Adam is 8 years old, but a slow reader, I thought it might still be appropriate for him.

As it turns out, he loved the stories and pictures, but the hands on activities were a little too young for him. They made him feel like a baby. Still, I could see how a preschooler would absolutely love them.

When Adam and I first sat down to read this, he immediately requested that we read the story of Noah and the Ark. "It's my favorite bible story," he explained happily.

I was happy to find that I could turn to the table of contents and there it was, "Noah and the Flood" on page 26. We were able to go right to it. The story was written in the New Living Translation. I appreciated the fact that it came straight from the bible while still being in a translation Adam could understand.

At certain points in the story it would indicate that you should stop and do an activity. For the story of Noah, the activities included rubbing and clapping your hands to sound like rain, asking the child what animals were pictured on the page and what sounds they make, walking like an animal, and rocking back and forth like you were in a boat. A little too babyish for a seven or eight year-old, but perfect for preschool or kindergarten.

I really liked that the stories came with what they called "The Jesus Connection." This is a way parents can help the kids connect the story to Jesus. In the Noah story, the Jesus Connection said, "Noah saved the animals by putting them on the ark and God sent someone to save us - Jesus!" Being able to bring Jesus into the old testament is helpful for kids and adults alike, I believe.

At the end of each story, there are suggestions for other things you can do, like playing safari and looking for animals who might have been on the ark, or playing with a boat during bath time and pretending it's an ark.

Each story also includes a "Let's Talk" section,which was helpful even for older kids. In the Noah story, it indicated we should talk about something that is hard for the child to do (like building an ark while everyone made fun of him was hard for Noah to do).

I think "My First Hands-On Bible" is perfect for preschoolers and kindergartners and would make a great bible curriculum for homeschool or even a Sunday School class. Adam and I will continue to use this to read bible stories and make our "Jesus Connections."

"My First Hands-On Bible" is published by Tyndale and sells for $16.99. You can get more information here.

I am a MamaBuzz reviewer and I have been provided a complimentary copy of My First Hands-On Bible for review. I am an honest reviewer. My reviews are my own opinion and are written only by me.

Why I won't leave my (convicted felon) husband

noreply@blogger.com (Barb J.) — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 02:52:00 +0000

The year 2010 started off with quite a bang for us. My family was abruptly and unexpectedly thrown into chaos when my husband was arrested. He made a mistake a year before he was ever arrested, but our sins always catch up with us and his were no exception.

Let me make myself clear and just say this up front, since a lot of people seem to have the wrong impression. I in no way condone what he did and I completely agree that we must all pay the consequences for our actions.

After my husband's arrest, I spent days feeling abandoned by God and refusing to pray. But eventually I found that I could not turn from the Jesus who has always been my rock, and so I started delving into His word in order to decide what to do with myself, my family and our lives.

What I found was that in 1 Corinthians 11:1 Paul said we are to be an imitator of Christ. So who is this Jesus Christ that I am to imitate? My Jesus is the Jesus of the New Testament, who said sin is sin and one sin is not more grievous than another. He is the Jesus who said that lust is the same as adultery and hatred is the same as murder. He is the Jesus who stopped a crowd from meting out justice to a woman being stoned. He is the Jesus who said that heaven rejoices more over one lost sheep who returns to him than 99 righteous ones. Most of all, my Jesus is a Jesus who forgives, who offers salvation to those who repent.

About six or seven months before his arrest, my husband began coming to church with his family regularly instead of sporadically. This began occurring shortly after I saw him on his knees in tears, praying to God for forgiveness. Although I didn’t know what it was about at the time, I truly believe that he was on his way, with God’s help, to becoming a changed person. I won’t bore you with details of nightly family devotions and morning prayers with the children – things that had never been done in our household before – but I will tell you that after much prayer and soul-searching, I have discovered a truth. I have discovered that I, as a Christian and as the “imitator of Christ” that Paul admonished us to become, am obligated to forgive as Jesus has forgiven me for my sins.

I believe the bible to be the infallible word of God, and as such I believe it when it says that every sin – with the exception of blasphemy – can be forgiven if we confess and repent. My husband has confessed, repented and asked for forgiveness – from me, from God, and from everyone who his crime may have affected.

He has asked for my forgiveness not only because of his sin, but because he has inadvertently left me alone with the children in a harsh world. After nearly a year of waiting around in a county jail until the courts had time to deal with him, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Yes, I feel this is rather harsh for his crime. Every day I hear on the news of people who murder or torture others, and get less time. Regardless, he will be paying the consequences for his sin for another eight and a half years, and his children will be forced to grow up without an active father in their lives. Although shocked and saddened beyond belief by this turn of events, I have made the decision not to abandon the man I married 17 years ago, but to support him and show the love and mercy that Christ showed to me and to you.

This has been an unpopular decision, and a decision that many – especially non-Christians – do not understand. I fully expected to be slandered and persecuted - and I have - but God has promised to help me deal with these burdens.

My hope and my prayer was that my friends and family members whom I love and respect would stand beside myself, my children, and the decision I have made in Christian faith. For many, this has not been the case. Some friends and family members dropped me immediatly, but the majority either were - or pretended to be - understanding at first, only to change their minds a year or so down the road. But this is a post for another day.

I would like to leave you with Psalm 51. During a visit with my husband in the county jail before he was sentenced, he told me that this prayer of King David’s had become his own prayer every night. I give this to you from him, so that you may know his heart.

Have mercy on me, O God,
because of your unfailing love.

Because of your great compassion,
blot out the stain of my sins.
Wash me clean from my guilt.
Purify me from my sin.

For I recognize my rebellion;
it haunts me day and night.
Against you, and you alone, have I sinned;
I have done what is evil in your sight.
You will be proved right in what you say,
and your judgment against me is just.

For I was born a sinner—
yes, from the moment my mother conceived me.
But you desire honesty from the womb,
teaching me wisdom even there.

Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
Oh, give me back my joy again;
you have broken me—
now let me rejoice.

Don’t keep looking at my sins.
Remove the stain of my guilt.
Create in me a clean heart, O God.
Renew a loyal spirit within me.

Do not banish me from your presence,
and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and make me willing to obey you.

Then I will teach your ways to rebels,
and they will return to you.
Forgive me for shedding blood, O God who saves;
then I will joyfully sing of your forgiveness.
Unseal my lips, O Lord,
that my mouth may praise you.

You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one.
You do not want a burnt offering.
The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit.
You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.

No more secrets: What really happened when my husband disappeared

noreply@blogger.com (Barb J.) — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 17:02:00 +0000

I'm tired of secrets. I'm tired of hiding things. After much thought, I have decided to tell you, my readers, what happened to my family. I appreciate all the support my readers have given to me, especially in light of the fact that they knew something was wrong but didn't know exactly what.

About a year and a half ago I told you that the children and I had found ourselves suddenly alone and on our own. What I didn't tell you was the reason. In what came as a complete and sudden shock, my husband was arrested and charged with a crime.

My husband's arrest left us alone, scared, and lost. It was like someone had died, yet they hadn't. We were grieving the loss of a husband, father, provider, and more... and yet, we weren't allowed to grieve. Nobody had died, there was no funeral, no friends and family coming by to drop off meals. There was just a sudden and complete loss of our lives as we knew them.

As the months passed, things only got worse. My husband was my family's main provider, and without him, we became impoverished. Attorney's fees, a high mortgage, and just feeding my family took it's toll. We lost our house. We moved in with friends, and though they take care of the higher utility bills I'm sure they have after adding another family, we still scraped by, trying to come up with the funds for gasoline, auto insurance, and hygiene items.

It's been a year and half since my husband was arrested. With God's help, I obtained a part-time job in our new area, and was blessed with an older trailer we can live in, as well as a new church family that is slowly but surely helping to make it livable so we can one day move into it.

In that year and a half that passed, my husband was sentenced for his crime.

I know you are probably curious about the details of this crime, but I'm not going to share them. I'm not going to share them for two reasons. One, to protect my children, who are too young to understand. And two, because it simply doesn't matter.

How can it not matter, you say? This has been painful enough for today. Tomorrow I will continue the tale. I will tell you my thoughts and feelings, the friends and family we loved and lost because of my decisions, and how I hope our life will proceed.

Betty Crocker cookie giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (Barb J.) — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 00:58:00 +0000

My niece makes Betty Crocker Molasses Cookies while my Catahoula Leopard dog observes.

I love fall. It's my favorite season. I love fall food. Pumpkin pies, turkey, stuffing, pecan pies, cranberry sauce.... all those things that we only eat at one time of year. This year, I got to try a new "fall" dessert. Molasses cookies!

Betty Crocker and My Blog Spark sent me a package with Betty Crocker's new Molasses Cookie mix, a cookie sheet, an apron, and a cookie mixing spoon. I have been very busy with work, homeschooling, and trying to remodel the trailer, so my niece was sweet to make them for me.

I really didn't know if I would like molasses cookies or not but I have to say, these were delicious! They were soft, had a good texture, and tasted like a spice cookie. In fact, they tasted homemade. I felt that these were really good cookies to have come from a quick mix.

Betty Crocker is also offering my readers two great opportunities! You can download your own coupon for .75 cents off the mix to use by clicking here.

And you can enter to win the prize pack pictured above - the very same one I received. All you have to do to enter is leave a comment on this post. That's it! I'm all about simplicity!

The winner will be chosen at by random number generator on Sunday, October 30. Good luck!

Field trip to historic Camden

noreply@blogger.com (Barb J.) — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 01:11:00 +0000

Five dollars for a wooden sword from the gift shop and the kid thinks he can hold his brother at sword-point....

A couple of weeks ago my friend Nancy and I took our children to the historic town of Camden, S.C. for a homeschool field trip. Camden was the site of Cornwallis' British compound during the Revolutionary War.

Adam observes some Revolutionary War items on display.

After some excavation was done by archeologists, the town did a good job of restoring and reproducing the site.

Revenge... Justin locks his little brother up.

An old wagon.

An actual canoe used during the war.

Nancy and her boys, my 19-year-old niece, my little Adam, and myself all had a great time and learned a lot. Only 16-year-old Justin was bored to death and didn't enjoy the trip. Teenagers....

Book review: Wonderland Creek

noreply@blogger.com (Barb J.) — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 00:48:00 +0000

Wonderland Creek Bethany House (October 1, 2011) by Lynn Austin

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

For many years, Lynn Austin nurtured a desire to write but frequent travels and the demands of her growing family postponed her career. When her husband's work took Lynn to Bogota, Colombia, for two years, she used the B.A. she'd earned at Southern Connecticut State University to become a teacher. After returning to the U.S., the Austins moved to Anderson, Indiana, Thunder Bay, Ontario, and later to Winnipeg, Manitoba.

It was during the long Canadian winters at home with her children that Lynn made progress on her dream to write, carving out a few hours of writing time each day while her children napped. Lynn credits her early experience of learning to write amid the chaos of family life for her ability to be a productive writer while making sure her family remains her top priority.

Extended family is also very important to Austin, and it was a lively discussion between Lynn, her mother, grandmother (age 98), and daughter concerning the change in women's roles through the generations that sparked the inspiration for her novel Eve's Daughters.

Along with reading, two of Lynn's lifelong passions are history and archaeology. While researching her Biblical fiction series, Chronicles of the Kings, these two interests led her to pursue graduate studies in Biblical Backgrounds and Archaeology through Southwestern Theological Seminary. She and her son traveled to Israel during the summer of 1989 to take part in an archaeological dig at the ancient city of Timnah. This experience contributed to the inspiration for her novel Wings of Refuge.

Lynn resigned from teaching to write full-time in 1992. Since then she has published twelve novels. Five of her historical novels have won Christy Awards in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2008, and 2009 for excellence in Christian Fiction. And two of her inspirational fiction books were chosen by Library Journal for their top picks in 2003, and 2005. One of Lynn's novels has been made into a movie for the Hallmark Channel, starring actress Shirley Jones. Ms Jones received a 2006 Emmy Award nomination for her portrayal of Aunt Batty in the film.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Alice Grace Ripley lives in a dream world, her nose stuck in a book. But happily-ever-after life she's planned on suddenly falls apart when her boyfriend, Gordon, breaks up with her, accusing her of living in a world of fiction instead of the real world. Then to top it off, Alice loses her beloved job at the library because of cutbacks due to the Great Depression.

Fleeing small-town gossip, Alice heads to the mountains of eastern Kentucky to deliver five boxes of donated books to the library in the tiny coal-mining village of Acorn. Dropped off by her relatives, Alice volunteers to stay for two weeks to help the librarian, Leslie McDougal.

But the librarian turns out to be far different than she anticipated--not to mention the four lady librarians who travel to the remote homes to deliver the much-desired books. While Alice is trapped in Acorn against her will, she soon finds that real-life adventure and myster--and especially romance--are far better than her humble dreams could have imagined.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Wonderland Creek, go HERE.

MY REVIEW: I really sympathized with the heroine of "Wonderland Creek." Well, at least in a couple of ways. Alice always has her nose stuck in a book, as have I for most of my life. And Alice moves to a small town that doesn't have the "luxuries" that she always thought of as necessities, as I have recently. Although her attitude toward the country people irritated me at first, I realized that I sometimes have that same attitude. But just like Alice, I have become more and more used to the country, and can even say I love it! As for the book itself (no more talking about me, lol), it got off to a slow start but picked up and kept my attention until the end. Recommended!