A few recent pictures

Life has been pretty crazy for me lately, so I haven't been blogging. I thought I'd just post a few recent pictures. Hope you enjoy them. Miss you all. Bear with me, I'm making progress in adjustments, and will try to start blogging and keeping in touch more often then. Until then, keep me in your prayers, and I'll keep you in mine. Thanks! Sheree

Sarah and I are learning to crochet. My Grandma crocheted beautiful afghans (and other things). Here's one of my favorite afghans my Grandma made for me. We've got a long way to go, but at least we've begun! Here's a simple chain stitch.

A single crochet stitch. Did I mention we have a long ways to go?!

Sarah in the snow last week (about a half hour away from here where my toy demo was).

A beautiful picture Sarah took at the park.

Andrew. He made a new bow out of that one. Yes, it works!

Sarah and Doug at the park.

Me before the toy promotion. Don't I look festive? I actually had alot of fun!

My sweet little pirate!

Refined As Silver

"Refining us as pure silver"
Article and exhortation from an un-know author.

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There was a group of women in a Bible study on the book of Malachi. As they were studying chapter three, they came cross verse three which says: "He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver."
This verse puzzled the women and they wondered what his statement meant about the character and nature of God. One of the women offered to find out about the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible study.
That week this woman called up a silver smith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about the reason for her interest in silver beyond her curiosity about the process of refining silver. As she watched the silver smith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest so as to burn away all the impurities.
The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot -- then she thought again about the verse, that he sits as a refiner and purifier of silver. She asked the silver smith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined. The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left even a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed.
The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silver smith, "How do you know when the silver is fully refined?" He smiled at her and answered, "Oh, that's easy--when I see my image in it."
This story is especially meaningful to those of us who may be in the hottest part of the flame right now. To know that God has! his eyes fixed on those he is refining and cannot be distracted is most comforting! Nothing that happens in your life goes unnoticed by the Father.....most comforting. He is aware of all and guess what? He's on your side!!
The fruits of the Spirit are love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, meekness, temperance and faithfulness. We are told that the mark of a true Christian does not lie in his works, but that we will know them by their fruit! Here we must also remember that this is HIS fruit, not ours.....the fruit of the Spirit....that word is capitalized in the Bible....His Spirit.....through us....to others.
What an awesome responsibility that is! Whenever I find myself in the "hottest flame," I just instinctively look at the "fruit" list...."What fruit is my Lord trying to bring forth in me now?" Every day He presents to me situations that require me to be gentle.....kind.....patient, etc. I've gotten to where I look for them now and rejoice when they come! I'm sure we've all at some time or another asked the question, "Why do bad things happen to good people?" or more specifically "God's people?" I don't ask anymore....I just know.
How else can He perfect in us the fruit of the Spirit unless obstacles are presented? Sometimes it's in small ways, but very powerful; sometimes in much deeper ways....painful even. It's during these times I hope you will remember one thing from this devotional today.... "How do you know when the silver is fully refined?" He smiled at her and answered, "Oh, that's easy--when I see my image in it."

His Way Or My Way?

Yes, I'll have to admit it, I have my own plan. Well, I try not to be selfish about it. I'm just trying to help God out. He's rather busy, after all. ;o) I have a dream in mind of how I'd like things to turn out. I like my plan. I think it's pretty good. There's only one problem. It's MY plan. My plan is NOT God's plan.

When I make my plan, it usually is made with my own comfort in mind. I don't like to be uncomfortable. I want what I want, when I want it, how I want it. Can you hear me singing, "Don't care how, I want it now!" like spoiled Veruca in "Charlie and The Chocolate Factory"?

What? Me? Likened to that ... that spoiled, manipulative, demanding girl. I'm horrified by her when I watch the movie. (gulp) Do I sometimes sound just like her when I pray for MY way, or when I tell God how *I* think things should turn out? Is God just as horrified when I bring my "demands" to him?! (GULP)

Isaiah 55:8-9 (NIV) "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD."9 "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

I KNOW that God's ways are better than mine! I have NO doubt of it. I can mess things up incredibly, even with good intentions. I have to admit though, I'd like to try being "Bruce Almighty" for a day. There would be alot more lightening strikes if I was in charge. :o) I know you're all glad that I'm not running the world, so am I! My head knows that God's way are MUCH better than mine, but my selfish side still wants MY way. How do I reconcile that?

I choose to die to my own desires. I choose to DIE to me, so I may live in Christ. I become a useful vesself for HIS purposes. I make a choice, knowing that HIS way is THE BEST way. My way will not produce the life and the testimony that God wants. My way is not planned out to impact all God has planned for HIS purposes. I am looking for comfort. God is looking for character. He wants to develop character in me that will be beneficial to His kingdom. Character developement is painful. When God is pruning me, I have a new empathy for my children, as I try to work on their character developement. Ouch! It hurts.

As much as I want my own comfort, I truely want more for Christ's purposes in my life to be fulfilled. That requires dying to my own desires, my own plans, and submitting myself to His ways. I am reminded of the example of a cross stitch piece in the making. The back of it looks like such a mess, no order, just a big mix up of many colors. My life often looks the the backside of a cross stitch piece! It doesn't make sense, it doesn't look like it's working out well.But, when you see the front, you get the whole picture, the completed project. And, the completed project is beautiful! It has a purpose. Each one of those strings has been planned meticulously and placed just so in order to create something beautiful. I can rest assured that God truely is working all things together for good!

I have to share my favorite verse (again) : Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

God knows every detail of my life. He knows what tomorrow holds. He knows every intricate detail. Can I trust Him? ABSOLUTELY!!

This song was played at church on Sunday. I hope you enjoy it. I make it my prayer tonight.

Trials

Who wants them? None of us! Who gets them? ALL of us! How are you coping with your trials?
I'm going through some trials of my own right now. I don't like trials. I'm tired of trials. I feel like I've already had my fair share. Can you relate? But, they're part of life. We'll never be free of them in this life. God's been teaching me alot in the midst of them. I'll share a bit with you. Please share with me what God is teaching you as well.
Here's a quote from a book I read recently. The book is called, "Sandpebbles" by Patricia Hickman.
" 'It's hard to imagine that God gives us pain as a gift. Doesn't seem the least bit fathomable at first. But, it's like getting a new pair of glasses. You see life a little more clearly. Certainly you feel a lot closer to heaven,' she said."
Isn't it amazing the way God speaks to us? God has spoken to me so many times in just the past week. I enjoy it often, and yet each time it happens, I'm amazed. The God of the universe loves me, individually and personally! I get overwhelmed at times just trying to meet the needs of four children, I know I miss details. But, God doesn't! He has SOOO many children, and He sees and cares about EVERY detail of our lives. WOW! He sees every tear, knows every struggle, and meets every need, no matter how large or small.
That little above quote was yet another way God spoke to me in the past week. Pain is God's GIFT to me. Gift?! Which of us as parents wants to give our children pain?! And yet, we let our children suffer pain in order to learn lessons, don't we? Not because we don't love them, but because we DO!
I've been focusing on the following verses lately:

II Corinthians 12:7-10 (The Message) " Because of the extravagance of those revelations, and so I wouldn't get a big head, I was given the gift of a handicap to keep me in constant touch with my limitations. Satan's angel did his best to get me down; what he in fact did was push me to my knees. No danger then of walking around high and mighty! At first I didn't think of it as a gift, and begged God to remove it. Three times I did that, and then he told me, My grace is enough; it's all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness.Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ's strength moving in on my weakness. Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size—abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become."

Oh how very powerful these words are! I'm still working at grasping them. But, I think they are sinking in. When I feel weakest, I'm truely strong, because I give up all self effort, and lean on the Lord. Then, I am truely strong, because I'm tapping into THE power source!
In Acts 13 when the church at Antioch needed direction, do you know what they did? They worshipped the Lord, fasted, and waited for guidance. Wow! Simple, but profound. When I need guidance, I tend to want to read every book on the subject, talk to people who have experience, etc. I have grown in that area, and I am much more dependent on the Lord than I used to be. But, I still need to grow more. Only God Himself can intervene in our situations. Other can offer suggestions, pray and even offer some practical help at times, but ONLY God can intervene and work in whatever we are going through. We don't need to read every book on the subject of our trials, we don't need to talk about it more and more, we don't need to __________ (fill in the blank with whatever you do to fix it yourself!), we need to press in close and worship and fast and LISTEN for GOD'S guidance.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not knocking getting support. Not at all! I'm so blessed to have family and friends who are there for me during trials. I couldn't make it without them. God placed us among the body of Christ for support and encouragement. But, again, only God knows every detail and can DO SOMETHING about our situations.
We can even rejoice in our trials. I rejoice in the fact that God is my anchor, my very present help in times of trouble. My heart breaks for those who don't have the Lord. No wonder so many turn to addictions of many kinds. We all need hope! One of my favorites verses is Jeremiah 29:11. You'll see it to the right at the top of my blog. Whatever trials we are facing, we can be assured that they are to prosper us and give us hope and a future. The trials I have been through in the past have grown me tremendously! I have been able to bless others who are now in the midst of those same trials.
Don't waste your trials. As you struggle through them, and God gives you insights, share them! There are others who need to hear the lessons you have learned. God is using your life to bless others. EVERY one of us has a purpose. I have been so blessed to hear others share with me thier life stories, the trials they have come through and the lessons they have learned. I am willing to share mine so that others can be encouraged as well. Rejoicing always, Sheree

Shopping With Children, You Have To Read This!

This is the funniest thing I've seen on ebay! I'm having trouble when posting the link, so take a moment to search for 955thefish.com. When you locate it, on the right hand side of the page you'll see "Website of the Day" and click on it. Go down the list until you see "Funny Ebay Auction". It's worth the little trouble of finding it, trust me!

Read it and see if you can relate. It sure brought back memories of the lectures and escapades I had when my kids were all little. If you have younger children and haven't experienced this type of pleasure yet, start practicing the rules of shopping now. It's never too soon. And, prepare yourself for adventures. Let me know what you think!

Beautiful Fall Days

Yesterday was such a gorgeous day that after church we stopped to have a picnic. Then we decided to go to the nature center and walk the the surrounding trails. It was a spur of the moment picnic, so we picked up fast food. I cook from scratch and am not a fast food fan, but the kids enjoyed it. Have you seen the two headed turtle in the news? Pretty cool, huh?

Bet you didn't know I had my own, did ya?! :o)

Anyone have a good exterminator?

Beautiful Fall Leaves

Stairway to Heaven (or pretty close!)

Yes, we climbed it. Yes, I pulled a muscle. Yes, I'm limping today. Hoping I'll have angel escorts when it my time to head to heaven, cuz I don't think I'll be tackling those stairs again for a while! :o) You can see for miles from the top, which we didn't *quite* make it to as the younger two are afraid of heights!

Andrew and Sarah in their "backyard". That's what we've always called the zoo and nature centers as we spend so much time there. Get out and enjoy the fall weather while you can. Before you know it, dare I say it, winter will be upon us! And ... you know what that means.

A Quote

I read this quote today in a cookbook and it made me think of my last post. Thought I'd add it here.

My Father's way may twist and turn
My heart may throb and ache,
But in my soul I'm glad I know
He maketh no mistake. (Overton)

Roller Coaster Ride of Life

Do you ever feel in life like you're sitting at the top of the ride you see here?! Have you ever thought about how much life is like a rollercoaster? You just never know what twists and turns are coming up next. Just when you think things are reaching a straight and calmer path, you start heading up a hill again. You're not sure if when you get to the top you will be headed downward, looping around, or sent hanging upside down! There are so many unpredictables in life. There are no guarantees, except for one: "I will never leave you or forsake you."
When my children were toddlers, I remember them often being afraid. Amazingly though, if I would hold their hand, while they were still afraid, it enabled them to conquer their fear enough to accomplish whatever challenge they were up against. They weren't alone, we were in it together! They had me there to walk them through. I am so blessed to have many friends who walk alongside me, reminding me that I don't face lifes challenges alone. They are there to come alongside and support me. THANKS to all of you! I couldn't make it without you.

How can we make it through the ups and downs of life? We are that child on the inside. We look at the challenges we face in life and we are overwhelmed. We wonder how we'll make it through. But, when we reach out for the hands of our friends, it strengthens us. They faithfully stand and point us towards the One who holds our futures. They remind us that He loves us, and He IS in control. While we may still feel fear, we also feel enabled, just knowing we aren't alone.

And, when we turn to the One who does hold our futures, He does for us what no one else can do. He meets our needs in a way that even those who love us dearly can't. No one can intervene in our lives the way He can. While our friends can pray and offer encouragement, taking our needs to Him is so much more important. Only He can move on our behalf. He goes one better than our closests friends. While they hold our hands, He carries us!

And, when we get to the end of the ride, we have the joy of hearing those words we long for, "Well done thou good and faithful servant." Until then we "keep on keepin' on" as my Dad always says. That's a paraphrase of Philippians 3:14 (The Message): I'm not saying I have this all together, that I have it made. But, I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wonderously reached out for me. Friends, don't get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I've got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward-to Jesus. I'm off and running, and I'm not turning back."

Who's with me?! We'll hold each other up along the way!

Harvest Moon

You alone are the LORD. You made the heavens, even the highestheavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is onit, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything,and the multitudes of heaven worship you. -- Nehemiah 9:6 (picture from internet)
We're heading out to the country tonight to observe the Harvest Moon. We've done this before, but it's always fun. We need to get away from the city lights to get the full benefit. You can observe it today, tomorrow and Thursday.

This week we're taking the opportunity to study the moon again. The younger kids will be charting the phases of the moon and putting info in their notebooks. It's a great learning opportunity. We're also going to make "moon pies" to have tonight. This moon always reminds me of a scene in the movie "Bruce Almighty". :o) We don't have a telescope, but we always take the binoculars. Amazing!! Below is a little info from the internet. Enjoy!





"The Harvest Moon is the full moon nearest to the autumnal equinox, which occurs (in the northern hemisphere) on or about September 23rd, and in the southern hemisphere on or about March 21st. Its physical characteristics - rising time, path across the sky - are similar to those of the Hunter's moon.



"It is claimed by some that the Harvest Moon seems to be somehow bigger or brighter or yellower in color than other full moons. This is an illusion. The yellow or golden or orangish or reddish color of the moon shortly after it rises is a physical effect, which stems from the fact that, when you see the moon low in the sky, you are looking at it through a greater amount of atmosphere than when the moon is overhead. The atmosphere scatters the bluish component of white moonlight (which is really reflected sunlight) but allows the reddish component of the light to travel a straighter path to your eyes. Hence all moons (and stars and planets) look reddish when they are low in the sky.
As for the large size of a full moon when seen low in the sky, it is true that the human eye sees a low hanging moon as being larger than one that rides high in the sky. This is known as a Moon Illusion and can be seen with any full moon. It can also be seen with constellations; in other words, a constellation viewed low in the sky will appear bigger than when it is high in the sky."

END QUOTE (source: http://www.wikipedia.com/)

Happy Birthday Jeremy!!

Am I really old enough to have a 17 year old son?! Guess so! Boy the time really does fly. I remember my Mom always telling me to enjoy the kids while they were little because the time goes so fast. At the time all I could think of was, easy for you to say, you're past the little ones stage. :o) But, as usual, Mom was right,and now I find myself telling mom's of younger children the same. The years do fly by! Seems I was just in the hospital holding a ten pound baby boy!


We had fun today. Jeremy woke to birthday greetings on the steps coming up from his room. Andrew is quite the comedian, and each of those papers he created on the computer say, "Merry Christmas" many times over. :o) Jeremy got a kick out of it.

For the past few years Jeremy has requested chicken wings for his birthday dinner. This year was no different. I cooked them in the oven and finished them off on the grill to make them crispy. They were great! He also requested chips and salsa and deviled eggs. He had to remind me to put paprika on the deviled eggs. Here's Jeremy posing for me, what a character! Here's Jeremy with his cheesecake, another of his favorites.That's 17 candles!!Sarah also made this chocolate cake.Finally, here's Jeremy with the little party favors I got just for a joke. I am a very lucky Mom. Jeremy often comes up to me and hugs me while saying (in the voice he uses for talking to the puppy), "Who's a good Mommy?". I am blessed. I love you Jeremy. Happy Birthday!!

Remedy for Burnout (a devotion to share)

I don't know about you all, but sometimes life just catches up with me, and I feel burned out. Friday was one of those burnout days for me. A friend called and wanted me to come out to visit her. They bought a new house and are working on it while still living in the old one. It's in the country, a peaceful place with lots of property away from the noise of the city. I decided to go. After visiting with her a little while, she was leaving to pick up her kids from school and go back home to the old house. She welcomed me to stay out and enjoy the quiet. I took her up on it. (Thanks Alicia!)

I had read the following devotion a couple of days before. I knew it was just the "medicine" I needed. I have to be reminded at times that it's not all on me. All the responsiblities, all the decisions, it can get overwhelming at times. But, when I remember to get away to a quiet place and spend some time with the Lord, I realize it's not all on me. I can then take the time to do what I should be doing all the time, casting all those cares upon Him, and trusting His leading as I go about life. It's about me depending on HIM. I have to be continually reminded. Guess I'm a bit of a slow learner. Fortunately for me, He's a good teacher, and keeps providing difficulties in life to keep me coming back to Him again and again. :o) I spent about an hour praying, worshipping and walking with the Lord. The crickets were chirping along with me. We made a great choir. :o) Well, at least I know it was a joyful noise to the Lord.

Nature brings peace to my soul. Everyone has something that "feeds" them, a place they like to go spend some quiet time with the Lord. In the summer, I like to take my beach chair and go sit down near the water at the lake. As I sit there watching the waves and feeling the sun shining on me, I am reminded how small my problems are, and how BIG the Lord is. In the winter I have a little corner in my bedroom that I like to sit in. I have a wicker chair with a soft blanket and a little table with my Bible, journal, a current book I'm reading, and a candle. I'll curl up under my blanket with a cup of coffee or hot chocolate and just enjoy the solitude.

I could feel the stress leaving me and the peace enveloping me as I just enjoyed some time with the Lord. Hope you all are as blessed by this as I am, and if you need to be refreshed, that you are reminded to get away with the Lord. It's not about just relaxing, but about meeting with Him, and letting Him speak to your heart and restore your peace!

You might enjoy listening to the song, "You Raise Me Up" to the right on my blog. Very fitting! And I added it BEFORE this post.

Come Away to a Quiet Place?, by Phil Ware The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, "Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest." So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place (Mark 6:30-32 TNIV). [Emphasis added.]How do you restore your energies after you have reached thespiritual exhaustion point?What do you do when the fatigue debt has mounted so high in everydimension of your life -- physical, emotional, and spiritual --that you do not think you can do one more thing?Where do you go for renewal when plenty of sleep won't relieve thebone-weariness that pulses through every fiber of your being?These are not hypothetical questions. You probably know that frompersonal experience. There is a kind of tiredness that nothingseems to relieve. This kind of exhaustion comes at the end of along spiritual battle or from being the long-term caregiver for aloved one or from ministering to people repeatedly until you arecompletely depleted or from battling a long and debilitatingillness or from ...For many of us who have found ourselves in such wearisomeconditions, retreat and rest are often prescribed. They are alsomuch desired. Yet many find such restful retreats remedy theirweariness for just a short time, only to learn its return has leftthem feeling completely and perpetually "burned out."Elijah's example of rest and refreshment after his exhaustion is agood one. Food and rest were not enough for Elijah to be renewed (1Kings 19:1-7), although they were part of his healing. What Elijahneeded most, however, was to be in the presence of God. He neededto have God minister to him and speak directly to his heart (1Kings 19:8-18). God spoke to Elijah in a gentle whisper (1 Kings19:12) and called Elijah back into service, reminding him therewere others out there still serving the LORD God (1 Kings 19:18).One of these in particular needed Elijah to prepare him to leadGod's people (1 Kings 19:15-17).Carve out some sacred space and some holy time!I am not surprised that when Jesus saw the weariness of hisapostles, the Lord not only told them to go away to a quiet place,but he also called them to be with him. Getting away wasn't enough.Resting and being alone, far away from the crowd, wouldn't rekindlethe holy fire they needed to minister. No matter how restfulretreat from the maddening rush may seem at the time, getting awayby itself will not restore what is spent. Only the presence of theLord can renew, restore, revitalize, reinvigorate, and re-establishour spirits. Only the Spirit of God, the breath of heaven, can make dry bones rise again (Ezekiel 37:1-13).

http://www.heartlight.org/

Lugubrious?

I'm reading "The Call Of The Wild" by Jack London with Andrew and Sarah. They are really enjoying it, as am I. Especially with a puppy in the house, it's helping us understand the behavior of our dog stemming from instincts.

One of my favorite things through the years has been when I read aloud to all the kids. It's been very productive in the learning process, and we've had great discussions and further learning come from that reading aloud. Now it's just usually Andrew and Sarah that I do some reading aloud to. Occasionally my older kids, and Doug too, will sneak in an listen as I read aloud. (Shhh, I pretend not to notice.) :o)



The younger kids add words that we come across that they don't know to thier vocabulary notebook. They jot them down during reading, and then later look them up and write down the definition. The other day, the word we looked up was "lugubrious". Don't know what it means? Neither did I. Dust off your dictionary (or, check out dictionary.com) and look it up!



Later in the day I tried to stump Jeremy. Jeremy is the king of vocabulary. He loves words. He has a very high vocabulary. At times I have to stop him during conversations to ask him to define the words he is using so I don't get lost. So, I walked up to him later that day and asked him if he knew what the word "lugubrious" meant. Sure enough, the little stinker, he DID!! Darn! I told him I'm going to start going through the dictionary and picking out the most uncommon words to ask him until I can stump him, just for fun. :o) I'm very proud of him. He actually has alot of similarities to me (not what every older teen wants to hear). He likes words, loves to write, is always researching, etc. He also reminds me alot of my Dad in that he doesn't accept thing at face value, he researches (deeply) on his own and the makes up his own mind. He definitely does not comform to popular opinion.


It's so cool to see all the years of homeschooling paying off, and see the benefits of it in the older kids. If you're homeschooling younger kids, stick with it, the payoff is worth it! There were years I wasn't sure I'd make it and sure wondered if it was worth it. But, I'm so glad I stuck it out. When God directs you in something, He guides you a day at a time through to the end! He is faithful!

Carrots, Eggs, & Coffee

A friend sent me the following story. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Thanks Karla!

A carrot, an egg, and a cup of coffee...You will never look at a cup of coffee the same way again.

A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose.

Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots wi th water and placed each on a high fire Soon the pots came to boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil; without saying a word.

In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her daughter, she asked, 'Tell me what you see.'

'Carrots, eggs, and coffee,' she replied.

Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. The mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard boiled egg.

Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The dau ghter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma The daughter then asked, 'What does it mean, mother?'

Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity: boiling water. Each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened. The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water , they had changed the water.

'Which are you?' she asked her daughter. 'When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

Think of this: Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength.

Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart?

Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you. When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest, do you elevate yourself to another level? How do you handle adversity? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

Donley Family Zoo

My kids are always finding some sort of critter outdoors that they want to learn about. I've grown accustomed to it. We've had critters of every imaginable kind in containers, boxes, aquariums, etc. When they were younger we ordered catarpillars and watched the process of them turning into butterflies. We had butterflies flying around our living room eating from flowers and orange slices and sugar water. It was great fun! The kids even took them and released them in our tent and let them fly around. Here's a picture of Andrew with a butterfly resting on his face when he was younger.

Wow, that seems like forever ago! Andrew recently found a big moth outside. He put it in a jar and brought it inside. He decided to hold it, and here you can see it clinging to his nose.

I call Andew Dr. DooLittle. He seems to attract animals of all sorts. Today he brought in a small snake that he had caught, for the third time. He keeps releasing him, and finding him again. I hope the snake doesn't get too big. Snakes and I don't get along. Just ask my Mom!

We've had everything from butterflies, moths, bees, crayfish, tadpoles, toads, crickets, praying mantis' all the way to baby birds in our house at one time or another. I draw the line at snakes. Snakes have to stay OUTSIDE in containers.

The other day my washtub backed up. I reached in to pull out whatever was blocking it, and pulled out ... bones!! Yes, bones! Jessica and Jeremy had gone hiking with Alejandro (Jess' boyfriend and Jeremy's best friend). They brought home a skull that they found so they could show it to Andrew and Sarah and identify it. Jeremy put it in a bucket to soak in bleach. When the washtub backed up, the bucket tipped over. And that's why I pulled bones out when I stuck my hand in there. Ugh. I've learned to toughen up as a Mom. Even having four brothers didn't prepare me for the adventures I've had with my children. :o)

Following are a few pictures of different animals we've had or kept to study over the years. There are waaay too many to find and post.

Moth and the cacoon it came out of. Sarah with a butterfly. Andrew with a salamander.

A frog. A tadpole. This was taken at the nature center, but yes, we brought tadpoles home and watched them develop into frogs! A toad eating a worm the kids fed it. Homeschooling ... not for those with a weak stomach!

Accidents WILL Happen

Broken Living Room Window


Andrew has always had a way with glass. Breaking it that is. It started when he was younger, and he went head first through the window trying to run and open the door for Jessica. We went to the ER, no stitches, just some small cuts. Then, he put his hand through the window of the front door last summer. He was trying to quickly shut it before his ferret got out. Many stitches that time. And scars to prove it. And then, there was this broken window. I was cleaning off the computer desk and going through CD's. I was dropping the ones to get rid of on the floor. He asked what I was doing with them. I told him throwing them away. He asked if he could have them. I asked what he would want them for. He began to show me how he could use them as "shurikens ". (google it in case you don't have boys that are into weapons) As he flung them like frisbees toward the couch, one hit the window, and you see the result. Ahh well, accidents will happen. At least this one didn't require a trip to the emergency room. Just the hardware store. :o) That reminds me of another time when he and Sarah pushed a chair into a HUGE window in our old house, more broken windows. That was a scary one. We had to tape it in sections and break it out. Fun, fun, fun!!

Sky Events

Have you ever watched a lunar eclipse? We've seen it quite a few times, but it never ceases to amaze me and the kids really enjoy watching it each time it occurs. Last week there was a lunar eclipse. We love learning about space and have observed lots of sky wonders. I usually look up whatever sky event we're going to observe and we study it ahead of the event. You can find lots of stuff online. Knowing we're going to actually observe what we are studying spikes their curiosity. (check out www.space.com and sign up for their newsletter)

They have learned so much, and they retain so much more than I ever did by studying things out of a book in school even a student that was always on the honor roll. I would memorize for tests, but I didn't enjoy or retain much. But, when they know an event is coming up and that we are going to go, their natural curiosity is aroused. When they are interested, they retain so much more.

This is the moon part way through the eclipse taken over the shop where Doug works. We took this when we dropped him off at work. He kept going out and looking it, and had some of the guys coming out to join him. They all wondered what we were looking at and taking pictures of. :o)

a photo from the internet

I asked Jeremy to hold my glasses so I could look through the binoculars. :o)

Andrew and Sarah sitting on the car watching the eclipse.


Another thing we've really enjoyed is meteorite showers. About five years ago we saw the best one we've ever seen! I made hot chocolate and bought Milky Way candy bars (get it?!) and a bunch of blankets,sleeping bags and pillows. We drove out to a nature center where it was very dark, and layed out under the stars. First we'd just see a few here or there, enough to keep our attention. But finally, more towards morning, the real show began. There were continuous "shooting stars" all over the sky, many all at once. There were also earthgrazers, which are larger pieces of space junk. They are bigger than your typical shooting stars, they last longer, and they leave a streak of light behind them. Really cool to see! My kids thought this was the best!

photo from the internet

Another thing we were REALLY excited to get to see was the Northern Lights! I had heard we might be able to observe them in our area. I stayed up late, peeking out to the north every so often. After many times of disappointment I went out on the porch and thought I could see some wierd lights in the distance. I stayed out a bit, and knew it wasn't my imagination any longer. I went and excitedly (ask them!) woke Doug and the kids. We went out on the porch and could see green lights. We threw everyone in the van and drove to the lake where we'd have a clear view. It was breathtaking!! I don't think any of us will ever forget it. The kids and I all wrote papers about it later.

We've gone out to observe the Harvest Moon, Strawberry Moon, moonglow, all kinds of neat things. Have you ever heard of sundogs or moondogs? We haven't observed them, but we've studied them online and are watching for them! And, we're looking forward to seeing more!