Pinto Bean...

We found the perfect addition to our family.  Meet Pinto Bean... Yes Emily has a unique taste in doggy names.  She says, "We have Paco Taco Enchilada Horn and Pinto Bean Tortilla Horn... Put them together and they make a burrito." Haha.  We still miss our little Guido and we will never forget her.  Little Pinto has helped ease the sadness.  We're blessed to have her.

From My Broken Heart...

When I was a young child I had the ugliest black mutt name Crocket.  I loved this dog.  My mom would never let him come in the house because he was stinky and dirty.  He would follow me all over town as I rode my bike here and there.  He would wait for me at the pool and the library.  He was the best.  One day he just disappeared.  I used to sit and imagine I could see him off in the distance and he'd run into my arms and we'd be together again but that never happened.  My heart was broken that he had gone away... but over time my heart healed...

When I lived in Las Vegas, Nevada I had this awesome dog named Skippy.  She wasn't quite the mutt Crocket was but she wasn't a special breed.  I used to strap on my roller blades and put a leash on Skippy and she would haul me all over the neighborhood.  That was so much fun.  We moved to Pahrump and during my early teen years I was quite rebellious and ran away from home late one night.  Unbeknownst to me... Skippy tried to follow me and I never saw her again.  My heart was broken that I had lost such a friend... but my heart healed...

When I lived in Louisburg, Missouri we had a wonderful black lab named Duchess.  She was amazing.  She lived to fetch.  She would chase anything, a rock, ball stick.... She would even dive into the water to retrieve whatever you threw for her.  One afternoon while target practicing my brother and his friend accidentally shot her.  She just came out of nowhere right as they were shooting their target.  Once again I was so sad... but my heart healed...

A few years ago my lovely sister Misty gifted us with a beautiful little dappled dachshund we named Guido.  She was absolutely the sweetest little dog you've ever seen.  She was a perfect friend for our other dachshund Paco.  She had the most beautiful big blue eyes and she was a special friend for my daughter Emily.  That little dog would burrow under the covers with her at night.  They were two peas in a pod...

Thursday afternoon we left the house to go to the library and the post office.  We took both our little doggies and put them outside on their leashes to have some bathroom time while we were gone.  We left about 3:00pm and came home about 3:30pm.  I hollered for the kids to let the dogs in as I was getting out of the car and I heard my son Logan ask, "What is wrong with Guido??? She's just laying there..."  I panicked... Instantly I thought "heat stroke."  It has been unbelievably hot the last few days.  Both of our dogs leashes are in an area where they have access to shade, water and their dog houses.  Guido's leash had wrapped itself around a tuft of grass and she was in the sun.  She was such a small dog that she wasn't strong enough to pull the loop off the grass it was caught on.

As I ran up to Guido the leash wrapped around the grass was the first thing I noticed.  I looked at her and she was laying there, her eyes were open and her tongue was hanging out.  I bent down and took her collar off and ran my hand down her side to see if she was breathing.  She moved so I snatched her up and ran inside.  She began to jerk around in my arms as I put her into the bathtub to get some cold water on her.  I was rubbing her and crying and begging God to please not let this little dog die.  All I could think about was my daughter I had to save this dog for my daughter.  I kept yelling for Emily to get out of the bathroom because I just didn't want her to see Guido like this.  I tried for about 5 minutes to breathe into Guido's mouth, rub her... I didn't know what to do... I just wanted her to live.  Finally I realized she was gone.  I sat there and just cried.  My kids were all crying too.

As I sat holding Guido I noticed she had what appeared to be fresh bruises all down her left side.  At this point there was a knock on our door and poor Bobby Heard from the parks department showed up to deliver my council packet.  The kids and I were all crying and I came to the door holding my dead dog... just crying and telling him how sorry I was that we were all worked up right then... and asking him if he knew anything about dogs??? But she was already passed.... There was nothing we could do.

I felt awful thinking Guido could have died of heat stroke but I also couldn't imagine that it could happen so quickly.  I got online and began to look up the signs of heat stroke and what happens when a dog suffers from it.  I even called the vet and described her bruises and what had happened.  The vet and the information I found online say she did not die from heat stroke and the bruises on her side were troubling me.

After many phone calls to anyone I could think of that might know something about dogs we ruled out heat stroke.  We suspect someone did something to our little Guido to cause her death.  She was not near the road and you would have had to pull a car practically into my back yard to run her over... and she would have been bleeding from that I would think...  It's possible someone walking by may have kicked her but I can't fathom why someone would do such a thing.  We will never know what happened.

So now I go back and forth in my mind wishing I had left our dogs inside when we left home.  Feeling guilty that maybe it was heat stroke... and feeling sorrow for my daughter whose lost her best friend.  Our other dog Paco is a lost soul as well.  He wanders from room to room looking for his Guido and she is gone.  My heart is broken.  I'm praying for it to heal.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-4
To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven...  A time to be born and a time to die... a time to plant and a time to pluck up that which is planted...  A time to kill and a time to heal... a time to break down and a time to build up...  A time to weep and a time to laugh... a time to mourn and a time to dance...

Parable of the minivan...

Who are you?

Picture a city street on a hot summer day.  The pavement is scorching hot, traffic is heavy.  Suddenly you hear tires screeching and people screaming.  From the sounds and panic you witness you can only assume there’s been an accident.  It happened up ahead of you and you did not witness exactly what took place.  You rush to the scene.  As you arrive you witness a group of bystanders on the sidewalk.  You assume it is safe to stand in this crowd to gather information about the scene in front of you.  What you see is a sight to behold...  A minivan with a family of four is overturned in the road.  You see people gathered around the vehicle… they appear to be trying to lift it… Their faces are strained from the effort. 

“What’s going on?” you question those standing nearby.  From all the voices sharing information at once you gather that a speeding car ran the red light and struck the minivan so hard it flipped and now rests there in the road.

Still confused you ask another question.  “Why are those people in the road trying to lift the van?”  More than one person try’s to answer you at once.  It is hard to gain a solid understanding of what they’re saying as they all try to speak at the same time.  You come to the conclusion that the people in the road believe a small child is being crushed by the van.  The bystanders are unsure of this but one of the people in the road says they witnessed the accident and is trying to persuade others to help lift the van.  The bystanders on the sidewalk are unconvinced.  Some say,  “it’s hot… I’m too tired.”  Some are busy taking pictures to post on Facebook.  Some are complaining that they’re being made to stay to give a police statement since they witnessed the accident.  You ask one of them if they also saw a child being crushed by this van.  The response you get is horrifying.  “Yes that is true but there’s nothing you can do about it… It’s too late to save the child and if it weren’t it would take too many people to lift that van.  It can’t be done…”

You start to step out into the road to answer the calls for help from those who are lifting with all their might.  Another person grabs your arm and distracts you with talk of there being no child under there…  “Don’t get your clothes dirty, the police can take care of it… it’s their job not yours.”  This sounds enticing… it is very hot… the work does look very tiring…  Besides some say there is no child under there… Maybe they’re right.

What will you do?

The child pinned under the car is our country.  The United States of America!
The van is our government crushing the life out of our country, out of the people.
The people in the road trying to lift the van are registered votes actively trying to make a difference.
Those standing on the sidewalk are all the rest… the ones who say one vote doesn’t matter… the one’s who don’t believe they can make a difference…

Do you want to live free?  Why don’t you vote?  Do you want to stop the socialist agenda of making everyone equally poor?  Why don’t you vote?  Do you want to preserve a country that is a place where your children can pursue their dreams?  WHY DON’T YOU VOTE? 

Social Services offices register their “clients” to vote.  Millions of people cast their vote based on who is going to keep “giving” to them free what you and I work to earn.  Take it back! Take it back with your vote.  One vote DOES make a difference! One vote cancels out one from the other side.  Please consider this and register to vote and then get out and vote.  PLEASE join us in the road.

"Cast thy bread upon the waters; for thou shalt find it after many days." Ecclesiastes 11:1

"We must not expect to see an immediate reward for all the good we do; nor must we always confine our efforts to places and persons which seem likely to yield us a recompense for our labors.  The Egyptian casts his seed upon the waters of the Nile, where it might seem a sheer waste of corn.  But in due time the flood subsides, the rice or other grain sinks into the fertile mud, and rapidly a harvest is produced.  Let us today do good to the unthankful and the evil.  Let us teach the careless and the obstinate.  Unlikely waters may cover hopeful soil.  Nowhere shall our labor be in vain in the Lord.

It is ours to cast our bread upon the waters; it remains with God to fulfill the promise, "Thou shalt find it."  He will not let His promise fail.  His good word which we have spoken shall live, shall be found, shall be found by us.  Perhaps not just yet, but some day we shall reap what we have sown.  We must exercise our patience; for perhaps the Lord may exercise it.  "After many days," says the Scripture, and in many instances those days run into months and years, and yet the Word stands true.  God's promise will keep; let us mind that we keep the precept, and keep it this day."

~Charles H. Spurgeon

I was encouraged by these words.  The Lord has given me work to do and I'm so very glad to roll up my sleeves and work!  It feels good to be useful and to know that one day God will give the increase and I will be part of His harvest.  :)  Look around... there's lots or work to be done.  Jump in and help.

Guilty Guido...

I walked by my sweet daughters bedroom door this evening and thought it was odd that she would chain her dog up in her bedroom.  

Upon further investigation I discovered this...  Emily explained to me that she had set the chair there, outside her window... so that Guido could see inside when she was outside...

Have you ever seen a guiltier face?...

Dallas County Missouri Special Election April 3, 2012 Results

Dallas County Emergency 9-1-1 at Large
Vote for 1
Jason Wendlandt 540
David Beltz 648
Write In 21

Dallas County Emergency 9-1-1 Northern
Vote for 1
Kathy Kesler-Strawsma 266
Barbara Elliott 299
Write In 15

Dallas County Emergency 9-1-1 Southern
Vote For 1
Lee Proctor 245
Brandon Kenall 228
James Salaki 107
Write In 8

Dallas County R-1 School District
Vote for 2
Leroy Laudenbach 297
John Maddux 485
Sonya Austin 284
Lesia Hessee 121
Wade Blake 350
Shannon Nicodemus 212
Write In 12
Write In 2

City of Buffalo Ward One Alderman
Vote for 1
James George 79
Kristie Horn 105
Write In 1

City of Buffalo Ward Two Alderman
Vote for 1
Jess Stafford 98
Write In 7

City of Buffalo Ward Three Alderman
Vote for 1
Larry Hicks 58
Write In 2

City of Urbana For Mayor
Vote for 1
Stephen R. Dyson 46
Donn Lancaster 8
Jamie L. Duncan 41
Write In 0

City of Urbana Alderman
Vote for 2
Phyllis Hood 49
Ronald A. Grice 47
Debra Jo Garrison Glass 32
Write In 15
Write In 1

Ozarks Technical Board of Trustees
Vote for 2
Greg Delong 2
Larry Snyder 2
Larry C. Gates 0
Write In 0
Write In 1

City of Buffalo Sales Tax Question
Vote for 1
Yes 208
No 187

Fair Grove Bond Election
Vote for 1
Yes 95
No 39

Chicken Tractor Built From Recycled Materials

I have to brag on my hubby. Today I mentioned that I would really like to build a small chicken tractor for our growing baby chicks. They badly want to be outside during the day but they're babies and we're afraid they're going to get too close to the dog or wander off. SO... right after dinner my Christopher took 55 minutes and built the part that I couldn't do on my own. I still need to enclose it in chicken wire, which will be my project tomorrow. Chris is going to put some wheels from an old baby carriage on it for me when I get the wire in place. I will take more pictures when it's finished. The wood used to build it is just scrap lumber from a house tear down. It's warped but I think he did a great job of making it as straight as possible. He even built our little chickies a roost :) Thank you Chris!!!

The Beginning :)

Chris putting in the braces... These are important ;) Or at least that's what I'm told.

Almost finished

Now I can wrap it in chicken wire and then Chris will attach some old baby carriage wheels to it so I can move it around easily. :) Our chickies are going to have so much fun playing outside now!!!

Dallas County Missouri GOP Republican Caucus March 17th 2012

I was pretty disappointed in the political process today. This was my first time attending a Caucus. I must say the Missouri GOP Republican Caucus in Dallas County was not all inclusive. A handful of "in the know" were ready and prepared with a slate of nominee's that were pushed through with no discussion. The requests from the audience were ignored and by the time those not "in the know" realized what was going on it was too late to do anything about it. I disagree that the average voter should have to attend monthly GOP Party meetings to be able to have their vote counted. As a voter I attended the Caucus today to have my voice count in voting on delegates to represent me. That's the whole point of a Caucus. There were many voters today who are average citizens that were cut out of the process by the few more active GOP Party members. The message seems to be your vote counts IF.... So now I'll add another task to my "to do" list. Time to start attending GOP monthly meetings....






Here is a link to an article written by another voter who had the same frustrating experience at this Caucus... Click Here

Doomsday Ready or Not? What Are You Trusting In???

This morning I watched a news segment on NBC "Doomsday Preppers Ready For The Worst." I'm not completely freaked out about "the end of the world as we know it" but I am trying to prepare. I know how to grow a garden and preserve food. I still haven't mastered the art of raising enough food to provide for the needs of our family of 6, but I'm learning. I've also decided it might be wise to invest in some re-usable canning lids. I'm learning how to save my own seeds from the produce I raise. We even have some back yard chickens.

In the news segment people were stocking up 3 years supplies of food. They were prepared for nuclear war and other natural disasters. Gas masks, medical supplies and SPAM were main staples in their garage stock piles. Some people were stocking up on guns and ammunition to protect their stock piles when the doomsday arrives. One of the homes looked like it was in a subdivision with neighbors homes only 10 feet away... Good luck protecting your stock pile...

So if doomsday came today, tomorrow or in two months am I ready??? I don't have a stock pile of canned food, guns and ammo, water supply, medical equipment.... I'm not afraid. I am ready. "My hope is built on nothing less, than Jesus' blood and righteousness." I know where my soul will reside when I die. I don't think there is anything wrong with the desire to prepare for uncertain times BUT if that is what you're trusting in please rethink your strategy. Thieves will come and steal what you have. When lawlessness abounds there will be no 911 to call for protection. I want to survive but inevitably we all shall die. Even if it's in peace and comfort at some point everyone dies. Put your trust in the one who gives eternal life.

Save your spam and can your jam but first put your faith in the Great I AM.

"All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23)
"The wages of sin is death" [spiritual separation from God] (Romans 6:23).
"God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).
"Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me'" (John 14:6)
"As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name" (John 1:12)
"By grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast" (Ephesians 2:8,9)

Cream of Mushroom Soup Canning

Mushrooms are on sale at ALDI's .79 for an 8 oz package. I've taken advantage of this awesome deal to try my hand at making some Cream of Mushroom Soup. I googled a recipe and dug out the pressure cooker and have about 20 pints of soup from the 8 packages of mushrooms and extra ingredients we used. This has been super easy and I can't wait to see how it tastes in some casseroles in the future :) I would like to have some home made chicken or beef stock on hand in the future so I don't have to use stuff with preservatives the next time I can soup.

The best part of the whole day has been finding Emily's (my daughter) two library books stashed away in my pressure cooker. Apparently the last time we used the cooker (around April or May) we brought our stash of UNO cards and her books home inside the cooker and I just put it away on the shelf until today. We've looked everywhere for those books and thankfully now can return them and pay a small fine... :p

Chicken Stock & Mushrooms Cookin'

Bottled Cream of Mushroom Soup Before Pressure Canning


The finished product :)

I pressure cooked this soup at 10 lbs of pressure for 40 minutes.
The recipe is...
1 lb of mushrooms chopped or sliced
2 quarts of meat stock
2 TB of salt
1 tsp of lemon juice
3/4 cup of flour
1/3 cup of butter

Chop the mushrooms and cook with the butter until brown.
Mix part of lemon stock with flour into a paste
Add all ingredients together and bring to a boil

Building A Cold Frame Garden Bed From Recycled Materials

It's not unusual around this time of year for me to begin to really miss my garden. We've had some really nice sunny days this week and today I was able to take advantage of the warm day. With my husbands help we (mostly he) built an awesome cold frame garden bed.

Towards the end of the summer I found this great window frame at a yard sale. I was going to purchase it but lucky for me the owner decided I could have it. It's been sitting by the house waiting for me to make it into a cold frame. I was planning to just set it on top of my already built garden box, but there were gaps where the window didn't completely fit or sit down flush with the bed. My wonderful husband kicked into gear and helped make it perfect.

The first thing I did was take the original frame off the window panels. That was easy.

Chris has access to loads of scrap lumber so he went and dug up some pieces out of the scrap pile and cut them to make a new frame.

And put them together.

I think halfway through he decided to tweak his design just a bit...

We wanted the window frames to sit on top of the new frame so with a little help from his sidekick Chris took some new measurements, re-cut and then screwed it all together.

After all their hard work I figured I owed them a soda and some Cheeto's :)

The windows are attached with hinges so they're easy to open up and I've already planted some lettuce seeds.

Bzzzz on the COOKIE!

I love the website Bzzagent.com. Today I got 2 boxes of cookies in the mail to sample. I probably wouldn't have purchased the Kroger brand cookies if I hadn't gotten to try these first. The process that a Bzz Agent gets to go through to sample and review products is lots of fun too. I love getting the surprise box of goodies in the mail. The kids really enjoyed these cookies. They were yummy with big chocolate chips :) I'm looking forward to the next campaign.

Farmers Are The Next Rich People...

Coupon Blues

God Saves Even The Meth Addict...

When I was 15 years old my mother moved from Las Vegas Nevada to a little dinky town about 50 miles away... Pahrump... Oh how I despise Pahrump... It makes me think in grouch mode... Harumph... During my short 6 months or so living there my life was spiraling out of control.

I was separated from my boyfriend Eddie when we moved to Pahrump. I felt tricked into leaving him behind and was very unhappy about it. At one point my mother would drive me into Vegas where she worked and I would hang out at Eddie's house during the day and go home with her at night. It became more and more difficult to talk my mother into letting me do this so on the last trip I hid from her and had Eddie's mother tell my mother that I had not showed up at all that day. Three days later my mother found me and drug me back to Pahrump.

I spent the next few weeks stealing pot from my mothers boyfriend and going horseback riding... Yes an odd combination but that's what I did. I was alone with my mother gone to work all day, no friends, both of my brothers were staying with their father's and I had no friends. After a few weeks of being alone I left the house one night intent on riding a bicycle to Vegas... 50 miles away...

I rode less than one mile before I became exhausted so instead, ditched the bike, grabbed my back pack and began to walk... I didn't make it to the edge of town before a man stopped to offer me a ride. I accepted... By the grace of almighty God I am here to tell my tale.

I made it to my boyfriends house where I spent a few weeks or months I can't remember. I lied about my age to get a job at a Pizza shop where I rode the bus and worked for almost a month before they began to harass me to get a health card. I wasn't old enough to be working in the state of Nevada at the time so there was no way I was going to be able to get a health card. I waited until pay day and just never went back. It didn't take long for Eddie and I to break up and then I decided it'd be a good idea to call my mom and go back home.

When I went home my boyfriends sister came to live with me for a few weeks. We met some boys at the park one day and went to a party with them. I never went back home, which led to her having to move back home. I stayed with my new "friends" for while... I can't even remember how long.

During my stay I lived on beer for a while. I ate when they offered me food but never felt comfortable enough to ask for food. They didn't eat that much... I discovered why when they decided to use me for their personal amusement when they began feeding me methamphetamine's. They found me quite entertaining as I hallucinated, picked my scalp, cleaned their house etc. etc... I'll keep this part short and sweet. I asked my "friend" Alan to please take me home one night when I couldn't bear to be in a room with a light on because I was so sure my scalp was oozing liquid. I think I washed my hair 20 times in one day. I literally thought my head was opening up and releasing oils or something. It was terrifying.

Alan dropped me off at my mothers front door. It was locked. I thought for sure she was in there and was just not letting me in. I banged on the door until my hands were sore and then I slumped down on the porch to feel sorry for myself. Looking across the yard at my mothers boyfriends mothers house (yea I know it's confusing) I saw (or thought I saw) my mother, her boyfriend and his mother and brothers sitting on the back porch laughing at me. I was so angry I got up and took off running down the road. The brothers came after me and I wrestled free when they caught me and the next thing I remember I was in the parking lot of the local grocery store. I found someone who gave me a ride back to my mothers house.

When I arrived I once again knocked on the door. This time my mother answered in her pajama's... I cried and told her how mean they all were for laughing at me. She swore it never happened. I suppose I imagined the whole thing or maybe it did happen. In my mind... it happened.

My mother made me a sandwich that I almost couldn't eat. My mouth hurt so badly and I hadn't eaten in so long that it just wouldn't go down. Her boyfriend made fun of me the entire time... He said I was faking, lying etc. I'm not sure what he meant I was faking or lying about.

I spent the next few days either running off to find my "friends" or locked in the bathroom wishing I could die. My older brother was visiting from Missouri and he tried to be a friend to me but I was too far gone. I wouldn't listen to anyone. My mother couldn't deal with me anymore, so she bought me a plain ticket and sent me to Missouri to become my fathers problem.

I won't go into all the details right now of how much of a problem I was for my father. I'm only telling this story to show that God saved me. People laugh if I tell them I was a meth addict that got shipped off to Missouri to get away from the meth. Apparently Missouri was the Meth capital of the United States at the time I came here. It might still be, I don't know. The miracle of all this is that in spite of Meth being so popular here I was not able to continue my addiction when I moved. I did find a supply a time or two but it was never a consistent supply. I know that God kept me from it. I don't understand why He chose to save me but He did. I was worthless but He saved me.

I watched a National Geographic Documentary this morning. "World's Most Dangerous Drug." I have been struggling so much recently with a bunch of miscellaneous things in my life. It's all piddly stuff. Things that don't matter at all! This morning God reminded me where He brought me from. I saw myself and what I could have become in the poor souls portrayed in this film. God saved me. He plucked me out of the wretchedness that I was in and set me aside for a purpose. That purpose is to glorify Him. I'm praying I can put aside all these things that don't bring glory to God. I'm praying for all the lost souls in this world that they would hear Jesus. Matthew 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Daddy's Note...

Daddy left a note for his children before heading out the door to go to the grocery store. He announced his departure by telling one of the children that he'd left them a note with instructions for them to complete some chores while he was gone and if they did all that was required he would bring them home a treat.

After Daddy left the child decided to get right to work so as to be sure to finish her work before Daddy came home. She didn't think to tell her siblings about the note because she was so busy thinking of her own reward to come when Daddy got home.

Along came big brother and happened to notice the note on the table. Big brother gathered the rest of his siblings to tell them the news that if they completed all their chores Daddy would have a treat for them. Big brother began to give out jobs and his siblings gladly began their work.

Before long little brother and little sister began to argue over what exactly Daddy meant when he said... "wash the dishes." Big brother thought it meant they HAD to wash those dishes with their own two hands... Little sister thought it might be faster to put them in the dish washer... So time went on by as they discussed what Daddy meant in his note and... the dishes didn't get washed...

Big brother was busy coaching a few more siblings on the task Daddy left to "do the laundry." Big brother was a good leader and a hard worker. He didn't see a reason to argue if the towels should go into the dryer or on the line to dry. He let one of his brothers take the towels to the line to hang dry while sister put another load into the dryer to dry. They were getting double the work done!

Big brother went to check on some of the much younger children to make sure they didn't need his help with their chore. When he entered the bedroom he found two of the youngest children arguing over how in the world they were supposed to "pick up their room." The children knew they weren't strong enough to pick up the bedroom that was attached to their humongous house. They were very upset with Daddy that he would give them such an impossible task. Big brother took them onto his knee to explain what Daddy had meant in his note. The children were so happy to learn their Daddy hadn't been so mean as to tempt them with a treat and then give them a chore they couldn't accomplish.

When Big brother left the bedroom to check on the rest of the children he found the first child whom Daddy had originally told about his note, sitting in a chair reading a book. Big brother was concerned that this sister had not seen or heard of the note so he began to tell her and she stopped him. "Oh no brother Daddy himself told me about the note and I've done my part." Big brother tried to encourage sister to come along and help the rest of the children to ensure they would all receive a treat when Daddy came home but sister was unwilling... she'd done her part.

Big brother found some more children playing in the toy room. He tried to tell them about Daddy's note but they wouldn't listen... They were too busy playing...

When Daddy came home he was true to his word. Some received their treat and some did not... Those that argued and never completed their work blamed Daddy for not being specific enough in his request to "wash the dishes." They thought Daddy should have described how he wanted the dishes washed. Sister got her treat but was sad to see her younger siblings suffer without one... She wished she had done more to encourage them not to fight and do their work.

Joplin Missouri May 2011 Tornado

This is a video and photograph's of the damage to the Wal-Mart store in Joplin. There was another survivor pulled from the rubble of the store the day this video was taken. Praise God for another survivor. Pray they find more.

Joplin Missouri May 22nd 2011 Tornado

Joplin Missouri lay's in ruins after being struck by a fast moving, mile wide tornado. Pray for the people affected by this disaster. More storms are heading in their direction as I write this. My heart hurts.

"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30

Toy Story 3 Has Spiritual Application???

Thanks to Netflix my kids were watching Toy Story 3 a few nights ago. I sat down to watch towards the end of the movie and yes... I admit... I was crying like a baby... There is one part in particular that I had found quite touching. As we sit re-watching the movie this afternoon I had to pause it to have a heart to heart with my kids. They all think I'm a big sap for crying over a cartoon movie but after explaining to them my point of view they're more understanding ;) and even agree! (At least Emily does... the rest of them still think I'm a bit cookoo.)

Ok so the section of the movie I'm all worked up about is when all the toys are at the dump. Lotso the bear is a big meanie but Woody rescue's him because that's the right thing to do. A few minutes later all the toys realize they're about to be dumped into the furnace. As they're running Lotso notices a ladder up to a "STOP" button but he can't climb it on his own. So Woody and Buzz boost him up. As all the toys are running for their little toy lives, they're trusting in Lotso to hit the STOP button and save them. Lotso is mean and selfish and decides NOT to save them. So all the toys are cast into the furnace. As they slide closer and closer to the fire Buzz and Jessie exchange a look of hopelessness and grasp hands. All around the circle all the toys reach out to cling to one another... Woody is the great leader of the bunch and NOT willing to give up. He's climbing, climbing but as he see's his friends he realizes there is no hope. As their leader he is the one to hold them all together grabbing hands and trying to give comfort knowing they're all about to be cast into the fire. With sadness they cling to each other waiting to be engulfed in the blazing fire. All of a sudden there is a bright light from above and a giant claw reaches down and scoops up the group of toys just in time. Whoo hoo they're saved by the little green men who worship "The Claw."

When I watched that I know the wheels were turning and my wheels turn in odd ways... I compared Lotso to Satan... He's selfish... He wants to bring souls to destruction. He will trick you to trust him and in the end you will burn. Now all the rest of the toys I compare to lost people in this world. There are some wonderful, loving, good people who try to do good and be good but in the end without a Savior there is a lake of fire waiting for them. No matter how good, kind, righteous humans try to be it will not be enough. Only through the blood of Jesus Christ the Son of God can a human be saved. The clothes you wear, the habits you make, the righteousness you create will not be sufficient on judgment day. Believe on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ today. You are not promised tomorrow.

I am thankful for saving Grace. I'm not worthy but I'm born again by the blood of Jesus. He was bruised for our transgressions. Believe today and be saved.

Jesus Prayed For Me...

I know Jesus loves me and I don't deserve his grace. It was a blessing to my soul as I read John 17:1-26 and saw that not only does He love me but He prayed for me.

These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:

As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.

And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

I have glorified thee on the earth" I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.

And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.

I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.

Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee.

For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me.

I pray for them. I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are mine.

And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them.

And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.

While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the Scripture might be fulfilled.

And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.

I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.

They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth.

As thou hast sent me into the world, even so I have I also sent them into the world.

And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.

As thou hast sent me into the world even so have I also sent them into the world.

And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.

Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;
That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.

And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:

I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.

O righteous Father, the world hat not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me.

And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it; that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.