I'm moving...

I am changing blog servers, I am moving to Squarespace. You now now find me at Random Contemplations. I was able to spell it correctly over there! :-) I will slowly be moving all of my previous posts over there, but I have been double posting over there for a couple of weeks now, so everything recent is already there. I have not gotten all of my sidebar stuff over there yet though, so hopefully my blog roll will be over there within the next couple of days. I already have my RSS feed going if you have bloglines. :-)

Can you tell Cay is not home today? I have posted 3 or 4 different things already. Nana came to pick her up for a sleepover!

We have another class tonight, this one is called Policies and Procedures. I am most of it will be pretty much common sense, but it takes us one step closer to a new member of our family! :-)

Love one another~Adrienne :-)

Article: HarryPotter and His Critics by Jerram Barrs

I found this article through a link at The Discerning Reader. I found it very interesting having read a few blogs recently that have mentioned Harry Potter, some postive and some negative. It seems to all comes out again every time a new book in the series is released.

I have never read the Harry Potter books myself, but I have found myself wanting to recently. When they first came out I was in a Chrstian realm that was very scared of things like Harry Potter and Pokeman, Satan was going to invade ours and our children's minds using tools like those. It scared me off of them! I think that it wasn't until I became a part of the Reformed church that I wasn't scared of Satan hiding behind every bush to steal my faith, I learned that Satan could not steal what God had done in me through Christ, His Son. I grew up reading things like Anne Rice though, and that realm, honestly, fascinated me, so I knew that I had a weakness in that area, a struggle that someone else might not have. All of that to say...I really don't know where I stand on it right now, but this article is definitely food for thought for me. Take it as that, not my saying that it's true or untrue because, obviously, I am not sure how I feel about it myself yet.

Rev Ed has written a post of his own about the Potter debate. Hat tip toSal.

The following article was originally presented as a talk at Friday Nights@the Institute — a ministry of the Francis Schaeffer Institute which takes place throughout the year In St. Louls-area "mega" bookstores. The ministry attempts to demonstrate that Christianity is true and has something to say about every area of life. Those who attend may or may not agree with a Christian worldvlew, but all are treated with dignity and respect.


The Harry Potter books are an extraordinary success story in the publishing world. Over the past few years they have aroused much interest and excitement not only in the original English language editions, but also around the world as they have been translated into many other languages. Their translation into Chinese was reported to be the biggest publishing event in China's history. The Harry Potter books strike a chord with both children and adults, and the recent Harry Potter movies have recently been released to packed theaters.

As well as being extraordinarily popular, the books have encouraged millions of children to start reading for the first time. Many parents are delighted to see their children eagerly reading these stories, and then moving on to read other books as well.

I have entitled this presentation "Harry Potter and His Critics." As I address the critics' estimation of these books, I desire to challenge their assumptions and encourage recognition of the value of the Harry Potter books. There have been passionate attacks on the Harry Potter series by many people and in particular by Christians. This has occurred especially in the United States — much more than in Britain or other places. In the U.S., Christians on the radio, in magazine articles, on television, on web sites, and in a growing number of books, have attacked this series very strongly. There are Christian schools where the books have been banned. I have had several telephone calls from confused parents saying, "My children love these books, I love these books — what is going on?"

The first of the books introduces a little boy who discovers that he was born with magical powers. He subsequently goes off to a school for wizards called Hogwarts, where he learns to develop his gifts. Simply because the books bring readers into an imaginary world of magic and wizards, many Christians say they teach Occult practice. This is the primary reason Christians attack these books.

The second criticism leveled is that the books teach a rebellious attitude against authority. Critics cite the way Harry sometimes responds to his uncle and aunt who are raising him as proof of this - though it has to be said that the uncle and aunt treat him very poorly (to say the least, for they are abominably cruel guardians).

Thirdly, there are many Christians who simply say that fantasy is dangerous, and that to present this kind of fantasy world to children is automatically hazardous to them.

Rather than simply accepting such criticism, as Christians who are called to be salt and light in our society we have a responsibility to encourage discernment with regard to these popular books. If we have children who are eager to read the books or if as adults we are interested, we must sift through the above criticisms and be prepared to think about J.K. Rowling's stories using the wisdom that God has given us — attempting to avoid suspicion against something merely because it is popular. Then, with a sensitive issue such as this, we each ought humbly to exercise discernment in deciding what is best for our families and for ourselves.

Before I respond to the criticisms, am going to tell you why I like the books so well. First, they are great fun (just consider a game like Quidditch!)

Second, J.K. Rowling has created a delightful world of the imagination. She has constructed a kind of alternative universe, another dimension (rather like C. S. Lewis's Narnia or J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle Earth), which fits right alongside our world. In the case of the Harry Potter books it is right within our world, yet ordinary people are not aware of it. For those who have a problem with the idea of fantasy and alternative universes alongside ours, we need to recognize that almost all children play imaginative games in their minds starting at a very young age and have no difficulty whatsoever in distinguishing between fantasy and reality. J.K. Rowling simply has a fantastic and elaborate world in her imagination that she is skillfully communicating to ours.

The third reason I like the books is that they are well written. One of the simplest tests of the quality of writing is whether you can read a book aloud easily, and whether it communicates well while you do. If you have read these books to your kids, you know they are a delight to listen to and a pleasure to read aloud.

Fourth, I like them because of the characters in the books. J.K. Rowling has brought into being an entire portrait gallery of people, adults and also children who are growing up book by book. Each book is set one year later than the previous one, so you see the children growing gradually into maturity. There is wonderful character development and this brings these people to life.

Additionally, the Harry Potter books send a strong message about moral order. There are beautiful and enjoyable human relationships among the characters, and there is a depth of commitment and service among them. The characteristics celebrated in the relationships are friendship, loyalty, integrity, kindness, and self-sacrifice. Harry Potter himself is prepared to set aside his own success, in order to serve his friends. These are qualities in which we can all delight.

There is also a very clear portrayal of the distinction between good and evil — both the appalling destructiveness of evil to human life and the beneficial fruit of treating people with justice, kindness, mercy, faithfulness, and integrity. It is particularly significant that the books recognize that goodness and faithfulness in relationships have a cost. This is not a world where everything is like a box of chocolates and always works out nicely. Good virtues have to be worked at and are hard won. Virtue is rewarded primarily in terms of character development and the increasing depths of relationships among the characters, rather than through the attainment of popularity or success.

J.K. Rowling also has a very deep understanding of the folly of those who turn their eyes blindly towards evil and of evil's destructive consequences. There is a depth in the development of moral order, both in terms of relationships and the understanding of good and evil.

Finally, I see the books as valuable because they consistently include the three fundamental themes that can be found as a subtext in almost all good literature: the beauty of creation, the appalling reality of evil, and the universal human longing for redemption — for a better world. These themes touch the way the world truly is, the way God has made it. J.K. Rowling does not profess to be a Christian, as far as I am aware, but she has insight into the themes that are at the very heart of what Christians understand to be true about the nature of the universe in which we live.

As a Christian, I am fascinated by the fact that the stories show how a better life comes primarily through self-sacrifice. This is brought out unmistakably in the fourth book, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. In this book Harry is prepared to sacrifice himself on behalf of his friends whom he loves and to whom he has a deep loyalty. And at the heart of all four of the books is a reference back to Harry Potter's mother, who died when he was a baby in order to save his life from a great force of evil. Rowling says the mother's death on Harry's behalf is an example of the most powerful act imaginable. The author sees that act of love and self-sacrifice (analogous to the work of Jesus), as the one means which can bring protection and transformation to human life and the defeat of evil.

Self-sacrifice in these books is the primary means by which evil is defeated. Now that of course is the very heart of what Christianity says about the nature of the world. We come from God's hand as those who have been made glorious. Life is beautiful as God has given it to us, yet it is appallingly twisted and broken by the reality of evil in our lives, and God Himself has made the ultimate selfsacrifice in the person of Jesus Christ to bring about the destruction of evil in the supreme act of love. He gave Himself to death to save the lives of others — to bring protection, renewal, transformation, strengthening, and redemption to us. Recognizing that this theme of self-sacrifice is running all through the series, it is extraordinary to me that there has been such a violent and negative response by Christians. One has to hope that it is the minority response rather than the response of large numbers of believers. I think this negative response is a tragedy for all sorts of reasons.

It is a tragedy in that there are many people who have failed to read the books with an open mind. The Word of God challenges us to be prepared to celebrate anything that is good and true, wherever it is found. Sadly, I think there are many people who are unable to see the good qualities that there are, either in the Harry Potter books, or in much else in popular Culture. Many of those who have criticized the books to me personally have not even read them.

Second, there is a deep misunderstanding and inappropriate suspicion of fantasy present in the negative accusations. One can sometimes write far more truth in presenting a fantasy world than in describing the real world. There are many books, both by Christians and non-Christians, which attempt to describe the real world directly and do a much poorer job than J K. Rowling does in her world of fantasy. All truth is God's truth, and non-Christians recognize that truth to one degree or another. Even if an author's worldview is not completely in accordance with Scriptural truth, there will be elements of beauty and truth still to he found there, simply by virtue of the fact that he or she lives in God's world under His common grace.

Third, there is a misunderstanding in the response to the magic in the books. As many aware the same criticisms have been made of C.S. Lewis's and J. R. Tolkein's books, even though both of these authors were commited Christians. It is said that because magic is a part of the Narnia books, they may have the effect of interesting children in the reality of the Occult. The same charge is brought against Tolkien's Lord of the Rings. However none of these books are encouraging Occult practice. The magic is simply a part of the imaginative worlds that Lewis, Tolkien, and Rowling have created. In such an imaginary worlds people can become invisible; animals talk; mythical creatures like unicorns and centaurs exist; and rings and spells work wonders. Watch a little child playing, and you will observe many such magical things. But this does not equal an interest in the occult.

Some people have gone on record as stating that they believe that J.K. Rowling is purposely and explicitly teaching Occult and even Satanic practice. The first time that J.K. Rowling was asked publicly about whether she was teaching the Occult, she was astonished by the question. Her response was, "I think you need to see a doctor." She was bewildered that anyone would accuse her of teaching the occult. And as the criticisms have grown, she has been personally and deeply hurt. As a Christian, I have to say I am profoundly ashamed of those who have responded with this kind of malicious gossip. We must recognize that whenever she talks about evil magic she presents it as evil, as thoroughly destructive of human persons. It consumes them as individuals. It destroys and completely ruins their relationships with other people. It reduces relationships to power and ugliness. Rowling has stated that she does not believe in the occult, and she certainly does not promote it.

Additionally, when these sorts of criticisms are made about books without a proper basis it causes an appalled and dismissive reaction to Christians in general and the Christian faith itself. That is a tragedy. Often Christians are indeed guilty of responding in fear to our Culture — criticizing, condemning, and cutting themselves off from it as much as possible. Anything that is popular becomes suspicious. And this is a very serious problem in the life of the Church. It is not that we should accept everything our Culture presents. But Christians should be prepared to celebrate what is good and cultivate Biblical discernment in the midst of our Culture. This is what any Christian should do in regard to the Harry Potter books or anything else. You will have to decide for yourself if the Harry Potter books are good for you or your children, but please do so in a way that is thoughtful and discerning according to the Biblical picture of truth, beauty, and goodness, not in a way that is suspicious of anything popular in our culture, or that is untruthful and unkind.

Some 450 years ago John Calvin encouraged people to read books by the ancient writers from Greece and Rome. He wrote instructions for the teachers in the school system he designed in Geneva, Switzerland, asking that they have the students read the great classics of Greece and Rome that were pagan and non-Christian. And he asked that they not criticize them, but rather encourage the students to celebrate what is good in them, and to learn from the truth that they could find in them. Calvin said on another occasion that it is a blasphemy against the Holy Spirit to deny that pagan writers like Plato wrote many things that are true and helpful. We must be prepared to act similarly in our day when it comes to the Harry Potter series or any other product of our culture.



Jerram Barr is Professor of Christianity and Contemporary Culture and Resident Scholar at The Francis Schaeffer Institute, Covenant Seminary, in St. Louis (USA). he is the author is The Heart of Evangelism.

Prayer for two families

I just received this e-mail this morning:

Dear Co-op Family,

Jennifer Smith* and the Jones* family, one of the families for which she regularly baby-sits, need our love and prayers. Today while Jennifer* babysat 4 month old Elizabeth Jones* at the Smith* home, Elizabeth* went to heaven as she slept.

* I changed the names for their privacy and protection, God knows who they are.


Lord, we pray your peace and presence on these families.

Philippians 4:7 (NIV)
That the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard their hearts and their minds in Christ Jesus.

Romans 15:13
May the God of hope fill them with all joy and peace as they trust in him, so that they may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Our favorite new toys

Magnetix! I bought a small set of these at Wal-Mart a couple of weeks ago, and since then we have added 4 new sets to our first one. Cay loves to play with them, Sam loves to play with them and I love to play with them! Hubby hasn't sat down with them yet, but I know if he did he would be HOOKED! The box states they are for ages 3-100! :-) I guess that we will be getting many more years of play out of them.

Currently, Hubby is on his PS 2 that I bought him for Christmas, armed with a new memory card for it. Up until now he has not had a memory card at all, and so many of the games require one to move ahead, and you HAVE to have one to be able to save the game you are playing to continue the next time. I have created a monster!! For two nights, that is what he does when he gets home from work. Help, I want my Hubby back! :-) Actually, it's not too bad, I love watching he and Cay play and get excited over their victories in fighting Orks and various other Lord of the Ring creatures.

What do your Hubby's like to do for entertainment?

Love one another~Adrienne :-)

Week of death...

~ momentos ~, originally uploaded by zenog.

First I got the call that my friend's mom's lovebird is about to die today. I am very sorry for Mary she loved that bird, it's actually the father of both of my Cay's birds also. It is such a hard thing to lose a pet whom you love so much, his name is Pretty Boy, and he is a very beautiful bird. I am not exactly sure how long Mary has had Pretty Boy, but it has been over 4 years I know, so I am very sorry for Mary today.

The second death of the day isn't so much a personal loss, as a financial one...My digital camera appears to have bit the dust. I thought it needed a new battery, but lo and behold I just inserted a brand spankin new battery and waited for that beautiful little hum that tells me it's been regenerated but nothing, no noise, dead silence. I checked and rechecked to make sure I put it in the right way, I know I did, it's just plain not working.

Our vaccuum cleaner died on Friday evening...I have labrador hair all over my carpet and no way to clean it up. I think I could form two more labs from all of the hair in my house, and that is only upstairs!

Last week, well acutally this one was two weeks ago, I accidentally broke the t.v./dvd player that we use in our bedroom. I was bringing it downstairs because our main dvd player quit working!!

Not cheap things to fix or replace, and you know the way that things are made nowadays it's not worth fixing them most the time.

My car was overheating on Friday evening, but luckily it was a busted hose and was only a $10.00 part, praise God!

We just used most of our main savings to pay off our credit card debt, so I hope that nothing bigger comes along. It looks like y'all won't be seeing any new pictures anytime soon though, the vaccuum is going to have to come before the camera, I can't look past the dog hair! :-)

Praise God that our family is healthy and it's only our THINGS that are falling apart on us though, can I hear an Amen on that? :-) LOL!

Love one another~Adrienne :-)

Still an INFP :-)

Found the link to this personality test over at Hannah Im's.

INFP - "Questor". High capacity for caring. Emotional face to the world. High sense of honor derived from internal values. 4.4% of total population.

Free Jung Personality Test (similar to Myers-Briggs/MBTI)

"4.4% of total population", no wonder there aren't too many of us over at TypeBlogs! :-) Why are these things so fun to take?

"Need of Jesus" from The Valley of Vision

high noon, originally uploaded by dEEsign photography.

Lord Jesus,
I am blind, be thou my light,
ignorant, be thou my wisdom ,
self-willed, be thou my mind.

Open my ear to grasp quickly thy Spirit's voice,
and delightfully run after his beckoning hand;
Melt my conscience that no hardness remain,
make it alive to evil's slightest touch;
When Satan approaches may I flee to thy wounds,
and there cease to tremble at all alarms.

Be my good shepard to lead me into the green pastures of thy Word, and cause me to lie down beside the rivers of its comforts.

Fill me with peace, that no disquieting worldly worldly gales
may ruffle the calm surfaces of my soul.

Thy cross was upraised to be my refuge,
Thy blood streamed forth to wash me clean,
Thy death occurred to give me a surety,
Thy name is my property to save me,
By thee all heaven is poured into my heart,
but it is too narrow to comprehend thy love.

I was a stranger, an outcast, a slave, a rebel,
but they cross has brought me near,
has softened my heart,
has made me thy Fathers' child,
has admitted me to thy family,
has made me joint-heir with thyself.

O that I may love thee as thou lovest me,
that I may walk worthy of thee, my Lord,
that I may reflect the image of heaven's first-born.

May I always see thy beauty with the clear eye of faith, and feel the power of thy Spirit in my heart,
for unless he move mightily in me
no inward fire will be kindled.

What an exquisitely beautiful prayer, I love to meditate on the prayers from this book The Valley of Vision. The link I've provided takes you to the Ligonier Ministries website where you can find a very nice leather bound version of the book on sale right now. Take a moment to read this and to really let it speak to your heart, to say it aloud as your prayer offering to God, our only refuge, our only source of peace.

Love one another~Adrienne :-)

A day of friends...

Gerbera, originally uploaded by _Sugar_.

I just thought of a good idea NOT to move to squarespace from blogger; I couldn't post other people's photos from over at flickr any longer, and you all know how much I LOVE incorporating them into my posts! I have gone back and forth, back and forth with my thoughts on moving, I just can't seem to make up my mind. Squarespace is very nice for it's many other qualities though, they have a really neat buitl in site meter there, you can build different pages...hmmmmm.

I spent most of my day with Samantha and her Moppets today. It was a wonderful visit. We went to grab some grub at Taco Bell, then back to her house where we chatted and drank her yummy coffee while the Moppets swam and played around with her new microphone for the computer. They made some very strange recordings! :-) Samantha and I talked about starting our Art Adventures back up after she gets into the new house, I am looking forward to that! It's so fun to have someone to create with who enjoys it like I do. It looks like their house buying is still going to happen, they have had some times of concern during it all. I wonder why purchasing a home is made to be such a stressful thing? Samantha has a wonderful attitude about it all though! I just love spending time with her.

Thank you God for wonderful friends! I feel like a rich woman, I would rather be rich in love, of friends and family, than money any day!

Love one another~Adrienne

Busy day

Nature's Bounty, originally uploaded by chrissie2003.

Well I actually made it out of the bed by 7:30 this morning, with the help of my dear Hubby. I wanted to be up by 7:00 by he forgot and was rushing around. I usally get up about 8:30, sometimes we sleep until 9:00, but now that I am going to start having a young one in the house again, plus get more school work done than ever before...I just have to get an earlier start to my day. It was funny this morning, Hubby came in told me to give him my hands and he pulled up to a standing position to make sure that I would not roll back over, does this sound like getting your teen out of bed? It's so sad, but I just need help! I have been reading Terri Maxwell's Managers of Their Homes book and she says that if you can't get up on your own at first have your husband push you out of the bed, anything it takes...and hopefully it will only take a couple of weeks of that and you'll be able to do it on your own. She doesn't know me though. :-) I really am trying though, I promise!

Today I worked at my mom's office for a couple of hours and then went on to work at my friend's used homeschool bookstore that is opening it's doors for the first time tomorrow. It is so exciting to have a place like that close by, and a great advantage to work there and get to go through everything before anyone else sees it, she does it all on a consignment basis. I get giddy around all of those books! I have already got a pile behind the counter that's "MINE!". Oh, there really needs to be more hours in a day, so many books, so little time...

Another adoption class tonight, it was really very informative. We found out that any child adopted through CPS in the state of Texas gets free college tuition at any public college in the state! Isn't that cool? We still haven't finished the process...a few more classes and the homestudy are still needed, and I can't stop thinking about Emmanuel, I know he probably won't be there any longer by the time we are finished with the process. I just need to remember that the child we are supposed to have can't be adopted by anyone else, God's plans cannot be changed.

Dear Lord, help me to remember that your plans cannot be thwarted, that you already know the child that will soon be a part of our family. Help me to use this time to grow closer to you, to completely lean on you for understanding and that I will grow stronger in you so that when we are placed with a child I will be able to weather the hard times of adjustment.

Love one another~Adrienne

Test results are in...

, originally uploaded by rosemary*.

......they are really pretty good. I am very pleased with the fact that I already knew what her strengths and weaknesses would be, there were no surprises. Spelling was not her biggest strength. :-) She is "above average" in her reading and literary skills and science also, but just as I knew math and spelling were lower. I think that considering the fact that I have been very relaxed in her schooling, she did exceptionally well. Of course, I still don't know that it will be good enough for Grandma. ;-)

This year begins middle school, and that means more structure for us. I have "real" curriculums this year, and we are going to start notebooking much more so that she will retain more of the information that we study. I think that is a big area where I have failed, not having her notebook. No matter how relaxed, we read a lot, more could have been retained by notebooking.

I struggle so much with whether or not I want Cay to go to college or just get married and be a mom and teacher herself, but no matter what I want to equip her with whatever she needs to do whatever it is that God calls her to do. No matter what I think she should do, I hope that she follows what God leads her to do.

Lord, help me to be consistent and to eqip Cay for the whatever it is that you will call her to be for you Lord, I pray that I will glorify you God in my example to my daughter. I pray for guidance in my teaching and wisdom when choosing curriculum. May we follow your lead and your plan.

Proverbs 16:9 (English Standard Version)

9The heart of man plans his way,
but the LORD establishes his steps.

Love one another~Adrienne

P.S. I do want to add that I did not tell Cay anything about her results, I don't know how much I believe in them, and I don't want to worry her about what she knows or doesn't know, or if she's behind or ahead...you get the idea. :-)

A peek...

Take a peek at this sweet little boy Emmanuel on the Texas list waiting for adoption. I have asked our agency to look into him for us and see what more they can find out. I just want to give him a big hug!

Lord, I pray that you will send Emmanuel a forever loving family that will show him your and help him to thrive.

Nervous...

Field of Gold, originally uploaded by artofgold.

Creative Arts In Action called and left a message today to let me know that Cay's Standford Achievement Test results are in. I have to admit, I am more than a bit nervous! This is our first time to test since we started homeschooling, she was tested with the same test in the first and second grade at the private Christan school that she attended. My mom has been asking me since a week after she took the test if the results are in yet, THAT really makes me nervous! I know many of you can understand having parents that seem supportive of your homeschooling, but really they are very concerned that what you are doing isn't really working. I think with my mom it all stems from the fact that Cay isn't the best speller in the world, and my mom is very strong in spelling and somehow attributes spelling with intelligence? My friend joked with me that she isn't the best at spelling either and "God is good and on the 8th day he created spellcheck". I thought it was funny.

So I sit here tonight looking at those past two SAT results and comparing, her first grade tests results were much higher than second grade. Looking at second grade results she didn't learn anything new from the year before. I would sure believe that! Second grade was really a struggle for her to "keep up the pace".

Lord, help me to remember that we only receive our worth from you and not from a piece of paper, that you see us through your "gospel glasses" and not the eyes of men. Love one another~Adrienne :-)

Questions 60-64 of The Heidelberg Catechism

early morning fog, originally uploaded by bulldog1.

Question 60. How are you right with God?

Answer. Only by true faith in Jesus Christ. Even though my conscience accuses me of having grievously sinned against all God's commandments and of never having kept any of them, and even though I am still ever inclined toward all evil, nevertheless, without my deserving it at all, out of sheer grace, God grants and credits to me the perfect satisfaction, righteousness, and holiness of Christ, as if I had never sinned nor been a sinner, as if I had been as perfectly obedient as Christ was obedient for me. All I need to do is accept this gift of God with a believing heart.


Question 61. Why do you say that you are right with God by faith alone?

Answer. It is not because of any value my faith has that God is pleased with me. Only Christ's satisfaction, righteousness, and holiness make me right with God. And I can receive this righteousness and make it mine in no other way than by faith


Question 62. Why can't the good works we do make us right, or at least help make us right, with God?

Answer. Because the righteousness which can pass God's scrutiny must be entirely perfect and must in every way measure up to the divine law. Even the very best we do in this life is imperfect and stained with sin.


Question 63. Then don't our good works merit anything when God has promised to reward them in this life and the next?

Answer. This reward is not earned; it is a gift of grace.


Question 64. But doesn't this teaching make people careless and wicked?

Answer. No, for it is impossible for those who are grafted into Christ by true faith not to bring forth the fruit of gratitude.

Protector...

Protector, originally uploaded by artofgold.

I had a wonderful talk with the Lord last night, and he has given me peace this morning, I asked for more faith, faith to know that his plan is greater than my fears, that he loves Cay more than even I do.

I also had a heart to heart with Cay after she crawled in bed with me for some cuddle time. I told her how I felt last night, and that would like for her to pray for me to have peace and faith in the Lord. As always she, my little woman, helped me to see things even more clearly. "We will always be close Mommy and have special times together, don't worry so much, I love you Mommy. We can always have special cuddle times when the baby is sleeping, or playing. Keep praying Mommy." I love my daughter. She has been given so much wisdom from the Lord, I think he gave her all of mine too sometimes. The poor dear girl has been like this since she 3, it's hard to admit, but she really has been giving me such good advice since then. She is always the voice of reason, she is her Father's daughter (her heavenly Father and her eartly Father) :-)

Love one another~Adrienne

Can't even think of a title...

Flutterby, originally uploaded by artofgold.

We have one more foster/adopt class under our belts tonight. Today completed our PRIDE training, and now we have the adoption class, pmab, and first aid/cpr classes, and then the homestudy until we are finished with the whole process. We could conceivably finish up with everything by mid August.

Cay and I will be traveling to Olympia, Washinton, to visit friends, either the last week of August or the first couple of weeks of September. We haven't yet decided which dates will work best for our friends, who will be moving into their new house in the middle of August, so anytime after we return home we could get a call with a child/children needing to be placed in our home. We are going to immensly enjoy our last trip together for a while, just the two of us.

It JUST hit me, it might not be just Cay and I for much longer. That is exciting and strange and scary, and sad feeling all at the same time. I think I need to get to my knees...

Homeschool blog/Random Ramblings

I cannot really decide what to do with my blog over at Homeschool Blogger. Do you guys doing the same thing wonder what to post over there, or if you should post different things, or I don't know, if you should stay there or at your main blog? Sometimes I think I'll just get rid of this one and keep the homeschool blogger one, and other times it's the other way around. I guess I am just thinking aloud here, because I JUST now thought that the reality of it is, that is not the place for me to post things about my past, my abortion being the main thing I am thinking of. After Abortion links to me here as a "blogs by post abortive women", That really sort of freaked me out a bit at first, BUT after a while I was glad that they did. I get most of my hits during the day from that blog actually, it reminds me that I should probably be blogging a bit more about it. Sigh... I have been sighing quite a lot lately! :-)

I just re-read all of this, and I won't blame y'all if you can't make sense of any of it! Words are not coming to me very easily tonight. I kept three of my nephews today and I am just a wee bit tired.

We are getting the extra bedroom ready for whenever we have a child placed with us. It is quite the task. I have never wanted my computer to be in my bedroom, but now that is exactly where it is going to have to go. My house is just stuffed already and there's no other place for it. That means no more late night blogging or blog surfing for me, Hubby has already informed me! it's fun to put all the Winnie the Pooh stuff back up from when Cay was young though, she and I were both ooohing and ahhhing over it last night. Good memories. There is a mural in the room; of a tree in the corner with grass and butterflies flitting about and the words "silly old bear" I ALMOST painted over it a couple of months ago and decided against it and now I am so glad that I didn't. It just didn't look very "office like" and now that is not an issue. :-) I hope my room doesn't look too "office like" when we get the computer desk in there.

Well off to bed, I am going to read more of Under the Banner of Heaven, interesting book!!

Love one another~Adrienne

New blog...??

I am contemplating moving from blogger to Squarespace. I have put a few things over there so far during my 30 day free trial period. Check it out and tell me what you think. Sparrow is the one who introduced me to squarespace, and I love the look of her blog! I was just visiting Marla's blog tonight and it seems she was also inspired by our friend Sparrow.

It's a small, small world!!

small-world1, originally uploaded by Adrienne2.

I also found out last night at our foster/adopt class that our neighbors across the street are foster/adopting from the same agency! The agency we are with is very small and about a half hour away, and they have no other couples on our side of town except the neighbors and us.

Did I tell you? Out of three couples in our class, that one of the other ladies and I were in the same kindergarten class and about an hour away from here and haven't seen each other since kindergarten?

Thanks for your comments about the trampoline, I know it is more important to give a child a home, but I hate asking her to give it up. Sigh...

Dilemma

Okay, so we went to another foster/adopt class tonight, just Hubby and I, and we were told that if you have foster children in your home you CANNOT have a trampoline, even if it has a net on it like ours does. Here is the dilemma: Cay loves her trampoline, and I don't think I can ask her to give it up. I need help here y'all! EEEEK! It is just so ridiculous to me, because they will allow people to have swimming pools that are not enclosed in any way, but not a trampoline. Minnie, our foster specialist said that she would talk to the director again and see if it's just the way he feels or if it's a true state policy. I told her to tell him that if it's just him that he gets to be the one to tell Cay! If it was just sitting in the backyard not being used, like so many trampolines I know are, it wouldn't be any big deal, but that is not the case here. Cay is on it every day, I feel like a shmuck of a mom right now. :-(

Tony Little's Gazelle

Tony Little's Gazelle, originally uploaded by Adrienne2.

This thing is sooo fun! Cay and I actually squabble about who is going to be on it next. I had to break down and buy something that I could use to exercise in the house because I have asthma and our days here are "level red" and if you have asthma you shouldn't be outside at all if you can help it. I love to walk, but I just can't this time of year, and I usually feel horrible all summer long because I am not moving much, I get a bit sluggish, like a real slug. :-) It was only $99.00 at Walmart too, I think it's a steal considering we actually use, you don't have to plug it in and it's FUN.

End of Adrienne's infomercial!

Love one another~Adrienne

Comic Relief for my Pig Farming Friends :-)

I'd Give It All

This is so funny, I think I just might give it all myself! :-)

Love one another~Adrienne :-)

Yellow Ribbon

, originally uploaded by Adrienne2.

"Yellow Magnets Aren't Enough"

I found this through a link on the Red Skelton website, being the week of our country's celebration of independence I thought it was a timely lesson (for me).


Don't Get Me Started

Andy Hefty
Community Columnist
Wednesday, February 23, 2005
Yellow Magnets Aren’t Enough


Andrew C. ''Andy'' Hefty

You’ve seen the “Support Our Troops” magnets. The folded yellow ribbons adorning cars, trucks, SUVs, vans, and motor homes are all over the place. They sell for a couple bucks, and they’re easily identified. They make nice “Fridge” magnets, too, holding up our children’s most recent works of art. Just one problem. It’s not enough.

Putting a magnet on your car, thereby avoiding the permanent stigma of a bumper sticker that won’t peel off despite your best efforts, is nowhere near what it takes to “support” our troops. As a former Marine who never saw combat (due to serving in the 80s), I would like to offer some advice -- again free of charge -- on what it means to support our troops. In the interest of full disclosure, I will admit my own shortcomings in not doing everything listed here. But I’m trying.

Supporting the troops means taking a few minutes and writing a letter to your favorite Soldier, Sailor, Airman, or Marine.

Supporting the troops means visiting a local recruiter to encourage them to keep up the good work in getting the best and brightest he can while having to compete with a lucrative civilian marketplace.

Supporting the troops means shaking the hand of a veteran and thanking them for passing on the legacy of the finest fighting force in the world.

Supporting the troops means saluting the flag with dignity when it passes by in a parade.

Supporting the troops means flying the flag at your home and business. It also means treating it with respect.

Supporting the troops means providing a meal to the wife of a deployed serviceman when she has had to deal with bills, kids, school, bills, appointments, T-ball, car repairs, and everything else without her husband. Did I mention bills?

Supporting the troops means writing letters to editors of newspapers and producers of TV/Radio news to hold them accountable to objective reporting of the facts of military operations. Translation: tell them your getting tired of hearing about 16 good-for-nothings and their exploits at Abu Ghraib.

Supporting the troops means cashing in your extra 100,000 frequent flier miles to allow someone to come home to their families for a short repose.

Supporting the troops means letting a few into the “Crown Room” lounge at the airport as your personal guest while they await their connecting flight. This will give them a chance to get off their feet, have a snack without charge, or make a call home with a little more privacy. Believe me, this means a lot.

Supporting the troops means saluting a member of the Armed Services when you pass them in the streets. You don’t have to stop them. You don’t even have to say a word. You only need to hold it until they return the salute. They know what it means. Hey, at least give them a “thumbs up,” will you? It certainly beats the single-finger salute.

Supporting the troops means writing a letter to your Congressman or Senator and holding their feet to the fire if they spout off something that undermines the mission of the Military. Ted Kennedy, are you listening?

Supporting the troops means “adopting” a serviceman. In other words, pick a serviceman you know (or maybe even one you don’t know but discovered by a mutual acquaintance), and maintain correspondence. He or she may not be able to write back all the time, but keep the information flowing.

Letters

Cards

Magazines

Books

Interesting articles from hometown newspapers

Care Packages

Supporting the troops means, if you oppose military action, don’t oppose military personnel. You have every right to disagree with war. Part of a Soldier’s job is to protect your right to disagree. Just remember that Soldiers do not start wars. Politicians do. Soldiers are only obeying the orders of politicians. Go talk to your Congressman.

And don’t forget the ones who are not necessarily deployed to the “hot spots” around the world, either. Those stationed in Iwakuni, Japan, are doing no less important a job than the Marines in Fallujah. One of my toughest times when I was overseas was seeing others wait all through “Mail Call” only to discover they got nothing in the mail.

Add your own ideas to your own list all you want, but if all you’re doing is buying magnets from WJXR’s Bargain Channel Program (92.1 FM in the greater Jacksonville area), it’s not enough.

This will make you smile!

meany baby zach, originally uploaded by bulldog1.

I found this on Flickr, of course!

I really needed a smile today, it's been one of those days (the hormone kind), yuck, yuck, yuck!!!

We are meant for community...not singularity

, originally uploaded by The Procrastinating Philosopher.

"Humble community is not the icing on the cake of Christianity. In a real way, it is the cake. These relatioships of love are a means of personal growth, a mark of God's people being purified, and a clear argument to the world fo the truth of the gospel."

Exerpt from "How People Change" available at CCEF by Paul David Tripp and Timothy S. Lane. I highly reccomend this study (it's a workbook), it is a very in depth look at how Jesus changes us, to encourage you to look at yourself in the mirror of God's Word. It is from the Changing Lives Ministries and it is changing my life!

Love one another! ~Adrienne :-)

Thank the Lord for Aloe!

young Maneater and Sheila, originally uploaded by Lodigs.

In the past few hours I have burned two fingers and cut another, the cut is right on my fingertip and pretty deep so that every time I bump it on something it comes open and starts bleeding. burned the two fingers right next to that one, so I am typing very creatively. I think I should just call it a night before something else happens! OUCH!

Suntanning

Suntanning, originally uploaded by Ya Ya.

Isn't this a beatiful photo? It's from Ya Ya's photo stream over at Flickr. Check out her photos if you have some time, they are beautiful, I have many of her photos in my "favorites" over there.

Today I am finishing up a 2 year project, painting Cay's bathroom, sad it took so long (we ran into some problems that had to be fixed) but I'm very glad to have it finished up! Cay, is definitely a happy camper. It seems I always have the best of intentions when I start something, but life just gets the better of me at times.

Cay and Sam just returned from seeing Herbie the Love Bug with my sister, and Hubby just left with them to visit Walmart. Sam is wanting to buy a Herbie the Lovebug car with his money that he's saved from his "chores".

Tomorrow, brings a trip to Salado, TX for a family reunion, for Father-In-Law's side of the family. I think I am staying home and Hubby and Cay will be making the trip by themselves. He has not seen that side of the family since the last reunion that we went to when Cay was about 4 years old. He isn't thrilled about going, he doesn't know anyone, and the last time we went we pretty much were left to ourselves the entire time. He is going for his Dad's sake, but told me he doesn't want to put me through it. I would go anyhow, because truthfully I feel really bad about not going, but the next day his mom's side is having our annual 4th celebration, and that is something we go to every year and enjoy, and I am making quite a bit of food for that, so will need the time at home for cooking. Anyone have a really good potato salad recipe? I have never made it before and that is one of the things I was assigned. It will be our second 4th without Hubby's grandfather Jimmy, the 4th was his birthday and that is the reason we all get together on that day to celebrate. He will be missed tomorrow.

We had a wonderful night last night, we went to a couple friend's house to play cards. It was the first time we have played with them and we had a great time playing and talking.

I better get back to my painting!!

Love one another~Adrienne :-)

Shyness....

Go read this great post from my new friend Debra, even though she doesn't know who I am! Debra is the one I was looking for in my earlier post with the beautiful painting.

Another blogger recently brought up shyness, and I am a formerly VERY SHY person, so I found her post very interesting reading.

Love one another!~Adrienne

Prayer: "True Religion" from The Valley of Vision

Lord God Almighty,

I ask not to be enrolled amongst the earthly great and rich,
but to be numbered with the spiritually blessed.

Make it my present, supreme, persevering concern
to obtain those blessings which are
spiritual in their nature,
eternal in their continuance,
satisfying in their possession.

Preserve me from a false estimate of the whole or a part of my character;
May I pay regard to my principles as well as my conduct,
my motives as well as my actions.

Help me never to mistake the excitement of my passions
for the renewing of the Holy Spirit,
never to judge my religion by occasional impressions and
impulses, but by my constant and prevailing disposition.

May my heart be right with thee, and my life as becometh the gospel.

May I maintain a supreme regard to another and better world,
and feel and confess myself a stranger and a pilgrim here.

Afford me all the direction, defence, support, and consolation
my journey hence requires,
and grant me a mind stayed upon thee.

Give me large abundance of the supply of the Spirit of Jesus,
that I may be prepared for every duty,
love thee in all my mercies,
submit to thee in every trial,
trust thee when walking in darkness,
have peace in thee amidst life's changes.

Lord, I believe, help thou my unbelief and uncertainties.