Hello Everyone!

I thought I'd do a post about what I've been up to!

Well, I've been busy with a lot of school - math, teaching history and reading. I've found that I actually enjoy doing all three! I've been teaching Matthew, Joe, and Lydia history. We just passed Christopher Columbus.

I've also been busy with piano. A couple weeks ago, I did theory testing. Now I'm working toward adjudication. After that, the recital. I'm really enjoying piano and a candy bar for every 500 minutes of practice is a great way to get your students to practice.;-)

I've been working my way through the book "Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy: a Righteous Gentile vs. the Third Reich." I thought I knew a lot about Nazis, Hitler, etc., but, really I don't! Just reading this made me absolutely disgusted with Hitler and his Nazis. It's a great book, but it takes perseverance to read, since it's about two inches thick. I'm just barely scratching the half-way point.

What have you been up to?

Criss Children

Valentine's Day

For a couple years now, every Valentine's dinner, we made a special dinner for daddy and momma, which they ate upstairs in our girls' room. This year we decided to have big family affair. We all helped cook turkey, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, onion green beans, rolls, veggies, and pumpkin pie. We girls put our money together and bought everyone Valentine's candy. Before we started eating, Daddy told us that each girl had something under her plate. Daddy and the boys had written us sweet cards! After we enjoyed the meal, we children opened our candy bags and soon we started a game with the sweet heart candies. Matthew would pass one that said "My Cutie" to me, and I'd pass one that said "My boy" back to him.=) After the table was cleared and the dishes washed, we took a few family pictures, then watched a few "Gomer Pyle USMC" episodes.

What did you all do for Valentine's Day?

Today Is...

...Thomas Edison's 164th birthday!

Trust in the Lord

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.

In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shal direct your paths."

~Proverbs 3:5-6

Stand in faith
Even when you can’t see your way
Stand in faith
Even when you feel like you can’t face another day
Stand in faith
Even when the tears want to flow from your eyes
Stand in faith
Knowing that our God will always provide
Stand in faith
Even when you feel that all hope is gone
Stand in faith
Knowing that He is always there for you to lean on
Stand in faith
Even when you feel like giving up
Stand in faith
Because He is there ... saying, "Just look up"
Stand in faith
Even in those times you feel so all alone
Stand in faith
Hold on and be strong, for He is still on the throne
Stand in faith
Even when it’s hard to believe
Stand in Faith
Knowing that He can change your situation, suddenly
Stand in faith
Even in those times you feel it’s hard to pray
Stand in faith
And believe that He has already made the way
Faith ... is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen
So stand in faith
Because you already have the victory!

~Evangelist Johnnye V. Chandler

Chickens

=)

Our eggs are big now!

Chicken Family Portrait

Left to Right: Annabelle (standing), Ethyl, Lavern, Imogene, Kitty (in front), Henrietta, Beatrice (standing), Camille, and Frieda.

The Sour Dough Mess

Susanna (me), Victoria, and Krista

Psalm 91

He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say of the Lord, “ He is my refuge and my fortress;
My God, in Him I will trust.”

Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler
And from the perilous pestilence.

He shall cover you with His feathers,
And under His wings you shall take refuge;
His truth shall be your shield and buckler.

You shall not be afraid of the terror by night,
Nor of the arrow that flies by day,

Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness,
Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.

A thousand may fall at your side,
And ten thousand at your right hand;
But it shall not come near you.

Only with your eyes shall you look,
And see the reward of the wicked.

Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge,
Even the Most High, your dwelling place,

No evil shall befall you,
Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling;

For He shall give His angels charge over you,
To keep you in all your ways.

In their hands they shall bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone.

You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra,
The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot.

“Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him;
I will set him on high, because he has known My name.

He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will deliver him and honor him.

With long life I will satisfy him,
And show him My salvation.”

Some Things I Just Take for Granted...

...Like the protection I am daily under. "If I could be with my friends more..." "If my parents weren't so strict..." "If I went to the government schools..." "If I could go to college..." "If I had a job..." That all sounds so inviting, so exciting. But, I have no idea what I'm being protected from. Growing up in a Christian home, homeschooled, I am so protected from all the evil that is in the world. And I have been shown the "path of life." (Psalm. 16:11a) Anyway, I just wanted to say "thank you" to Daddy and Momma for protecting me and showing me the right way to live! I never will truly know how much you've kept me from, and I am very thankful!