Schools Out for the Summer!

You know what they say.... No more pencils, no more books, no more teachers dirty looks. Well, I am sure my kiddos teachers ,especially Joey's is ready for summer..lol. The question is "am I ready for summer?" NO! Last year I had already made my trip to the local supply store and bought a huge poster with the days of the week already labeled. Then I sat down and portioned out the chores to each individual(except for dad) and reading times and so forth and so on. This year I don't know what has happened. I am excited, but not prepared. How can I keep the kids from plotting a plan of action of how they can take over the neighborhood one home at a time? Their strength is in numbers. Their alias. The neighbors kiddos. I can already tell their planning their invasion. At exactly 3:45 everyday for the past 2 months there is a simple 2 quick knocks at the front door and before I can get there all 3 are at the door with one swift move open, out,close. Then they disappear mysteriously into the backyards of our homes. When questioned later in the evenings their only reply is "we were jumping on the trampoline". Ha, likely story! I see them running through the alley ways (likely escape routes if in danger) and gathering all kinds of whatchamacallits (?) . I haven't quite figured out yet what their next plan of action is though. My oldest, although he acts like he could care less, has already asked if he could skip the last 2 days of school. Probably needing the extra time to finish up some final strategic planning. I complied with the hopes of being able to maybe catch a lead of the inevitable invasion. I am almost certain I have spotted them trafficking food from the kitchen to the possible "hideout". I may not be able to post about this "suspected invasion" again so heed my warnings, PARENTS STAND STRONG! YOU BROUGHT THEM INTO THIS WORLD AND YOU CAN TAKE THEM OUT! WHEN QUESTIONED BY THEM ONLY ANSWER
"BECAUSE I SAID SO!" and last but not least their weakness BATH-TIME
(USE EXTRA SOAP)


lol!
I am really looking forward to our summer and no I do not have my plans nailed down. Maybe my "free spirit" is taking over. Sometimes it's hard to keep it under control (lol). Who suffers from it? Well, this summer, my kids. They'll survive. I have for the past 30 years. ha!ha !
(almost 31 ugh!) We are joining the YMCA for sure, Terrific Tuesdays with the church, Book Club, Youth Camp (Yay!) I can manage the in between.

Proverbs 31:28:
²⁸ Her children arise and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:

the stark naked truth

The Stark Naked Truth

Wake up Call on Sunday Morning

Stop! Before you read this please don't misunderstand what I am writing. This was very unexpected and not at all planned. Of course when we allow God full hold on the reigns of our lives you never know what will happen. Well to begin with if you do not know already I am a Sunday School teacher at my church for the 9-10 grade girls. I love it! These girls hold a very special place in my life and although it can be trying sometimes I know God has me exactly where He needs me to be. So, Sunday morning was "graduation" for all the SS classes and I had a couple of new students come into the classroom. It was so exciting to have to pull chairs into the room because we did not have enough seats. Anyway, we took time to talk about the past week and upcoming stuff for their summer breaks before we started our lesson. Our lesson this past week was from the parable about the "Unmerciful servant"Matthew 21-35. As we discussed the parable I gave them a "what if" to think about and I remembered it from a witnessing/discipleship study called "Way of the Master". It was simply this: If you had a child or someone close to you and their life had been taken by a reckless driver. They did not stop they just kept going and it took some time to find them. During this time they had started to feel remorse/guilt. When finally arrested and brought to trial that person stood before a judge and apologized for killing your child and explained to the judge how bad they felt and remorseful and guilty. Then the judge looked at that person and said "WELL SINCE YOU ARE SO SORRY FOR DOING THIS CRIME AND YOU SEEM LIKE YOU REALLY HAVE BEEN CHANGED THEN I WILL LET YOU GO. " the girls in the class were horrified and of course noticed immediately that this would not have been a just ruling for the judge. The bad person was shown mercy and the family nothing. I explained to the girls how this applies to our lives. Look at all we do and expect mercy to be showered on us daily. I asked them "what if God was a just God and gave us exactly what we deserve which does not include mercy?" The whole room got quite. I then explained to them how our salvation is His mercy. I explained to them that because you say you opened the door to your heart when He knocked and said the prayer of salvation and maybe even learned the Roman Road all of that does not make you a Christian. As I looked at each one of them in the face I cannot explain the almost confused looks I received back. So, I continued. I explained that those things are not wrong they are the beginning of what should be a new life . I explained that if they have opened the door, said the prayer, memorized the Roman Road and have never turned away from the things of this world and are still continuing to live like they were before their"experience with Christ" might be all that it was. I told them that there is a break in the chain and it is not with just them but within the body. We are just as responsible to make sure that the decisions,the walks, the growth is beginning from that day forth. If you read the parable listed above you will see how Jesus tries to teach us about forgiveness, love, mercy. I feel that with these students, for them to truly learn what true forgiveness is and how to receive His mercy then they have to understand where they stand at in their relationship with Him. Praise God for His mercy in my life and for saving a wretch like me. I once was lost but now I am found. I was blind but now I see. Thank you God for using me.