My life as a M.O.B.*

Long ago- when I tried to be a good blogger and make little notes of post ideas- I wrote these next few lines."

You know you are a M.O.B.* when…

… your cell phone has pictures of bugs on it… in various stages of life and some not so much life.

… you have several cages in the basement and garage for the inevitable animal rescue.

… there are Styrofoam cups in the car with bugs etc. that didn’t quite make it in to the cage… or didn’t make it at all for that matter!

… socks are ALWAYS on the list of needed items. All different styles so they can be matched to the right child, forget to the original mate!

… it is not the volume of a scream that matters so much as the delay of said scream from the moment of impact to the actual hearing of it. Quick cry- no worries. Delayed cry- call 911!

...you own several varieties of compound w.

... you buy a box of band-aids every time you go to wal mart. Yes, every time.

… duct tape, electrical tape, super glue and zip straps are favorite stocking stuffers.

… buying 7 gallons of milk on grocery day means you will only have to make one or two more milk runs before the next grocery day.

… the freezer houses not only food but various items of science projects – both gone well and not so well!

... magnifying glasses are very cool for art class. Not always safe, but very fun.

...there is not enough shout or zout or oxy-clean in the entire world to adequately keep their socks clean.… even pans with a life time guarantee do not stand a chance against a young man learning to cook.
… you look at the young men in your home and melt when they call you mom. If they happen to say “I love you” or give you a hug- it is all over. Even I cry- and that is saying something!

*mother of boys :)

A belated Valentines gift...

Because I know we all struggle and are very busy - I thought I would help you with a little house cleaning as a gift to make your life just a little brighter today.

Click HERE !

You're Welcome!

A look into one of our days...

Being a veteran home schooler, I am often asked... so what does a day of school look like? Are you very strict and regimented? How do you motivate your children on a daily basis?

Well, here is a mini-peek into a day at our home on a typical winter day of home schooling. Mind you, the clock reads 7:00 am EST somewhere... because the early bird get's the worm... or in this case the nugget of knowledge that may propel them on to a successful career some day end of the box of "good" cereal and last of the milk!

The first thing you must know, is I firmly believe in having the children present themselves ready to learn. That means teeth and hair brushed, and clothes suitable to be worn to a traditional school they wake up sometime before 10. This is well demonstrated by our youngest, Savannah. She loves school- really! At 5, she already does mid 1st grade work. Certainly not a chip off the old blocks as it were! But you can see, she is diligent to her studies even if not the most presentable!



I am also a firm believer in the buddy system. Micah feels our dog Molly is a great study partner. I am fairly confident she won't give him any answers on tests, so I am all good with his choice. It is amazing though how much assistance distraction a little 7 pound dog can provide! Really though, he says she keeps him warm... which is the theme of the next two photos!

Our family is made up of overly warm blooded people who cannot stand temperatures below 70. This is a problem here, as the outside reaches a mere 19* some days, and we live in an old farm house that costs more to heat than the monthly rent if we put the heat above 62. So they, in their amazing creativity, have found ways to manage the cold. Here you see Josiah in a hoodie and hat that he also goes outside sledding in and is completely "fine-I'm not cold at all"-exact quote. He positions his chair directly over the heat run closest to the furnace, and makes a tent over his legs to trap ALL the warm air coming out. The heat run is also in the living room where the thermostat is and because he is preventing the room from getting warmed up properly, the heat is on significantly more than it should be. But he is warm! Oh, and I know the next question... he tells me he uses his cell phone as a calculator, which in 9th grade math he is allowed to do. Only trouble is... that is his English on his lap! He reached an all time high for our family last month in texting done on a single phone line. 14,000+. I have read many of them... if "Hey", and "What's up?" were not counted then he would have only 5 :)

Olivia is a little more conscious of stealing the heat from the rest of us. She props herself right in front of the kerosene heater and often Molly joins her there. It is in the laundry room right next to a wall of (sometimes!) sunny windows and french doors, so it almost feels like she is outside on our deck off our bedroom- which is where she goes the first day the temps are over 60*!

And yes, we supplement the heat in our house with kerosene heaters. It works in a dual way. Placed in the living room right by the thermostat, they prevent it from reaching low temperatures by over heating that small 10ft area. We save the money spent on RG&E by not using a whole lot of natural gas. Also, the kids rooms then receive little or no heat, which causes them to come into the main living areas of the house to get warm. This may sound cruel or unusual, but with 5 kids ages 17 to 5, their tastes run in completely opposing directions. this tactic provides opportunity to join as a family and engage in quality time together. Some favorite games during these times include farkle, yahtzee, uno, and dutch blitz- as seen in this photo.

I have included this picture of our kitchen blinds for no other reason than I think it is a really cool picture. Look how straight it is! And it is un retouched! I know- I am getting sick or something.

OK, last but not least I will give you a look at a gym class. Josiah is a great teacher, and Levi is a gifted athlete... this video displays holes in both of their attributes!

Big Inspiration...

Today I read through a tiny book called "Though Lions Roar", the story of Helen Roseveare. A British woman from the mid 1900's, and virtually unknown to me prior to this book, she struggled with so many of the same things that I do today. Pride, self-elevation, service to be serving God and not seen by man, you get the point. One portion of the book so struck a chord with me that I reread it a few times before continuing on.

... and she prayed this prayer in all sincerity: "Please go on working in me until I really am transformed into the image of Your Son. Today I mean this, but when You start doing it, and the stirring hurts, and I feel I can't take anymore, maybe I'll cry out to you to stop, but just remember my vow today to be available to you, and just go on working away at me to make me like you want me to be."

Wow! I have often had those same feelings and emotions, never once thinking to pray for God to continue His work in me in spite of them. Some times I fear making the "vow" because I know I will break it. I fear my failure and that causes me to not even try in the first place. Oh that I will at least give God the chance to work wholly in me!

You need only watch the first five minutes...



All of this brings to mind when Dan and I had our children. We both had a desire to have as natural a childbirth as possible, and were fully prepared to have Dan be the heavy when I - in full blown labor- would be tempted to cave in under the pressure and cry out for drugs ... please! Anything to stop this immediate hurt! There were times when he had to be strong, and go against what I was saying at the time. But he was fully persuaded that if he gave in, I would be SO mad at him after! How much better does God know me! He will know when to push back, and I will need to trust Him when I am yelling for the trial-test-hurt to stop.

So while I am not so sure what may come, I do desire to be like Christ. And may I have the courage to pray that prayer in all sincerity.

"Let the Word of Christ Dwell Richly"

In our church there is a ministry of prayer groups specifically for the wives of our missionary families. Each wife has a group of ladies that meet monthly to lift her up in prayer, to specifically bring their family's needs before the Lord, and to encourage her in the work of the ministry. I have been blessed to be part of the group for Robin Ireland whose family ministers in Ukraine. What a gift to be a part of their ministry. To hear of the answered prayer and know I was on the ground level of the work being done there- what an amazing thought. They are an incredible family that has been faithful to the Lord for over 12 years on the field, and even having been home on furlough... a time of refreshing... have been busy in the ministry of our local church!

I give you all of that ground work to say this. I look to Robin for so many things. I truly follow her as she follows Christ. At our January gathering, she threw down a challenge. I did not know at the time that others had taken this up on Jan 1st, and it was already Jan 5th. I really thought, "OK If Robin says I need to do this, it needs to be done".

"What is it" you say?

Well, if I were to tell you she said bungee jump or climb Mount Everest twice in the next four months, while exhilarating and a challenge, it would still pale in comparison to her real "throw down"... in true Bobby Flay manner. She whammied me with both fists, and I like a bleating sheep said... Well why not?!

Again... why all of the suspense?!?!

I don't want to let you down in the revelation of the challenge. If you feel a bit like I did when I heard it, I completely understand. It doesn't sound daunting or even that hard. In fact, the humble and meek 'voracious lover of all things challenging' part of me thought... "Oh this will be a stretch, but not a complete impossibility"... I now think anew.

It is this.

Read the Bible through in four months.

Please... if you feel a twinge of a let down, February first is coming! I dare invite you to the same commitment! The chart Robin gave us has us starting in Genesis, John, as well as Psalms and Proverbs scattered throughout. It has been an incredible time! I have always been a big Bunny Trail person. I find something that I don't get, and I dig it through to the bottom of my limited mental capacity resources. While it is great for the sake of actually reading and learning, I think I have read the entire Bible cover to cover a few times, but I am not really sure! I know there have been times that I skipped over here or there for the sake of chasing down some reference, and then I get so absorbed in that part I just continue reading! There were several months I felt like I read through Isaiah and Jeremiah three times!

So what has been some of the biggest "Ah Hah!"s through this past month?

1. I love to read the Word of God. He is The Master story teller. The truths of the Word and the pictures he paints in the Bible are better than any novel.

2. There is something to quantity... and not just quality. This - I am sure - applies to more than reading the Bible.

3. When I put more of the Word in my mind and my heart, I feel the difference in my spirit. It is more than a knowing I have read my Bible. There is change from my core.

As I read today in Deuteronomy 15:18

It shall not seem hard unto thee, when thou sendest him away free from thee; for he hath been worth a double hired servant to thee, in serving thee six years: and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all that thou doest.

The Lord was giving commandment how to deal with servants after their years of service. What struck me was the owner was told to give a booty load of stuff to the servant, that they go not out empty handed for all their service. It shall not seem hard unto thee... is what the Lord said would be part of their reward for obedience. To obey in truth, one must know what is required and expected. And that must be learned from reading the rule book- The Bible. I want obedience to not seem hard unto me too. That will be accomplished through reading and reading and reading. This schedule is helping me do that- purposefully.

4. It is good for me to be seen reading my Bible in front of my children. Not to be a show or so I can look holy, but because they should rightfully expect that all this reading will make a difference in me. That means I must become more God-like to them. This is not an act of chance or accident. With purpose, the Word of Christ is dwelling richly in me, and by allowing the Spirit have free course in me to make the multitude (...!...) of changes that need to be made, I can become more conformed to the image of Christ. Lord, this is my prayer!

5. 2 Corinthians 8:12 For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.

My mind is willing to allow God to have his perfect way in me but in truth, I feel like I don't have enough faith, or belief, or patience, or ability to be what God wants of me or for me. Praise Him it is according to what I hath that God will work this in me and His working in me is NOT according to what I hath not! So I must let all my lack be counted as weakness that He will be strong. In reading these past few weeks, I am learning of the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob, the same yesterday, today and forever. Reading it through quicker than I ever have has made the Word seem like a true tapestry where everything so intricately weaves together. I know it does from my teaching, but to actually experience it first hand has been a work of the Spirit. I know God better even through these short weeks of pouring in the word. His mercy and righteousness, his attention to detail and still the master orchestrator of his Grand Plan. To know my body is to him now what the temple of Exodus and Leviticus was. To know that within me, that is within my flesh there dwelleth no good thing, but within my spirit dwells The MOST HIGH GOD. To imagine that he finds this habitation -my life- preferable to the gorgeous Ark of the Covenant, and the Holy of Holies. That all of the gold and brass, tapestries and jewels- what this world calls precious, are as nothing in comparison to me in him and he in me. Mind blowing stuff.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom;

If you were interested, I have put a general guide to some reading schedules. I challenge you!

5 PAGES DAY Through in 365 days = 12 months - 1 time Year

10 PAGES DAY Through in 180 days = 6 months - 2 Times Year

15 PAGES DAY Through in 120 days = 4 months - 3 Times Year

20 PAGES DAY Through in 90 days = 3 months - 4 Times Year

30 PAGES DAY Through in 60 days = 2 months - 6 Times Year

60 PAGES DAY Through in 30 days = 1 months -12 Times Year

I somehow feel a little closer...

... more Connected when I drink this in the morning. I have never seen Zambian coffee anywhere! Funny thing is, I don't even think I saw it IN Zambia.


I am thinking even Aldi is on board with encouraging us to continue on this path. And no, I do not think this will make the official list of confirmations from the Lord that we are called to this particular field, just in case you were wondering!

If I had any patience whatsoever...

you would not be seeing this yet!

Alas, my exercises in delayed gratification were less than effective. Quite pointless actually. I may have done better with a test geared more for my age... why wait for the second marshmallow when I bought the whole bag in the first place, and for a mere .99c I could get another entire supply?!

Perhaps there is a the test for adults... "Wait until the prayer card is finalized before unveiling it on your blog. " YIKES! ... I fail yet again!

Here it is!!!
This is the front of the card. Now mind you it is a scan of a card printed at Kinkos, so the quality is less than optimal. We are still attempting another family picture- though this was the best we have to date! You all know the joys of family photos. 'Nuff said.

And here is the back. I told you here the inspiration for the line of animals on the card front and the tag line "Imagine a Different Africa" here on the top. We have had mixed reviews of the phrase. So let me ask you... my faithful reader. What does that say to you? What comes to mind when you think of Africa... different?

Perhaps we will put some phrases that we want to convey as our vision of a changed Africa. The one I think of now is dark, and not because of the skin color of most of it's inhabitants. I think of despair, no hope, and spiritual deception. There are so many people and people groups who have no Gospel witness. Even if they could read, the Bible is nowhere to be found in their language. Even if a native was sensitive to the law of God written on their hearts, the obstacles of geography and opportunity are so great. God will need to bring the Gospel to them. "Here are we Lord, Send us!"