Weigh In

Yep, it's weigh in day. Why bother? The day after Memorial Day weekend??? Oh well...honesty and all. I didn't loose a pound this week. However, I didn't gain either so really that is good news.

I DID loose another 2.5 inches this week. That's gotta be good...though really ladies you know where you ALWAYS loose it first? I'm doomed.

Homeschool Encouragement

I was surfing late at night (because Stacia was AWAKE until 1 a.m.) and decided to check out Jeannie Fulbright's website. She used to be an SHS member and is the author of the Science books that we love. She had some info on her site about "healthy homeschooling". I will need to go back and reread and try to mentally process her thoughts on health and fitness. I'm really, really striving not to get into a system that requires eating only certain foods, measuring and counting etc. I may loose lots of weight fast, but I know from experience that the goal must be "lifestyle change" and not "loosing weight". I don't plan to spend my whole life measuring and weighing food.....so I don't want to use that method to loose weight.....or when I go back to eating "normal", I'll regain the weight. My recent emphasis has been all about health. Seriously. I couldn't hold a pen or Stacia 5 months ago. I have cut some foods out of my diet permanently...but they are not "to loose weight" - with the thought that once I get it under control I'll add them back - they are permanent because of health issues. Anyway - while surfing her site I noticed lots of things I need to go back and research.

BUT I found THIS to be very encouraging to me on my homeschool journey. Isn't it a great reminder?

"I so very much love homeschooling, though non-homeschoolers can't comprehend that sentiment - especially if I were to relate what it is really like. I used to pray for it to be easier. But I've learned that the only way it will be easier is if I change my attitude about it. My present desire is that my heart will change, that I would no longer wish for homeschooling to be quiet and peaceful and smooth sailing, but that I would have a willing heart to embrace and enjoy it the way it is today. For this is the way that the Lord has ordained it, and these little rambunctious boys and girls are my gifts to treasure, train and love. If the day is chaos, I desire that my heart would be submitted to that with joy. If school takes all day, I want to remember that God is in control and He sets my schedule, not I. I want to homeschool as unto the Lord, not unto myself. For if I get irritated and upset because things didn't go as planned, or as easily as I wished, then I'm saying my plan for my day was better than God's. And because God's plan happened, which was out of my control, then I want to be thankful and joyful anyway. "

Another reminder that in so very much in life "it is all about the heart". {G}

There are things I simply love about living in a "small" town. We have 100,000 people here so it is not the smallest town we've lived in - that award would go to Hardin, MT, with 2500 at the time....however this West TX town does have a small town feel, and incredibly friendly people. We woke up this memorial day to find flags up and down our neighborhood. What a nice surprise. BTW our town is the largest town in America that is NOT connected to the interstate. This is an awesome spot to land for an assignment...I'd recommend it on a dream sheet for any Air Force families. {G} OK - pick yourself up - yes, I still dreadfully miss AK but I believe this is my second favorite spot now for family type activities.

Our front

Flags in the neighborhood

Blog Comments:

** is kinda time consuming to do 2 blogs. But I figured only interested parties really wanted to read what I eat and exercise every day LOL...I do copy all recipes to both blogs :)

Kelly - then I'm NOT even attempting two blogs at the time. Those who don't want to read about the mundane issues of my life can simply skip ahead.....{vbg}

**if you ever want some help figuring out layouts and graphics and stuff with your blog I'd be happy to help as much as I can.Jen in az **

Jen in AZ - I'm going to take you up on your offer. I love the "look" you have created. I wish I could just transport it to blog spot. {G} Maybe I'll have more time to learn how to really build a site this summer. {It COULD happen - though I've been saying that for years!}

*You can also try google Image for your book covers. I do that when I want to copy a pic of a book without that extra stuff that amazon throws on.**

Jen in MO - I'm going to give this a try. I'm not sure how but I should be able to figure it out. Thanks for the tip.

*When Heaven Weeps* by Ted Dekker

Where have I been for the past six years? I can’t believe I missed this author, loving suspense and mystery the way I do. I guess I was busy homeschooling and then the three years in Alaska are a blur…but here I am now. {bg}

It took me a bit but I finally caught on to the underlying themes in *Heaven’s Wager*. At first I read simply for pleasure. As Josiah began reading it, I continued to ponder the plot. {G} I figured out the Biblical story that had been placed in a modern setting. I began this book LOOKING for the Biblical story. What a treat. I refuse to give any of this plot away. You simply NEED to read it. For those who’ve read *Heaven’s Wager*, this is the story of Helen’s early years with her soldier. Now I want to go back and reread HW with Helen’s past firmly in mind. {G}I’ve decided NOT to give this book away. It has to stay with my other “keepers”….right beside my Frank Peretti, Rex Stott and Tamar Myers series. In truth, I want to be sure the kids have the time to read this. I’ll probably begin looking for another copy of *Heaven’s Wager* so that Krista and Bre can read it when they are home. Krista has reading tastes very similar to mine. Bre’s tends to gravitate to the older authors…Jane Austen etc. THIS book was a page turner. It’s the first book in a long while that I couldn’t set down. I’m thrilled to have *Thunder of Heaven* here waiting to read. I also was sent *Blessed Child* from Paperback Swap (hmmm…guess the goal there is to SWAP the books LOL). I think I could recommend this book to just about everyone. Do you love suspense/mystery? You’ll like this book. Do you like romance? It’s in here. Are you a Christian? This will touch your heart. Are you a pre-believer? You’ll be intrigued by this book.


From the back cover: “In a small Balkan village near the end of WW II, a band of soldiers play a cruel game of ultimate stakes with a priest and his flock. Jan Jovic reluctantly participates. But he’s prepare for neither the incredible demonstration of love nor the terrible events that follow.

Now, many years later, that same game will spring to life in Jan’s own heart. He will fall madly in love with the wrong woman. Her name is Helen. Now it’s Jan’s turn to play the game. But there is a price.

Dive into a romantic thriller like none you’ve ever read. Drink deeply of a love that will bring a tremor to your bones. Go ahead, it’’s your turn to play the game. But remember…there is a price. And no one could possibly prepare you for that price.”

*Heaven's Wager* is going to my sister-friend Beth in ID.

I did a bit of research on Ted Dekker. I find it ironic that Tamar Myers (a favorite author of mine) and Ted Dekker (a new favorite of mine) are both missionary kids. Ted grew up in the jungles of Indonesia. His parents John and Helen Dekker were missionaries to a canibalistic tribe. In fact their story can be read in *Torches of Joy* by John Dekker. What fun to make the connections. It's mentioned that he graduated from a "multi-cultural" high school....I bet that means "missionary boarding school" or "international school". I've been wracking my aging mind and I don't believe it means Faith Academy because he would have graduated the year before me and I bet even as busy as I've been I would have noticed a new author with a name of a peer from school days. {G}

Jamin dreams of the Alaskan Bush as he toils in the hot TX sun.... (BTW this was a FRIENDS yard he was working on I do NOT follow him around with the camera on a normal basis)