Getting caught up!!

Good morning world.  So much has happened in the past few days.  The first part of last week was dedicated to getting ready for Thanksgiving on Thursday, finish cleaning, baking, cooking.

Thanksgiving was really great!  I did get a little stressed because the buffet style did not work out as planned.  Counters are not quite long enough.  However, it all worked out.  We had a total of 32 people by the end of the day.  Anyone over the age of 19 sat at the table, bar, or another table in the computer room.  The 2 little ones under the age of 5 sat at a little table from the girls room. The rest were either outside or in the living room.  I loved it!

I also gave the first Christmas gift of the season, Snowman Soup.

Friday was the beginning of the post Thanksgiving clean up.  Also, a wedding rehearsal dinner for my 2 girls as they were the flower girls of my best friend's eldest daughter's wedding.

Saturday was the most beautiful wedding I have been to in a long time.  Lots of fun had by all!

Yesterday, church in the morning.  Then the kids had play rehearsal in the afternoon for a Christmas play at church.  Last night after dinner, we played monopoly.  I stopped early on and gave my spot to one of the girls so I am not sure who one.  I fell asleep.

In all the crazy busy, I have found  time to pray, read some scriptures, and talk to Jesus.  If He was not a big part of my life, I might have gone a little nuts with all the activity and extra people.

Be blessed and be a blessing,

Just some of my thoughts and actions,

Elizabeth

God's peace in the crazy stuff!

Good morning world.  This morning I am going over the last minute details of having Thanksgiving dinner here for my friends and family.  I cannot wait!  Well, actually, I can.  I have too much to do in  my mind for it to be here today.

I went to bed fairly early last night as I had the beginnings of a sinus headache and wanted it gone.  I have been awake since 5:30 or so and spent an hour or so cleaning up my kids mess in the kitchen.  After Thursday, I will be giving them a lesson in how to clean the kitchen.  If you cannot see the counters, it is probably not clean.

Every room needs just a touch up of one thing or another.  I also have a couple of more pies to bake as well as the rolls.  Although, I have had second thoughts about doing that.  I might just get some crescent rolls and call it good.  I just remembered, I have to get the cornbread baked too.  I guess I need to tweak my to do list.

What I want to show and teach my kids this year is that no matter what the circumstances and situation their life might be in, we love them, Jesus loves them, they are safe, and hopefully God's peace that surpasses all understanding is in their hearts!

Be blessed and be a blessing,

Some of my thoughts and actions,

Elizabeth

Jesus lives here too!

Good morning world.  This morning I have been running around from room to room picking this up, putting away that.  Getting my room picked up and back in order, finally.  Of course that is my side of the room.  His side will still have his hunting stuff out and about.

As things have happened around here the past few days, you know life.  Kids fighting between themselves, "Mom, make her stop looking at me!"  Yes, I hear that now.  I just love having girls.  I am smiling just thinking about what I am  writing.

Back to some of my thoughts..... the only way I am not loosing it around here with all 7 kids and my dear husband, is through Jesus and His blood that He shed for me.  I am learning to look at my kids, all 7 of my kids, as Jesus looks at me, with grace, mercy, and love.  Not just as a Mom.  Does that make sense?

I am not perfect by any means.  And we have a regular family, well sort of.  We have emotions, dirt, and all.  HOWEVER, we have Jesus.  Jesus lives here too!

As Thanksgiving Day approaches, I am more grateful than before!

Be blessed and be a blessing,

Some of my thoughts and actions,

Elizabeth

My relationship with Jesus

Good morning world.  Been pondering a lot of things the past couple of days.  One thing roaming around my head is my relationship with each child in my home.  I have always been close to my 3 boys.  Developing relationships with the news kids takes time.  One of the kids have been here longer, so we have a relationship started and going.

The others are just starting to develop.  Each child has their own personality and I have responded to each one different.  Just having girls is different for me as when we fostered before, we just had boys.  I am completely enjoying not being the only girl in the home!

As I said before, relationships take time.  So how much time do I really spend with Jesus?  The relationship I have with Him is and should be more important than any other relationship.  This morning I did not spend time in the word.  There I said it.  I miss days and sometimes even weeks.  But when I do my days go so much better.

The difference from this morning from other morning that took up more time was I made lunches for the kids who go to public school.  Four lunches took a little time.  That was my time to spend with the Lord.  I thought I could do it all before I got everyone up.  Did not happen.

I do not have a set thing I do every morning with God.  Sometimes, I pray in reverent prayer.  Sometimes, I just talk to Him.  Sometimes, I sing.  Just depends on ..... hmmm.  I'm not sure if it is how I feel, or a leading of the Holy Spirit or what.  Just depends.

Be blessed and be a blessing,

Some of my thoughts and actions,

Elizabeth

Change my morning or night routines?

Good morning world.  I decided this morning I either need to get my evening routine a little better organized or get up at 5:30 instead of 6.  Just not enough time in 30 minutes to get awake, coffee made and drank, dressed, spend time with the Lord, laundry started, floors swept and mopped for the day and check emails and write this post.

So do I want to get up earlier?  I'm not so sure.  Something to think about.  I do love my quiet time in the mornings, or anytime for that matter.

I am thinking I might try to get up earlier in the morning and see how it goes.  I have almost always been an earlier riser than the rest of my family, except my Dad.  He use to get up about 4 am every morning.  I miss him.  I think about him daily.

The daily stuff is what I am grateful for today.

Be blessed and be a blessing.

Some of my thoughts and actions,

Elizabeth

Post Election Day!

Good morning world!  Donald Trump is going to be the USA's 45th president come January 2017.  I'm smiling for a multitude of reasons this morning!  First, there will be some changes for the good in our country.  Second, I'm listening to Patrick being the Dad to our new kids.  Telling them to pick up their mess.  And so much more.  Makes me a happy momma.

I'm not even sure what to say today!

Be blessed and be a blessing,

Some of my thoughts and actions,

Elizabeth

The Peace of God

Good morning world.  What is drama?  As we had our share of it this weekend, I have decided it is the opposite of God's peace.  I'm talking about the peace that surpasses all understanding as in Philippians 4:7

"7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

 The type of drama I am talking about it the family disrupting, lies spreading, harmful drama.  Satan loves nothing more than to cause families to be torn apart.

We had a family meeting last night about such drama.  I am not sure how it all went as I did not let anyone else talk.  I will be talking to each of them individually today.  This morning I have been  up praying for that peace to be restored into my family.

If you are reading this post, please pray with me as I will pray for you.

Be blessed and be a blessing.

Some of my thoughts and actions,

Elizabeth

Praying when I don't "feel" like it!

Good morning world.  So the feel good kind of posts and positive things are good.  However, there are times, like this morning, when I did not get enough sleep, or upset about something and the "feel good" just is not there.  What do I do?

Almost everyone just left to help Pop with something.  I will be spending time in prayer for a while.  I do not pray because I do not feel great.  I am praying because I have things on my mind and heart about my kids I need to go to Jesus about.  He is the great healer of everything.  Not just physical things, but emotions and such.

I need Jesus's calm and peace that surpasses all understanding in the mist of my foster kids storms.  I need God's love to radiate through me for these kids since they have not know the love of a family.

I get upset when a family visit causes one of my kids to be in tears after the visit because a parent is talking about inappropriate subjects with them.  It bothers me when kids tell tall tells as fact because they have heard lies for most of their life.  And does not know the difference between a lie and the truth.

These are just a few things in my heart I will be talking to Jesus about.  Jesus loves me and cares about me and my concerns, no matter how big or small.  He's my Lord, Savior, and friend.  To continue growing in my Christian walk with the Lord, I need to have a relationship with Him.  To do that I have to spend time with him, hence the praying (talking) continuously.  Sometimes it is out loud and sometimes it is the conversation that goes on in my head.

Thank you Jesus for the kind of relationship that I can come to you with everything, even when I do not feel all that great.

Be blessed y'all and be a blessing too!

Some of my thoughts and actions,

Elizabeth

God given talent!

Good morning world.  I have a plan today to clean out my studio after school with the boys.  I got to paint last night with the ladies at church and it was fun!  I really miss painting.

This was a painting party and what we paid to paint went to a medical mission that is going to Haiti.  They are leaving earlier than planned because of the need that is there from the hurricane that hit a couple of weeks ago.

How can I use painting for God's glory?  That is a question I will be praying about today.  I have several unfinished projects to take care of hiding in the mess that my studio has become.  And a couple of new projects in mind.  Very excited to be painting again.

Last night was the first time, I think, that I have painted since the roll over accident in March.  My right hand was very messed up and still gets stiff at times in the mornings, but praise God, it's so much better and I can paint now.

Be blessed and be a blessing,

Some of my thoughts and actions,

Elizabeth

p.s.  I have some pictures on my facebook page, in the photos.

Praying in Everything?

Good morning world!  Yesterday I wrote about praying continually.  "How do I do that?", someone asked last night.  I'm not entirely sure.  I  talk to Jesus at different times during the day.  If one of my boys thinks he is old enough to talk back, I ask Jesus for the right words as I am counting to whatever number I need to get to so I do not yell at him.  Do I do this all the time or perfect?  Not hardly.  However, when I do, life is so much better!

I remember the wonder I felt when I first heard about praying for just about everything.  As a kid, I knew about praying before meals.  Something we did not do, but I knew about.  And I knew about the Lord's prayer, I learned about it in Sunday School.  But not sure when you were suppose to pray that prayer.  I knew about praying before going to sleep.  I did that sometimes.

When I heard about praying for anything and everything.  I was amazed.  Looking back I am not sure why.  Hearing that some Christians pray before making major decisions was an eye opener.  However, when I heard some Christians actually pray during the day, as though they were talking to Jesus,  this was a life changer for me.

This morning I over slept and got up all the kids late.  I could have been in a frazzled panic (and I have before), but as I was getting dressed I prayed,"Lord Jesus, please help this morning go smoothly even though we do not have as much time as usual."  AND it did!  No one was in a panic.  All chores were done before the kids left for school.  My boys are almost ready for school here at home.

Jesus loves me and wants to be the Lord of my life.  That means ALL of my life, not just major decisions, before meals, before bed, or at church.

"14 May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all."  2 Corinthians 13: 14


Be blessed and be a blessing,

Some of my thoughts and actions,

Elizabeth

Praying Continually???

Good morning y'all.  Yesterday was an interesting day for sure.  My kids did not have school so we went to help with cleaning out of a friend's house to get ready to sell.  Well, let's just say, the honeymoon phase is over.

The honeymoon phase with foster kids is the time at first when they are on their best behavior and so is the foster family.  Everyone is being extra good and nice to each other.  And it can last anywhere from  several weeks to a month or more to just a few hours or minutes.  We have had kids in our home when the honeymoon phase was literally minutes.

Does this mean it was a horrible day and the kids lit the house on fire?  No. It means they were being kids, mostly sibling stuff.  Some of it got out of hand.  Some did not.  There were tears, on the girls part.  All was handled.  Everyone went to bed last night in tact and all was forgiven.

On a personal note, I was proud of myself and praising God!  I have been able to keep my temper.  I am ashamed to admit I am a yeller sometimes.  I did not yell yesterday.  At times, the kids knew I was upset or not happy with a behavior, but I did not raise my voice.  That in itself is a blessing.

The difference in how the day went as opposed to how it could have gone?  I prayed a lot!  A couple of times I was not sure how to handle a situation, I prayed and asked Jesus for the words or help.  I prayed to keep the volume down on my voice at times.

"16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances;for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus."  1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18

When Jesus is in my day, in the everyday things, I handle it better.  Does not always mean the storms go away.  Jesus is the rock to hang onto during the storm so I do not wavier.  Thank you Lord for being my rock!

Be blessed and be a blessing,

Some of my thoughts and actions,

Elizabeth