Kylie

My dear sweet, scardy cat Kylie caught a frog the other day! Very big step for this little girl. She usually runs from frogs and such. I was very surprised and very happy for her...after I got over my shock.

And being the drama queen that she is, she didnt just catch it and say momma I caught a frog. No, she screamed and jumped and held it in her hands and made me and her daddy think she was hurt. Scared us!

I will try to post some new pics of them soon. I didnt get any at Church Camp because I was too busy enjoying myself and the kids to mess with a camera.

Blessings
Crystal

Updates and Prayers

I am sorry that I havent posted on our week at Church Camp yet. I have been busy trying to get laundry caught up and food for our meals going again and my vegetable garden (albeit small) was taken over with weeds in the past week. My flower bed (which hasnt produced any flowers from the seeds we planted but is still pretty to look at. ) is filled with weeds also so I am spending the late evenings outside with my plants.

I also have been staying up late trying to catch up on some reading and grading of Jacks school work...which I am not having any luck on because by the time I get done with cleaning house all day and working outside in the evening, plus corraling three kids, I am zonked.

Paul found out last week that his job is going to go to two days a week, (he is self employed but this company has been really good about letting him contract work 50 hours a week for the past two years....now we are going to maybe twenty hours if we are lucky...) So we have been praying about this and seeing where the Lord will lead us. We will be okay though I know we will....as Paul says to anyone who ask how we can be so calm right now....."God made the World...I know He can take care of Litlle ole me if I let him..."

We were offered the opportunity to go to Lorenzo, Tx. for a weeklong meeting there with a church and lots of friends that we love dearly. But we got our electric bill in and with the increase in fuel cost adjustment, our electric bill went from 126. last month to a whopping 256. this month. We didnt do anything different than last summer, it is just the fuel increase, I checked with the Electric company when I went in to pay it. They said they are offering hardship help to some but we dont qualify yet... So with our electric bill being that high, we are not going to be able to afford to go to the meeting. I would love to go but maybe we can visit sometime later on when we are better financially situated. I LOVE YOU GUYS THOUGH! WE WILL MISS YOU VERY MUCH!

I just got our gas bill in the mail for this past month and it is only 12.00 so that is very good. It has been about 20 but we are trying to not use it as much.

Now on to Church Camp. We had an okay week. Alaina got sick Wednesday morning with a bug that was going around. She ran a 104 fever and threw up twice. She was okay wednesday night so we still made it to services. Then thursday night, Jason made it all the way through sevices and then go sick on me right after. He was sick all night Thursday night (just fever no more throwing up) and he ran some fever Friday and Saturday but that was it. We didnt get to see my sister and her kids much because her kids were sick also. But overall, we had a pretty good camp. Just tiring as usual and nobody wants it to end. We all wish that Church camp could go on for ever. But of course it cant so we will look forward to next year. I know I will because even with my kids sick, I enjoyed getting to visit with alot of people and the sermons every night were very good and helped alot.

I have been extremely tired since returning home, yesterday was the first day I had any energy at all. Paul went on a trip with his Mom and Dad and his sister...(Thanks Mom for my shirt I love it...and thanks Cheryl for helping Paul pick out my other gift) so I had my nieces over for the day. I managed to get my house picked up and clothes folded and put away and Cheryl had made enchildas and sent over for lunch so we had those and chips and salsa. Miranda vacuumed for me and KK helped with the laundry and with the girls room. Then yesterday evening, we stopped by the park for a little fun...we got a .98 loaf of bread at Wal Mart and fed the ducks and geese. After the girls went home, my kids went outside to play, Jason took a nap, Jack mowed the yard, and I weeded gardens (still not finished). Then we all came in and enjoyed homemade chicken noodle soup and homemade bread for supper.

I am trying to get around and visit more blogs but am not having much success with everything else going on. I need to update our school blog with our tentative schedule. I will try to do that sometime this weekend. We have a Campout at our Church this Saturday night....one of our Sisters in Christ and her husband and their two kids are in from Japan..he is stationed over there. Please pray that they have a safe journey back home and one other request for them...they have found out that their little boy is autistic (possibly) so they are trying to get stationed back in the states for his benefit. So please pray that they will have the wisdom to see Gods will for them and that whatever it is, they will be able to accomplish it without much trouble.

I found out yesterday that one of my other Sisters in Christ is going in for a hysterectomy on July 4th. She is only 29 and is having a hard time with this. Please pray that she will have peace as she goes in. Please pray for Gods swift healing on her body that she may not be in pain long and that he may give her an understanding of why she is having to go through this at such a young age.

Please pray that Paul and I will continue to seek Gods guidance with our lives and that Paul may keep his determination to leave it all in Gods hands. Please pray for me that I may have patience and understanding and lots of Love during this time and always but especially through this trial.

Please pray for my sister Julie that she may continue to have a healthy pregnancy and that she may be blessed with an easy labor when the time comes.

Please pray for all the expectant mothers that they may deliver healthy babies at the end of untrying pregnancies and that if they have a trying pregnancy, that they may have the strength to make it through.

Love and prayers
Crystal

Luke 23:34

The past few weeks I have been praying without ceasing, studying, and trying to let go of my want and need to control my life and what happens in it. I have been trying to understand why certain things have happened and why they continue to happen. I know that my post do not make much sense when I cant disclose details. Suffice it to say that I have had and still have personal problems with one of my family members. They have been pretty much lifelong problems. Everytime I let my guard down and think that they are going to end or that I can put trust in this person again, It never fails that something happens that ruins all the trust that I have built up.

I have a real problem trusting anybody. I have realized over the past few weeks that I can trust. I just have to give it to God. He will carry me through anything I need Him to.

But along with this revelation, I have come to several other revelations. I guess you could call them revelations. I believe that I have gained some wisdom in my life.

Let me start by explaining. It all started a few weeks ago. This person that I have been having problems with has been pretty nice and quiet for the last few months. Not much going on. But then the signs started showing that something was going on. Something that was not going to be pretty. So naturally, I started worrying. I started getting irritated. Mostly because it is never ending...like I said, you trust and then you get hurt. But then my little brain brought something up from past memories and I realized that I had been doing the wrong thing all these years.

All these years, I have been retrusting and retrusting with the same thing. Last summer, my husband told me, "Yes God says to forgive and forget, yes we are supposed to forgive, not seven times but seven times seventy. But if I laid a hundred dollar bill down on the table and Rick took it, does that mean I am supposed to lay another hundred dollar bill down there when Rick is around? " (Rick would never still, just an example...and he preached this in Church right in front of RIck too so...) "No, I'm not. God doesnt tell me to be stupid. Just forgive him and forget it but learn from it. " Now, if Rick needed the $100 and we had it, we would gladly give it but he dont and we dont so....lol.

I realized that all these years, yes I have been forgiving and forgetting but have I been learning? Have I been retaining what I learn from these experiences and putting that knowledge to use. NO I HAVE NOT! Because I have let it hurt me over and over and over. Not saying that it wont hurt if I learn from it, but just not the same things or the same ways. I cant be stupid enough to let the same trap be laid. I have to be smart enough to not to let myself believe that this person wont do the same things again. Yes I forget the incident that happened 6 months ago, but I dont let myself get hurt my that same thing again. I learned from it and because I learned from it, I am staying out of this one. I am an observer, not a participant.

I have had this unusual peace about my life the past few weeks. I have Given it To GOD! I know He is greater than I and I know that HE can handle it when I cant. I am believing and trusting in HIM to show me how I can deal with the latest episode if I even have to deal with it.

In my thoughts today as I prepare to go to Church Camp. I have been going over in my mind scriptures that I have studied that have helped. But one that I havent studied and one that I should have and one that I am now reciting in my mind, is Luke 23:34.

34Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots. (http://www.biblegateway.com/)

If Jesus can forgive the people that beat him and cursed him and spat upon him and hung him on a cross to die, then I can surely forgive anything that anyone does to me. Surely. I know I am not Jesus, I dont claim to be. I just know that in my strife to be more Christ like, I need to forgive. If he can forgive all the awful things that they did, then I can forgive what little has been done to me.

I've learned my lesson. Not saying it wont hurt if something else happens. (I'm praying for a miracle, I am praying for Gods healing in this person. It is in His hands afterall.) But saying that I can forgive and not let it affect my life in negative ways.

I hope this helps someone out there. I know it has helped me even more just putting it in words on paper (or computer screen).

Many blessings and prayers.
Crystal

Preparation for Church Camp

I have mentioned that we are going to Church Camp this next week. The preparations for this with three kids and a husband working late are crazy. I have been washing and packing all week just to try and get it all done before tommorow. And in order to save gas money, we are taking our little Honda Civic down instead of our truck which holds more, so I have to make everything fit into the car. But nothing like a challenge for me. I remember the first camp that my mom, dad, sister and I attended, we drove 22 hrs in a Ford Escort Hatchback and my dad limited us to One bag a piece. It was cramped but we made it and oh the fun we had.

Saying all of this, our Church Camp is not just a camp for the kids, we have a family camp. Everyone in the family goes and has fun fellowshipping and worshipping God. Our family started going when I was 11 and I have been going ever since. Until I was 21, the camp was held in Delta, Co. (I love it there and dream of moving there someday...lol) There were several people in the congregatin that held it that go sick or moved away that year and in previous years so there funds were dwindling. That was the year that Paul and I started dating. Two years previous, my home congregation had started hosting a Church Camp (I think kind of to transition from Colorado to here). We have been having it here in Oklahoma ever since.

I take my kids and we have a blast. We do crafts, (thanks to Mrs. Melissa), skits (thanks to Ellis) Bible study (thank you to all the men who do this) cook (thanks to all the cooks) eat...(alot) swim, ride horses, play games, and spend time getting caught up with old friends.

I am looking forward to a week of fun and relaxation (yeah right with my three-four-five oh well I lost count..kids. ) I will have Jack, the three little ones, and my niece miranda with me plus my sisters kids..who I am looking forward to spending time with and lots of other littles...they are so much fun.

Now off to pack some more. Kylie has already packed and repacked her shoes because in true Aunt Julie fashion, the blue ones dont go with that dress or these dont go with anything. I think I am going to limit her to two pair of flip flops...and that is it. lol.

Many prayers and blessings over the next week. I will miss you all.
Crystal

Menu for the week

This weeks menu is still out of our pantry and freezer. I spent a whole total of $93 on what few groceries that I had to have this week, diapers, and household stuff...oh yeah. I also bought some things for our Church Camp coming up next week. I thought I did pretty good. The groceries that I bought would normally last me through two weeks of meals. So less than $100 for groceries and household items for two weeks....YAY!!

MENU

Breakfast: Cold Cereal (Wic), Pancakes, Cinamon Toast (on homemade wheat bread), Bread Pudding (with sourdough bread bought at half price). Fruit

Lunch:
Sunday: Corndogs and French Fries
Monday: Baked Potatoes w/chili and cheese
Tuesday: Hamburger Patties with Rice and Brown Gravy and Veggies
Wednesday: Eggs and Smoked Sausage (I have a dentist appointment so this is simple for paul to fix.)
Thursday:Rice and Veggies
Friday: McDonalds Dollar Cheeseburgers and McChicken Sandwiches.

Supper:
Sunday: Frito Chili Pie
Monday: Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup/Homemade Wheat Bread Toast
Tuesday: Lasagna/Homemade Garlic Bread(made with my homemade wheat bread
Wednesday: Leftovers or Nachos
Thursday: Porkchops, Fried Potatoes, Green Beans and Carrotts
Friday: Pizza or on the road to Church Camp.

Have a Blessed Week! Mine sure is going to be busy.

Love and Prayers
Crystal

"What is A Woman?"

I came across this program today while catching up on listening to the Revive Our Hearts radio show. "What is a Woman?"

Very informative. Go read it or Listen to it. I love the Revive Our Hearts website, it is so encouraging and uplifting and just alltogether helps me get through the rough spots in life.

Blessings
Crystal

This and That

I know I have not been posting lately. I have been at a busy time in my life for the last couple of months and just cant seem to slow down. If I am on the computer much at all, I am usually looking up homeschool stuff. We have been doing stuff that Kylie wants to do and are currently trying to work in the CM method of schooling. I have a new homeschooling blog.... http://www.wonderfulwordsoflifeschoolhouse.blogspot.com/

If you have read my blog for very long, then you know why we named our school that. If you havent been reading long, then keep up with us on our school blog and I will explain it on there shortly.

Today I am not feeling great at all. I think I let myself get to hot yesterday and am feeling the effects of it today. I have that bad habit...I push myself to hard and have to slow down and do nothing for a couple of days.

Yesterday, I had a major accomplishment in my life. I actually made homemade bread and it turned out great. Fluffy, pretty, and taste wonderful.

I was very happy with the result.

I have been working in my flower bed and in my garden and trying to get some things to grow. I am actually keeping my minature rose bush alive and my vegetable garden is doing great.

That is about all that we have been up to here lately.

I am not doing a menu this week..we are eating up food out of the freezer and the pantry so there is no telling what we will have.

Sunday in Church, Paul gave a lesson that really spoke to me. There have been alot of things going on in my side of the family here lately (not saying names but just keeping things honest on here. ) Things that have happened before, over and over again and things that we just want to let go and pray that they never happen again.....at the same time knowing that they will because they always do. (I know it is confusing but it is the best I can do without saying names and telling our whole family history.) I was really down the whole weekend, didnt know why but I was just not in a good mood. Just felt like something bad was going on and couldnt shake it. Sunday, without knowing that something was going on in my head and in my heart (he knew something was up but not what as I had not burdened him with details yet) Paul gave a lesson about Giving it all to God. How we cannot control what is going to happen and how we need to give it to him and just let him handle it. He talked about how no matter how we want to run away, if we will just let God have it he will take care of it, he will show us the way to go or the way to handle it. His lesson really helped me. I prayed alot on the way home and most of the evening and finally I believe that I have given it to him. I have felt a great weight lifted off of my shoulders and now I actually feel like I can be an observer of the situation without being too upset or let it affect my life a whole lot. It will affect me because it affects those that I love but now that I have given it to God, he will carry me...just like the poem says...."...when you see only one set of prints, it was then that I carried you." I will be okay.

How do you let God have control of your life? How do you give it all to Him?

I'll leave you with these thoughts.

Have a blessed week!

Crystal