Lake's Progress

Hello everyone,
Just a quick update on Lake. He is doing good with his physical therapy. We are all still believing God for the miracle of complete recovery. I have to admit, it broke my heart today to see him unable to grasp the macaroni and move it from one container to the next...his arm hanging limp. On the other hand, I have smiles and joy, knowing that he is alive and well. We went to the park today and he was all smiles...we took his sling off and I encouraged him to try and play with his arm down. He only wants to leave it in a folded position, which, according to the therapists, is not good. He needs to begin using those muscles so that they do not atrophy.
Please continue to pray for him. He is strong and brave and I know that he will regain the strength he needs. In the meantime, I am thinking I should teach him to write with his left hand this year. Then, if he does regain the strength of all fingers we can just pick up where he left off, but we need to prepare...Just my thoughts. As we speak, I am not allowed into the kitchen. The children are icing my bday cake and decorating! What fun! I love having 4 children...they are so thoughtful and full of life!
We have been getting ready for the upcoming school year this week. So far, we have organized our library, decorated our nature notebooks, organized the science notebooks, and purchased the other necessary journals and albums. One of the things I am most excited about is their artist albums! After studying each artist the children will be given their own 4x6 portraits to place in the album, they will then write the name of the artist and the title of the work! I think I need to make my own :)!
I have been soaking up a wonderful blog called 'Higher Up and Further In' and have really come across some wonderful ideas! If you are a homeschooling mother, especially a Charlotte Mason one, I highly recommend this blog. Also, Ambleside Online! These two resources have encouraged me and motivated me! I can't wait to get to school :)! I must give credit to my wonderful BF, Mrs. Ashley Bausch, for her blog-finding abilities! You is supa-fly! Of course, these two blogs don't hold a candle to her, 'Undistracted Devotion'. And, I really mean that! Go check it out!
Okay, so life is super beautiful this week...I have turned 33, and I am not ashamed! Thirty-three, a wonderful husband who loves me, four of my very own children, and great family and friends! Wowsers, Praise the Lord! How blessed I am! The weather around here is phenomenal, there are butterflies everywhere, and yea, it is hot, but who cares...it is still amazing! The wind is blowing and there are so many birds chirping, most of them are sparrows, doves, and pigeons, but the sound is just great. I wish I could invite you over, into my air-conditioned room...that would be fun, but until then...Have a super blessed week!!

A quick poem! (actually, it is not really a poem, just encouraging words...wish I could give credit to someone, but I don't even know where it came from...probably Above Rubies??, it's on the front of my school notebook)

BEING THE HEART OF YOUR HOME

We make our home a...
A house of prayer,
A household of Faith,
A habitation of Love,
A haven of peace,
A happening place of joy and laughter,
A hub of activity,
A home of hospitality,
A home of happiness,
A home of harmony,
A home of holiness,
A home of humility,
A home of hugs,
A home of health and healing, and
A home of hearty food and fellowship, and
A hearthstone where all delight to come
We hedge it about with truth.
We heal broken hearts.
We help one another.
We heap blessings upon one another.
We hold fast the WORD OF LIFE.
We honor the elderly.
We HATE evil and LOVE righteousness.
We encourage hard work.
We provide an atmosphere for hearing the voice of GOD.
We fill it with heavenly praises.
We love and appreciate our husbands.
And of course, we make it a little taste of heaven.
KEEP YOUR MOTHER HEART BEATING STRONGLY IN YOUR HOME!!

Lots of LOVE!!!
Sandy

What is True Freedom?

I read this in the Message today and love the way it is written:

Romans 6
'...I'm using this freedom language because it's easy to picture. You can readily recall, can't you, how at one time you did just what you felt like doing-not caring about others, not caring about God-the worse your life became and the less freedom you had? And how much different is it now as you live in God's freedom, your lives healed and expansive in holiness?
As long as you did what you felt like doing, ignoring God, you didn't have to bother with right thinking or right living, or right anything for that matter. But do you call that a free life? What did you get out of it? Nothing you're proud of now. Where did it get you? A dead end.
But now that you've found you don't have to listen to sin tell you what to do, and have discovered the delight of listening to God telling you, what a surprise! A whole, healed, put-together life right now, with more and more of life on the way! Work hard for sin your whole life and your pension is death. But God's gift is real life, eternal life, delivered by Jesus, our Master.'

I am really learning a lot about emotions. I know we hear it all the time, not to let your emotions rule you, but my goodness, it can be such test. We have to control our emotions...the good ones, use for encouragement, etc...being sure that we channel those to others around us in order to edify them. Negative ones...control them, don't sin, don't run off at the mouth...just don't say a word. What a challenge for us! If any of you have won this battle, please send me some tips.
I am so thankful to be walking through this right now, it's about time. The passage above can be interpreted to teach us in so many different areas. Today, for me, I am grabbing a hold of, '...not listening to sin tell me what to do.' I may feel angry, frustrated, agitated, etc...those are normal, natural emotions...it is how I handle that. And, I love the part, 'with more and more life on the way'. Amen!! There is more and more life, and life abundantly!!! I will not do what I feel like doing, like complaining or whining...I WILL bother with right thinking and right living--- I want to!! That is TRUE FREEDOM!!!

Oh yea, and guess what...it is not good to be emotionless!!! So, for all of you out there who just sit on it, well...this is for you too. God gave us emotions and they need to be dealt with.

Love you all!
Sandy

*** Hey---good 'ole fashion Chicken -n- Dumplin's is on the menu tonight!! Come on over :)!