Wednesday, November 26

rights.

So a Biblical discussion of "rights" is always welcome, but first I'd love it if you would check out the new link on my sidebar, and see for yourself if you feel that you should sign this electronic petition. I can't say enough about the importance of our job as parents, and doing everything possible to preserve our ability to perform our God given task is definitely appropriate.

Please, check it out, and sign the petition to amend the constitution to include parental rights as a God given and constitutional right, if you feel so led.

Just a note - Life on this earth is fleeting, God is always in charge and there is no room for fear, doubt or worry on these issues. When humans govern humans, unfortunate situations will take place and unfortunate precedents will be set. But God is always good, and always ALWAYS in control.

I'm thankful that I have permanent citizenship in Heaven.

Tuesday, November 25

there is always hope



Sometimes you don't know if it's really sinking in.
And you just don't want to keep on doing what you have to.
Or you think maybe you really can't keep on teaching.
And discipling. And doing the dirty work.
There are days when you lie on the couch and try not to cough up a lung,
read "Let's Play Peek-a-boo" seventy nine times and wonder if this is
why you're feeling brain dead.

But then, God sends moments like this.

Monday, November 24

Works of God Monday















Well, it was exactly three years ago this weekend that our friends Aaron & Julia (as of then, unmarried) went for a tour in our nasty prospective house. I think we'd made an offer on it, or we were about to, and I'm still not quite sure what Aaron thought. Julia, I am certain, was right on board with the possibilities. (but she still thought we were crazy, of course!) So the above photos were taken almost exactly three years apart. What a difference! Broughtons, we are signing you up NOW for a visit next Thanksgiving!!

You wouldn't recognize it if you hadn't watched it happen! I wish I'd been able to take a "before" photo of the outside in the spring. Then the crazy gardening techniques in the front yard would be even more visible. I'm almost as happy with the smooth yard as I am with the siding. Almost. The siding project is well over halfway done, and from the road, you almost can't tell that there is any construction at all going on here at the Muth house! All that remains is one end of the house and the back and side of the garage. Praise the Lord for His provision!

This is the house that God is building. We are so blessed to be part of the process. May we use what He has given us for His glory!!

In the Mister Linky widget below, simply type your name in the top box, or a short description of the work that God has done, and then in the second box, paste the link from your specific "Works of God Monday" post. Feel free to use the image from the top of this post if you like.

PLEASE NOTE: You don't have to post just on Monday! You can link a post from a previous week, or come and link on Thursday if that is when God works and you want to share! And if you don't have a blog, leave your work of God in the comment section!

Friday, November 21

Aaron is very excited.



We finally got the growth record going! Mom gave us this
bulletin board border, and it's gonna be good for 4 feet.
Then we will have to add another piece. I can't believe
my firstborn baby is 35 inches tall!!!

Happy Friday!

Wednesday, November 19

it's Wednesday






Photos: Evan, sleeping. Evan, smiling. Aaron, grumpy. Aaron, self-taken. A husband's true expression of love.

Today, I said YES when my friend Michelle asked me to accompany her and her two children to Midland's "Tunes for Tots." I'm so glad I did! Tunes for Tots is put on by Midland Center for the Arts, and is an informal gathering of moms and kids under the age of 4. It's also one of the FEW free events they host!! They meet once every other month and feature an instrument or family of instruments. Today's event featured the bassoon. It was great, and the kids had tons of fun. We skipped the cookie and juice in the lobby and came back to our house for some lunch. It was great to watch Aaron & Jonah (both two) interact. They are finally starting to play WITH each other instead of next to each other, and that is neat.

So, despite the fact that it is Wednesday, and our weekly crazy day, I'm glad we did this!

Tuesday, November 18

getting duller

I used to be articulate. I used to be able to keep a to do list in my head, and not forget. I used to be well read and up on current events. I used to polish my shoes on a weekly basis, and never, ever missed a shower. I used to be able to remember the names of the authors of great literary works. I used to read more than the nutrition panels on boxes of breakfast cereal. And I used to know right and left without looking down to see which hand my wedding band is on.

Then, I had children. And I realize how much sleep is worth. It's value is pure gold. Platinum. More. And I'm realizing that I wasn't really ever that creative or clever. It was simply that I was gluttonously imbibing in hours upon hours of uninterrupted sleep.

When Aaron was about 18 months, I got the hang of our new normal, finally, and was almost back to my rested self...only to get pregnant again. Now, with two children, I wonder what I was fussing about with one. And I'm sure mothers of three and five and seven look at me and my crazy hair and wrinkled pants and sigh disparagingly.

Well, I reason, today is different. It must be this sinus pressure that is causing all the confusion, all the sleepiness. Ha. ha. ha. Who am I kidding?

I don't really mind this loss of mental acuity. But I would be in denial to not confess that I do hope my articulate self will one day return. I definitely wouldn't trade my kids for anything, and I would rather be here with them than anywhere else.

And, I'm still trying to learn things, even though I'm not so good at remembering. Today, as it has been for weeks, my prayer is simply this:

"Lord, help me to seek You as diligently as I seek sleep!"

Monday, November 17

Works of God Monday

I need to hear - what has God been doing for you this week? I will post later, I promise. There's a whole lotta hallelujah-ing going on at our house, but it's also just a little bit crazy. We are sick and the house has been falling in around our ears. SO that's what I'm doing today. But link, and link away...

In the Mister Linky widget below, simply type your name in the top box, or a short description of the work that God has done, and then in the second box, paste the link from your specific "Works of God Monday" post. Feel free to use the image from the top of this post if you like.

PLEASE NOTE: You don't have to post just on Monday! You can link a post from a previous week, or come and link on Thursday if that is when God works and you want to share! And if you don't have a blog, leave your work of God in the comment section!

Friday, November 14

my poor deprived children

Lest you think Aaron is a poor soul who doesn't get any sweets, here he is demonstrating how creative he can be once he's done with his favorite "peshial treat" which is Tim Horton's old fashioned plain timbits. (which is probably the least sweet of all the donuts, but still.)

I get coffee, he gets sweets...we are all happy campers. Even Evan, who gets some later. About 4 hours later. He likes donut and coffee flavored milk. Incidentally, it's fall, which means I'm having a grand time eating all manners of pumpkin flavored everything. I need to bake some pumpkin muffins now that I've visited Kara's blog and seen her scrumptious looking photos. I am also very disappointed that the Schwan man sold out of pumpkin ice cream before I got around to ordering any.

What's your favorite treat this time of year?

Thursday, November 13

3 months ago...

1. I was getting ready for the yard sale that changed our lives forever
2. I wasn't even thinking about potty training
3. We were paying $3.84 for a gallon of gas

Today
1. I have a delightful and healthy three month old who weighs 12 lbs and is across the board in the 25th percentile.
2. Aaron is asking to "go pee in potty" and doing it!
3. $1.92 (!?!?!!!)

What are you paying these days??

Tuesday, November 11

provisions, provisions - again and again

Last week Kroger had a mega sale. And of course, last week I was too busy to print out the coupons and go through my stash of collected coupons.

Good news: the sale is repeated this week. I went to Kroger last night and got $74.77 worth of grocery items for $18.77. Sometime I am totally taking a photo of my cereal shelves for you to see the provisions of God for our family. Yes, I said "shelves." Every single box on my shelf was purchased for less than 75cents or was free - the good majority was free with sales & coupons. God is so good, so generous to us. And cereal is a non perishable. So I'm stocking up. If there is a food shortage crisis, we'll just eat cereal.

need a laugh and a swift kick?

So I'm telling you, you have got to add Amy to your Google Reader. Today, again, I get a good guffaw and a reminder of what I'm called to do.

Monday, November 10

Works of God Monday

Is it seeming to anyone ELSE that these days are flying by? I think it is crazy how fast the weeks just float away like a vapor. I've been amazed at what God has been teaching me about making every minute count. I'm thankful for His patience with me, as I am a vvvvvvvvery slow learner.

This week, God blessed by showing us an area of our budget that we can use for other things - now we still need to sit down and rework things, but hopefully this will help us quite a bit. We are so grateful!

So, how is God at work in you? It could be a physical provision, a spiritual lesson learned, an opportunity to share with others, anything that was an evidence of God at work in you. Blog about it - then follow these directions:

In the Mister Linky widget below,
simply type your name in the top box, or a short description of the work that God has done, and then in the second box, paste the link from your specific "Works of God Monday" post. Feel free to use the image from the top of this post if you like.

PLEASE NOTE: You don't have to post just on Monday! You can link a post from a previous week, or come and link on Thursday if that is when God works and you want to share! And if you don't have a blog, leave your work of God in the comment section!

Sunday, November 9

photos.

There are some pretty cute pictures over here of the kiddos, if you are interested.

Wednesday, November 5

We have a winnah!

I used Random.org for my selection of our election day giveaway winner, and the winner is Christina! Since you said you need a razor, well, perhaps your gift will include one.

Congratulations to the winner of our drawing!

About the ACTUAL election, wasn't it a privilege to be voting in something so historical? Record numbers of voters - how exciting! And, either way it would have gone, our country would have had a "first" We are so blessed to live in a country in which we are free to choose our leader. It is going to be interesting (as it always is) to see how our new president governs our land. I'm praising God for His Sovereignty, and for being able to be a part of this moment in history!

So how late were you up watching election returns?

Tuesday, November 4

sometimes free means clutter

It's just like the mail you get offering a steal of a credit card deal, or the pizza coupons, or the sales ads...if you don't get rid of them immediately, soon you are swimming in stuff you don't need.

We have a missionary closet at our church where I can donate our freebies like toothbrushes, razors, shampoo, etc. if we find that our stockpile is overrunning our storage space. But lately, I've been saying "forget it" to the free candles, air fresheners, etc. simply because I don't need it and can't store it. I've come to realize that just because it's free does not mean it is for me!! I may have taken this a bit too far, as we are down to our last tube of toothpaste! ;-)

What do you do with your extras?

And because I'm curious about my readers, who are you voting for today?? Vote in the poll on my sidebar! Comment on this post that you voted in the poll and I'll add you to the drawing for a surprise election day gift (it will be something useful from my own stockpile)! Poll ends at 11:59pm, giveaway open to US residents only. If you comment that you voted in the ACTUAL election, you get two entries.

Monday, November 3

Works of God Monday

Some friends from church got a new washer and dryer, and instead of selling their "old" Maytag Atlantis set, they decided to bless our socks off. Here is our new, free, washer and dryer.

So I have some new friends to help me wash the clothes. Praise the Lord for this answer to prayer! Our old washing machine was doing all right, but I knew it was just a matter of time, as we'd bought it third hand and it's companion dryer had already bit the dust.

Aaron is giving it two thumbs up, as he's been doing a lot lately. So many blessings!

Incidentally, you don't have to post YOUR blessing just on Monday! You can link a post from a previous week, or come and link on Thursday if that is when God works and you want to share!

So, how IS God proving Himself to be faithful to you? It could be a physical provision, a spiritual lesson learned, an opportunity to share with others, anything that was an evidence of God at work in you. Blog about it - then follow these directions:

In the Mister Linky widget below,
simply type your name in the top box, or a short description of the work that God has done, and then in the second box, paste the link from your specific "Works of God Monday" post. PLEASE make sure the link is to a specific post on your blog that is a personal testimony of how God has been at work in your life in the past week. Feel free to use the image from the top of this post if you like. Just right click the image and choose "save image as" then upload it into your post. Please contact me if you have any questions, and spread the word to your blogging friends!


Saturday, November 1

before & after














one of our blessings today.

it's just sided on the front so far, but OH what a difference two years makes.

thank you, Lord!!!

more photos here.