Dr. Seusstastic Week!

 

MONDAY:

This week we will be celebrating Dr. Seuss' birthday! With the much anticipated Lorax movie coming Friday, there's even more reason to celebrate. I have been anticipating this week for a while. So where else did I go to get some great ideas… Pinterest!  Oh, the ideas I have found.

We will begin by reading some the classic Dr. Seuss books that we have collected over the years. 

Horton Hears a Who Craft

 Here are some of the ideas I plan on doing with the kiddos this week:

The kiddos are going to have so much fun making these

since their favorite book is Green Eggs and Ham.

Check out these yummy snacks to go along with the book The Cat in the Hat

 

Cotton Candy Cupcakes ~ I'm sure these will be our favorite!

Lorax Unit Study on Friday! 

 

For online fun:  

http://www.seussville.com/ 

http://www.homeschoolshare.com/seuss.php

http://www.homeschoolshare.com/lorax.php 

THURSDAY:

Just a little bit of what we have done:

Green Eggs and Ham

Working on their Cat in the Hat paper

 

Mmm... the best part!

 

 Looking forward to our Lorax Unit Study Tomorrow!

Forget the chocolates and roses!

When I was little I remember decorating that shoebox for all of my friends to drop their valentines in at school. As I got older I couldn't wait to have that special valentine... roses and chocolates and gifts Oh my! Well little did I know, what I would want the most was actually none of those things. 

Jim and I celebrated our very first Valentines Day together at Disneyland.  It was the perfect date. He surprised me with a ruby heart necklace ~ it was beautiful and I loved it! The following year we were happily married.  We had been married for about a month and a half when Jim was sent overseas for a very long six months! So needless to say, it was a very lonely and sad Valentines Day that year. But 15 years later I am still spending every Valentines day with the love of my life. Every Valentine's Day he gives me something ... it's the one thing I absolutely love.. a card! I have saved every card he has given me since we started dating.  Now don't get me wrong, roses and chocolates are nice and I love receiving special gifts but there's just something about his cards/words.  Plus, I like getting all those other things on an unexpected day. The one thing I cherish more than anything is to just spend time with him. Whether it's just sitting on the couch talking and laughing, on a date, at soccer practice or just riding in the car talking... I cherish every minute of it. I was watching all of the people in the store yesterday buying those last minute cards and gifts and thought to myself, you know everyday should be Valentines day! Some people laugh at us sometimes, but Jim and I always find time throughout the day to remind each other that "I Love You MORE" ~  I am so blessed to have a husband who loves me unconditionally. Yes, I am a wee bit older than he is (and he likes to remind me of that) and yes, I have a few wrinkles and definitely look different since that first date, but he still loves me. He is amazing and wonderful! I am blessed to have a husband who  loves us, protects us and is the spiritual leader of our home! I am thankful that he is always encouraging me and making me laugh. I am thankful that God and prayer is and will always be the foundation of our family.  It's no surprise that marriage is under tremendous attack these days. I want the Lord's blessing and protection on my husband everyday. I think it is vital that we pray very specifically for our spouse and shower him with those prayers EVERYDAY. I came across something a few weeks ago that I thought was awesome. It is something I have started and will continue to do...

31 DAYS OF PRAYER FOR YOUR HUSBAND:

1st: That he would become a holy man, a man of prayer, mature in the Lord, growing in his knowledge of the Lord. I Thes 5:23, Col 4:12, Eph 1:18-19, 3:16-19, 6:18. 

2nd: That he would grow into a man of integrity, who works righteousness, speaks truth in his heart, does not slander, does no evil, does not take up reproach against friends, honors those who fear the Lord. Ps 15

3rd: That he would be a man of contentment. Prov 15:16, Phil 4:11, I Tim 6:6-8, and Heb 13:5.

4th: That he would learn to take every thought captive, to not be conformed to the world's thinking, and to think scripturally. Rom 12:2, II Cor 10:5.

5th: That he would daily seek God with all his heart, walking in the Spirit moment by moment, growing in his dependence on Him. Psalm 119:1-2, Prov 3:5-6.

6th: That he would ever be captivated by my love. Prov 5:18-19.

7th: That he would be a man of courage. Deut 31:6, II Chron 19:11.

8th: That the Lord would give him wisdom to lead his family physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. Eph 1:17-19

9th: That he would always look at the plank in his own eye before seeing others' sawdust. 
Matt 7:3

10th: That he would become a called man, not driven, with well thought through and prayed through goals in life. I Cor 9:24-27

11th: That he would be a man of prayer, guarding his heart and mind, puting into practice what he has heard, seen, and learned. Phil 4:4-9

12th: That he would stand firm against the schemes of the devil and resist Satan in all circumstances. Eph 6:10-18, James 4:7

13th: That he would grow in spiritual maturity by putting away childish things, cultivating, understanding, striving after the Christ ideal, partaking of the deeper truths of the gospel and overcoming daily temptation. I Cor 13:11, 14:20, Eph 4:13, Heb 5:14, I John 2:14

14th: That he would be cleansed by the word. Eph 5:26

15th: That he would learn to not depend on his circumstances for happiness but on God alone. Heb 3:17-19

16th: That he would be a man prepared for spiritual warfare. Eph 6:11-12, I Thes 5:8

17th: That he would have new strength in the midst of his busy schedule, and that the Lord might infuse him with His strength. Is 40:31, Eph 3:14-19

18th: That he would have a burden to see lost people come to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. Matt 28:12-20

19th: That he would be kept from strange women and evil men, and that his friends would be men and women who walk with God. Prov 13:20

20th: That his self-image would be a reflection of the Lord's thoughts toward him. Eph 1:17-19, Rom 12:3, Psalm 139

21st: That he would be a man responsible for family spiritual growth. Prov 4:1-14

22nd: That he would not be deceived into unbelief, sin, or bitterness. Matt 13:8-10

23rd: That he would learn to love as God has commanded. I Cor 13:4-7, Rom 12:8-10, Eph 5:25

24th: That the fruit of the Spirit would be exhibited more and more in his life. Gal 5:22-23

25th: That he would grow in humility and in being a shepherd. I Pet 5:2-6

26th: That he might grow daily in character. II Pet 1:5-8

27th: That he might keep a clear conscience. I Pet 3:16-18

28th: That the Lord would protect him, guarding his course. Prov 2:8

29th: That he would manage his time well. Eph 5:15

30th: That the Lord would put a song in his heart. Psalm 33:3, 40:3, Job 35:10

31st: That he would have a holy fear of God. Psalm 34:11, 111:10, Prov 9:10

Love of God

It has been a long two weeks. The hubby is in California and the kids and I miss him terribly. I love my husband more and more everyday. Last night the Lord reminded me that His love is greater than the love I have for my husband and my family!  The whole concept of being loved with an EVERLASTING love is one that reaches far beyond my comprehension.

"I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have drawn you with loving-kindness"

 Jeremiah 31:3

Everlasting?? I just can't imagine being loved that way and for that long? You know, we are so quick to be unloving to each other because our love often comes with conditions, but His love is not limited by the boundaries of human love, it is exempt from conditions and loves unconditionally. I am thankful that even when I fail God He keeps on loving me. There is no way that my love can compare with the love of God. One of my favorite hymns we used to sing when I was little was about the love of God.

The love of God is greater far
Than tongue or pen can ever tell;
It goes beyond the highest star,
And reaches to the lowest hell;
The guilty pair, bowed down with care,
God gave His Son to win;
His erring child He reconciled,
And pardoned from his sin. 

Oh, love of God, how rich and pure!
How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure

the saints’ and angels’ song.

Could we with ink the ocean fill,

And were the skies of parchment made,
Were every stalk on earth a quill,
And every man a scribe by trade;
To write the love of God above
Would drain the ocean dry;
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
Though stretched from sky to sky.

To write the love of God above would drain the ocean dry!  The words to this song are amazing. The Love of God is rich and pure, is measureless and strong and it shall endure forever and ever! The Love of God is a place where we can all find love and acceptance, it is a place where we can come and hide away from all those things that overwhelm our hearts. God's word tells us that He first loved us; He has drawn us with His everlasting kindness!  God reached down to me and first loved me - that my friend is AWESOME!  His love is eternal!

 

Prayer

 "And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.”

Matthew 21:22

I read an article this week about Seven Ways to Keep Your Home Strong. Of course, it didn't surprise me to see what was #1: PRAYER ~ A family that prays together stays together! The Lord blessed me with Godly parents who taught me and my sisters how to pray. One of my most treasured memories as a child was when my parents prayed with me and my sisters. Today, I am very grateful to be married to a Godly husband who encourages his family to do the same. One of our favorite times with our kids is praying with them. Together, we pray before meals, together we pray with them every night before they go to bed; praying with them, for them and for us as a family. But we wanted them to establish a place and set aside a specific time, preferably in the morning, to specifically pray for the special people in their life.

This is a picture of our friends from Oklahoma... We have adopted them into our family!

My husband has encouraged them to begin with scripture, journal and then pray. The kids kept notes in their prayer journal but I felt like they, especially my youngest,  needed something  tangible for their personal  prayer time.  Thanks to pinterest, I was inspired to make photo prayer cards. So this week each of the kids have personalized their very own .

Carson Newman Mens Soccer Team

 

They have chosen different people to pray for. For example, Michaelah sets aside a certain day each week to pray for the Carson Newman Men Soccer Team, her youth leaders, her friends and soccer coaches and teammates. James and Katie have also personalized their cards with special friends, our pastor, missionaries and family members. Each of them will also pray for our country and its leaders. We laminated them so they will be able to journal requests, and answered prayers behind each card.  How awesome it will be for them to look at their prayer cards and journals years from now and read how God has answered their prayers and how He is continuing to bless them.  
 

There are times when our home gets pretty crazy and sometimes it's a bit messy but I pray that our home will always be a dwelling place for the Lord.

Mom and Dad... "Papa and Grandma"

Praise You in This Storm

Psalms 32:7-9

You are my hiding place from every storm of life; You even keep me from getting into trouble! You surround me with songs of victory. 
I will instruct you (says the Lord) and guide you along the best pathway for your life; 
I will advise you and watch your progress.

I love when God speaks to me through scripture. This morning I am praising the Lord for His unconditional love and His presence in my life. I am thankful that he is guiding, leading and instructing me as I walk through this crazy thing called life. I know that trials are all part of the journey but it seems like just when I am on the mountaintop, Satan creeps in and tries to use circumstances to steal my joy and weigh my spirit down. But one of the most wonderful things I have come to experience as a child of God is knowing that, through the storm, all I have to do is be still and He will fight for me ~ Exodus 14:14 "The LORD will fight for you while you keep silent."  Keep silent? Now how difficult is that?  This morning I am reminded that as a child of God there is no need to worry or fret because I am safely held in the palm of my Master's hand. I am reminded of a song by Bill Harvey, a good old friend of mine who is now with the Lord - (I can't wait to see Him in heaven). He wrote this song: Fret not, He’s watching over you. Fret not; the Lord will see you through. Fret not; you’re sure to stand the test. Commit and trust – delight and rest.”  Wow, the Lord WILL see you through and you're sure to stand the test! Whether it be a fear, or a burden, or a worry, or a care.. whether it be one of those things about the past that we can't change.. whether it be one of those untrue criticisms by others...whether it be a concern about a health issue ... whether it be a real problem or an imagined problem.. FRET NOT!! Just commit, trust, delight and rest - Psalm 37.  The truth is, I serve a God who remains the same even when the storms rage. Sometimes God calms the storm and sometimes He lets it rage and calms His child. I believe trials come our way so that we can learn wisdom, become stronger, and experience true joy. There will come a day when the storm will be just a memory and a remembrance of how God was faithful to bring you through it. He is the Author and Finisher of all life.... there is nothing out of His control...  Let not your heart be troubled for God is with you and the love of God will never fail you - Praise the Lord! I am so thankful to be a child of His. I am thankful that I can smile today because HE is my hiding place from every storm in life and because of that I can praise HIM in this storm.

Psalm 107:28-30 

"Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and He delivered them from their distress. He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed. Then they were glad that the waters were quiet, and he brought them to their desired haven."

Healing is in your hands...

A year ago this week, the doctors told me that I had renal cell carcinoma.. My specialist was 90% sure it was cancer so no biopsy was ordered. Because of the location and size of the mass a nephrectomy had to be done. It was in those moments of complete brokenness and pain that I experienced the presence of God like never before. In Psalm 34:18 the Lord he is near to the brokenhearted. This verse became so real in my life. The Lord used so many people to encourage me. I have a shoe box full of prayer cards and it is so awesome to sit back and read them today. I can't even describe how it felt to have so many people praying for me. During this time, I was most thankful for my husband. He was my biggest source of comfort and encouragement. He was the one who saw me at my worst. It was his shoulder I would cry on and even though he was probably just as worried as I was, he was always there to encourage me and remind me that God's got this!  He always seemed to turn my tears to laughter ~ I know, not a surprise right? After each test we were always told the same thing: cancer. The Lord blessed us with a wonderful christian doctor. After the surgery he told us he had never seen anything like it and we would have to wait for the full pathology report. I remember thinking, is that good or bad? After weeks of recovery we went back to the doctor for the results. Our doctor walked into the room, sat down and looked at us and said with a smile: "You are going to be okay..you are going see your kids grow up.. It was not cancer." They could not find a single cancer cell in this mass! He had seen hundreds of cases like mine and all tests pointed to cancer BUT our God had performed a miracle. Our family experienced the touch of the Master's Hand, the touch from the Great Physician. The most amazing thing was knowing that my children were able to experience the power of prayer. This journey totally changed our outlook on prayer. There is nothing too little or too big for God. Prayer allows us to speak directly to Him and He not only listens but he responds. We are a family who has not only experienced the grace and provision of Christ's love but we have been touched by God in a miraculous way. We are excited to see what the Lord has in store for our family as we continue our journey marked by His GRACE... because His Grace IS sufficient! His grace is never inadequate, nor is it ever depleted. It never spoils and it has no expiration date. So Awesome!!