April 26, 2007

I would LOVE to see this!

THE NEXT SURVIVOR SERIES

Six married men will be dropped on an island with one car and 3 kids each for six weeks.

Each kid will play two sports and either take music or dance classes.

There is no fast food.

Each man must take care of his 3 kids; keep his assigned house clean, correct all homework, complete science projects, cook, do laundry, and pay a list of "pretend" bills with not enough money.

In addition, each man will have to budget in money for groceries each week.

Each man must remember the birthdays of all their friends and relatives, and send cards out on time.

Each man must also take each child to a doctor's appointment, a dentist appointment and a haircut appointment. He must make one unscheduled and inconvenient visit per child to the Urgent Care (weekend, evening, on a holiday or right when they're about to leave for vacation).

He must also make cookies or cupcakes for a social function.

Each man will be responsible for decorating his own assigned house, planting flowers outside and keeping it presentable at all times.

The men will only have access to television when the kids are asleep and all chores are done.

There is only one TV between them, and a remote with dead batteries.

Each father will be required to know all of the words to every stupid song that comes on TV and the name of each and every character on cartoons.

The men must shave their legs, wear makeup daily, which they will apply to themselves either while driving or making three lunches.

Each man will have to make an Indian hut model with six toothpicks, a tortilla and one marker; and get a 4 year old to eat a serving of peas.

Each man must adorn himself with jewelry, wear uncomfortable yet stylish shoes, keep their nails polished and eyebrows groomed. The men must try to get through each day without snot, spit-up or barf on their clothing.

During one of the six weeks, the men will have to endure severe abdominal cramps, back aches, and have extreme, unexplained mood swings but never once complain or slow down from other duties. They must try to explain what a tampon is for when the 6-yr old boy finds it in the purse.

They must attend weekly school meetings, church, and find time at least once to spend the afternoon at the park or a similar setting.

He will need to read a book and then pray with the children each night without falling asleep, and then feed them, dress them, brush their teeth and comb their hair each morning by 7:00. They must leave the home with no food on their face or clothes.

A test will be given at the end of the six weeks, and each father will be required to know all of the following information: each child's birthday, height, weight, shoe size, clothes size and doctor's name.

Also the child's weight at birth, length, time of birth, and length of labor, each child's favorite color, middle name, favorite snack, favorite song, favorite drink, favorite toy, biggest fear and what they want to be when they grow up.

They must clean up after their sick children at 2:00 a.m. and then spend the remainder of the day tending to that child and waiting on them hand and foot until they are better.

They must have a loving, age appropriate reply to, "You're not the boss of me."

The kids vote them off the island based on performance.

The last man wins only if...he still has enough energy to be intimate with his spouse at a moment's notice.

If the last man does win, he can play the game over and over and over again for the next 18-25 years...eventually earning the right to be called Mommy!

April 23, 2007

A Story of Grace

I was sitting in church on Sunday listening to a wonderful message on living like we have God's grace instead of living in fear and although it was a wonderful message it was not speaking to my heart. I learned from it in my head, but you all know what I'm talking about...When the message goes beyond cognitive understanding and moves into your spirit. It is like a fire of excitement is lit deep within you. A fire that causes you to tremble inside and "feel" the Holy Spirit. For me on Sunday it was not the message that lit that fire, but the testimony of a woman at the end. She told of a life of searching for love. She told of looking for that love and acceptance in men and the many troubles that led her into. She told of the pain of abortion. But, then....She told of God's mercy....God's forgiveness...God's love...and The incredible Grace that has been given to us in Christ Jesus.

I leaned over to Chris and said that aside from that grace I too would be telling that story. As I sat there I thought about the day when I tell Grace the story of her name. She knows that even before I was pregnant God told me that I would have a little girl and I was to name her Elizabeth Grace, but that is just the tip of the iceberg. The whole story goes something like this:

I too, as a young girl needed love and attention. Everyone does, but as life would have it I did not get that at home, so I began looking for it. I didn't realize that was what I was doing, but nevertheless I did. As I developed physically I realized that my physical appearance (dressed in an inappropriate way) gained me attention. In fact it gained a lot of attention. I wore everything that I could to show every part of my body that I could. I loved the attention. At 14 I received the attention that would change my life. I had my first "experience". I remember during the 8 months of that "experience" thinking that I was with child. You can imagine my dismay. I remember ramming my stomach into the corner of my dresser so many times that I looked like I had been beaten. I wish that I could say that I learned my lesson, but I was finding "love." My method of finding love went on for years, even after I became a christian. It was my sin. You know the sin that keeps you bound up in chains that just won't let go. I knew it was wrong, but it was like a drug, I tried to stop but I would always return to it.

The stopping point was the year before I got married. Then I was delivered...because I was suppose to have those "experiences"! As we moved into married life and the thought of having children came to mind I began to wonder why and how I had never gotten pregnant in the past years. Then I began to think that it was possible that as a logical consequence of my sin I may never be able to have children. That seemed very probable to me, not because God is vengeful, but because he is just. I really believed that the day of carrying a child would never happen for me.

In (I think) June or July of 1999 I was driving down the road listening to a song by Point of Grace that had part of the old hymn in it, "Grace, Grace, God's Grace. Grace that will pardon and cleanse within. Grace, Grace, God's great Grace. Grace that is greater than all my sin." I know at that moment I heard the voice of the Lord. He spoke to me so sweetly, "Terra, my grace is greater than any of your sins. To show you, you are going to have a baby girl and I want you to name her Elizabeth Grace." Now, one would think I would be in awe of this, but instead I said out loud, "But, God I don't even like the name Elizabeth." After than moment of insanity I realized what had just happened. I finally understood that I was not that girl searching for love. I had found it in Jesus and he had even expressed his love even further through Chris. And in His sweet loving kindness He had in fact forgiven me and had covered my sin with His grace.

I didn't tell Chris at first, but when I did I began to look for the meaning of Elizabeth. It means "belonging to the Lord," so when you put Elizabeth Grace together it literally means that she "belongs the the Lord's Grace!" On Sept. 9 I found out I was pregnant (by the way we were not trying, so it was in fact God!). I was not at all surprised when the Dr. told me it was a girl. Now, every time I hear that old hymn or take time to think about Grace's name, I am reminded of the grace that was given to me. It was given to me freely. It was given to me undeserving. It was given to me completely!

Thank you Jesus for your Grace!

April 17, 2007

STOMP HIS FACE!!! Song

This morning I started singing this silly song to the boys that has the same tune as another song that they remembered so as I began singing Blake yelled, "NO! Sing the STOMP FACE song!" So...after I corrected the fact that we do not tell Mommy , "NO!" we proceeded to sing this song:

If I had a little white box to put my Jesus in,
I'd open it up, hug his neck, and share him with my friends.

And if I had a little black box to put Satan in,
I'D OPEN IT UP AND STOMP HIS FACE!!!
And put him back again.

Maybe if I could just do that every morning. Wake up, greet my Jesus, and plan to share him that day it would start the day off right. I am certain that if I got up in the morning, ready to put on my battle armor, and STOMP SATAN'S FACE it would definitely be a better day! Maybe I'll try that.

April 12, 2007

Slow internet anyone?

I knew that we were behind the time as far as getting high speed Internet goes, but until I started this blog I really didn't see a need for paying more than $13 a month for time on this crazy computer. But, now with this blog is has become very obvious that there are many things I can't do without high speed. For example I tried to download a picture for a post and about 3 hours later I gave up. So we are in the process of getting a free modem which will give us $19.99 Comcast for six months!

So...Just wait when the floodgates open pictures will come!

April 10, 2007

Going Crazy!!!

I woke up this morning with a headache, but I was determined to make this a praiseworthy day. It hasn't gone so well. Grace took an hour on math alone while the boys screamed at each other off and on for one thing or another.

I am trying to make my house livable because we have friends coming over on Friday and I am determined for it not to look like I live in a cluttered pigpen! I know they love us anyway, but really who wants to have friends over and them have no where to sit?

I have so much admiration for those of you who run like crazy women and still have a clean home. I have something going on every day this week and here I sit because I simply don't know where to start. The FlyLady would say a good place to start would be putting some clothes on (yes, I am still in my PJs at noon)!

Now, I am going to pray that my calm precious Jesus will give me perspective on my list of to-do's so I won't go crazy!

April 7, 2007

Mommy, how do we really know?

The other day as we were sitting at the dinner table without Daddy, b/c he was working late Grace looks at me with a serious look. I have learned over the past 6 years that these looks are usually followed up with very interesting questions that I don't always have a good answer for. Anyway she says, "Mommy how do we really know that there is a God? And even if there is how do we know that Jesus was his son and he did all the things that the bible says? You know people could have made it all up." Now, I am usually pretty quick on my words but she can really stump me. I don't even really remember what exactly I said. I know I told her something to the effect that it would be really hard to make all of that up and it all make
sense and that many people saw the miracles that Jesus did and even saw him after he rose from from the dead. I did remember to put in there that one of the disciples questioned if it was really Jesus when he saw the Risen Lord and Jesus showed him the holes in his hands and feet. She seemed to be content with the half answers that I gave her, but I sure wasn't.

So, here I am the night before Easter and I am trying to figure out a better answer as to how we know it is all true. There are a few "reasons" I have come up with:
  • First, I was reminded by Rebecca (my sister-like cousin) that Jesus fulfilled so many prophesies of the old testament. I think her words were something to the effect that it was more likely to get hit with lightening twice than for one man to fulfill even one of those prophesies and not be the Christ. So I started looking for an example of this and found more than I could list but this one all by itself is so impactful to me right now.

He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led
like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so
he did not open his mouth....For he bore the sin of many and made intercession
for the transgressors.
Isaiah 53:7 & 12

  • The second thing that I though of is that it is true in history that this man, Jesus, was born and died. Many of his teachings are recorded not just in the bible but they are recorded as history. So we have established that he lived, but even though many people want to say that he was just a prophet or a teacher of God. Well, the problem with that is that God would not be too happy with someone walking around claiming to be Christ if he were not. In John 4:25-26 Jesus claims to be just that, the Christ.

The woman said, "I know that Messiah" (called Christ) "is coming. When he
comes, he will explain everything to us." Then Jesus declared, "I who speak to you am he."

What incredible boldness! Now we are faced with the decision: Is this man, Jesus, the Messiah or his he blaspheming God? This quote is just one of many where Jesus calls himself The Messiah, The I Am, The Son of God, The Son of Man, and claims to be sent by the One and True Holy God. I don't know about you, but for me either Jesus is who he says that he is or God the entire bible is, in my pastor's words, "The biggest hoax the world has ever known.

  • The last reason that I came up with in my thougths about this was for me the most important. I am not lessening the value of the first two, because each of them is foundational to my beliefs in God and in Jesus being God in the Flesh. But, for me the number one reason I have that I really know is that I KNOW HIM PERSONALLY! Yes, I said it, the God of the Universe, I know him! And his son, Jesus, I know him too! I talk with them every day, I laugh with them, I cry with them, I get excited with them, and even angry when I don't understand what in the world they are doing. I have felt their touches and heard that sweet voice in my spirit. I have laid in their arms and have felt Jesus' nail pierced hands wipe away my tears. I have seen my sweet Jesus living inside of people around me. I have felt the sweet release of knowing that the God that created the son loves me. I have experienced the peace that far surpasses any explanation that I have. I know my Jesus, my Lord, my friend, my Father, my One True Love!

So, when I tell Grace, Gavin, and Blake over the next few years the reasons that we can really know I am sure that I will share the first two reasons, but what I want for them to KNOW is the third. I want first for them to see me KNOWING Jesus. Then I pray with all of my soul that one day when they are faced with the question of how do you know it's really true they can say wholeheartedly that they KNOW the Holy and Living God!

April 6, 2007

Here I Go!

Okay! Since I have discovered the world of blogging I realize that it can be a bit addicting so I have limited myself to just a few to keep up with. (You all know I have nothing better to do with my time than sit at this computer!) But, now I am venturing out on this journey of doing one myself.

As you can see there is nothing very spectacular about this so any of you more seasoned bloggers can you give me any advice on sprucing up this page? Really any help would be wonderful. I don't even know how to put pictures on this thing.