OOOHHHHH... An AWARD!!!!!

My new bloggy buddy, AuburnChick, has bestowed upon me the honorable title of...



... you did remember to insert a drum roll, right??? If not, be sure to read it again and do so. It make for some GREAT build up!!!! So for the rules....



1. Thank the person who gave you the award... THANK YOU AUBURNCHICK



2. List seven (7) things about yourself that people don't know.



Hmmm.... well.... let's see... I'm such an open book.....



1. When I was a little girl, I would take all of my Barbie dolls and chop their hair off short. I ALWAYS had short hair, and I thought THEY should look like ME.



2. I am pretty sure that the perfect Bologna and cheese sandwhich has to be made JUST right.... bread, Miracle whip, then cheese... then a layer of potato chips... followed by the bologna, mustard and another slice of bread... in THAT order. Now I know, I could "see" that your nose turned up when you got to the whole "chips" part... but hey... it is GOOD!!!



3. When I as in high school we were asked to take a test to see just what we would be suited to do after graduation. Me... I was apparently suited to become a mechanic. Yes... you read that right... a mechanic. Now, I scored SUPER high on the mechanical portion of the test, but I'm pretty sure that it didn't mean MECHANIC... so I've often wondered if I've missed out on my "perfect career opportunity" or if my guidance counselor was in the wrong line of work!!!!



4. I've always loved music... a true band geek... but many of you may not know that I USED to be able to play several different instruments. I say USED to because I'm pretty sure after 30 years the skills are GONE!!! Clarinet, baritone, french horn, mellophone, and trumpet... and I once taught myself to play the Sax so that I could teach my nephew how to play over summer break... yeah... TRUE geek.



5. I've always loved crafts... and had the joy of working in a craft store for 5 years... ah... the bliss!!! But while many of you know about my love of all things yarn, you may not know that I used to love cross stitch... I've made some pretty darn good things in my day... but alas... my eyes are NOT what they used to be, so I no longer do cross stitch.



6. Along the lines of the "eyes"... I have macular degeneration... fortunately the "slow" kind... as well as cataracts... hence the no longer being able to cross stitch. We are "watching" it all as it progresses... and I'm pretty sure that I'll have to have the cataracts removed at some point... which is a GOOD thing, because they can now implant lenses and then I will NO LONGER need glasses. As for the MD... well... it will take time, but I will eventually lose the vision in that eye... and while I was pretty bummed about it when I first heard... I called my Aunt who has already lost her vision in one eye, and after some crying... and then MUCH laughing... I'm okay with it all... it isn't in MY control anyway.



7. And lastly... I think I should leave you with something funny... I HATE, HATE, HATE, HATE, HATE MICE.... yes, those furry little CUTE creatures... I HATE them!!! When I was but a wee little girl, my cheek was bitten by a rat while I was sleeping... or at least I was TOLD it was a rat. I had to get rabies shots, 1 a day for 14 days, around my little belly button. Which also has caused me to hate shots. How is this funny, you might ask??? Well, over the years growing up on a farm, I've had my run ins with numerous rats, mice AND shots, and every time has ended up being one of the funniest stories. So, if you want to see me a) run hysterically b) pee my pants or c) scream like a REAL girl... just bring around a little mouse... I promise, you won't leave disappointed!!!!

Now... to pass along the honor....

Robbie... over at Now There Are Five... this is one busy lady!!!!!! You will love her momma's heart and her Memorial Box Mondays!!!!

Terry... another one of our adoption momma's.... and she's at it again... gearing up to head to China to bring home a daughter... her family is such a mixture... and they are so BLESSED to have been brought together by God...

Christy... she has gone through some pretty major "life change moments"... and has not only held on to her faith in God to provide, but has stepped out in faith as well....

Enjoy getting to know these new friends!!!! And remember to visit AuburnChick as well!!!

Winging it...

Yesterday I walked into my SS class and wondered just where all the children were! While the numbers were better than last week (one child showed!), they were still down. I only had 4 kiddos in class... summer vacations are definitely taking a toll on the numbers! Now, I had prepared a lesson on the Wise Man and Foolish Man last week, and I opted out of it with just one student... she went to another class. I opted out of it again this week... I really need more numbers to do what I want to do.... so I decided to "wing it".

I asked the kids who showed up what their favorite bible story was... hands down the story of Noah. So off we went... on a Noah adventure! We talked about God asking Noah to build the Ark... we talked about the fact that when God said it would rain, it had NEVER rained in Noah's lifetime... the ground had ALWAYS been watered from below.... then we talked about the SIZE of the Ark... try explaining THAT one to first graders.... the 4th graders... they understood a little better. Then we talked about all the animals that were on the Ark.... and we made a list of all the ones we could come up with. Then I told that that it only scratched the surface of the number present.

Then we got into logistics... what would they need to survive... and not just for 40 days and 40 nights... if you add up the time they were on that Ark for over a YEAR... I think it was 379 days that we came up with!!! So they would need LOTS of food for all of the animals... and some of the animals that came along had to BE food for other animals such as lions, tigers, ... you get the picture. Then I asked them, "If an animal eats, and digests the food, what happens next?"... blank stares were all around the room... then I saw a light bulb pop... yep... "They poop!" Oh yeah... as one of the boys put it... "that's a LOT of poop". The girls were pretty freaked out about the bug issue... that is a LOT of bugs in one place too!!!

Then one boy asked, "What about all the OTHER people? What happened to them?" and I told him... "Because of their sins, they all died. Only 8 people remained on the WHOLE earth... along with the animals that God would use to refill the earth with MORE animals." The obvious next question.... "We have floods today... will be all die?"

Then we talked about rainbows... and God's covenant with His children....

What child hasn't drawn a rainbow at some point? Or seen one on a rainy, sunny day?? And I told them that God promised us that he would NEVER destroy the entire earth by that means again. This didn't mean that there will never be floods, just that he will NEVER use one to take out the entire world. And we talked about the fact that once God made that covenant, he had to watch as the world once again returned to its sinful ways... but that he had a plan in place already... and he would send his Son to die on the cross for our sins.

I handed out paper and crayons and showed them how to draw a picture of the Ark... the mountain it landed on... and I added a rainbow and the dove we had talked about, holding an olive branch. Then I turned them loose to work on their own pictures. As one of the boys was finishing up his rainbow he asked, "Mrs. Lynn, can I add a sun? You have to have a sun to make the rainbow work!" And as I told him of course... I wondered if he really understood what he had just told me....

"You have to have the SON to make the rainbow (promise) work."

Gotta love working with kids... sometimes they just have a way of taking an hour long lesson and bringing it down to just a few words!!!!

Freedom... What does it mean to you?

Yesterday I killed some time in Meijer before I went to see Eclipse with Carly and some friends. As I was roaming through the store picking up a few odds and ends for our Annual 4th of July gathering I found myself humming along to the music... very patriotic! As the music changed I found myself wanting to belt out the words to the next song, "This is My Country". And then I started to wonder just how many people actually even know that song!

You, being over 50 and coming from a very small town, I think I in a minority here. Not only is my hometown small, but it boasts of having the longest consecutive 4th of July celebration in the USA. This year marks the 180th celebration, and when I was growing up we took our celebration seriously. And to some extent, we still do.

I can remember as an elementary student, attending a small township school, being led in the songs that made us proud to be an American.... "The Star-Spangled Banner", "America, the Beautiful", "God Bless America", "The Battle Hymn of the Republic", "America- My Country tis of Thee"... and yes... even "Yankee Doodle Dandy". I still feel such a sense of pride when I hear these songs... but I'm sure that many people today just don't know them... oh, if they heard them they might be able to come up with a name, but the words? Maybe not... and I find that VERY sad.

This is my country! Land of my birth!

This is my country! Grandest on earth!

I pledge thee my allegiance, America, the bold,

For this is my country to have and to hold!

This is my country! Land of my choice!

This is my country! Hear my proud voice!

I pledge thee my allegiance, Americam, the bold,

For this is my country! To have and to hold!

Lyrics like that... they just aren't out there anymore. If you don't know the tune, just read these words with feeling... they should make you feel a sense of pride!!!!

There are men and women out there today who are working day and night to protect this country and our freedoms... and there are men and women that you pass on the street everyday who have given their service for the same. You may not recognize them as you pass, they don't wear a special tag, or wave a banner, but they served... and they see how we, as a nation, are turning our backs on all that they went to fight for. I'm sure it must make them sad.Take some time to just google Patriotic Songs this weekend and look over the lyrics... pull up a few on You Tube... be proud to call yourself an American.. and thank someone who served so you could be free.

Freedom is something that we've all started to take for granted... and I think we need to get a check on that... because in the blink of an eye, we could find ourselves unable to enjoy the things we do today... I see the enemy beginning to take a step in that direction, and if we don't begin to fall on our knees and ask for God's protection, we will no longer be able to worship Him freely. That is probably one of the most important aspects of freedom for me... drop me a comment and let me know what freedom means for you... I'd love to hear!

Happy 4th of July everyone!

Meet Murphy!

Here is our new family member... Murphy.... and yes, I can't just say Murphy... I have to add on. I've been making him Irish... Murphy O'Neal.... Carly on the other hand has been calling him Murphy Brown... he is NOT a girl!!!

He is currently snuggled down in his new bed, snoozing away. Gonna have to get him up to kennel him soon so I can go to bed... which means a trip outside as well.

Had to have him sheared due to matting and ticks... not too happy with the results... couldn't believe how he looked when I picked him up... and this is an improvement because I took a fine tooth flea come and got rid of a bunch of junk they left. And the poor little guy... his cut is just terrible! Fortunately hair grows, and for that I am thankful.

I've decided that even I can do a better job than that, so friend of mine who has been a groomer, but now only does a few out of her home, has offered to teach me... gonna be getting my shears soon... but I think I have awhile before his hair will be long enough to even straighten out... maybe I can find him a little puppy wig??? Or in his case, a toupee!!! Thank goodness it is summer or I would have to whip out a doggie sweater for the poor thing.

Aside from the bad hair day, he was also "snipped", or as I like to say, he had his manhood adjusted, so he is gonna be a little sore for awhile. He seems so even tempered, and even Michael has taken up with him and he has always hated dogs. He even led him around the yard for awhile tonight... progress!!!