Always Deployed

"There are undeployables in the spiritual domain, spiritually decrepit people who refuse to do anything unless they are supernaturally inspired."  -Oswald Chambers 

Whoa. 

Undeployable, spiritually decrepit?   Basically useless.  Oh Lord let that NOT be me!

His Scripture reading today was 2 Tim 4:2
"preach the Word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching." 

I've always loved this verse but looking at it in light of Mr. Chamber's words almost makes me tremble.  How many times I've been lazy!  Brushing someone off when I didn't feel like getting involved or engaging.  Excusing myself for a million different things when there was no good excuse.  Wasting my life by spending it on myself instead of putting in the time and energy to invest in someone else.  Ohhhh........

But how can I be ready all the time? 
2 Timothy 3:16-17 "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work." 

I love how God not only directs us in His ways, but equips us by his own breath.   His Word.  And do you know how many Bibles I own?  Plenty. 

I have no excuse. 

Back At It!

Our internet is working again!  We had some trouble with it this week so I was away from my computer for awhile.  Glad to be reconnected.  And to get to catch up!

I have so many pictures I want to post.  I think they are still in the editing stage so they are on hold for now.  My man is one busy guy. 

But in the meantime I'll blab about the goings on this week....

~I'm taking a friend to school for awhile until her family gets their car working again.  It blows me away to hear about her day on the way home.  So one day all the 7th grade teachers were gone and there were subs for the entire 7th grade....all classes.  She didn't have to do any work all day and just got to talk!  My question....why did she even have to go?  And did you know that they watch movies in public school (at least her jr high school)?  Alvin And The Chipmunks and The Incredible Hulk!!  Seriously. 

~Speaking of school, we had our first full week of school since the move.  We don't have a place for everyone to work together so I have 3 kids at the table.  2 at the coffee table. 1 in her room.  And one on the couch.  Meg's at UAFS and Lane is FINISHED!!

~YES!!  She is done!  12 loooong years of math completed!  Everything else too.  But math was the biggie.  So happy for her.   And what a privilege for me to get to teach her and love on her and be with her for so much of her life for 18 years.   I love being her mom. 

~Graduation plans are coming together.  This week I ordered a cake for 300 people and bought the paper goods and most of the punch supplies.  Tassel is here, diploma is done, cap and gown is ready.  Just a few more details for the upcoming week.  Somehow I think those few details will end up consuming the entire week!  But that's ok.  I'm so happy for her...my sweet girl.   We have friends coming from CO (aren't they so sweet?) and family from TX.  Can't wait!

~My neighbor kids are coming to Awana with us and I think they are enjoying it.  They seem to be sweet kids and are fitting in well in their classes from what I can gather.  And you know what?  Wednesday I got to pray with one of our youth to receive Christ!!  YES! 

And you know what is interesting?   With most of the kids that I've prayed with, I've just happened to be the person in the right place at the right time.  I'm like the guy that just goes around picking the fruit that everybody else has grown.  In most cases, I haven't been the one to invest in them, to teach them about Christ, or help them grow.  Someone else has planted, watered, fertilized, and loved.   And I kinda feel strange about that....like I'm taking someone else's joy.  But for whatever reason I've gotten to be the one to pray with them.  I'm thankful.

~I talked to my friend in Haiti this week.  I have a neat story to share....
He was driving to his mission from Port-Au-Prince, which is about 3 hours.  His friend that is with him asks him if they can stop to stretch their legs.  Jeff pulls over in some random place in front of someone's house.  All of a sudden the lady runs out of the house yelling, "Pastor Pastor I have to talk to you!  I need Jesus and I need you to pray for me b/c I'm addicted to cigarettes!  And I want you to start a church right here in my front yard!" 

Talk about surprised!  Jeff had never seen this lady before and still can't figure out how she even knew he was a pastor.  He talked to her and learned more.  She handed over her cigarettes.  And she prayed to receive Christ!!  Jeff called his associate and they have started a church in her yard that now has 24 members!  Is that cool or what? 

Also they have started an orphanage.  At this point they have 2 kids that were orphaned in the earth quake.  They were expecting 18 more this weekend.  They are sleeping in tents with no permanent structure but hoping to get something built soon.  So many things happened since we last talked!  I am cheering on the progress. 

He has a dentist coming in May and a group of 20 coming in July.  It was great to get an update.  I hope I get to go soon. 

~Lane is going on a mission trip in May.  Without me.  I know!! 
OKC working with an inner city mission.  It sounds right up her alley.  

~The land hunt continues.  The 2 places that everyone liked are sold.  One just closed yesterday.  Oh well.....today we found another one and I think it's better than both the ones we liked before.  Closer to town too.  That's a plus. 

~I'm guessing if you're still here you're at least ready for me to wrap this up.  My computer is too.  She's locked up on me twice now. (Honey, what's going on??)

But here's a couple of pictures of lately to end it all...

Mally with a friend.  Aren't they cute? 

Fishing buddies

A boy and his dog.

My sweeties.

A Great Day For Kindle Freebies

Here's what I got for Lucille today....

I think Farmer Boy will especially enjoy these first two..
The Everything Grow Your Own Vegetables
Weekend Homesteader: September

A math game for my sweets..
Math Blender

This looks good...
Practically Green: Your Guide To Eco-Friendly Decision Making

365 Days Of Thanking God
The Fitting Room: Putting On The Character of Christ

No Kindle?  No Problem.  Go Here to download a free app to read from your PC.

It's Finished!!

We closed on our house this morning!

No more moving.
No more packing.
No more repairs.
No more house showings.
No more going crazy cleaning before house showings. 
No more contracts.
No more offers.
No more inspections. 

Oh happy day!  Now it's time to just snuggle into this cozy rent house for a few months.  Ahhhh......

So many things happened during the move that I don't feel like we were able to give proper attention to.

5 kids celebrated birthdays
5 kids were baptized.
All kids were sick.

We did the best we could but I still wish we could've done more.  My sweet kids are understanding though.
And I think all are glad that

IT'S FINISHED!

Moving Part 2

I've only had one moving meltdown so far. 

Almost 2. 

Honey asked me if I were sad to leave.  No.  But I am sad to pack up the doll house and kitchen set into storage b/c by the time they come out, Mally and LittleMan might have outgrown them.  At that point, he saw the impending danger of a torrential flood of tears and suggested we make them a play area in the garage.  Meltdown averted.

We are close to being finished!  Honey has the day off and is making trips back and forth with the trailer. 

My father-in-law is here fixing some valve thing that the washer hooked up to that leaked all over the place. 

And we're having a garage sale on Friday and Saturday.  Do you need a swimming pool?  How bout a bunch of canning jars?  A shelf painted green?

There Goes The Neighborhood

And so it begins...

I got to meet a neighbor today.  He came over not to introduce himself, but to see what the emergency was and how he could help.

Me:  What?
Him:  I heard yelling and screaming in the back yard!  Is everyone ok?

Apparently he lives behind us and heard the boys playing on the swing from inside his house.

Well yes.  That would be us. 

I started explaining that all was well and we have a lot of sons.  It was happy boy noise.  There's a new swing set.  And I'm sorry.

I'm not sure he believed me.  He asked about the previous (quiet) neighbor.  I think he was lamenting his misfortune to learn that he had moved and rented the house to us. 

My eldest son figured it out. 
"His house must not be well insulated." 

Yeah.  That must be it.

Our older kids thought the whole thing was hilarious.  The little boys couldn't imagine what he was talking about.  They didn't think anything was unusual in the back yard....

except the super fun swing set!

Moving Part 1 ....Because there's probably going to be lots of parts.

Read:  Mess.

We have mess scattered at this house, at the other house, at the storage unit.  The front yard is full of junk and I'm figuring my neighbors are considering calling Hoarders. 

We still have a full two weeks to be completely out of here so I think we're doing well time wise.  We are pretty much moved in at the rent house and now cleaning up and trying to figure out where to put everything else. 

This morning I walked my new neighborhood.  It's ok.  There are no good hills though and since it's a younger neighborhood with young families there were a lot of people going to work this morning.   Its a good street with plenty of space and nice to walk so I can't complain. 

Someone asked me if I'm sad to leave my house.  NOT at all.  It's just a house.  A nice house.  But still just a house.  I will miss some of my elderly neighbors though so I'll be coming back to check on them. 

Remember how when we first moved in here everyone was so crabby to us?  I laugh at that now.  They are sweet folks.   Most of them.  I'm thinking our next door neighbors will throw a party when we're outa here.  It looks like they may have been instrumental in our selling our house since they know our buyer.  Hilarious. 

So today we're cleaning.  And packing.  And moving more junk.
I'm hoping to take some pictures soon.

Meet Lucille

WOWZA!!

BIG surprise in the mail! 

 My grandmother sent me her Kindle!!!  Because she got an iPad.  Grandmothers getting iPads...is she cool or what?

And I love it.  Like really LOVE it.  I named it Lucille.  After her. 

It has a beautiful zipper case..because my grandmother has excellent taste. 

My first book:  There Is No Me Without You. 

It is an Ethiopian book.  (Be still my heart.)  And so far it's great.  Guess how much it cost? 

A whole $3.  I know!

And the fact that I didn't waste gas, paper, or packaging appeals to the greener girl in me. 

I seriously love it.

So I'm still trying to figure it out.  I don't know how to highlight or make notes yet or loan books to others.  But it's great fun to play with.