We (mainly the kids) were having a rough morning...crying, fighting, the whole bit. So, I decided that we would head outside in between rain storms. It was such a neat day...rain, then sun, then pouring rain, then sun, then downpour, then blue sky and sun! So we were in and out, in and out! As we headed out we saw leaves everywhere. We couldn't even see the grass...just leaves!!! I sent the kids on missions to find red leaves, then yellow leaves, then green leaves, then left to collect all the beautiful leaves they wanted to pick up. We discovered more than I was thinking when we ran across mud, a spiders nest, flowers, and worms. The pictures below encapsulate the beautiful day we had exploring God's creation...First, they ran around the flag pole...some much needed energy release!
The beautiful blue sky...

Austin's find...

Avery's find...

Denae's find...

Thinking she was gonna throw leaves at me...

Boys exploring...

Denae's exploring...

the mud Denae found...her shoes enjoyed it!...

the spider's nest...

my flower from Austin...sweet boy! (sometimes:))...

result of exploring...he LOVES the sycamore leaves...

Denae's treasured finds...

Avery found that exploring was boring after 10 minutes and riding his bike down the brick sidewalk was more fun! Funny kid! He giggled and giggled all the way down each time!

Beautiful! God paints beautiful pictures in nature for us everyday!

Remembering...

In April of 2008 I almost lost my life. By the grace of God He spared me. A product I used made me very ill. The problem is, the product didn't have the correct advertising...it said it was safe and wouldn't case this specific illness and upon using the product for the first time...I GOT THE ILLNESS it claimed was impossible. So,we are taking the company to court to make sure that they change their advertising so that no one else has to experience what I did.

That said, I am not looking forward to what I have to do a bit later today. UGG! I have to read the attorney's letter of demand to make sure it's all correct and make the changes I feel necessary. Daddy James has read it and says that I will have a hard time with it. NO! I don't want to relive that awful time!!! NO! I don't want to read it...but I must if we are going to continue to petition change from this company.

I am anticipating a hard day and I am praying that I can have the peace of God today as I go back and remember...

Boys

Boys...a subject that baffles me...

I have two boys...Avery is two and Austin is four. They are busy, busy, busy. They tear things up. They get filthy dirty.

They are LOUD, LOUD, LOUD!

They don't seem to listen. They don't seem to respect my words. They are boys and I get discouraged with them. I don't seem to understand them, "get them". I have a hard time relating and being patient with them. I struggle daily with "boy" battles...

I have been encouraged a couple of times over the past month. Encourage by a few things I have read about boys.

One mom said, "...they just start out as these precious little babies, and then they go through this really messy, loud stage. Then they get a little older, and the next thing you know they are carrying all the heavy stuff, fixing things around the house, holding doors open for women, and learning what it really means to be a man.Of course in the middle of all that, they can just about give you a heart attack. Boys aren't content to just ride bikes; no, they have to "do tricks." They like to climb as high as they can in trees. They tear things up and get things dirty. They like to fish and hunt and want you to "ooh and ahhh" over the things they bring home. And all of it is part of the learning process. Learning to be a man. And as a mom, learning to let go. Learning to let them be men."

Another said, "We are not just raising little boys, but mature God-fearing men. And all of our decisions while they are young must be in anticipation of that time. No matter where they end up on earth, we want them all to end up in heaven. We may have a brick layer, a communications expert, a musician, a scientist, and an athlete among our boys, but whatever they endeavor to do with the gifts and abilities God has bestowed on them, we pray fervently that they will be men of character, conviction, and commitment to their Maker. Our main desire is not to raise immaculately clean boys, but to raise boys with clean hearts.

Yet another said, "Boy: a noise with dirt on it. We tell them to be careful, get their ducks in row, be responsible, and not to be so dangerous. Now, I'm not advocating the macho, lumberjack kind of men who can only do manly things, but I am saying we modern, homeschooling Christians have been training our boys to be "safe." We're not meant to be safe. God the Father was not safe, Jesus was anything but safe, and your boys aren't meant to be either. We need to train them to trust dangerously, love dangerously, give dangerously, and work dangerously."

So to train men, huh? To let them BE men. To raise them as God-fearing men. To raise dangerous men. A few new concepts to this mom, but some very good ones...very encouraging ones. I, daily, have a big responsibility to raise my "little men" to be godly men. Now, that is a BIG responsibility when I just don't "get them". I will strive to continue raising my little men in the right way, but can I ask you (all of you who read this) to pray for me? Pray that I honor God in my daily time with my little men?