Do we do things because there is a outlet to do so or because we really need to? Would we actually need it if it wasn't available?

One day a friend of mine and I were have a decision about the new ACA, better know as Obamacare, I think it is an apt name and I won't go into the oxymoron that obamacare is if you really think about it, and now I have already digressed so back to the subject at hand. Anyway. we were talking.  I had said I was blessed, I don't believe in luck or fate, that I was never really ill for the most part.  You know in a way that actually required medical attention as she is a lot.  She said but would I be as sick if I had not had the advantage of having had medical insurance to depend upon.  We both have contemplated upon that and we have both come up with our own personal answers, but tend to both agree it is probably the reason for the rampant acceleration of the medical industry in the last 50 years.  NO one deals with anything on their own they are off to the ER for scratches and sore throats.  Mothers used to take care of their children's small issue and nothing more was said.  Now, if you don't have a mother who believes in the techniques of her grandmothers and takes care of the common childhood issues, children spend a great part of their childhoods in ER's where mothers are strong arming the doctor into prescribing something to their little "special" child. Dr's have thrown out their moral honor and prescribe antibiotic's at will and eventually it makes it much easier for them to prescribe opiates and narcotics to the adults.  Or, they are on the payroll of the drug companies or prosthetic companies hocking them for their kick backs... again degressing.  The reality is if we didn't have the insurance companies and the dr's pandering to them would we really need all the medical attention we have become accustom to?  I don't think so.  I know, I know there are, and always have been, truly sick people but not in the droves we now see.  I think that if you have insurance its like have life insurance, a savings account or a nest egg of any kinds, if you have it you feel the need to use it and get your moneys worth for the sacrifice you made to have it in the first place.

That leads me to the current plague of mental illness in this country.  The prisons are full, fuller than any other country in the world per capita and most of them have mental illnesses, something like 70%.  We have cities full of mentally ill transients and homless people who were once fully functioning member's of our society.   We used to have insane asylums and I know those were horrible places, especially when they were used to hide the disabled and the unwanted children of the age and more.  However there was once a true need for them, now instead of having them we dump the people out in to the cold with no help.  Here again would we need so much mental health if we hadn't started the never  ending cycle in the first place.  Our Departments of Family Services are now full of children who really needed help, and out of their situations, but did all of them need to be put on the treadmill of the therapy system.  Do they all need continuous therapy and do none of them ever get better and don't need it?  Do the therapized always have to grow up to be the therapist?  The blind leading the blind so to speak.  Does the therapist ever cure or help some one get back to not needing the therapist or is it a job where job security out-ways the good of the patient in the first place.  Really doesn't anyone have a sister, a brother, a mom or a friend any more?  No,  we are to busy texting and twittering to make any really non virtual friends to have any one that would actually help us find our way.  Do any of these people belong to a church, a club of friends or have a pastor?  We are so lost, and guess what insurance pays for it...... WE are like the mice on a wheel.... what comes around goes around, ever wonder what that meant?, well we are living it.  Stepping down and shutting up for the moment, but think about it and then wonder why our society is getting worse, and your children are being encouraged to go into the medical fields or into psychological fields.. and why there is such a giant need, ever hear of big brother?

Today I pray you have the Lord in your life and you talk to him and he guides you to where he wants you to be in this life.  I hope you have obeyed his will and sought your salvation.  He is truly awaiting your acceptance of him to gift you wondrously,  he will give you all you need and give you salvation, a free gift to life everlasting with him... tomorrow.   

Tie dyed soap making class over and done, we all had a lot of fun..... I may do a liquid and whipped one in the fall.

Got up bright and early this morning, packed the car and went to the 4-H building to set up and be ready for the class at 1.  Mokie and I got it all arranged and I built to separate batches of soap to pour together to "mess" up a batch to fix.  Well it came out wonderful and so we had to mess up a perfectly good batch of lovely sponifying soap to make 'rebatched" or french milled soap.  All the ladies got to choose there own color, exfoliants and liquids.  Only one recipe so I could control the variants as much as possible.  NO lecture this time, only a little conversation and answer session.  I decided they could look at the different soaps and get an idea of what they would like to make.  We had goat milk soap, tomato, coconut water, aloe vera, and cucumber.  We made the batches basically one at a time so all could see the various degrees of trace.  The tomato "riced" so I had a nice example to rebatch after I rebatched the good batch.  One brave soul wanted to make the tie dyed, so it was last and all the ladies that wanted to make it at home watched as we made lovely goat milk tie dyed soap, all with turmeric, cayenne, walnut hulls and spirluna.  It was beautiful.  I sold several mold, scales and several ladies bought oils to make more batches right away. Hoot, Hoot, real soapers, I am so proud of them. I did tell them I would be interested in having a hot process liquid soap class and whipped class in the fall, I think the class or class will be full of my protegees. How wondrous is that, they all have a love for making soap and that is the best part of all.  Only one person used the mica, and that was my dear Mokie and she doesn't have the affinity for natural that I have and have instill maybe in my protegees. I can't wait to see what they make I hope they send me photos.

I am to tired to make dinner, sore from standing all day, but a good sore like you actually got something done.  When we went to load the car we couldn't get the car to start so we sent a help signal through the girls by way of Preacher and Pianist taking them home.  We sent key so Poppie could use Mokie's car.  He had to get a ride from the neighbors, we couldn't start our car because we were trying to with Mokie's key..... long day I guess.  Poppie is "making" dinner as we speak, take out, yay. to tired to cook.  Lovely day.

I pray you had a good day.  I pray that the Lord was in it.  Any day with him in it is pure joy and the path to salvation.  I pray you look for a Church that fits you and attend.  The Lord does like the called out assembling of his children.  My prayer to you and yours.... tomorrow.  

Tie dyed experiments in soap.... getting my ideas together for the advanced soap class...

Had a busy week, okay so I couldn't get to you yesterday, but it has been fulfilling as well as just full.  I got to connect with most of my friends and for the most part I don't get to do that, but then I had to ignore some of the others alas what is a girl to do.  Belle and I are working on a big project and both our husbands are on board in a positive manner, that is great.  I got to go to Bible study this week, but not to Church or CAKLs on Tuesday.  On Wednesday I got to connect again with Belle and Flower Child, very good visit and lots of good things done toward goals.  I got a job working on a coloring page for adults for a seminar.  Now it is just a matter of getting on the same page with the page.  One of my dear friends, Schoolmate, has abandoned her Facebook to get away from people who kind of stalk her so I will mess her, funny how talking one on one on email is not always the same thing.  It is much more awkward to share some things if it is only to one person and you don't want to over inundate them.  Two of my friends are email only friends now.

I made, probably, my first really nicely distributed multiple colored soaps yesterday.  I learned a new trick and invented another.  I ended up with what I would call tie dyed soaps, both had the same coloring but oh so different.  They were both soft soaps, I don't know if it was the colorants that made them take longer to harden or just what, maybe the recipe, so I will try a different one today.  I had made a two colored soap the day before so here are the photos of my endeavors....

Food grade charcoal and mica colorant (I only got it for the class)

Same as above

above and the following have tumeric, paprika, ground walnut hulls, and spirluna

oh! and hibiscus petals on top

not hard enough to unmold but pretty I hope it comes out clean.

the extra made a fish, but it didn't come out of the mold clean, so sad!

I pray that you have a great day and that you hear and feel the love of the Lord Jesus in your life, nothing, and I mean nothing, makes it more complete, no, not your family, friends or spouse.  Jesus makes all aspects of life better and complete.  I pray if you are not in the Lord, today is the day you step forward on a path of finding him and making salvation your goal.... tomorrow. 

Tuesday who'da thought busy??? No, surprise there.....

I got several packages in the mail yesterday, a new box of Olive oil but this time I got the one with half rice bran oil.  I noticed it when I went to buy a new 35 lb box of olive oil.  I wonder why beside cost would you want it in your soap.  Well I seems that the rice bran oil has many reasons to add to the soap and it cut the cost of the olive oil down as a bonus.  It is also premixed so only one measure instead of two.  I also got the new molds, some of them are the dog molds, I got so I can make dog soap, well as soon as the scents for the dog soaps come.  Funny dogs are more sensitive to scents than people, more like babies, well not that babies aren't people because they are from conception, but you know what I mean.  I have citronella, lemongrass, peppermint and tea tree oil all pure essential oils coming to make those soaps.  So, I won't be able to make them until next week I am thinking.  I also got the dreaded colorants for the soaps.  I know that they will be pretty but I am not a person that puts pretty above function or health.  I did get the colorants that are pretty with the least toxicity.  I got the mica ones that are actually natural but really not a needful part of soap making other than the vanity of making pretty soaps.  Okay, I digress, making "pretty" swirled soap today.

My whipped soaps came out well for a first try, well after the two failed batches, they were still good soap but no fluffiness.  Here are photos of the ones that worked out.

I went to Bible study at Belle's first thing yesterday, we also had a strategy meeting about a business we are considering. We are both praying for God's guidance in our endeavors.  We made some progress but we managed to be so into it that I forgot the time and missed CAKLS.  Booboo is in the MCT play she is a beggar.  She is excited to be participating.  Yogie is not in the play, as she is burned out from all of her endeavors, so she went to piano and then spent the evening playing like a carefree child with her cousins all night. 

We had an emergency in our extended family yesterday.  Butterfly ran away.  She is an adult but she is a disabled adult with a child's mentality.  She had gotten in a fight with her mom and while her family were at school and work she decided to run away.  She drove the 4 wheeler down to the local town pump and got into a semi with a truck driver and they headed eastbound.  It was some time before the family found that she was even gone.  The camera's at Town Pump helped to find where she had gone as she had parked the 4 wheeler at a gas pump took the keys and got into the truck.  They praise God found her about 60 miles away in Zootown.  She had called her mom,  and  her mom kept her on the phone while the family called the Zootown police to go pick her up.  She is at home now, and hopefully not safe, well safe but she is most probably under consequences for all the stress and anguish she caused. Thank you again to all who helped look for her in this time of need.

I got lovely strawberry plants and a new rhubarb plant on the way to Belle's, I stopped at Lady Hero's and she had made wondrous liquid soaps from her Castile soap that she made in the basic soap class.  She had shampoo and dishsoap to show me, I love a fellow soaper and she definitely has the soap makers bug.  Yay, the best compliment a soap teacher could have.  I hope she stays with it and creates lovely soaps the rest of her life, and mostly I hope she doesn't go back to the alternative. 

Off, to do what must be done, whatever it is.  I pray for the Lord's blessings in your life.  I know he loves you as he loves all of the things he has ever created.  You know, if you are someone that creates, that you have a passion and a love for all the wonders you create, would the Lord be any less, no, he would be, and is, so much more passionate about all that he has created, that includes you.  He could not love you more and can not love you less, he awaits your love like any parent awaits, with infinite love, for their child, he awaits you to love him in return.  He has a wondrous gift to give you if you but believe and accept his love and gift of salvation. Just hink of the wonder of eternal life with him, you loving and being loved by him..... tomorrow. 

Easter the day of resurrection and spring renewal.....

Yesterday was Resurrection Sunday, or Easter, what a glorious day for all of Christ's saved.  It is the day that he died for one and all, even those who do not believe and they don't even realize it.  It is maybe the best day of each year and most assuredly the best day for all the saved in Christ's lives, well maybe the day we get to go to be with him is better but the sorrow of the ones who are left behind puts a damper on the ones that are still in life and have not passed on, but our greatest day.  The day of our birth in to heaven, or the passing from this life to the next and into eternity.... What glorious day that will be!!

We were pleasantly surprised to see Mokie, Cubbie and Bubbles join us at Church, it was wonderful to have them, Cubbie is getting to be so good at Church and Bubbles, is 2, and does the normal, chattering, walking around but does love a good hymnal....  We had potluck and got to spend a pleasant afternoon with the our Church family.  We came home after and had a nice afternoon.  The Ladies and I went on a walk through the rain forests, Poppie was in too much pain to walk.  We came home and raked in the back yard, and put tire repair in the tire.  We then got to go on a ride, partly to make the fix a flat work and partly just to go.  We went in to the woods up Flat creek.  The devastation of the fires from last year was everywhere. The girls got to touch snow and throw a little, we scoped out a possible camping trip and looked for konks.  It was lovely spring outing, a renewal of our love of the woods.  I always think that God is nowhere more apparent than in the lovely woods that he gifted us with.  It was nice end to a blessed day.

I hope to "frost" soap cupcakes today and hope that it has not been to long and the soap has not aged to much to adhere well.  I pray for your salvation, Easter is the time of salvation on so many levels, have you read the stories of how our Savior descended from glory, became a man and died upon a cross just for YOU.  Yes, each of us share in the gift of God's love, we just need to believe that he loves each of us individually that much.  He loves us the same from the beginning of time in to eternity, he can never loves us more or less than he always has.  He sorrows when one of his children never turns to him and believes.  He loves us all and gave his son for each and every one all we have to do is believe in his love, accept his gift and live in eternity with him.  How sad and sorrowful is the non-believe of even one precious soul that is lost.... tomorrow. 

Busy three days, couldn't find a moment to catch up......

Thursday I subbed at the Library, so didn't get much done that day.  I did manage to make a batch of cupcake soap bases but haven't gotten to make the "icing" for them.  Friday we went on an all day odyssey to the Zoo.  We had to been in town at 9:30 for Mokie's obgyn appointment.  Made it and it was a short and sweet appointment, she went in while I and the 4 girls waited in the car.  Done and over we had 5 and half hours to kill before the ortho appointment, we had no idea they were on the same day.  We took the kids to the home resources, I got some marble tile and some tumbled tile for two bucks, I think I am going to make soap dishes, the girls got a free game.  Done again and only 5ish hours left.  We took the kiddo's to eat and then killed an hour plus at the Goodwill.  I got a new in the box  Imusa granite mortar and pestle, now I actually have to learn to use it.  I have used the little one that Lady got me, it is very pretty it is marble and goes so well with the marble baking slab, my rolling pen and my other marble this and thats.  I am thinking I might use some of the marble to make mosaic hot pad but not sure.  I got a bunch of cool soap carriers at Goodwill as well and then some small ones to accompany them at Walmart, so I will have a more professional look this year.  I got some new fangled sipping lids and straws a new produce from ball, they are great.  Well after a long day of pittling here and there we went to the dentist a half hour early and got right in.  Well the criss cross rubber bands that Yogie had worn for 18 were no more, all but one of the teeth came down to where they needed to be so she only has one more band to wear and will be wearing it until mid June and then one more appointment after that, so close but no luck, it will be almost a full 5 years when the braces finally come off.  I know I am tired of the never-ending appointment so I know Yogies is exhausted with them but she looks so much lovelier with her beautiful teeth than the crowded crooked ones would have,  I just have to remember that the finish line is near.

We got home last night prepared to quickly do up the BBFC cards, sheets and tags.  There was a todo going on and finally got to down load around 8:30 to 9, and then this morning it was back to where it had been when we got home from the Zoo, we should have just down loaded and did our thing and stayed off the computer, would have been a lot less stressing, but what do you do?? lol.  This morning the distribution went off with no hitches and plans being thought of for future tweaking.  I got home from delivering the produce I order for a few shut-ins and then the baking began.  Booboo helped me make one peach, one pineapple, two coconut cream, one lemon meringue and one nice scalloped potato dish for potluck tomorrow.  We will make the coleslaw in the morning.... I am well and truly tired, having a lemonade with some kick and going to bed.

I pray that you go to Church somewhere tomorrow, tomorrow we celebrate the Lord's conquering of death, he arose and Glory be to God that he did for with out his rising and overcoming death we would all still be lost.  I pray that you celebrate the Lord's salvation tomorrow with some one you love and hopefully in the loving arms of Christ Jesus knowing you will spend eternity with him...tomorrow. 

The concert!!!, Strawberries and cream lotion bars, ..........

I had lamented that I would not get to make cupcake soaps so I could make pipe-able soap to pipe on them and Lady Hero lent me a silicone cupcake mold to make them with until I can get one.  Yay.  I made a quick batch of strawberries and cream lotion bars as soon as I got home, and will be making the cupcakes this morning before I go to work this afternoon.  The lotion bars came out wonderful and are in their little cupcake papers, no, you can't make them in them but you can put them in after they set, so they are still pretty.

We went to the concert yesterday.  It was surprising, in two ways.  One the little little kids were wonderful and the teacher did a wondrous job with them.  She really is good with the little little kids, she brought out the best in them.  The older kids not so much.  The concert started with all of the grade school children being seated. The preschoolers through the 4 grades were seated as normal, they filed in with all the manners they had been taught and then came the 5th and 6th they came in and found seats among the audience, and some among the singers.  I was really really disappointed to see that they were totally ignored in their education.  They had supposedly been learning how to play instruments since the last concert in December, obviously not, as all but a few children who were part of the choir were ignored by their educator, and the administration didn't care or were in support of a teacher not doing her job in educating them.  The concert went on, two children who are in guitar lessons got to play (their teacher did her job) and then the 3rd through the 6th grade singers took the stage.  The majority of the children were in the choir bleachers but a couple of groups of children were in front with microphones, for the most part the children at the mic's were children of teachers or people who work a lot at the school.  The concert began and a few other children, besides the ones with mic's in the front, had speaking parts but you could not hear them at all.  The children in the front totally overshadowed the other children.  You could clearly hear them, and they did well their parent should be proud of them, but why is it that these few children were front and center, and allowed to control the focus of the program?  Why did all the other children get to stand and listen to a few carrying on a play in front of them, even some of the members with speaking parts were being silenced because they had no mic's, as the spotlight seemed to be on a chosen few children, who for the most part have parents either as employees or volunteers of the school?  Is that fair to all the other children who's day to shine was taken away from them by what?  favoritism? or just plain lack of caring that they were educated at all? as they sat in the audience and watch other children preform, their instruments who knows where at home or in a lockers because their teacher and administration let them down??  I am truly disappointed in the concert that was put on, I feel sorry for the children who were thrown away and their education didn't matter so that a few could shine in the spotlight.  Why did so many have to pay the price for a few? Why is it allowed, and isn't it a form of bulling to allow this to happen in such a public manner?? I am upset and I would hope I am not the only one, my children were not the only ones who's school let them down yesterday.  I think maybe it is time to get a real band teacher and let the singing teacher do what she obviously does best, teach very young children to sing.  Okay, climbing down but still very upset that my children lost out....

I pray for you today and I hope that God is in your life.  I pray that you pray for me, as I try to pray for God's love to take away my upset over the repeatedly unfair ways the public school system is allowing our children to be bullied even in it's subtle ways.  I know our school in many ways is a good school, but sometimes it is blatantly obvious that failure is occurring and no one really cares.  It is exactly days like yesterday that make it apparent as to why, more and more kids are being home-schooled across the country.  Public School's can be, and is, unfair and we are paying for it..... done now, but not over being anger for the losses my children, and yours, endured yesterday at the hands of those entrusted to teach them...tomorrow. 

Library subbing, tomato basil soap success, pineapple recipes to scope out, a concert not a play.

I subbed at the Library yesterday.  I got to lean how to cover books, it was nice to have something to do, or maybe know how to do more things when all the books are put up and no one is checking in or out books.  I have not actually worked many days in a row so sometimes it is a little disconcerting to try and remember what I have been taught but it is getting easier to be fluid with the job.  I am blessed that the patrons seem to forgive my foibles.  I really like the covering of the hardbound books and know some of the stickers and why they are there.  The softcover books are much harder for me, I have never been good with shelf lining and it is basically the same, so I am challenged at doing it without bubbles.  I did manage to cover two hardbound books upside down but luckily was able to redo them before they hit the shelves.  I do like covering the books, I think time will help to getting it right.

I made tomato basil soap before I went to work yesterday and it came out pretty at this point but I still have to unmold it so it is in the freezer.  I put a little paprika in it to help it keep some of the reddish color, so it won't turn yellow.  I made some with duckies.  I thought since it was not scent that might be appropriate.   I know some of you are wondering why on earth I would make tomato basil soap.  Well one of the qualities it will have is it is good on acne which all teens will appreciate and embrace.  It has a pretty color so that will appeal as well I think.  I am hoping to get to do the piped soaps but first I have to make some cupcake shaped ones.  I don't actually have a cupcake mold, getting soap out of a cupcake pan is a challenge, at best, so I think I will get some silicone cupcake liners on Friday at Walmart before I try the cupcake soap.  So I am putting those on hold for a little while. I ordered three cases of pineapple from  BBFC so am scoping out recipes, some canned, some sweet and sour, and do people make pineapple pie filling?, I will have to see......

I made a mistake I am not going to a play today it is a concert, with a play theme.  I am a little disappointed with the music teacher.  She is trying to fill big shoes, I must admit with the passing of our old music teacher, but both my girls came home and informed me that one will not be able to play her clarinet in the concert because the teacher can not get most of the kids to play or to leaner to play so she is scrapping the whole band performance.  I am wondering so why are they paying her??   She is also scrapping the dance portion for my other daughter's preformance, again why? Is she even doing her job?  I am very disappointed but not as much as my two girls, who are both part of the students who do try and learn, and because of apparent lack of being able to handler her class the student who try are being punished with the students who don't try or are not being taught properly.  The school really needs to address this and decide if she is a good fit for this age of children.  Why is my child paying the price for students who don't want to learn, and a teacher who apparently can't teach unruly students.   Climbing down and shutting up...... well for the moment, maybe some of us parents with the students who are loosing out need to speak up.  I am thinking the student who are unruly are loosing out as well so their parents need to be part of the speaking out... done for real...

I am praying today for your soul, if you are save the Lord be praised.  You know that all salvation comes from the Lord, none of it us of us, so I am so glad the Lord worked in your life.  If you are not saved listen hard, seek the Lord and he will work in you heart and you too can know salvation. Asked and he will receive you.... tomorrow.

How does a nonscheduler seem to become so scheduled? Tomato Basil and Cupcakes??

I for the most part have been a nonscheduler for years and years.  We got one glorious together year between when we were the parents of three adult children and becoming new parents again.  We had fully embraced the non-scheduled life.  We went on vacation to Yellowstone, Lewis and Clark Caverns and to the Old prison.  We had just begun learning how to be a couple again, and then we chose to be parents anew.  It was not like a first time choice, though like the first time it was about love but it was a choice of different love and big changes, we new what it was like and knew the struggle but God had given us a choice that really had only one answer so we put away the couple dreams and became a family again.  WE did not however completely return to our youth, the mystery of new parenting was not all that new or without knowledge and trepidation of what could come.  We did not go out and buy a calendar or time clock, we had thrown them away and we not really subject to them so we felt no need to rebuy them at the time.  We lived with out them when are Littles came.  We taught them the freedom of being at peace with where you were and the you were not really a slave to time.  We did get one clock when they had to go to school, and still don't have a calendar.  We decide to know when we actually had to be some where so we could be there but the rest of the time we still don't live by someone else's schedule.  We let time just be as easy on our life's as it can be.

We are coming to have to be a slave to time much more as the girls grow, piano lessons, basketball and volleyball practices, tournament, Church, CAKLs, and Bountiful Baskets all make us more needful of scheduling.  We drag our feet at ever new must do and think with fondness on the time of no scheduling at all.  I have recently become a sub for the Library and that does add some scheduling but not that can't be fit in, though sometimes even I have an overlap of only being able to do one thing at a time.  Yesterday I had my two littles and couldn't go at a moments notice which is really odd for me.  I will be there two other days this week.  I have found this week will be a fully scheduled week, two days at the Library so I won't be able to go to Bible Study or CAKLs really, though I will be there but working, I have to go to a play tomorrow and have a conference for Bountiful Baskets, Thursday working, Friday Ortho, again I hope it is the last one with wires, but probably not, Saturday, Bountiful Baskets and Piano that was switched from Tuesday, potluck on Sunday, Oh, and Easter too.  So I am well and truly scheduled this week, not so much next week but let's let that be our little secret, or someone will surely fill it up.

I am going to be making Tomato Basil soap, as soon as I get a minute and some cupcake ones with piped icing.  Okay, I am a baker and a cook, so couldn't resist the temptation of combining my three loves, and who wouldn't want to set down to a meal of Tomato Basil Soap and Cupcakes for dessert, well sort of......  I have ducky's to unmold this morning, egg green tea calendula soap they be....

I pray that you have scheduled with the Lord your salvation and rsvped you invitation to Heaven.  He has sent out the invites in his Word, he clearly tells you in his Bible how to rsvp and accept his invitation to his salvation.  It is so easy to accept, BELIEVE, have FAITH and the rest is clearly written.  He awaits you as any loving FATHER, with open arms.... tomorrow. 

Today is a much need day of rest, I think the Lord always has that in mind.....

A hundred years ago no stores were ever open on Sunday, the establishment honored that fact that people in general had faith and went to Church on Sunday.  Now alas there is either not enough people going to Church on Sundays, enough people who care or maybe the almighty dollar has become the idol of too many, I don't have an answer and really don't think that my objections to the status quo makes that much difference to the world.  Have you ever watched Pollyanna, all the people are resting after a good day at Church, sadly the way of America is going the way of our respect for Sundays.

We came home from Church, had lunch/dinner, we sort of mix them together of a Sunday.  We took our family trip to a walk in the rain forest,  today with two grands in tow.  It was what God made Sundays for I think, a day to praise him as our God, a day to be with your family on a quality level that the rest of the week can't always afford us.  Today it is a lovely sunny day.  I am now writing to you, Poppie is raking and burning, okay to some of you that is not resting but to Poppie it is a joy to his soul to tidy up his yard, he doesn't always find the time to do it of a week day.  The Ladies are playing ragtag games with their cousins, with not burden on their shoulders, no preplanned plans to interrupt their time to play. I am going to get to make egg soap here in a minute.  Okay, my thoughts on play are sometimes similar to my work days or maybe some days I let the play over take the work, something to think on, but either way I am making egg Winnie the pooh soap in a minute here.

I pray that you have had a day of rest to just take in the reality that the Lord loves you and that you are afforded the time to praise him in all the glory that he is, such a wondrous being has time to think on your tiny little life in the realm of his magnificent universes.  That alone is so unimaginable that if we could truly grasp that that would be all the faith we needed to humble ourselves to our Lord.  I read yesterday that he had my name inscribed in his palm, he has always had it their to think such a worm as I could be thought of so much that God would put my name on his palm.  That is love in an unaccoutable way that has no explanation and that is love of matchlessness..... That is how the Lord loves me and you if you but know it and accept it..... If you don't know that, step out, seek your Lord, he awaits your acceptance of him, he really does love you as no one else ever can or has....... tomorrow. 

Love of your child is not always enough...... really it is not.

I think that rarely a person contemplates the birth of a child with out that thought of "will I love this child?" "Will I be a good parent?"  or "Will this child love me?"  I can not think of one parent I have ever meant that could not say I love my child while holding that tiny newborn in their arms.  I say love is the best of beginnings but is love enough?

I see many a parent that loves that child and is willing to give up all of their wants and dreams to see that that child gets what they need to grow and become the best that that parent can give them to accomplish that.  Many a mother goes with out clothes time and time again because their child has out grown the last clothes they could buy and when it seems that this time it might be moms time to get new clothes their child needs them so mom goes another time again and again making due with the clothes she has; after all mom is all grown up and won't be out growing them though they may be stained and grow thread bare.  Dad had dreams of a new toy, a new gun, a new this or that but those dreams become just that, dreams.  These kind of parent loves their children just as any parent does but these parents more than love their kids they are willing to put themselves aside and make sure their child gets what they need.  These kind of parents don't want to be their child's friend, their child has friends, or maybe not, but more importantly they have parents who love them enough to make sure they get discipline and a good example rather than another pal to chill with.  I really think most parents even the bad ones love their kids they are just never willing to give up or stand up to make sure their child gets what it needs physically or mentally to grow.

I kind God is the best example of a parent that loves but doesn't let his children get away with being his friend.  God gives us all we need to survive if we asking him for it but like with any good parent he doesn't give  us all we want or dream of in this life for free.  God has sacrificed for his children in ways not one parent I have ever know has.  Do you really know any one that gave the life of his only child that he might save the ones that he wants to adopt?

I think that even satan loves mankind, almost like a bad parent might.  He loves to take us down off of the shelf and play with us.  He uses us to benefit his own needs.  He tries to entice God to do things to save us or get us back, doesn't that sound like some parents you know, the ones that love their kids but never gave a dam about them enough to ever sacrifice even one day or one thing for them?  They have lives to live you know.  This is their time to be, and they have needs...... they have wants and be dam they are going to get them, at any cost, most often their child pays.

No, loving a child is not enough. It takes giving up your life, as you may have dreamed it, to make sure that your child gets the structure, the needs and sometime the wants, with in reason, that they might want.  Giving them your time when you are too tired to go on but knowing that that time will not be wasted, Knowing that love doesn't get the job done if you check out and let them raise themselves.  You may have time to dream after you raise them or when you have done without until they are able to do it one their own as adults. You gave them the time, caring and love to make them able to stand on their own feet and maybe raise their own kids knowing that life's true dream was giving of yourself to love a child in more ways than just the love that comes of dreaming of being a parent.  The real love of a child is the love that has tears, dirty dishes, "I hate yous" and "I never get to do anything" in them.  No, love is not enough.... tomorrow.  

Circus day, new options in soap, and sprouted whole wheat banana bread.....

Today is Circus Day, the ladies have not been to the circus for about 5 years.  They have hazy memories of it when they were little so today we make memories they will have for a life time.  I was about the 4th grade when I first went to the circus, well the actual only time I went as a child.  I got to go to the three ring circus in a tent.  I actually got to go to the Ringling Bros. Circus in Winslow Arizona in 1971.   It was amazing, and I wish I could have taken any of my children to the real thing.  My children have all only gotten to see a circus in a stadium setting.  I can tell you nothing was as exciting as seeing the circus under the big top.  The side shows alone were beyond the retelling, the dust in the air as the elephants walked by at the bottom of the bleachers, the ladies riding them as they strode by.  The dusky daylight peaking through the tent cracks.  I can not do justice to the excitement of the day the Circus came to town in my childhood.  I can say with out a shred of doubt that my children will not have the excited memory that I retain from my childhood as the circus is not what the circus once was, how sad that it.  I do hope that the memories they will retain will be something they look back on with love.

I made banana bread yesterday as I awaited my pinto bean to pressure can and my walnut maple syrup to water bath.  I made it with sprouted wheat, the first time I had, I was amazed that I like it actually better than my regular banana bread.  I actually make good, or maybe great banana bread, and it really added a new depth that I did not expect.  The kids gobbled up the first loaf in one short setting after school, no, not just the ladies, Boy, Bubbles and Cubbie helped, and so did Mokie, even though it had the sprouted whole wheat, and she isn't supposed to have the whole wheat with her chrons.  She did hand me all the walnuts she had picked out, which I gladly ate because I love walnuts and rarely get to indulge in them for my banana bread.

I was thinking on soaps to make in the future and thought of an ingredient I have in abundance so I looked it up to see if I could use it in soap.  Hurrah! it is a wondrous ingredient and so few people use it.  Eggs, I have lots of eggs, so I will be making egg soap as soon as possible.  It is sort of like making angel food cake and pound cake, you have to separate them to use them.  I may just call my egg soap angel food pound cake soap, well, it's a thought.  I can't wait to make it. I know I am a soap nerd.....

I pray for your day, I pray that it is a day spend in the arms of our loving Lord Jesus.  I pray that you know the love of Christ Jesus.  I know people say that all the time and sometimes it is just a pat saying that people use but don't always mean, but I really do pray that for you.  I can't imagine a more safe and precious place to spend ones life.  I love the love of my dearest Poppie but even his love is better with the Love of Jesus encompassing it. Today could be the day you to know the Love of Christ Jesus, he calls to the lost ever day, come forward and accept his love and salvation, your eternal life depends upon it..... tomorrow. 

Littles, the lost, why are some people so set on always making choices that are not good for them?

This morning the littles are with me.  Bubbles was not happy about it and has not been happy to have her momma gone anywhere since she became an at home mommie at the end of February.  Bubbles screams and her mother jumps to her tune so she can be and has become some what of a BRAT!  Her mom left her this morning, and the girls were getting dressed for school so would not hold her at her demand.  She decided she would scream to get her way. well, Poppie was having none of it this morning.  He turned her over and spanked her little bum.  She began to cry but decide louder screaming was the answer.  He smacked her little mouth and told her he was done with her antics.  She immediately stopped screaming and tried the pouty lip and he told her he was having none of her shenanigans. She decided to stop and soon was much pleasanter to be with.  She tried it again when they all left but I told her to stop and asked her if she wanted eggs?  She said yes and has been much better to deal with.  She did try to cry a little when her sister went to sleep and keeps needing me to assure her that mommie is indeed at work. She has also now decided that she wants out and screaming should work but to no avail.  I told her she is not going out until Poppie gets home and that screaming will get her in trouble.  I will only abide some many "sides, sides, sides" until I have to put her in the corner or give her a swat......

I have made no bones about the fact that my oldest daughter does not like Poppie and me, well probably just me because she has the messed up idea that I control Poppie.  She really does not know anything about my and Poppies relationship as she has only spent about 1/2 hour, at any one time, with us in about 7 years. She does not know that Poppie's head injury changed him a lot and he is a much more opinionated and decisive man than he once was.  He is the head of our family in a way she does not know or understand.  She also does not understand that Poppie would be much harder on her than I might be if she ever really tried to fix some of the mistakes that she has made in our family and in her own life.  I love the child that I raised but do not know, understand or for the most part like the choices the adult she has become, makes.  Her dad is not as complicated he is just aghast at her and finds it hard to love her.  He had a much harder childhood than I and finds love something he can't always give to people who have wronged him.  We are both a work in progress I would say, but if we are our oldest daughter is a work without any progress and it is sad to see a life so lost and without hope.

How does one who has been given so many chances always make the wrong choices?  How does some one who has had legitimate victimization in her life embrace only the bad and never try to seek the good?  How does one when given the opportunities to get help, be helped and is helped always throw it away in a way no one on earth but herself understand? How does someone who was at one time a legitimate victim, who has been offered help, been helped and needs more help always make such unimaginable choices that for most people are always the wrong choices.  Victims are only victims when they are being victimized, how does one chose to be a victim simply by the choices they make and keep choosing to be a victim until they no longer are the victim but have become an abuser in their own way?  I don't know nor do I understand my daughter and there comes appoint in any relationship where one person keeps abusing the relationship that for self preservation you have to walk away from the never ending pain it can be.  I read the most people have a pendulum in this life that swings from openheartedness to callousness.  I have been so ripped apart, as has Poppie and my girls, that we have had to become callous to the anger and hate that our daughter wants to heap on us to the point that now that she probably really needs us we can't step forward to give it.  I sorrow at the thought of that little own the reality of it.  She would never ask us, well maybe Poppie but she knows not how much she has really really hurt him, and she really would never ask me because she really does hate me.  I have become the focus of her true hatred because she see me as the source of all her pain, problems and troubles.  She is so crushed under the weight and consequences of her own actions that she can not see her own culpability in any of her problems.  She is having surgery today, I am told, in Spokane which is probably a life saving surgery.  She has medical issues that are really dangerous and the reality is she will probably die at an age that none of us would have guessed, wanted or imagined. I have prayed and prayed for her but alas does it do any good?  I don't think she is capable of hearing the Lord, and much less me.  She may only have one chance, a last chance after a short life time of many chances to put her life together and that chance is God.  Today I pray for Poppie, the Ladies, and mostly for Goofy, who doesn't really want my prayers anyway, but I pray mostly to God that he can change the seemingly unchangeable.  ....... tomorrow. 

More beans, soap, and one pie to make...... do you ever think of the lost?

I ended up canning, 8 peach and 3 huckleberry pie fillings yesterdat.  One of the peach got the last of the huckleberry dropped into it.  Wouldn't you know that would be the one that didn't seal so pie to make today.  I have decided I really hate the Walmart brand lids, they just under preform.  I am so glad that Belle, Lady and I got the opportunity to share a case of Ball lids.  They are truly so much better. I pressured 7 quarts of pintos beans, have more to do today.  I checked my pantry and out of the 25 lbs I made last year I only had 4 jars of various flavors left.  I actually have more of the garbanzo's left than the pintos.  I will be canning pinto's for most of the week to restock the shelves.  I have time to wait on the garbanzos it would seem, I really do have to be more proactive in making hummus and seeing that we use up the garbanzos.

I have soap to make, as I really need to make up more colored ones for examples for the class, I have oils infusing as we speak, I should make up more of those as well.  I really can't wait for the roses to bloom this year to make rose.  It is such an expensive essential oil that it will be a welcomed treat to be able to make it myself.  I am going to make a great big batch of soap in the mixer so I can control the speed of trace so I can color it more than one color to try and make swirled bars.  We as soapers can only plot, and plan, the probably out come. The end result is always a surprise, it either works as planed, fails or is a complete gloriously unexpected win. So today I experiment.

I often wonder about the lost that we encounter in our lives.  There are the ones that no one seems to be able to reach, who do not want or welcome any help of any kind from any one.  They are the ones that got lost along the way in their lives.  They held so much promises and due to circumstances they got off track, decided to become continuous victims and gave up.  I really don't believe that anyone is a complete victim over a life time.  I believe they are victims in some circumstances and they become life time victims of their own choosing.  Being a victim, in and of itself, does not make you a life long victim, it is a choice to become a life long victim.  I know that sounds harsh but think about it, we all face trials, tests and even disasters in our lives.  We either grow from them, and become stronger, or we are crushed by them and give up.  The giving up is really a choice, and in the end an excuse to become a life long victim.  God is always there to help you over come and grow in tests.  He hears the cry of "help" that surely must be the most prayed prayer there is.  He will help even the most hardened of souls when they cry out to him in desperation.  It is most often in that second that the lost understand that he is real and that he can begin to talk to their lost souls.

Think how many souls can be saved from that one cry of "help", but alas not all that cry out to the Lord follow his voice to salvation. The choice to walk away from God's call is a choice to stay lost.  The devil does a happy dance when that happens.  He loves the perpetual victims, that see them selves as lost, a victim and seek to stay in that sad state.  How many of the lost do you see every day, do you try to reach them?  Do you ever try again after their rebuke?  It is possible that they can be reached if only some one who loves them continues to try. That is a hardest thing to keep doing sometimes, but they are worth the trying, even if it is only you, that knows they are, as they have long since decided they are not worth the saving.  How sad to have given up  on one's self?  How sad to be in a place where the ones that love you, that may not even like the you that you have become, love you more than you love yourself.  I can not understand that point of being lost, as I have never been there, but sadly I have seen it so know that their are souls so lost.   I love some that are this lost and know not how to help them, I know that only the love of God, and his call to their soul is all the hope they have left, because they have so given up on themselves that man alone can not help them anymore.

If you are lost please listen, call out to the Lord that one last "help" he is awaiting your plea and will speak to your soul, there is never a place where God will not accept you if you but ask him to.  There is nothing you have done, or could do, that he will not know that you have seen his glory and that you really do want to become his child if you but ask.  Some of the most faithful of God's people in the Bible had done all of the most horrid things that mankind can do and God loved them and gave them his gift of salvation, God is love and his love can forgive any and all things to a repentant heart.  Call to God today, his forgiveness is real and is his salvation of your soul..... tomorrow. 

Seventies yesterday and today comes the rain and time to contemplate, and peach pie filling today.

I had great success with the apple and the strawberry pie filling so today I am going to make up some peach and maybe huckleberry.  The rain after the beautiful day we had yesterday, as always makes me contemplative.  I am glad to be over the seasonal affects of winter and the rain sometimes brings it back in a rush.  I have made head way on cleaning, and throwing away and maybe the throwing away is the hardest but the best thing I can do.  I do struggle with throwing away so much that I have to do it in a cut and dispose of manner.  Sort of like you would cut some thing, or sometimes someone bad out of your life, do it and walk away, because goodness knows, for me at least, if I put it in a "to throw away pile" and don't dispose of it immediately I will talk myself into needing it again.  I have to throw it away at the moment of decision or it will find it's way back into my clutter, that for some reason I seem to need.  Okay, I have digressed way off course.  Going on....

I have said before that as a child I thought there were cardboard people in my life.  I know that the faith of a child is something we as adults, in Christ, should strive to be; but my mind works overtime, sometimes and in circles, so I have come to a place where I wonder why I thought that.  I was recently reading Job and how the Lord and satan were contemplating his life.  I wondered why the Lord and satan would be playing a form of chess with him.  I then wondered is Job the only one or is the Book of Job just God's way of telling us that each of us are as Job?  The Lord tells us that he is with us always, that would mean each and every moment of the all the days of our lives.  I know for the most part people, in general, say he can't be there every minute of every day, but he said he is, so it is undoubtedly true.  Time, as the Bible tells us is a human restraint and not a restraint on God.  I think God does views each of our lives in the exact same way that the Book of Job tell us he and the devil did to Job.  Satan tried and tested Job, God was there as God for Job to have faith in and in the end God rewarded Job for his faith.  Job got salvation, among other things but the most important was his salvation in the end.  Think about that, what if each of our lives are an individual game between two beings? one God and the other the great deceiver. One who loves you unconditionally, and the other one who just wants to use you as a tool against the other causing pain to the Lord.  I wonder then in some ways, in our lives, if God is so concentrating each time on that individual, in that game of life being played out, are the others that come and go as it plays out, just as card board figures to that life?  Are we all just as cardboard figures in each others lives? chessmen on a grand board? Are we only stage props that can be used to affect each others lives as satan tries to cause pain and misery to the Lord?  Are we each as cardboard to each other while millions of simultaneous games of life play out? do we weave in and out of each others lives as the warp to the real threads of that life?  The Lord so loves us and the devil just plays us against him?  I wonder some times? and as with all things eternal, you and I will never know the ways of God in this life........

I pray that your live is a testament to your love of God, I pray when you are tested, plagued and used by satan that you have the love of God in you heart to give you strength to cling to God in faith.  If not you need to know that God so loves you, he sent his son to die just for you and you can accept that precious unimaginable gift of love.  No gift was ever so wondrous, and given just for you, accept it and the Love God has for you... tomorrow. 

Strawberry pie filling yesterday and apple pie filling today...

Today I won't be going to Bible study, Belle is gone so I am going to get to making apple pie filling.  I will get to go to CAKLS, last week I was at the ortho so it will be nice to be there.  The girls and I are going to get to manage Church later as well, after they come home from piano.  Funny how it seems like we have so much more time even if it is only one of our listed Tuesday do's that are gone.

I had intended to make strawberry jelly yesterday but since I had bought 4lb's of clear jel I decided to use it.  I made strawberry pie filling.  I had made peach last summer with clear jel but found that the head space is imperative to get right.  I gave it a full good inch and it was still not quite enough so today I am making apple pie filling with the last of a case I bought from Bountiful Basket two weeks ago.  I am going to use the peeler, can't believe I had it in the cupboard 4 years before I tried it and love love love it.  Makes it soooooo much easier to peel apples.  I am going to give each jar nearly 2 inches of head space, the clear jel does swell and nothing is scarier than filling oosing out the top of the jar you just canned, well it might be scarier if it was coming out of a jar that you had just processed 3x's longer in a pressure canner, but I digress.  Cubbie is going to bring me some apple juice from her mom and off I will go to make apple pie filling.  I made 13 jars of strawberry and hope to make that or more of apple today.

I have been reading Psalms as part of my daily personal reading on top of the morning readings and my evening readings of the Bible.  I have found so much solace in the prayers of others.  I know we American like to be voyeurs in our lives, some just by watching reality shows or various other ways, if you don't think you do it, reevaluated your life it is an American past time that very few of us don't indulge in in some way.  You probably do in the most innocent of way but I again digress.  My point is we like to see what others do and how they do it.  If you are one of those, and most probably you are, read Psalms.  You get an over the should view of some one else's heart felt cries to the Lord.  Someone else's cry of help to his Lord.  You can borrow from their heart's cry and speak to the Lord of your own needs, struggles and sorrows.  The Lord does listen.  The prayer he probably hear's most is the shortest. "help", even the none believing cry out is true times of stress to the Lord.  Today day is the day you can expand that "help" and place your life in God's hands.    You can accept his free gift and give you whole life to him.  You will not become immediately perfect and for that matter never on this earth but you will be asking him to take you and help you to becoming  the image of his precious son, he will adopt you and he will become your loving father.  The Lord be praised it could be your day to be the Lord's child... tomorrow. 

Back to school and back to our normal life..... Jelly and soap.

Yesterday was a nice normal day, well almost, we did start the morning off at a basket ball tourney at 7:30.  Booboo's team had made it to the finals the day before and they ended up taking home second place metals.  She was so proud,  I thought she had done well since she had only been playing basket ball for two weeks of practice.  She is a head taller than all the other girls on her team and she made a very good center.  She is very good at staying with her girl and rebounding.  We had gone to watch Yogie play yesterday but Booboo was drafted into playing with her and her team.  They didn't win but they did their best and that is all that we have ever ask of our Ladies.  We were done with basket ball and made it to Church by 9:30.  It was a nice service and I went back for evening services that was a dvd of the Bill Nye and Ken Ham debate.  It was nice to see it and I for the first time was disappointed with a the childhood favorite Bill Nye, I don't think he was a his best, and I don't really think he even listened to Ken Ham as he didn't seem to be addressing any of the points that Ken Ham put forth.  I did like Ken Ham, but then again I am one of those Creationists that believe that God can and did create the world by speaking it in to being.  God can do anything so a 6 day creation is something I believe, and that is called Faith.  "In the beginning God....."  that is also Faith.

I have two cases of strawberries to make into jelly and since I have clear jel I may make some of it into pie filling.  I did have time to make some beet soap yesterday but alas it is not red, I even tried a little lemon in it to try and set the color but once it hit the lye it was literally seconds until it was a yellowish orange and after sponification, and since I must have not had full true trace I had to repatch it, so I ended up with light brownish to greyish colored soap; but alas I had scented it shortbread scent so in a funny way it looks like shortbread, well sort of.  Poppie did actually got on a walk through the rain forest with us he really was in pain from all the setting so it was very nice of him to do so.  It made it seem like maybe we were back on track.  This morning we were up at 6 studying the Word of God so we are well and truly back into our lifes routines..... not that God is a routine but the routine studying of his world does make our souls better in line with where God would like us to be.

I am excited to be experimenting with different soaps for my Advanced Soap making Class.  I have worked with veggies, not so much fruit but may just to show the reasons why you might not want to but then maybe the beets would be enough.  I have oil infusion to work on as examples, spices, teas, and natural colorants.  I may have to break down and make one batch with commercial color but then as I am a self described natural soap maker I might just be stubborn and not.  I am not sure I can teach what I don't believe in, much like I would not begin to teach devil worship to anyone....

I pray that you are safe and loved in a relationship with the Lord Jesus.  I pray if you are not that you have heard the Lord calling and that you was being pricked in the heart to seek his call.  I pray for your salvation and hope that you well and truly know that Jesus loves you so much that he gave his life for you. You, might say he did it for all man kind, but no, he did it personally for all (there is a difference) that means to you personally that he died just for you, something that so many, even people who believe already, find hard to imagine.  Jesus die for each of us personally, it was our individual sins that made him have to sacrifices and die for us each individually.  Please don't let his death for you go unaccepted, today you can accept that precious gift and sacrifice he made just for you and have eternal life.... tomorrow. 

Spring break has been a whorl wind and has left no time to do the normals....

The Ladies have been off all the last week for spring break.  It started first off with my basic soap making class and it never wound down from there.  Sunday brought morning and afternoon service, which Yogie and Cubbie and I got to go to the afternoon service, which we don't always get to go to.  It was very nice, more a family like atmosphere which Sunday morning really can't be.  I am so trying to get Poppie to go to as he would really enough it, but usually sitting in one place in a hard chair is more than he can endure the pain of but I am trying to get him to come. Booboo was asleep from the long days.

 Monday the Ladies went out to Lozeau to visit with Herbalists grandson that was visiting from Utah.  They got to help were with chores and made a little spending money, oh, I forgot they spent Friday night with G-Pa and G-Ma and made more spending money help with chores there.  Tuesday we were off to the ortho, where Yogie got to have tension bands put on her wires for the next 18 days, they basically wire her jaw shut unless she is eating when she can take them off and put them back on after eating.  She is actually in some pain from it, but since most of the brace process has caused her little pain it is okay.  She is a little tired of them as it has been 4 and half years but soon and very soon they will come off. We actually went the long way to Zootown and stopped at Mission to visit with Twin and go to the Amish store.  Got lots of goodies including spelt for .89 cents a pound.  I got clear jel at a killer deal and a stainless steel milking bucket among other treasures. It was nice to get to connect with Twin, she was getting ready to test for her Paramedic certification after a long 18 months, or so, of working tirelessly to obtain it (she passed the written so is well on her way to succeeding at her goal, wishing her well for the rest of the process)

Wednesday, Lady invited Cubbie and I to a ladies tea party, with dresses and all.  We  dropped the Ladies off for their piano lessons.  We continued out and had lunch and a tea party, Cubbie got to wear the beautiful dress I had talked her mom into buying her, even though Mokie doesn't like it, and she got to have curls, which her dad does not like me to put in her hair, she is a girl after all, though she is tomboy to her core.  Lady's grandgirl and grandboy were there.  They had soup, biscuits, peaches on trays in the front room on a blanket as they watched Frozen.  Cubbie ate all of her offering, loved them all.  Shortly after they got to have tea in their little tea sets, and strawberry short cake.  Once all the cake and tea was eaten up we went out in the yard for some much needed running and playing.  The kids had a grand day.  Thursday Belle, Belle's Lady, my Ladies and I were off on our own adventure to the Amish store.  Soul Saver was sick so had to stay home but we did bring him back take out.  We had a great get away day, which we rarely get to as Belle's kids are homeschooled and my girls go to public school so they don't get to spend a lot of fun time together.  We have talked about how that they will be life long friends and a lot of time kids they go to public school with go on with their lives in ways that doesn't always make  them life long friends.  I think in many ways my girls will have more the values and life choices that more closely will match Belle's kids than their public school peers so we try and support and cultivate their relationships as best we can.   We had a blast shopping, the kids spent all of their well earned chore money over the course of the week.  I got wonderful things for my cupboards, much of which was good flours, pectin, and the things I can't normally find. I bought a case of canning lids that Lady, Belle and I will share.  So today I have finally gotten to you all, sometimes I just can't manage it all and some things in the end are less important than others and this week that is you.  You always come after my kids and daily life, well I have put you above cleaning today, but as soon as I am done here we are spring cleaning before the Ladies have to go to basket ball practice, both going to each others so may be gone upto 4 hours in prep for tomorrows, tourney.  I didn't say by any means this week was done, and we still have to fit in Bountiful Baskets and Sunday Church, so I am really surprised I got to write to you at all.

I pray the Lord is in your life, and you are loving his will for you.  I do so love the joy, and fullness that his love has brought to mine.  I know the more I love him the more I feel that love, he doesn't love me more or less than he always has I am just more aware that he loves me.  I still fall to my knees in amazement that such a wondrous Lord would have time to love me so and then I remember that time is human and God is not subject to it.  He has all the "time" he needs to love me and each human individually.  He watches me in a way that no one other than God can.  He knows all my thoughts, action and the love in my heart for him,  How glorious and unfathomable is that really?  He loves you to if you accept him and believe you will know it too.... tomorrow.