FRIED

Need I say more?


(and No, it's not my photo, its from here)

So. I may be spotty in my posting for awhile. At least until one of my "geek" (and I mean that in the most reverent sense!) friends or relations can help me see if anything can be extracted from the hard-drive -before we perform the dreaded " Destructive System Recovery". (Now how is that for a paradox?) Destructive and Recovery.

So my case is cracked, my harddrive is in a mobile case, and I wait.

You know they say that most people don't get the "backup religion" until AFTER they go through a major crash. I agree. It's in our nature, isn't it?? I think I was just a "pew warmer" in this "church". I backed up, but not often. Fortunately My God was looking out for me even when I wasn't. Everything "important" was backed up within the last two weeks. So the potential loss may be minimized. And I had been thinking about those offsite backup companies. Now that we have broadband, it would be a possibility. But I hadn't done it just yet. Guess I just got the "religion". (smile)
Isn't that true of our relationship with our Creator? Until things get really bad and we've suffered some kind of loss, we aren't much bothered..oh we may know that He's there, but do we really do much more than "warm the pew"?

Anyway. Since I have spent so much time trying to resurrect my computer, a few things around here have suffered, (just small things like my family, my house and my sleep) and I may need to catch up. Will post on the "other side" ...or I may try and keep up on the DH's new laptop! (there's a positive spin on this story!)

I read a new blogfriend's post tonight ( I won't post a link as I don't know if she wants it broadcast..) But she quoted a line from a great hymn, one in which I will enjoy taking with me to bed tonight...

In Christ alone my hope is found,
He is my light, my strength, my song;
This Cornerstone, this solid Ground,
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My Comforter, my All in All,
Here in the love of Christ I stand

No guilt in life, no fear in death,
This is the power of Christ in me;
From life’s first cry to final breath,
Jesus commands my destiny.
No power of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand;
‘Til He returns or calls me home,
Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand!

A Sunday Laugh...my children insist I post this!

A Pillar of Salt

I keep finding myself looking back. My children are getting older, no one I care for is getting younger. I'm tired tonight. So maybe I'm not thinking straight.

But I remember the pillar of salt. Lot's wife looked back at her old life, with longing. Ahead of her was freedom. Instead she looked back.

I don't want to miss where I'm going because I'm too busy looking back.

But it's familiar. Ahead is uncertainty and risk. Like the Israelites who longed for Egypt and CAPTIVITY because it was a known-

instead of the unknown and relying on God.

I know that there are deeper issues in both of these stories,

but I'm not going into it now.

You get it.

THE PROJECT

R had a third grade grammar project to do. Simply enough, it was to write a brief persuasive paper. She was to consider something she would like to persuade others to do, and write about it. Easy enough. I had my ideas. And she had hers.

This project was spread out over several lessons. The final lesson was about "publishing" your paper. All along the way, I asked to see, revise, proof, etc. as I generally do. I was refused. "It's for you and Daddy so you cannot see it". Logical enough.

So this is how it turned out. And here's what it's about.
Drumroll please......





BUYING A HORSE excuse me TWO HORSES!
Isn't that every little girl's dream??

Her Reasoning...
(some spelling errors are included for posterity!)

1. Because they are fun.
2. Because they are ausam!
3. But first we need, a sadel, reins, a breakaway harness, horse trailer and hay.
4. AND we have room for them already.
5. I WILL DIE without them!
6. Me and Stefanie love horses.
7. Horses are incredible sowe start saving your money!! (my personal favorite!)

Then there's an illustration of her and her older sister riding their horses. Complete with tackle, names and descriptive markings of the horses.

So I is watching me write this now, and starts fussing. "Horses, horses, horses! R and S are always wanting horses!" Then he begins naming all of the animals they currently have. Then he states "We have enough animals!"

I believe Daddy would agree. (smile)

Yodeling

Read about this practice today when reading one of my favorite columns, The Amish Cook. Now I'm not one to sit and read a cookbook cover to cover, but this always had neat information regarding their family life. It was a blog before there were blogs, I guess. Anyway, today you can listen to the Daughter, (who is a bit younger than me and has 8 children) and her family yodel (kids included!) I would listen to #2 first. If you can't access it,or want to listen to it through my account, (for the next week or so) let me know!
And I did take some pictures today, that I'll hopefully post by tomorrow!

You're My Little Girl- (a note from your biggest fan)

I wish I could go into what all is happening around here, and the sometimes settled, sometimes despondend condition of my heart at times. But this, I believe sums it all up. It's not about me anymore. While this video is plain, I hope that it will help the words go deep. I love you ALL! You're My Little Girl.
Unfortunately there is a block against embedding this video. You will need to click the link.

It's SSSSNNNNNNNNNOOOOOWWING!!!!!!!!!!!!

Those were the sounds heard (along with a few warhoops) on Tuesday. For the snowstorm that lasted 10 minutes. But it wreaked a good deal of havoc on I-81 for a few hours, and Brian spent a little time going down the road sideways himself.
But here, it was glorious. While it lasted. Then I had a moment to scan the newspaper, The Family Circus caught my attention. In comes the little boy from outside with this one-liner...see if you recognize it. "Have I been outside long enough to get hot chocolate yet?" Mmmmhmmm.. I heard it too. I have been searching cyberspace to find the cartoon, but apparently,since it's copyrighted, it cannot be found. So I don't have a picture to go with this post. And it took two days to do it. But with snow and ice in the forecast for tomorrow I am pretty certain that I will hear that question at least once tomorrow!

There is nothing new under the sun (son?)

There is a verse in Ecclesiastes.
What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.
Ecclesiastes 1:9 (New International Version)

Those words came to me yesterday when my 13 year old son asked me to assist him in downloading some songs from iTunes for his iPod. (help=$$=credit card) Good, I thought, I have an opportunity to see what songs/artists he is listening to and willing to pay cold cash for.

So we search for "Champions"... I'm thinking...it cannot be the one by Queen. Of course there's some artist with a similar song title. Several come up, and he's a bit uncertain, so I ask... "does it go like this?" and I sing it. Verbatim. (amazing how much I CAN remember some days- now why can't I remember to take out the laundry when it's done?)

YEAH, that's the one says he. No way. We look for others. Juke box hero. You're kidding. Another one bites the dust. I am so incredulous I am speechless. (which, you know is rare). Actually I am more than that. I'm giddy. "Are you sure? All these are songs from the 80's!"
Yeah, mom, that's what I like.

So I'm thinking, at least with these songs/artists I know without any doubt which ones I will not approve. (and most of them were his Dad's favorites-shhh)

Have I gotten old enough that my era has come full circle?? Or is this a brief anomaly???
If it is an anomaly, don't tell me. I want to soak in the ignorance for awhile. Because, really, there is nothing new under the sun.

Except this:

See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.
Isaiah 43:19.(niv)

Go Lord, because there is nothing we can do ourselves without you. Without you we are doomed to repeat ourselves over and over. Getting nowhere.

What treasures.

So as I was downloading the photos from one of the cameras. (the one Daddy uses for work).

I realized that when I grabbed it to take the outdoor photos, I had left the card in the computer. Fortunately the camera has some internal memory. And this is what I found.

Five photos, of that darn cat, in all.

Now in the digital age this isn't as big a deal as when we used film, but I assumed that they were taken the same day. But when Picasa rearranged them to June of 2007, I HAD to look. Yes, thanks to digital photos, I know EXACTLY when it was taken. And it was June of 2007!
I'm thinking I know who did it. First, by the subject chosen. Then this.

(smile)

O the joys of Home Education

When the weather is nice,
You can go outside and enjoy it!






Whoops!





There they are!



Guess H.E. isn't perfect either? Or we are not the poster family!

Christmas is here!

When it is quiet at home.....

You should wonder.

Special thanks to the unmetioned family member who gave my dd facepaints for Christmas. We will always treasure these memories in our hearts. (smile) Unfortunately Isaac had washed off some of his face before I thought to photograph them. ( He arrived at dinner with a very intricately painted pattern on his face.) I still don't know how his sister got him to sit still that long. But they had time to go back and finish these!

From Shakespeare to Fishing and Salamanders

I'm going to try and use this forum as an opportunity to mark the events that occur in our home. Although most of my children are past that "aww isn't it cute what she did" stage, there are still things to be recorded. And I want to be respectful of my older children's feelings. Because they are currently at that "everything is embarrassing" time. Take today for instance. Poor S dropped a bowl of noodles at lunch, breaking the bowl. And Shakespeare got it. Thank you Lord, for that dog. (I don't want to know how it got on the window)

At dinner this evening I found out that while my little ones were having "recess" - enjoying this 70 degree day. (yes, Virginia, in January) they got out the fishing poles and practiced "throwing" as Isaac recalls. Which, by the way, he wants his daddy to know that he is "really good at it now-better than Rebekah". The only CATCH is that it is now hung up in a tree.

My DH asks, "did this happen on your watch, dear, or mine??"

BUT with the brief respite from the cold, "we" enjoyed the local wildlife. Gee, I don't think I ever knew there were salamanders around here when I was growing up. But we seem to find many of them around our home. Wow. Let me take a picture of that. No, I don't want to touch. Well, at least they are the kind with legs.

Oh, no Mom! I lost one of the babies.!

Well at least Isaac wasn't in his big brother's room playing with knives any longer.

Some thoughts to Ponder

Here are some quotes that I am mulling today.


The education of all children, from the moment that they can get along without a mother's care, shall be in state institutions at state expense. – "Principles of Communism" (1847) - draft of what became the Communist Manifesto

Our form of compulsory schooling is an invention of the state of Massachusetts around 1850. It was resisted - sometimes with guns - by an estimated eighty per cent of the Massachusetts population, the last outpost in Barnstable on Cape Cod not surrendering its children until the 1880's when the area was seized by militia and children marched to school under guard. - The Underground History of American Education

Gerald Ford, former president of the United States:

A government big enough to give you everything you want is a government big enough to take from you everything you have. - in an Address to a Joint Session of Congress, August 12, 1974


School is the first impression children get of organized society. Like most first impressions it is the lasting one. Life is dull and stupid, only Coke provides relief. And other products, too, of course. - The Underground History of American Education

Don't wait for the perfect moment to break free -- there isn't any. Don't let officials, relatives or anyone else intimidate you into sacrificing your children. If you want to help public schools, give them your money, give them your time, give them your house and your car -- but don't give them your kids. There's a world of support out there for home schoolers. If you can't home school, find a decent private school and sacrifice for your kids' education like you would for that fancy car you want or that vacation or entertainment center or big house. Whatever you'd sacrifice for the thing you most want in life, sacrifice ten times as much for your children.
Tammy Drennan, Alliance for the Separation of School and State senior writer


Leaves much to consider...and weigh.
I found them at a thought-provoking site http://www.schoolandstate.org

Journey with Jotham

As a parent, I have found it challenging each year to find a way to celebrate Christmas with my children, and keep the true meaning at the forefront. Not the gifts, the glitz and the rush. A few years ago I found the answer- for us. A trilogy of Advent books written by Arnold Ytreeide. We journeyed with Jotham, a fictitious young boy who lived during the time of Christ's birth. In fact his journey takes him to the event-but not before he encounters exciting adventure and really bad guys!


Here is a description from the author :
http://www.jothamsjourney.com
Palestine,4 B.C. A shepherd boy shivers against the cold of night -- lost, alone, surrounded by jackals. Where could they be, he wonders again ofhis family. Where are you, Father? I'm sorry I got mad...
After running away from his father's tents in a moment of anger, ten-year-old Jotham has lost his way, and his family. As he journeys through Palestine in search of his nomadic home, Jotham is helped by a fool, a priest, a zealot and a wise man. Chased by a gang of thieves, thrown from one "foster parent" to another, Jotham slowly discovers the miracle of the first Christmas, and some miraculous things about his own life and his own family...
Written as a devotional for parents to read to their children during Advent, Jotham's Journey unfolds day by day until the exciting climax on Christmas Day. Each day's installment of the story is followed by a short devotional which will challenge your family to share in Jotham's discoveries.



What is great (and the reason for my post) is that this book is now going to be in print for the 2008 Advent season! We were fortunate enough to purchase all three before they were out of print, and ignorant of the fact that they could actually go out of print I encouraged my friends to borrow mine, (don't buy one!) Now they are available on BAM and Amazon for $100 (no way!-sorry Heather!!) If Jotham does well, the publisher will print the other two (Bartholomew and Tabitha)
So I encourage you to look for it beginning this summer. Buy it. You will not be disappointed. OH, and don't worry about whether you will remember to read it everynight YOUR CHILDREN WILL... GUARANTEED!

Happy New Year

Wishing everyone a Happy New Year. Remembering that each day is a gift. Unwrap it!