Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

Pastor Appreciation Month

The month of October is Pastor Appreciation Month. In case you didn't already know, I sure do love my pastor! I am thankful that when we were in high school God brought the two of us together. We had no idea what roads lie ahead, but we were certain we wanted to travel them together. Over the past 10 years we have grown from just the two of us to a total of seven of us. God has blessed our marriage, and he has blessed the ministry he has called us to. My cup runneth over! We are blessed beyond description. There are many things I hope to instill in the lives of our children, but the biggest one is how to love and how to show that love. Today I lead the children to surprise their daddy with a Pastor's Appreciation surprise.

We did a little decorating and we took a few pictures. Then we headed off to the store to get a few paper goods and buy lunch. This is what we decided on.

In the paper goods/ party isle my children had the bright idea to buy some silly spray and a confetti blaster...well, I thought that sounded fun (especially since I wasn't the one going to be sprayed/blasted). Here is what followed.

If you haven't celebrated pastor appreciation month, I encourage you to do so. Being a pastor is a blessed calling, but it is also a very busy and never ending calling. I am so thankful my husband is a pastor.  I am thankful for the way he diligently serves the Lord. It is a blessing to me, his wife,  but also to his children. Happy Pastor's Appreciation Month!

Wordless Wednesday

School 2013...1st 6 Weeks

The first day of school brought eager smiles and wondering minds at our house. It is hard to believe, but the first six weeks have already passed. (In fact, I am about two weeks behind in this post...but it is here!) I have taken a few pictures along the way to share some of the fun things we are learning about.

Each day features a "book basket" reading time. Each grade level has a red basket full of library books they have selected for silent reading. Some of the books are related to the topics being discussed in school, and some of the books are just selections that interested them. The goal of this time is just to continue to foster the joy of reading while providing daily practice.

BA is in 2nd grade, and the history for the year is a brief overview of US history. He has a patriotic treat we made.

After each child could recite the pledge of allegiance on their own, they earned this special glow stick flag.

One of the field trips we took was to a local history museum. They had all sorts of fascinating displays, including this life size Indian and ship, which is made to give children an idea of what Spanish explorers might have used when coming to the "New World."

 CJ is showing off his "S" he made.

 This is a window poster BA made by using wax paper, alphabet letters, and crayon shavings. This year in 2nd grade he is learning the names of Jesus.

 EE was delighted to show the 4 basic moon phases with her Oreo cookies. School + Dessert = a winning combination.

 We also took a field trip to the local fire department. The fireman on duty was very kind. He showed us around the firehouse and even let the children climb in one of the fire trucks.

Our two oldest love science. This is a picture of one of the experiments we did involving fresh water, salt water, and an egg. Do you know if salt will make the egg float??? Ask one of them!

They LOVED the Indian tent Ben made for them.

Our two mandolinists....Ben is teaching them the basics as part of their music class.

We even took a trip to watch our favorite football team. The mascot- a Seminole Indian- gets dressed for gameday while fans watch. All of his wardrobe is authentic Indian clothing. The children really enjoyed this field trip!

BA and CJ enjoyed reading Squanto. We copied the same war paint pattern Squanto had in the book on their faces.


We hope you enjoyed some of the activities we did in school for the first six weeks...I'll try to update again after the next six weeks pass. Let the learning continue :)

CJ's Decision

5 years ago, God blessed us with our second born child, CJ.

Before he was born we have faithfully prayed that he would come to know Jesus and that the very first time he felt God moving on his heart he would put his trust in Jesus. I am thrilled to announce that this prayer has been answered!

Sunday, September 22, 2013, CJ prayed to receive Jesus as his savior. Nothing makes my heart filled with more joy than to see this happen. I knew that it was a decision that he had wrestled with for some time now. A few months ago, during family Bible time Ben was teaching our children through the book of Acts. In learning about Paul and his conversion, one night CJ looked up with seriousness in his eyes and said with a trembled voice, "I think I may be the next one to be baptized around here." I knew God was dealing with his heart, but I also knew that as a parent it isn't my job to pressure him into anything. So patiently, we continued to pray for him. Waiting is very hard, especially when it comes to your children. Nonetheless, I held my tongue and only spoke to him about it when he asked me questions. I began to pray that when the time was right for him, that it would be obvious it was his dealings with the Lord and not my prodding or leading.

A few weeks ago on a Sunday evening we had an emphasis on children's ministry. The service celebrated those who have been teaching our children in the classes at church, it set forth a vision for how to continue to teach them the truth's of God's word, and it gave opportunity for testimonies. At the conclusion, Mr. Eston was asked to pray. This prayer concluded our service and thanked God for the food we were about to eat together. After the service, CJ came up to Ben and said, "I have to tell you something." Through his emotions, Ben was able to discern that CJ was telling him he believed in Jesus, and that this happened when Mr. Eston was praying. While everyone was eating, CJ came up to Ben and said he wanted to share the news with the church. Ben got everyone's attention, and CJ tried his best to boldly say what had happend, but his emotions got the best of him. A couple of days later, I asked him to tell me about what he did that night. Here is what he said.

Nothing blesses my heart more than hearing him share what God has done for him. Our first prayer for CJ has been answered. Now we pray a new prayer- that God would fill him with passion for his Word, and that CJ would serve the Lord with boldness and faithfulness all the days of his life. We would love it if you joined us on that prayer for his life.

Wordless Wednesday