New

Not much is new that I would consider blog worthy, but it's been a long time since I posted. Here's some things that are new. I got a new camera for my birthday, but really don't have any reason to take any pictures right at the moment. But I anticipate using it quite a bit , so look out.
I have been working on the Church blog a little more, adding pictures that one of our members is taking for me. You can check that out here.
We had a great time having a horde of boys over for Nate's 13th birthday. We were able to have some missionary kids, Ethan and Fletcher Frost, come and spend the night with him and then enjoy the party with us the next day. The Frosts are in translation work with Bibles International. Nate says that just having those two over was a gift in itself.
I have an appointment with the dentist to have a bad tooth removed. UGH! The infection has kept me laying low for the past week or so, so I'll be glad to have that over with. The dentist will put in a new spacer thingy so I can chew on that side again, once it heals.
Mikayla is working hard to catch up on some schoolwork that she got behind in. I am pushing Alana a little bit with her math in anticipation of upcoming testing. She does not test well, so I am keeping my fingers crossed and just keep trying to prepare her in the best way I know how. I made the right decision having her do third grade again, and she has really improved a lot in weak areas of her learning. Nate plugs away every day, sometimes doing extra out of boredom. He has completely finished two of his classes for this year. Lanie calls him the "lucky ducky" of the family. :)

We added another music lesson to the budget just for Mikayla. She hopes to major in music or music education in college. Her piano/voice teacher is very happy to begin preparing her to excel in that major. She has two years of schooling left before High School graduation, and then, because she is younger, has the option of another year to prepare. We are thinking that she could work and take a few classes by correspondence. ( Terry has been researching College grants and scholarships. UGH!) We were having all three kids share one half hour lesson a week. So they alternated, and we felt that it wasn't enough for her to only have a lesson once every three weeks. Now she studies (and I MEAN STUDIES) piano one week, and voice the next. She also is playing flute in the MA band. Alana and Nate now share the other half hour lesson for piano, so that they each have a lesson every other week.
We had the Musical Ministries Team from BJU in at Bible Baptist again this year, and once again, they were great! This year some of our members made the dinner for them before the concert. In past years, that was up to Terry and I. It was nice to have someone else be in charge of that. We were able to sit and get to know the team a little better.

Spring has indeed sprung here in Maine, and I have pansies in bloom. I guess that would be considered "old" because I planted those last May and they have come up again. In February! What a hearty little flower the pansy is! This is the earliest and warmest Spring on record. We are loving it!
That is about it for "new" things going on around here.

On February 18, 1997 We Were Given a Gift

This is a birthday gift that I made to put in my son's birthday card. I'm going to burn it to CD. He doesn't know, but since he isn't in the habit of reading my blog, I think it's safe to post it. Plus, it was hard for me to wait. The music is a part of who he is, too, so don't forget to scroll down and stop the blog music before you start the video. He is really into the old fashioned jazz, and big band style and plays this type of music on his trumpet. He is in Jazz band at the Jr. High where Mrs. White encourages this big time! He really is a gift!

Amazing!

It has always amazed me how God supplies what we need when we need it. I had a really tough couple of weeks. When I said goodbye to 2009, I stuck my tongue out at it. I said good riddance 2009! 2009 stunk! So, anyway, I also said 2010 has to be better, right? Of course, January has never been easy in Maine for anyone. The cold and darkness gets to people. And I figured that since we had been through so much last year that we would maybe be hardened to stuff happening. Hmmmm... I thought that losing a friend at church couldn't be as bad as last years losses. One friend in Heaven and the other just lost to me but still around. Then the loss of my biggest fan, my Dad. Well, another loss isn't quite as bad, but I am not hardened to it by any means! Losing people that you have invested time, effort, prayer, and love into( even if they leave in a good way) is very hard! If you have a Pastor's wife that has spent any time with you at all...go hug her! Seriously! It doesn't matter that you don't agree with her all the time. She may not say the right thing at the right time. BUT... She aches over you and your family. She prays for you. She loves you. She sees a bigger picture, and prays for the right things to say and the courage to say it. And she knows that she must continue to be faithful where God has put her and her husband. And so she wipes her tears, prays some more, clings to promises in Scripture, takes a deep breath, and goes on.
ANYWAY, you get the picture...I needed some help. My husband is awesome ,so I had that. We were bolstered by the ever faithful in our church. Praise God for that! And then I was invited to a ladies retreat. I didn't want to go. But I went, knowing that it would be fun to go with my friend Jocelyn anywhere.
We went a day early, Jocelyn having paid a little extra for an extra night so we could just relax and enjoy the pool and the quiet. The next day more and more ladies trickled in. We swam, and hot tubbed to our hearts content. ( Hot tubbing in January outside is an adventure, by the way) That evening, the host Pastor's wife started things off with a devotional, and then we played games till the wee hours, laughing till our sides aches and the tears ran. We shared the responsibility of making the meals , talking, sharing, and laughing, and enjoyed two more speakers the next day. Both were so encouraging!!! So, I went home tired, but very refreshed, and amazed again at how God provides just what we need when we need it.
But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
I will look unto the hills from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord which made Heaven and Earth.
He that keepeth thee shall neither slumber, nor sleep.

I Know There's a Bigger Picture Here

We are here. You are there. There is a reason for that. God has a plan. Sometimes it's hard to rest in that. Like now coming off of a really tough week and having another really tough week so far. I feel very weary in well doing. We have tried and tried our hardest and our efforts seem wasted. Why was it that we decided to home school again? Was I crazy to try high school? I could really go for a dose of Pastor Campbell's optimism right now. A really BIG dose!! He would say to just keep plugging away and do right till the stars fall. I miss my Dad! I do know that there is a bigger picture. Really. And so we continue to be faithful until the Lord tells us to quit.
On the bright side, we had a great missionary in this week. He will be going to Israel. What an encouragement to have him in our home. I believe that God gave him the gift of encouragement. Even spending time to talk to our teenager for a bit to encourage her. We have no major health issues. We have a great marriage. We have been blessed with three great kids. Terry has an extra job that pays the bills. Mom is well and works and helps us at the church.
I don't know why I share all this except that blogging helps me to not have a nervous breakdown. That is a good thing, right? Maybe it will help whoever is reading. There is a plan, and it is Divine. My husband and I have been spending a long time in prayer before bed every night. What a relief it is to put your head on the pillow and be able to sleep because you have left all your troubles and burdens in a pair of very capable hands!