To God and to the Lamb I will Sing!

We've been dealing with some sort of stomach bug for over a week now. David had it last Sunday and Joe came down with it this past Saturday. Joseph and Will were sick too on Saturday, but their bug seems to be lasting longer. Joseph is still complaining of a hurt tummy and neither boy has his appetite back. We had thought that they had all gotten food poisoning on Saturday, but since the boys are still sick I am thinking that it must be a bug. I'm fine, thankfully, and am more than able to take care of everyone else! Yesterday was actually a very easy day around here. Since the boys were all feeling puny, they napped for most of the day and when they were awake they were subdued, albeit throwing up. I was actually tickled by the thought that my day was easier with 3 sick little ones than with 3 healthy and rambunctious littles ones. But, God was gracious to me in their illness in that they were never all throwing up at the same time and did sleep a lot. I actually got a ton done while they all napped.
One of the things that I did was Christmas shopping. Thanks the the wonderful amazon.com I got almost all of my shopping done yesterday without packing up everyone and all of their various and sundry equipment and supplies, driving to Jackson, wading through traffic, and strolling the mall. It was bliss for a non-shopper like me to "point and click" my way through Christmas shopping. And with the wishlists on amazon, I know that I got things that people wanted--which is such fun too.
The last thing that I have to write before I post this and get to painting is about a gospel sing that we went to on Sunday afternoon. Oprah Winfrey was born here in our humble town and has donated money to build a very nice Boys and Girls Club for the community. When she was in town a few months back for the dedication, it was quite the event, I am told, although we did not go into town to catch a glimpse of the talk show icon. As part of an effort to build support for the club from within the community, they hold monthly fundraisers that each have a different theme. Joe was asked to speak at this month's gospel sing on "Why We Sing" and did so. My two favorite groups that sang were both families. One was a father and his young adult children--two sons and a daughter--and they sang unmiked and a capella with tight harmonies. The other family was the parents and their 5 children accompanied by two teenagers from their church on the drum and the piano. While less polished in performance, I so enjoyed seeing them singing together that they were just as enjoyable.
The event was organized by Mrs. Katherine Carr Esters, who is a cousin or aunt of Oprah's and she was the glue that held the afternoon together. She greeted everyone as they entered by name and introduced us all to each other--encouraging people and interspersing "Praise the Lord's" in between telling good stories about how she knew various people. I suppose I am a bit partial to the kindness of Mrs. Katherine because as I walked in behind Joe and she greeted him, she turned to me and said, "Why I haven't met you before...you are just beautiful!" :) Talk about a welcome!
Late in the afternoon, Mrs. Katherine remarked that she hadn't known that white people could sing gospel until that day. The connection of black and white around the centrality of praising the Lord through song was a truly unique experience for this little Mississippi town and for me personally. It was a faint foretaste of that magnificent choir in heaven where one day people from every tribe, tongue, and nation will be gathered around the throne singing praises to the Lamb. Since we will no longer be bound by these earthly bodies then, I will be able to sing with a voice like Sandi Patti's. :) Until then, I can sing with the quiet alto that I've been given and look forward to that blessed day.
Mrs. Katherine told us all that she'd be telling Oprah about our gathering and said that she'd especially be telling her about Joe (everyone marveled at his youth and had enjoyed what he said). Oprah or not, it was a notable afternoon and one that I was glad to be a part of.

My little men

So after endless hours of unsuccessfully trying to get my boys posed for a Christmas picture, I finally snapped a cute one of all three today just randomly. Granted, they weren't wearing coordinating outfits (we do live in the deep South, y'all, where standard dress for young boys is a smocked john-john, knee high socks, and white leather shoes) or even nice clothes, but they are all looking at the camera and smilling! I call that a success!!!

Weekend update

Poor David had some sort of food poisoning today, we think. We threw up every 30 minutes for 4 hours and the recovered. Very strange. He's been eating the same thing as the rest of the family and we're all fine. Hopefully, he'll be okay tonight.
We had a fun visit yesterday from our friends the B.'s from Jackson. They stayed most of the day and we had such a good time just hanging out. M. is due in 2 months with their third baby--a girl after 2 boys! What fun!

Weekend

We had a good weekend. On Friday night, we enjoyed a chili dinner with our Sunday school class at the H's house. It was a warm evening and fellowship was sweet as the children ran around outside and the adults talked--men around the campfire and women inside around the babies. One of the women there, M. mentioned that she has found my blog and reads it from time to time. (Hi M.!) I don't know why (after all I am posting on the www, after all), but I have this perception that my blog is my own little bit of cyberspace and I am somehow always surprised to find that someone is reading it. It is a place for me to think and process and it gives me a forum--after all, I'm am nothing if not highly opinionated. Yet, I welcome any readers but am still surprised by them.
We painted all day Saturday and the office is coming along nicely. I have started to put the red topcoat on today and I think it is going to look good. There is so much to do on this house that it can be overwhelming....baby steps though, right?

Sleepy mama

My blogging has greatly diminished recently due to 3 factors:
1. Joe and I are finally progressing on painting. We've been priming the office and patching holes from tearing down the wallpaper. Thus, some blogging time has been spent with a paintbrush in hand.
2. 24--That's right. We've starting season 3 and are hooked. We've been watching whenever we are not painting.
3. Bedtime. I have been going to bed between 8 and 9:00 each night and that barely leaves me time to get the house straight after the boys are in bed before I zonk out.

Tonight, we went over to the S.'s house and "helped" them work on it (I say "helped" because we did not get much done). M and M bought a 1930's house that needed a LOT of work and had it gutted. The builders are moving along and are supposed to have it finished in 2 weeks. We went over to help them tile their 2 bathrooms and laundry room as I had volunteered our skills. It was a crazy time with 5 kids running around in an unfinished house, but it was good. We love spending time with the people in our congregation and getting more into peoples' lives. There were no earth shattering conversations, but it was a good time of shared food and shared work. We'll go again later this week!

360 reunion

It has been a few days, hasn't it? This past weekend I had the glorious fun of being fancy free and by myself for 2 days! My dear husband stayed at home with the boys while I flew to Charlottesville for a reunion weekend with some of the girls that I lived with in college. It was non-stop talking the whole weekend—laughing, a bit of crying (from me...what can I say? I'm a crier!), and many stories. Husbands, children, marriage, sex, birth control, the Biblical roles for women, houses, dating, being single, wanting kids, miscarriages, pregnancy, labor, the church, politics, death, tragedy, illness....the talking just did not end. And they were good conversations too. Sprinkled with grace and seasoned with the abiding peace of God's goodness and mercy to us his daughters. Each of us were in different circumstances, but each could testify to Christ's work in our lives.

It was such a blessing to see these women who are so dear to me walking with the Lord. I knew them as college students and much has changed for each of us in the ensuing 6 years. But, God's faithfulness has been new to each of us and I was greatly encouraged to see them walking with the Lord.

It was also just plain fun. I haven't left the children overnight except for one night when Joseph was a baby. We saw a lot of the old spots that we remembered from college and we ate at a tapas restaurant for supper—a first for me. Of the 12 girls that lived in the house, only 5 of us made it for this weekend, but you can see a picture of us here. SO FUN!

My little man!!

We have crossed a milestone tonight and not a very good one. Tonight marks the first time that we have taken one of the children to the ER because of an accident. We did, of course, all go to the ER after the wreck, but this is the first visit for a childhood accident.

William fell tonight while running around outside the church with the other children after the missions conference dinner. He split open his lip and his right front tooth was knocked up into his gum. Nothing can be done for the tooth. Either it will be fine or it will fall out, leaving my adorable 2 year old toothless for 3-5 years until the permanent tooth comes in at a normal time. The main problem is the lip, as the split was wide and deep. I am concerned that the scar will show—he is such a handsome little man! Can one be vain for another person?

Joe and I have talked about serving on the mission field before and see ourselves as missionaries in some ways in the way that we look at God's calling on our lives and in this place. However, when we were actually thinking about moving to Peru, one of our reasons to not go was because of how we handle nights like tonight. Tonight cemented the fact that our gracious Lord has much work to do on me before I would be ready for a calling to overseas missions.

It was a “rubber meets the road” night. And I failed the test. As we dealt with the accident, I was short with Joseph, rude to Joe, and generally all criticisms and accusations when I should have displayed acceptance and peace. As much as I can write about wanting to submit to God's curriculum for me, I muddle through the lessons and sometimes refuse them all together, preferring to do my own thing.

I guess though that this realization is a lesson too. One more chance for me to see my sin and one more chance for Christ's grace to work in me, his strength to be made perfect in my weakness.

It has rained here for most of the day again today. No threatening thunderstorms, just constant and sometimes very heavy rain. A few nights ago we had a bit of a scare (or rather I did--Joe is much calmer about such things) with a tornado. There were warnings for our county and they said the tornado was heading towards Vaiden, which I knew was near here because I have seen the signs. However, I didn't know exactly where Vaiden was and so I was frantically looking at maps trying to figure out if we were in danger. We were not; Vaiden is about 20 miles from here. For future reference I did print out a map of our county that includes all of the little towns near here so that next time we'll know where the tornado is! (And my dear hubby also ordered a weather alarm radio that will beep if there is an alert issued for our area—which is quite handy if one wants to sleep on a stormy night but is afraid of being sucked up by an unexpected tornado while sleeping.)

My bloglines account is down. Firefox is having some sort of trouble with Java and so my feed tree is empty. I have missed keeping up with everyone.

Lastly, we have finally gotten back to working on the office. We have ordered season 3 of 24 and have set goals of how much of the office we have to finish before we can watch each episode so that by the time we are finished with the season the office will be finished too. It is an ingenious strategy because it harnesses our insatiable appetite for Jack Bauer's perilous escapades with the drudgery of stripping wallpaper, spackling, priming, and repainting. We've decided on red, which is great because our house is overrun by a cheery pale yellow right now, and we could use some deeper colors.

Okay, that is enough for tonight. Off to talk to hubby.

How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds

based on Song of Solomon 1:3 “Because of the savour of thy good ointments thy name is as ointment poured forth.”

1. How sweet the Name of Jesus sounds
In a believer's ear!
It soothes his sorrow, heals his wounds,
And drives away his fear.

2. It makes the wounded spirit whole,
And calms the troubled breast;
'Tis manna to the hungry soul,
And to the weary, rest.

3. Dear Name, the rock on which I build,
My shield and hiding place,
My never failing treasury, filled
With boundless stores of grace!

4. By Thee, my prayers acceptance gain,
Although with sin defiled;
Satan accuses me in vain,
And I am owned a child.

5. Jesus, my Shepherd, Brother, Friend,
My Prophet, Priest, and King,
My Lord, my life, my way, my end,
Accept the praise I bring.

6. Weak is the effort of my heart,
And cold my warmest thought;
But when I see Thee as Thou art,
I'll praise Thee as I ought.

7. 'Til then I would Thy love proclaim
With every fleeting breath,
And may the music of Thy name
Refresh my soul in death.

--John Newton

God's curriculum

Many days the devotional that I get from Elisabeth Elliot is the only morsel of Scriptural truth that I am able to meditate on in a day. But, oh, they are such gems! Today's was long and on contentment. It contained my favorite Amy Carmichael quote too.

If you are not already subscribed to these daily devotionals, I heartily recommend that you do so. Here is a portion:

Everything about which we are tempted to complain may be the very instrument whereby the Potter intends to shape His clay into the image of His Son--a headache, an insult, a long line at the check-out, someone's rudeness or failure to say thank you, misunderstanding, disappointment, interruption. As Amy Carmichael said, "See in it a chance to die," meaning a chance to leave self behind and say YES to the will of God, to be "conformable unto His death." Not a morbid martyr-complex but a peaceful and happy contentment in the assurance that goodness and mercy follow us all the days of our lives. Wouldn't our children learn godliness if they saw the example of contentment instead of complaint? acceptance instead of rebellion? peace instead of frustration?

Everything? Everything about which I am tempted to complain may be the very instrument whereby my Lord intends to shape me more into the image of Christ. That certainly puts a new light on the petty frustrations of life with little ones. It means that when Will was helping me make a cake this morning and knocked a cup full of baked pumpkins seeds on the floor, breaking the cup and scattering seeds across the kitchen that it was an opportunity for God to sanctify me. The frustration (and let's be honest here, anger) that immediately surfaced was my sin staring me blatantly in the face. Oh, I need grace! I need Christ's sacrifice on my behalf!

An excerpt from another EE devotional earlier this week provides this fitting closing:

Mercifully, God does not leave us to choose our own curriculum. His wisdom is perfect, His knowledge embraces not only all worlds but the individual hearts and minds of each of His loved children. With intimate understanding of our deepest needs and individual capacities, He chooses our curriculum. We need only ask, "Give us this day our daily bread, our daily lessons, our homework." An angry retort from someone may be just the occasion we need in which to learn not only longsuffering and forgiveness, but meekness and gentleness; fruits not born in us but borne only by the Spirit. As Amy Carmichael wrote, "A cup brimful of sweetness cannot spill even one drop of bitter water, no matter how suddenly jarred" (From her book IF published by Christian Literature Crusade).

God's curriculum for all who sincerely want to know Him and do His will will always include lessons we wish we could skip. But the more we apply ourselves, the more honestly we can say what the psalmist said: "I, thy servant, will study thy statutes. / Thy instruction is my continual delight; / I turn to it for counsel. / I will run the course set out in thy commandments, / for they gladden my heart" (Psalm 119:23, 24, 32, NEB).

An overflowing closet and an abundant blessing

I have been keeping my eyes open for several months now for fall clothes for Joseph. In fact, I scooped up several pairs of long pants and long sleeved shirts for $.25 or $.50 an item at yard sales this summer when it was so hot outside that it almost seemed impossible that one could ever want to wear long winter clothes. We also went shopping from 9-5 last Thursday in Jackson and got church clothes and shoes at the mall. Finally, I picked up a few things at the thrift store this past Saturday when they had a $5 a bag sale. (BTW, I had 2 pairs of pants, 2 shirts, 2 pairs of almost new boots, a small food processor, an electric waffle iron, 2 candlestick holders, a set of notecards, 4 ties, and 16 cloth napkins into my bag—that's less than .$25 an item!)

Inspired by the Tightwad Gazette, I have really been trying to be more frugal and to be more open-minded about yard sales and the thrift store. It has been a lesson for me. Six months ago, I would've turned my nose up at both, but I have been humbly trying new territory....And it is fun! I love the bargains I can get. (Although I must admit that I am still embarrassed to say so in public—except for here, but that isn't the same. We were having dinner with a new couple from church on Saturday night and the wife raved that she just loves to find “bargains.” Joe, thinking of my newly-found yard saling prowess chimed in, “Oh, Hallie does too.” She went on to explain how she finds “cheap” antiques that are a steal, and I blushed and waited to see if my dear hubby would mention my fabulous finds at the thrift store. He didn't, and I let out a little sigh of relief—pride intact.) All of this to say that I am learning not only to try to be content with less, but also to try to be more creative.

The amazing thing is that God has just blessed above and beyond what I could have expected in this area. At church on Sunday, I was lamenting that Joseph's brand new Sunday khakis had shrunk so much after the first wash that they were already too small. My friend remarked that she had some hand-me-downs from her son that she thought might fit Joseph. She dropped them buy yesterday afternoon, and I sorted them last night after the boys were in bed. There were enough clothes not only for Joseph to have a full wardrobe for this fall and winter, but for next spring and summer too! And they are cute things, name brands some of which are expensive and I would never even buy! Even down to socks and a warm winter coat—all barely worn! Even a pair of overalls, which Joseph has been asking for, but I just wasn't going to buy brand new. Isn't God good? I have just been amazed all day as I have washed and folded it all. I called my friend this morning to thank her and need to write her a note too. Joseph has more clothes than he can wear!!!

Dinnertime discipleship

Tonight we had dinner with 2 couples from our church and had such a good time. The boys were pretty well-behaved and it was just a pleasant evening. It was so nice to be in the home of people that we care about and to whom we have been called. We truly believe that God has given us these people in this church and community to love. As we considered a call to overseas missions before ending up here, this place seems even more evidently our current mission field than it might otherwise seem. God clearly placed us here in this place and it is so good to remember that. I don't want to get caught up in living life that I forget what God has called us to. As we make friends and get to know people, I want to keep in mind my duty to love as Christ loved me and the mission He gave our family to minister in His name.

And so even in the middle of comfortable conversation and easy fellowship around the table, may I be mindful that I am to be living out the Gospel in my interactions. What does this mean? Most obviously, it means that my conversation should be seasoned with grace and not gossip, sarcasm, or complaining. That I must seek to love what God loves and hate what God hates in the way that I speak. Am I speaking about my children to others in a way that shows that I consider them a blessing or a curse? Am I treating the reputations of others with care and love in the way that I speak of those not present?

It also means that it should be the goal of my heart not to just share easy conversation, but to use time with fellow believers to truly encourage them in the faith. This is a hard one. I can carry on a conversation, but my words will wither and pass away. It is only the word of the Lord that will stand forever. May I be mindful of opportunities to take conversations deeper and to encourage a real struggle with the faith and a transparent trust in my Lord.

I am praying that as I have opportunities in growing relationships that God will grant me the ability to speak the truth in love and to spur others on towards love and good deeds. I know I need people like that in my life and that is who I want to become.

Full-time shopping

Today the Holland family made a trip to the big city to buy some fall clothes for Joseph. Since we are huge "hand-me-downers," the younger boys have most of what they need, but Joseph was in desparate need of some church clothes. We have switched from the john-johns and white shoes to the khakis and button up for him--he is so grown up! Every time I wash him or dress him, I am just amazed at how big he is! How did I ever have a son with feet this big?

I also got some fun brown heels (to complement Joseph's buy one get one 1/2 off deal). I cannot remember when I last bought fun new shoes. I get new running shoes (that I wear every day) at least yearly, but I haven't bought other shoes in longer than I can even remember. We also got some great t-shirts and shorts on huge discount for Joseph for next summer--that is unless he continues to grow like a weed and I underestimated it!

I also got some flax seeds at the natural foods co-op and am looking forward to adding them to our diet. I with that I was better about natural eating, but I guess each step in a positive direction is better than nothing.

Fall?

It is October 3rd and all three of my children have spent a delightful afternoon in the kiddie pool in the yard. It was 92 degrees and so I figured that it must be okay although all of my Virginia-raised sensibilities bristled at the notion of bathing suits in October. I have already put away the sunscreen for the year and so I was a bit worried that they'll sunburn! Even baby David enjoyed crawling around and splashing enthusiastically in the 10 inch deep water. He gasped at the coldness every time his brothers splashed.

I also experimented in the kitchen tonight. After I brought David inside and William and Joseph were still playing outside in the pool, I needed to find something to do in the kitchen that would allow me to watch them through the window. I decided to try to make fresh pasta as I has seen a recipe a few days earlier. It was good, but I don't think quite good enough to justify rolling it out and painstainkingly cutting each individual noodle. I mixed some fresh basil into half of the dough and that was delicous. If I try it again, I need to figure out how to roll the dough into thinner sheets before cutting because all of the noodles were too thick. Still, at least I tried!

Back in the saddle again

The past few days have been uneventful in household Holland. We've been getting back into the swing of things after a great visit with my parents and just living life. Joe preached a great sermon on Sunday night on our identity as Christians and the seriousness of sin from 1 Peter 2:9-12. Yesterday, we had a candlelight spaghetti supper with really yummy sauce and homemade breadsticks and topped it all off with Sonic slushies for dessert.
The 2 younger boys are down for naps (although William is still singing) and Joseph is resting in the play room. I have a few minutes for "me." I have been thinking a bit recently about how things are going with me and one thought I've had is about how I am doing in managing our home.
Before we moved here, I feel like I had a better handle on my household. I don't know if it is because this is a bigger house, but I always feel like I am unorganized and behind on housework. I want to take a few minutes this afternoon to work on my household notebook to see if I can get reorganized. I might even have to revert to the Flylady!

Away again

My parents were here for a visit the past few days leaving no extra time to blog. Time was filled visiting and enjoying the rare treat of having them here. It was truly a glorious visit--good conversations, mostly well-behaved children, just enough stuff to do, and even a Mississippi fall evening by the bonfire roasting marshmallows and star gazing. I treasured each moment with them here, realizing that it will probably be 8 months before I see them again! The boys will be so big then! It was special to have the boys spend time with Mama and Daddy--especially Daddy, since he hasn't really gotten to know them as much yet since we don't get to see him as often. The real test though will be to see if David will let them hold him when they stop back through on their way home.

Grumpy mama

I am so tired, but I don't feel like I really did anything today. The boys were not terrible, but they weren't very obedient either. And I was in a bad mood and short with them all day. I'm just plain grumpy.

It is raining here today and we've been mostly stuck inside. Except for when I let the boys out to ride their bikes during one break in the showers and they came inside a half an hour later sopping wet and sprinkled with mud. They had been riding their bicycles through puddles and the mud kept on splashing up on them. Good clean fun.

I did get a little bit of sewing done today, which was good. I mended a few pairs of pants for the boys and hemmed some new cloths to clean with. I also got the laundry done and vacuumed the house with my old push vacuum cleaner. I have gotten so used to using the whole house vacuum that it was kind of a shock to push around my heavy old one since the whole house unit is broken. I also tried a recipe for making caramel corn. I guess it was a success because I made 8 cups of caramel popcorn this morning and it is already gone.

Joe will be home in a few minutes and I think I'm going to go and get ready for bed. It is 7:50.

A must read

Usually my Sunday posts are sparse, but tonight I am mentioning a rare gem. Holly from Choosing Home has started a personal blog (Seeking Faithfulness) that is among the best out there. To start her blog, she transferred some of her posts from Choosing Home. There are several that I would rank in my top 10 favorite posts on motherhood. She really speaks to where I am and with such grace and gospel-centeredness. I am thankful to be able to read her wisdom.
Today I wanted to share a snippet from part 1 of a post called "Losing Myself," in which Holly writes about God calling her to die to self in motherhood. The whole thing is so good--go read it! and part 2 here.

“IT’S NOT ALL ABOUT YOU! All that you need to know about yourself, you will find in Me.” Shocking words to someone who thought that she was the important one in this entire family equation. Totally jaw-dropping words to someone who couldn’t wait to bring these children to maturity so that she could get on with life.

God continued….”What if I DO just want you to be a mother? Would you trust me that this would be enough for your life? Could you find contentment in that vocation, in serving your husband and children?”

“What if I have greater plans for your child, or your grandchild – and your main purpose was to give them life, then to pour YOUR life into shaping them into the person that I have planned for them to be?”

“Oh but Lord, that means,….sacrifice. Don’t I already do enough? Who will I become?”

“Dear Child, you will become just exactly who I intended for you to be. Don’t you remember reading my words, ‘He who loses his life for MY sake will find it?’?”

The conversations went on for some time. God prodding, humbling me and me gradually warming to His will.

The dethroning of ME literally transformed my mothering and the priority I placed upon it.

eBay and good times

My posting here has been sparse the past few days as I have spent the majority of my online time at the 360 blog or on eBay. I've been trying to organize the reunion for next month and have been tracking people down from hoosonline to see if they'll come. Yesterday, Elizabeth White Parsons posted her update on the blog and it just blew me away. It was so good to hear what God has taught her through lots of things but marriage in particular. I am so into the mama phase of life that the difficulties of early marriage have faded with time. She wrote about the dying to self and losing independence that is needed to fully work towards oneness--so good, but painful in the process.
As for eBay, I managed to sell an old bridesmaid's dress, a Boppy, and a set of first season 24 DVDs. I've also listed a used Medela pump which hopefully will sell in the next week. Anyway, it is better than having a yard sale and easier too. Plus, I just can't bear either the waste of throwing good things away or the clutter of keeping things that I don't use.
I've been in a rotten mood all day and my dear husband has taken the boys out so that I can have a few minutes of quiet and make dinner. He is so great about loving me when I am unlovable. I truthfully don't deserve such a steady, caring husband. God blessed me greatly in Joe.
Welll, the dough for the tortillas in done resting now and so I'd better go and make the enchiladas.

17th century poetry

To My Dear and Loving Husband

If ever two were one then surely we.
If ever man were loved by wife, then thee;
If ever wife were happy in a man,
Compare with me, ye women, if you can.
I prize thy love more than whole mines of gold
Or all the riches that the East doth hold.
My love is such that rivers cannot quench,
Nor aught but love from thee give recompense.
Thy love is such I can no way repay,
The heavens reward thee manifold, I pray.
Then while we live, in love let's so perservere
That when we live no more, we may live ever.

--Anne Bradstreet

Recovering

Today was getting back to normal a bit more. Joe worked almost a normal day and came home exhausted. The boys and I did normal things here. We were brought dinner by a very kind lady from church, who then listened with interest to the boys telling about collecting cicada shells in the pine trees behind the house. She even worn one that William gave to her on her shirt on her way home!
We still don't know what was wrong with Joe and the drs. said we probably will never know. They sent away the test for West Nile virus and that will be back in another week or so. It was most likely a recurrence of viral meningitis. Not fun! We are so thankful that God healed Joe so quickly and that he is feeling stronger now.
Whenever God so specifically provides the best answer to my prayers I always wonder what my response would have been had He not been so gracious to me. Would I still be able to count my security in Him when He does not heal my husband?
I remember just over a year ago lying flat on my back in the ambulance on the way to the hospital. I was seven months pregnant and William was in the ambulance with me, but screaming frantically because of the trauma of what we had just been through and because he couldn't see me because of how we were strapped in. I put my hand on my tummy and prayed for the little life inside of me, my baby, who I had not yet met. I prayed that the Lord would give me strength to trust in His goodness even as I lost my baby. I was sure that I would loose him--the wreck was so bad. And I didn't know yet if Joseph was okay either....Head trama, fractures, surgery were words I heard, but they did not yet know the severity of his injuries.
I can remember the peace of that ride. It was the peace that passes understanding that is calm in the midst of pain and fear. It was the trust in a God that is good, even when life is not. That day, I glimpsed for a moment that my anchor was secure in Him. The storms raged and He held firm. He held me safely.
And in the hours and days to follow, He gave us above and beyond what we could have hoped for. A continuing pregnancy and a healthy baby boy. A healed three year old.
I know that He is faithful. But I know that I am not. The memory of that ambulance ride and the peace that He granted help, but I often wonder if I could remain as calm in the midst of longer or stronger storms...death, lingering illness, or pain. I worry that I will not be found faithful (1 Corinthians 4:2). But, I am thankful that I have a God who is faithful (1 Thes. 5:12) and whose faithfulness covers over my lack of faith. Even when I may doubt, He will still be God and still be good.

Revelation 19:11 I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True.

Joe

Pray for us, please. We got home last night after Joe being in the hospital with a severe headache, chills, fever, and body aches. The doctor's don't know what it is, but let us come home with some good pain medicine. He had a rough night, but I am so thankful to be at home where I can let him rest (hospitals are so UNrestful) and where we can be together as a family. I'll update you as we know more.

4 year old, 2 year old, and infant

Lots of fun around here the past couple of days as this mystery virus has slowly worked its way through the whole family. I got it Saturday with the worst being Sunday night while Joe was preaching and I was home alone with the three guys and a 103 degree fever. Joe has felt bad yesterday and today, fortunately without the fever. David is still sporting the remnants of the spots that both he and William got. We have been quite the germ factory around here!

On a better note, Joseph turned 4 today and it has been a rousing day of Holland family fun. We opened presents upon waking this morning and worked outside until about 10:00. Then, it was off to Wal-mart to spend the birthday money on skates and a new puzzle. Cake for dessert at supper (of course), roasted marshmallows by the bonfire in the backyard, and now a night under the stars in a new sleeping bag—what a day! Joseph and Will are currently “sleeping” in a tent in the pine stand. Joe will join them later after the sugar has worn off and they've drifted off to sleep. I'll be cozy inside! :)

This picture is from their first foray into the tent this afternoon at 4:00. They were ready to go!

Weekend update

We had a good weekend here. Rented a tiller on Saturday morning and tilled under the area where the garden will be. We're thinking about planting some fall things, but also just wanted to start to get the grass killed for next year. It has really plagued our small plot this year and so I would like to not have to deal with it as much next year. Still no tomatoes yet (the vines are filled, but none are red), but we got our second cucumber today. It tasted so good--freshness and the fact that we grew it combined! We had also planted only one eggplant, but it is producing well. I think I'll get 4-6 fruits from that one plant. Squash is still coming, but we're eating it as fast as it comes so I haven't frozen any. Same with the figs still at this point. Our sunflowers are growing like gangbusters and are now taller than Joseph. We also have the first 3 pumpkins that are the size of a dime. I planted some of the seeds from the gourds too and those have sprouted, but not grown much yet. I feel like a regular farmer, though I’m still far from it.

From what I can tell, it seems like there is good soil in the garden. Dark brown and rich, and fairly loose with no clay. I'll have more than I'm able to take care of, I'm sure. I'm still working through the canna beds, pulling dead stalks, raking, and weeding. I've done the ones by the garden, under the martin house, and by the bird bath. The next bed to tackle will be the one by the shed and it is the worst so far. I am going to take a “before” picture this time and will post it sometime this week. David was sucking on our USB cord and ever since then the computer has not recognized the camera when I plug it in. Joe has always said that baby spit is a pretty strong corrosive.

Must read

I don't know how to preface this article except to say that you must read it. It is encouraging and convicting and so true. Read it!

Fevers, Spots, Vomitting, and Crying

The other two boys were hit with the virus today which meant that it was a rough day at Homestead Holland. Joseph and David both spiked high fevers and David got the telltale spots that Will had a few days ago. If the virus follows the same course, both boys should be in tip top shape tomorrow--although tonight is going to be a long night.

Psalm 8:2

Out of the mouth of babes and infants, you have established strength because of your foes, to still the enemy and the avenger.
ESV

Friday night

I haven't posted in a while, but mostly just because I haven't had much to say. We had the Palmertrees (our head pastor and his family) over for dinner tonight and had a good time.
This past Tuesday night, I spoke to the women in the church at a "Meet the Pastors' Wives" night that was a lot of fun. I got to meet some new ladies and enjoyed the chance to get to talk without worrying that my little guys were getting into trouble. I spoke too, but could barely say what I had prepapred because I got so teary. I was really speaking from my heart and couldn't get much out without misting up. I really enjoyed what Judy and Camille said though and am so grateful to be serving alongside both of them.
This is one of about 100 pictures of our family from a whole night of posing trying to get an acceptable picture for our Christmas card...None were right!!!

Extreme parenting

SpunkyHomeSchool referenced a good piece from her archives about parenting that said this:

True Christianity doesn't define the extreme by how close to the line we can get while still being a Christian. The extreme is how far from the line we can run and how close we can get to our Savior.

This is going to require extreme parenting. A parent who is willing to deny their pleasures in life for a greater pleasure to come. A parent who is willing to refuse a job or a promotion because of the time away from the family. A parent who is willing to sit next to a child on the computer and work together rather then let them build a virtual family. A parent who is willing to talk with a child and not just at them. A parent who is willing to walk daily with their child and guide them to HIS truth. A parent who is willing to tell their child daily what the real choice is but give them the liberty to make their choice. These and many more require an extreme commitment. A parent willing to die to themselves so that their children will walk with the God.

"God demonstrates his own love for us in this that while we were yet sinners HE died for us." Romans 5:8

I want to become an extreme parent.

Wow. This takes my recent thoughts about dying to my own desires and motherhood and applies it in a totally different way. Earlier in the article, she gives this tactic for working through rules with teenagers:

You hand a child the Bible and say, here is God's Word. Let's figure out what God's word says about this. Give them the liberty to study the scripture and learn truth for themselves. We need to give them the joy of discovering that God's Word does speak to us. That's the way I became convinced of truth. I remember the light bulb going off so many times as I read a passage of scripture and how it applied to my life today. Don't deny your children the same pleasure by "giving them what the Bible says." We must let God speak to our children. Our children want to make us the quarrel. They think they can battle, wear us down, and win. God's Word is able to take down the strongholds and defenses that the child and the word is tempted to build. Let them wrestle with God about this issue. The parent becomes a faciliatator in their search for understanding and truth rather than the enemy. I have found that it is a lot more pleasant walking with my children in truth than constantly pushing them in truth.

It sounds so practical. I’ll have to keep that in my back pocket. The whole article is worth

"A friend of mine once said his greatest desire is to create something beautiful and lasting. That stuck with me. I want to create a beautiful and lasting marriage with a man, and with that man I want to bear and rear children, which are the most exquisite and eternal creations we humans can take part in fashioning. Architects design buildings that will someday fall down, programmers construct computer software that will eventually be obsolete—but fathers and mothers create and cultivate souls that will never die. How wonderful to experience just an inkling of what God feels as our Father."

excerpt from "The Largest Career of All" by Bethany Patchin in Touchstone Magazine.

http://www.touchstonemag.com/archives/article.php?id=13-04-015-v

The Hand that Rocks the Cradle

By William Ross Wallace, 1819-1881

"Blessings on the hand of women!
Angels guard its strength and grace,
In the palace, cottage, hovel,
Oh, no matter where the place;
Would that never storms assailed it,
Rainbows ever gently curled;
For the hand that rocks the cradle
Is the hand that rules the world.

Infancy's the tender fountain,
Power may with beauty flow,
Mother's first to guide the streamlets,
From them souls unresting grow--
Grow on for the good or evil,
Sunshine streamed or evil hurled;
For the hand that rocks the cradle
Is the hand that rules the world.

Woman, how divine your mission
Here upon our natal sod!
Keep, oh, keep the young heart open
Always to the breath of God!
All true trophies of the ages
Are from mother-love impearled;
For the hand that rocks the cradle
Is the hand that rules the world.

Blessings on the hand of women!
Fathers, sons, and daughters cry,
And the sacred song is mingled
With the worship in the sky--
Mingles where no tempest darkens,
Rainbows evermore are hurled;
For the hand that rocks the cradle
Is the hand that rules the world."

Preparing for Motherhood

This is part-two of my thoughts on motherhood that was sparked by a conversation over at the 360 blog.

Educated at a prestigious university? Check. Prepared to be a wife and mom? Um, not quite. Brains do not equal thriving motherhood. Biblically, it is God’s will for most of us to marry and have kiddos, but for so long I focused on just “me and the Lord” that I didn’t prepare myself as well as I could have. There are things that I wish I had known or worked on before I became a mom. This post is an attempt to pass on a little encouragement to those of you that are not yet in the mom years. It is not the Gospel, so faithful Christians can disagree with what I am about to write--it is just a recommendation. It also is not my final opinion on the matter, but just the scratchings of one stint at the computer during one of my boys’ naptimes.

For my first “Preparing for Motherhood” post, I wanted to share a few thoughts about money.

Get out of debt or stay out of debt.

Many moms say that finances are the reason that they have to work. One of my really good friends from high school got her law degree after her time at UVa and worked as a lawyer for a time before delivering her first baby over two months premature. She took some maternity leave just afterwards, but had to leave her preemie in the NICU to go back to work in order to save some maternity leave for when he was released from the hospital. She was up to her eyeballs in student loan debt and would’ve loved to stay home but felt trapped.

The same problem comes with any debt (car loans, credit cards, home equity loans, even mortgages that are too big). Debt can trap a young couple and money problems are the #1 cause of divorce in America today. Similarly, as a single, you are uniquely positioned to economize and save, providing a solid foundation for whatever God may have planned for you. In several recent articles in Boundless, they’ve talked about single women and money (see articles here, here, and here) and really made me think, In either case—married or single--if you can’t afford it (i.e. pay for it with cash today), don’t buy it! As Will Rogers said, "Too many people spend money they have not earned, to buy things they do not want, to impress people they don't even like."

Live on one income now.

If married, budget so that you are already living on just your husband’s income. If you learn now the discipline of living on one income, it won’t be a shock to do so later. As a bonus, by saving the money that you make now, you’ll have an extra big cushion for when you are at home.

Start investing while you are young.

If you are single, use this season in your life to learn to live on less than you make and pile money into savings.

If you invest just $100 a month (which is just eating out or cable money for many people) from age 20-60 in a good growth stock mutual fund earning 12% you will have $1,185,782. Wow! Compounding interest and leaving the money invested over a long time worked in your favor to set you up comfortably for retirement and free you to use your wealth to God’s glory. The government certainly isn’t going to do it for you (who knows if Social Security will even be around when we retire).

Count the cost.

For those of you that are married and thinking that you can’t give up your income, consider the actual net income generated by your job. There are many excellent articles on this out there. It sometimes boils down to the fact that the wife’s income is really just to pay for daycare (so sad) and the higher tax bracket.

Realize that it is all God’s anyway.

The One who clothes the lilies of the field will even more so provide for his people (Matthew 6:28). Chinese Christians actually pray for American Christianss that we may be able to withstand the temptation and trial of prosperity without abandoning our Lord. Start now to tithe to your local church and give consistently to other Kingdom work above and beyond your regular tithe. Luis Cataldo used to say that some of us would be called to serve the Lord in full time ministry. Others would be called to make a good income and live on only half of it to give the rest away for ministry.

Well, William just woke up and so that is all for now.

Motherhood questions

Over at the 360 blog, we have be discussing the merits of motherhood and Veronica shared with stark honesty about her journey. All of this has made me think back over what I have experienced and learned in the past few years, and I wanted to answer some of the questions that I mentioned in my comments to Vern's post.
I have come to see the value of motherhood as both a sanctifying work in my life and as a service to the Lord and my family. A few verses that have strengthened me for this calling:
Titus 2:4-5 Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.
(Tells me what I should be doing and learning.)
John 15:13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
(Motherhood is a daily laying down of my life in service to my Lord as He has called me to serve this family.)
Genesis 1:28 God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it.
(God ordained families and blesses them as the primary means for the growth of his Kingdom. What better chance for evangelism do I have than with the 3 little ones that He has placed in my care? The family is the most intensive, most real "small group" out there. It is my daily opportunity to show them Him by living out the Gospel where they can watch and learn.)

The world and many in the church have denigrated motherhood and treat it as little more than babysitting. It is so much more! As a mom, you shape the character of eternal souls that one day, Lord willing, will worship with you face to face before the Creator.
I have really struggled with the value of what I am doing because I have always been one to worry what other people think of me. Even in my mostly-Christian circle of friends and acquiantances, I feel isolated in my view of the sacredness of this calling. Below are a few articles that have been like water to my thirsting soul--refreshing me with God's perspective and reminding me to seek His commendation above all others.

• I Want to Be a Mom by Bethany Patchin--a general apologetic for motherhood. This one is by one of my favorite columnists.
• Finding the Center--A follow up article by Bethany Patchin Torode after the theory of motherhood becomes a reality upon the birth of her firstborn son.
• Motherhood on Trial by Megan Basham--if you only read one article, let it be this one. It follows the author's journey as she faced motherhood and also provides commentary on society's views on motherhood and contrasts it with God's.
• How Mothering Makes More of Us by Jenny Schroedel--A more philosophical look at motherhood. This one shaped much of my thought on how dying to self in motherhood becomes an opportinity for growth and sanctification.
• If You Want it All, You Need a Plan By Candace Watters--This one is written to young college age or professional women. This is one that I wish we all could've read and talked about at 360.
• My Inner Mommy War by Heather Koerner is not my favorite one, but it may speak to your situation. It talks about the author's struggle with giving up her job because it would mean dependence on her husband.
• This last one (Confessions of a Teenage Mom) is on the must-read list too. It is also by Bethany Torode and gives a Biblical view of children, love, marriage, and sex.

Last night just before we went to church, I had to do this...

Because Joseph had done this:

Motherhood quote

"To be Queen Elizabeth within a definite area, deciding sales, banquets, labors and holidays; to be Whiteley within a certain area, providing toys, boots, sheets, cakes and books, to be Aristotle within a certain area, teaching morals, manners, theology, and hygiene; I can understand how this might exhaust the mind, but I cannot imagine how it could narrow it. How can it be a large career to tell other people’s children about the Rule of Three, and a small career to tell one’s own children about the universe? How can it be broad to be the same thing to everyone, and narrow to be everything to someone? No; a woman’s function is laborious, but because it is gigantic, not because it is minute. "
~ G.K. Chesterton

Article Roundup

To get this new blog going, I want to link to a few articles that I have had bookmarked for a while, waiting for me to piece through them.

Don’t Control the Remote--The first article is by Spunkyhomeschool and is about TV. It is a short article, but gets at the heart of why I’m glad that we threw our TV away. It is one of those articles that I read and think, “Yeah, this is what I think too….I just never would’ve been able to explain it.”

There are TVs in all of the nursery’s in our church and it bothers me. My boys are young and I hear otherwise solid parents rave about the positive effects of Baby Einstein videos and the like. To them Spunky says:

“The sad reality is that the shows may be innocent or "educational" when they are little but as they grow up so do their tastes. Barney may satisfy Jr. when he's five but when he's fifteen he is going to want to watch something a little more attractive than a purple dinosaur. The problem is that his habits have been established and his appetite to be entertained has been satisfied for so many years he doesn't know what to do with himself.”

The Youth Group Question—This one is from Spunky too. As the wife of a former youth pastor, this one is especially relevant to me. Surprisingly, Joe would probably agree with some of her points, even if not with her conclusion. It definitely made me think. One dead-on quotation is:

“Sally Carkston said in a conference I attended, "In the absence of biblical conviction you will go the way of culture."”

The Hearts of my Children--Last one for tonight, from Tim Challies on how he views the state of his children’s souls. Are they saved? Should he be treating them as if they are? Unsaved? Should he be explaining the gospel to them or acting as if they already believe? It is a well thought-out article (as I have always found his writing to be so far). Highlight quote:

“It is entirely possible that one or more of them have already been saved. But I do not assume this to be the case. Rather, I assume that my children continue to worship idols until I see them faithfully and diligently serving God. It seems to me that the task of a Christian parent is to seek to guide children from idols to God. It is to understand that your children will worship something and to shepherd them "as a creature who worships, pointing [them] to the One who alone is worthy of worship." This is the task I have undertaken.”

On a completely different note, I wish I could post the pictures that I took tonight. The lighting as the sun went down was breathtaking--a pink sky cast a red glow on everything and the glimmer of fading sunlight transformed our yard into this beautiful dreamlike fairy land. I doubt that the pictures could even capture it, but I tried. Unfortunately, our USB is still acting up.

Me

Transfering

I'm gonna start blogging here instead of at bloglines. I'll move my posts soon. Until then, I'm still blogging there.

Monday, Monday

Laundry, cleaning up, a bit of gardening...trying to get things back into shape after the Lord's day. I've enjoyed the boys this morning and now have an hour or so of just me and Joseph while the little guys sleep.

I got an email this past weekend telling me about the formation of a 360 blog—how fun! On Saturday, we did a little work around the yard and Joe and I watched Glory Road after the boys went to bed. It was a pretty good movie by today’s standards, even if it was a sports movie.

Cucumbers and Teenage Mutant Ninja Pancakes

We I was a young teen, I frequently babysat for a charming little boy named Will who had a fascination with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles—Rafael, Donatello, Michelangelo, Leonardo, and one I am forgetting at the minute. Give me a break, it has been 15 years. He couldn’t have been older than six and so turtles was pronounced “tur-uls” and I spent many evenings playing “tur-uls” with Will. I remember thinking at the time that turtles made odd super heroes (and now think muscled superhero turtles make particularly strange namesakes for Renaissance artists).

Having a soft spot in my heart for God’s creatures (and having a mama from whom I inherited this love), I grew up being excited about seeing animals. A caterpillar, unusual beetle, new species of bird, or even a non-poisonous snake was a chance for a quick nature lesson from Mama and excitement from us girls.

I can remember one time when we were driving down a semi-busy road in my hometown when we saw a turtle trying to cross the road. Soft hearts to the rescue, my mom turned our minivan around so that we could go back and help him across the road to safety. We were heading back towards the turtle when a big-wheeled pick-up truck veered out of his lane into the lane going the opposite direction just to run over the turtle!

“Girls, don’t look! He got the turtle,” instructed my mother.

Curious and strong headed, I stole a glance at the flattened pinkish pancake where the turtle had been. I was so angry at that truck. Why in the world did he feel the need to veer across the road just to kill a turtle!

So that is a brief history of turtles in my life, which brings me to this past week. Once again, I am having encounters with turtles and this time these creatures are surprising me with their diligence and resolve. Three times this week, we have gone out to the garden and found a turtle eating the cucumbers. Each time, we have moved the offending turtle farther into the woods away from the garden and each time I have been surprised to find her back.

I am fairly certain that it is the same turtle, an ordinary box turtle with a yellow underside and beady cucumber coveting eyes. We have only harvested 1 cucumber from our garden; she has eaten two that were almost fully-grown and countless ones that were just starting. Once full of budding cucumbers, our vines are now bare. I’ve told Joe that the next time we see her, we are putting her in the car and driving her several miles away before releasing her since obviously a trip into the woods on our property is not far enough. And I must admit that if that doesn’t work, I might even be tempted to put her on the other side of Hwy 35 and let her try her luck at coming back then. I love “tur-uls” just as much as the next guy (okay, probably more), but who knew that they could be garden pests! Maybe that poor guy in the pick-up truck was just a frustrated cucumber farmer.

As of today we were supposed to be the owners of only one home, but true to tradition, things did not turn out as planned. We were not able to close on the sale of our Jackson house because the new owners had not been able to close on the sale of their old house. They are supposed to sell it next Tuesday and then will be qualified to get the loan on our house. I signed my part of the papers today and DV Joe will sign on Tuesday when he is in Jackson for his presbytery meeting. Nothing like more last minute hijinks to improve marital harmony and overall stress levels!

Joe did have his allergist appointment and I got my hair cut while we were in Jackson today. I hate my hair as it is too short and too much "soccer mom" as I told Joe. His response, "Well, at least hair grows back." :) Love that manly thinking.

The boys did pretty well considering they were in the car all day. Since it was our last chance at teh Woodvale house, we loaded up all of teh last minute things and the van was stuffed to the brim. I do have all of my curtains here now and so I will be able to hang them.

It will be such a load off of my mind when the sale goes through and the money is back in the bank....just a few more days of wating.

Losing motherhood

This article caught my eye recently, especially the introduction in italics. The point of the article of woman needing to mentor women in the style of Titus 2 is well put also.

Correction

My humble hubby corrected me that he actually finished 1st of the relay swimmers, not second!

Speedos and FIRE!

Dark and early this morning, my hubby left home at 4 AM on his way to a triathlon relay in Loiusville, MS. He was the first leg of the relay and did the 800 meter swim. Seeing 800 meters in a course in a lake shows just how long it is much more so than knowing that it is 16 laps in a pool. He hasn’t trained for swimming since we were in Charlotte 4 years ago or competed in a triathlon in 8 years. He just called Johnny to check on the team’s finish (since we went home before the race finished in another city 30 miles away) and found out that they placed 2^nd of the relay teams. Joe finished 2^nd overall of the relay swimmers too! Hurray for my hubby! I must admit that my heart beat strangely as I watched him come out of the water after his swim. Some of the competitors were so disoriented that they could barely move. Joe was fine, but definitely tired. Advil and a nap this afternoon for him!

We got home at 8:30 this morning and still had plenty of time to do yard work before lunch. I mowed and Joe weedwacked while the boys played in the pool (they were copying their Daddy’s fast swimming). Then, we tackled a project that we’ve been chipping away at for a while. Dr. Mink (for some reason) placed old carpets along the perimeter of his garden and over the years about 6 inches of soil and crab grass grew on top of the carpets. As we are planning to increase our garden for next year (and because the carpet is right at the edge of our rapidly expanding pumpkin patch), we needed to get rid of the carpet. The largest piece we pulled up today was probably 15’ by 15’ and very heavy. How to get rid of a massive amount of heavy carpet? Why drag it to the edge of the woods and burn it!!!! Hurray!!!

We had a massive bonfire of carpet, fallen pine trees, and gasoline that is still smoking in the rain as I type. At one point just after we lit it, Joe and I frantically ran to hook up hoses and stretch them to the pile as the fire almost got out of control. Crisis averted, we’ve had our first burn and learned a lot. I love that we are learning things like this—simple living country things that have been done for centuries—gardening, burning things without setting a forest fire J, keeping a large yard, pruning, etc. Now if I could just figure out a way to keep a milk cow….

Back from the beach

It was a great week of sand, sea, pool, and cafeteria food. The extent of my cooking for the week was heating some Bagel Bites for Joe for a nighttime snack. Other than that, I carried trays to the table 3 times a day and enjoyed the glorious freedom of having someone else do the cooking. It certainly wasn’t ritzy (imagine the 5 of us in a small hotel room with David in the closet in a crib), but it was wonderful since I had a week off.

The boys loved the pool and Joseph loved the ocean. Will was still a bit skittish about the ocean and insisted on being carried. He was sick though, and so I think that added to his reticence. Both Joseph and Will had a nasty fever virus. Will is over it now and if Joseph follows the same pattern, he’ll be much better tomorrow. Both had dangerously high fevers at the peak of the virus that had Will in a cool shower at 3 AM two nights ago and sent us to the ER with Joseph as we were driving home yesterday. By the time we found the hospital and were able to have him seen the fever finally started dropping and so he didn’t have to be admitted. It is never boring around here.

Today, I’m home with the boys and Joe is teaching Sunday school and preaching for the morning service for the first time. We’ll try to catch the service on the radio, but also have to make a Wal-Mart run to get some groceries too since we do not have any food in the house.

In the car

On the way to RYM, somewhere in the middle of nowhere Mississippi….

"Boys, see that cow with really long horns?! Look over there.”

“Yes!” says Joseph.

“Yeth, I do,” copies Will.

Joseph looks thoughtfully at the cow. “Hey Mama, how does that cow honk his horn?”

“He doesn’t. It is a different kind of horn. Not like a car horn. He doesn’t honk it”

Another contemplative pause.

“Is is just for decoration?”

“Yes.”

Wife of a preacher man

Joe preached twice today. This morning, he preached at a very small church named Alexander Memorial Presbyterian Church and this evening he preached at our church. I heard the same message twice, but in different contexts. At our church tonight, I was teary-eyed almost the whole message as I marveled at God’s handiwork. He has gifted my dear husband as a preacher and I was just so thankful. Joe is not a flowery preacher, nor what most people would define as a great public speaker, however he clearly and plainly explains the Gospel. And that is the hallmark of a fine preacher.

I am so thankful for God’s work in him and am excited to see how God will use him in the future. This is a link to our church’s website where the sermon audio will be posted after we get back from the beach. To find the right sermon, look for the date of 7.09 and the text of Isaiah 40 and the title "Comfort." It won't be there until the 17th or 18th.

Tomorrow we head to RYM!

Who knew breastfeeding was so funny?

Laughed out loud last night to Tim Challies discussing the recent run-in that Victoria's Secret has had with lactivism. It seems that there have been nurse-ins at stores across the country in protest of VC requesting a few breastfeeding women to leave their stores. As a mom who breastfed (and sometimes publicly) 3 babies, what really got me was the comments----too funny!

My littlest man

David is now not only crawling, but getting teeth! His first tooth finally broke through today. It is a bit sad because there is just nothing like a toothless baby grin. My little man is all grown up!

Also, I found a really funny blog by a mom of 7 that had me in stitches last night. She's a little unorthodox, but a breath of fresh air.

Boy genius

I just have to do a quick midday blog to say that Joseph is so smart!!! I was sewing this morning while David napped and Will was with me in the office. Joseph was playing upstairs in the playroom, but I didn't know what he was doing. It was probably a half an hour before he came down and said, "Mama, come and see what hard puzzle I did." I went upstairs and he had done the United States of American puzzle, which has a different piece for each state and a border of water pieces. So he did a 75 piece or so map puzzle--at 3 years old!!!

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness

It was a momentous day here. Our pumpkin and sunflower seeds sprouted!!! We had only planted them a few days ago and so I was thrilled this morning to walk outside and see green leaves shooting up where only last night there had been bare soil. I called the boys and they were equally excited. So maybe we’ll have homegrown pumpkins this fall!

We also had a great time with the Holman family tonight. Angie brought deviled eggs, potato salad, and a jello mold to add to my hamburgers and artichoke dip and chips. For dessert, we had banana pudding with vanilla wafers and a meringue top, and watermelon of course. We had our own little fireworks show in the front yard and good conversation. We have really enjoyed the Holman family and look forward to getting to know them better.

On of those days....

Yep, today was one. The peak came at lunch time just as Will dropped the gallon of milk on the floor and David was screaming constantly. I cleaned up the milk and rushed David to the bathroom. He's been constipated and after sitting with him for a few minutes (and a glycerin enema), I finally nursed him and manage to calm him down. The whole time I was with him I could hear the older boys yelling from the kitchen for more food. I cleaned David up quickly and put him down to bed. Coming into the kitchen to a huge mess (a 2 year old and a 3 year old alone with PBJ sandwiches and glasses of milk--use your imagination), I had BM all over my arms from dealing with David. My dear husband walks in the door and takes that opportunity to note, "You have avocado on your shoulder."
Um....thanks.

We had a day like that on Saturday night too. Our minivan suddenly wouldn't start, we lost our $112 baby monitor (I know that is pricey, but it was the only model that can monitor more than one room--some people do have more than one small child, you know), the boys were fussy, I was trying to cook dinner, and I'm sure that there was a mess somewhere.

Joe and I have been talking a lot about wanting to live like Christians in the midst of such circumstance. To live in light of eternity in the middle of potty accidents, disobedient children, messes, ruined plans, and chaos. I am SO quick to lose my temper, yell, or be frustrated.

"Lord, give me grace to daily take the things of my life and serve with peace in the midst of them that I may bring glory to your name."

Bicycling!!!

Joseph’s friend Samuel was here this past week with a bike that his mom had found at Target for $20. Joseph loved it and we had lots of opportunities that day to talk about not being greedy. I had previously decided to hold off on a bicycle purchase for the boys until they got a bit older. Yesterday when I was at a yard sale though I saw one that was just Joseph’s size for $8 and I started to reconsider. When they saw me looking at it and said, “Hey, you can have that for $5 if you’ll take it,” I was sold. I was excited about it as I came home and wondered how I would be able to wait until his birthday for him to have it. Joe helped me with that though by saying that he wanted Joseph to have it now.

So, here are a few picture of the proud new bicycle owner. He road ALL day yesterday and went outside this morning as soon as he had gulped down his breakfast (note the PJs in the pictures). He was exhausted last night and so happy. Not a bad way to spend $5.

Test post

I am trying to transfer some posts over from my old blog, so bear with me if you are subscribed through a feed reader as you will be getting a lot of old posts over the next few days.

My new cooking find

I have recently discovered cooking with dried beans and I love it! I have found a few really good recipes and I just love the concept. Dried beans are dirt cheap (now I understand why Dave Ramsey uses “beans and rice” as his mantra of budget conscious eating, and they are so flexible. You can soak them overnight if you are planned or for a few hours in boiling water if you are in a hurry. Mostly though, beans are just so good for you. A quarter cup of lentils provide 50% of your fiber needs for a day. And none of us get the fiber that we should. Here are a few recipes that I have used recently and liked.

Lentil chili

Butter beans

Red beans and rice

Refried beans with homemade tortillas, garden fresh tomatoes, and a little bit of shredded sharp cheddar

Tonight, we’re trying the black bean soup…we’ll see!

Avocados

The bigger boys were playing outside in the pool while I watched from the kitchen window and fed David. They started dumping all of the water out of the pool by holding the sides down and gallons of water poured onto the yard. I ran outside to tell them to stop, leaving David in his highchair. When I got back inside, I found out that David was too hungry to wait for me. The picture doesn’t do it justice though—the bright green mashed avocados were smeared everywhere!

We’ve been doing well and staying busy. The highlight of the week was Miller’s 6th birthday last night. There was coloring, a bug hunt, cupcakes, a piñata, hot dogs, and candy…what else could any little boy want? The whole family went and we all enjoyed it.

We are waiting to get the final word that the signatures are on the contract to sell our Jackson house. We agreed with the buyers yesterday on a price and conditions, but I am leery until it is all signed. Actually, I will still be concerned until we have closed, which is set for the 31st of July.

Happy 6th

Six years ago today I married my Prince Charming. We celebrated in style--a full day here at home with the boys (plus, I got a 2 hour nap mid-afternoon!) Bryan and Meg left this morning after a short, but good visit. Between visiting, a lightening storm, and Joseph's nightmares we didn't get to bed last night until after midnight. Thus, the nap was a much needed part of the day.

Joe mowed all day, but is still at the point with the new riding mower that mowing is fun. That will change in time, I know, but for now it is nice.

We had steak, fresh cucumbers, and baked potatoes for supper and French chocolate snowball for dessert!!! After supper, we walked around outside a bit and I picked a few blueberries. We capped off the evening with Sabbath preparations and a quick prepstepping dance to ITunes in the office. David is going to be baptized at church in the morning--adding to an already busy time at church!!

Oh, and the latest picture is from the other day when Joe left the boys unattended outside. Of course, Joseph smeared mud all over Will!!

Pictures

Several new pictures on Flickr today. A few from Joseph and Will in the pool . And yes, we did buy a bathing suit for Joseph last week since his suit from last year was too small and therefore passed to Will. Also, a few random ones of David. He does love his Cheerios.

We’re doing fine here. The boys and I have worked in the garden the last few mornings before it has gotten unbearable hot. Things are growing well and so I am hoping that we’ll actually have a crop. We’ll see.

Tomorrow we go to Jackson for Joe’s doctor’s appointment and to run a few errands.

T Day

T-day has arrived. That’s right, Tractor Day. I know that everyone else thought that it was Flag Day, but here at Casa Holland, it was Tractor Day. It is really just a riding lawn mower, but when you are 2 and everything is big compared to you, it is a full-fledged tractor.

It is quarter to nine here and the boys are just now in bed for keeps. They were in bed at 8:15 when we got home from church, but then Joe had to test the new lawn mower a bit. I could hear them both yelling from their beds, “Hi, Daddy! Hi!” since they could clearly see him circling the lawn below them out the window. A few minutes later, little feet on the stairs and Will breezes through the kitchen, “I going out to see tractor.” “Okay,” I concede. Joseph follows a minute later, after seeing that Will didn’t get punished for getting out of bed. Both gleefully chase Joe around the yard and I snap a picture of Daddy and sons together astride their new toy/machine.

(And no, just in case you are wondering….unfortunately, the purchase of the lawn mower is not due to our Jackson house selling. It is just due to a %0 financing deal from Sears until 2007.)

Dry county

So I just read in the paper (in the section with the police blotter) that someone was arrested for “possessing liquor in a dry county.” Another section contained a lengthy article describing some people’s disapproval of M.A.D.D.’s stance allowing for responsible alcohol consumption after age 21. So, I’m wondering….is someone going to come and take me away for the bottle of bourbon in my pantry?

We were looking for a place that sells wine (to celebrate the end of the visit with the Virginia ladies and their hard work) this past Thursday, but to no avail. Phillip told me that there is a law against the sale of wine and liquor in Attala County. We were interrupted at that point in the conversation and so I didn’t get him to elaborate. However, he did have Joe over to drink Bass Ale and smoke cigars a week ago.

The article was about an arrest for possessing liquor and this being a “dry county” and I’m starting to worry. Not even that Joe and I drink much at all (in fact, the last time that we bought wine was over a year ago), but neither am I used to it being prohibited. Add to that the fact that beer is sold in the grocery stores and I am completely befuddled. Beer seems much more likely to be overly consumed leading to drunkenness than wine. Which goes back to my original concern…what is going on here?

Update on the tananger

It is now open season on summer tanagers at 5302 Attala Road 3022. Yes, that colorful bird that only a few days ago was such a delight to my mom and aunts is now the number one nuisance around here. He has continuously beat himself against the great room window since they left and shows no sign of stopping. He started his incessant banging at 5:30 AM this morning, which is 1 hour too soon for this sleep-deprived mama. If I had been holding a gun at that moment (and possessed the ability to hit a small moving object at short range), the illustrious S. Tanager would have met his doom at 5:31 AM. However, since I do not (and probably could not), he survived. I put my head under the pillow and managed to doze for a few more minutes. Even when we were working outside this morning, his “twee-duh-wee” sounded above the cacophony of bird noises as especially noticeable.

So, I’ve told Joe he is free to rid us of S.T. if he is able to contrive a means to do so. Sorry to my dear aunts and mama, but S.T. has overstayed his welcome!!

I’m taking a break from a busy morning working outside.—just checking email and blogging a bit before I go and make lunch. We transplanted two more fruit trees/bushes of some sort—I think plums, a climbing rose, and another fig. We also planted my herbs. Last night I had done more pruning and weeding around the yard and Joe weedwacked more. I guess Mama’s pruning must have inspired us.

Mama and the aunts left yesterday after a wonderful and hard working visit. The upstairs is completely transformed and fabulous. Now, when I walk into the boys’ rooms it looks like home. And the kitchen has been time warped forward by at least 20 years. They worked tirelessly the whole time they were here and we had a good time talking while working too. We’re glad to get back to a quieter life (I must admit to getting increasingly grumpier while they were here as I didn’t get the alone time that I need to recharge), but will greatly miss their company. Highlights of the visit include: Meg’s dead-on impression of Joseph’s elbow-flopping gallop, Leigh winning the wet T-shirt/running through the sprinkler contest, seeing the tanager/”teenager,” showing off my family at the church potluck., having the family “oohh” and “ahh” over a very old, ugly-wallpapered, oddly styled house that has good room for us and an increasingly homely feel, and the previously mentioned “Great Tree Massacre of 2006” provided to us by Mama.

I still can’t believe that they drove 13 hours just to see me and my family!!! I am amazed and so grateful!!!

Saturday

Today I made bread by hand for the first time in a long time. I have gotten so accustomed to making our bread with the bread machine that I forgot how good it feels to knead the dough by hand. I also worked hard to get ready for Joe’s installation service. We also had a good visit with a church member who sweetly brought us some food. The aunts and Gee come Monday night!!

Yesterday, we went back home (old home) to Jackson to cut the grass, fix a few holes in the sheetrock and paint. The house was fine and I think that one of our neighbors might have cut the grass after we left. It was just over 2 weeks since Joe had cut it, but it definitely didn't look like 2 weeks of growth. Joe cut it again anyway. I would have guessed that Mr. Walker did it. The Walkers are a very kind older couple that lives across the street--the absolute best neighbors we have ever had. But, Mr. Walker has just started to pay someone to cut their very small yard and ours is so very large. I hope that he didn't do it!!

I wrote a comment on Barbara Curtis's blog yesterday on an excerpt from her book about losing children. I do enjoy writing, but managed to fritter away the afternoon doing so. I had a few minutes that I sat down at the computer while David and Will napped. Just as I was getting up to start working again, I welcomed an unexpected visitor. It was a good visit that I was thankful for, but between that and my wasted computer time, I didn't have everything ready to go when Joe got home. I am still learning how to best watch my time.

How to find us

I have had to give directions to our house several times in the past few days and just in case you are ever down this way, let me tell you how to find us….We are

Just out of town heading north
Past “Touch of Class Taxidermy”
Past the propane tank lot
Past the sign for the “Farm fresh goat’s milk”
Past many bunches of Queen Anne’s lace
Past the RV supplies and mobile home dealership
Past several flourishing vegetable gardens
Past the Sugar Creek Market
Turn onto the gravel (really dirt) road
By the pasture with the 3 horses
Go past the house with 3 times as many dogs as people
Past the house with all of their wood for winter stacked in the front yard
Bear right away from the welcoming sign to Bethel Baptist Church
Drive up the hill and around the bend
Past the (power line) and the grove of pecan trees
Start looking as you approach all of the young pine trees
Slow down and watch for any errant tricycling little boys at the end of the driveway
Turn right into our drive and follow the crepe myrtles to the front door.

Welcome!

Well, we have discovered the fire ants. Both boys were bitten on Saturday—Will several times on his foot and hand and Joseph on his hand. It seems that they are all over the place around here and soon we will better be able to know where they are and avoid them!!! They are smallish brown ants with their hind body section slightly larger than a regular ant. Sometimes they have traditional ant “mounds,” other times you can just tell that the soil has been disturbed and they have tunneled underground.

Will is very allergic to them and developed huge welts from the bites. He has always reacted strongly to bug bites. I didn’t even realize what he had gotten into at first and thought he had scrapped his heel while climbing. It was only after a few seconds when his cries intensified that I realized he was being bitten and rushed to sweep the ants off.

Joe worked yesterday to spread poison on 3 mounds, but we found 3 more this morning and now that I am learning more what they look like, I realize that they are everywhere. The boys will have to learn to be wary of them!

Adventures

The boys finding 3 toads under a board in our side yard….Will’s face was priceless when the one that he was holding jumped.

Herding 3 screaming children out of the house when I accidentally set off the panic alarm and its siren blares while a robotic voice yells, “Send help! Sensor 31! Send help!!!”

Having a sheriff’s deputy stop by 10 minutes later to check on us.

Watching Will and Joseph run naked through the sprinklers in our front yard. “It’s a little cold, Mama.”

Walking down the long drive to the street holding hands with Joe and seeing the stars 10 times brighter than we did in Jackson.

Scrubbing 20 years of soap scum from the shower doors for 15 minutes.

Walking by the shower later in the day after the door dried and seeing no difference.