Saturday, February 26, 2011

My Back and My Baby

This is my baby, Amy.  Isn't she so sweet?  She's auntie to Zoe her sister's cat! 

My back is better thanks to to much medicine. I can get up and around though I'm stiff and achey.  The stabbing pain has stopped.  Now the challenge...taking it easy until I'm well.  ~grin~  Thank you all for your prayers.  If you think of me, please continue to pray.  I'm at about 75%. 

Laura
Learning to Be Still
~grin~

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Yarn Along...Socks

Click this photo to go to Ginny's page.

I finished my socks.  Hurray!
Back's a bit better.
I appreciate your prayers.

~~~~~
May I suggest?

Cherry Pits, Erma Bombeck, and Jehovah God

~~~~~

Shared with:
Sew Much Ado

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

I Need Prayer Please.

Hi Ladies,
I need prayer please.  Hubby took me to the emergency room yesterday morning with severe back pain.  They sent me home with a prescription for a  muscle relaxer, anti-inflammatory, and pain medicine.  It's been excruciating.  The pain radiates into other parts of my body.

I have had back problems before: but, nothing brought this on.  I just woke up with it.  I've been making some big plans for my future, getting my head clear, and was just going to get started Monday.  I believe this is an attack from satan (notice the little s; he doesn't deserve to be capitalized.).

Please pray for my recovery.  The meds make me drowsy.  Tomorrow Hubby goes back to work.  The kids will have to take care of me.  They're 13, 11, and 9.  Here's where the things I've taught them get tested.

On a good note, I've gotten plenty of rest and feel well rested.

Thank you God for blessing us through this trouble.  I know that you are with me and healing me even now.
Amen.

I probably won't be posting again this week.  If I do, well so much the better.
Have a great week.

Laura
Blessed Beyond the Pain

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Sewing Bee Thursday


I finished about half of my mending last week.
This morning, I sewed a button on a shirt, did some hand sewing to mend a number of seams, and pinned patches on my son's jeans in preparation for machine stitching.  Emily took initiative and mended a couple of holes in her own jeans.  The basket is now empty except for my son's jeans.

DON'T TELL THE KIDS!

~GRIN~


Laura
Keep calm and mend on!

~~~~~
May I suggest?
~~~~~

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Yarn Along...Still



...knitting my first pair of "real" socks...
and reading Story of the World II by Susan Wise Bauer.





Joy of joys.  We read about Ghengis Khan, his grandson, Kublai Khan, and their Mongol hordes this morning.  I think those guys could have benefited from a hot bath, a good book, and a good hobby...maybe knitting?  I can smile now; but, those guys killed their way from the China coast to the Islamic lands.  You joined them or were killed.  Not much of a choice.  I asked my kids if they thought they'd be strong enough to stand if it were Christians that were being killed.  They didn't know.  I don't think I would be strong enough.  But I know that Christ in me would be.  Thank God that we don't have to live or die in our own power. 
Holy Spirit power is available to all those who believe on the Name of Jesus Christ and are saved.

Believe.

Laura


Join the other ladies at this week's Yarn Along with Gigi.

Friday, February 11, 2011

{This Moment} A Friday Ritual...Emily

{This Moment}
A Friday Ritual with SouleMama

~~~~~
May I suggest?
True Confessions
~~~~~

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Sip and Stitch With my Mending Basket...


Every Thursday at Happiness Comes

Oh the bitter irony of it all. I did all my mending a couple of weeks ago. My basket was empty. I wrote about it. I felt great about it. Then, my kids found out my basket was empty. Out came things they hadn't been wearing because they needed mending! Oh my! I started noticing things that needed a stitch or two here or there. Oh my! My mending basket overfloweth! So, for my first Sewing Bee, I'll be stitching and mending my way through my basket. Since I don't have a dedicated block of time today, I'll just pick it up when I sit and listen to the children read. I think I'll enjoy a cup of my favorite Folgers French Vanilla Cappuccino while I stitch.


Keep Calm and Mend On!
Laura
~~~~~
May I suggest?
Busy Busy Sewing and Knitting
~~~~~ 




Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Snowed In, Reading, and Knitting for the Yarn Along


I'm yarning along with Ginny at Small Things!
Click the picture above to see her blog and other participants.

I've been reading with the children and knitting today; because, it's been so snowy and cold here.  I'm on week five of being home all week.  We're snowed in right now; but, the only change that brings to me is that the kids can't get out and play as much.  It's been a big adjustment losing my freedom to go and do; but, it must be what's best for the season.  Someday, when God thinks I need a car again, I'll have a car again.  Until then, I'm doing my best to learn to be content at home.

 I'm joining with Ginny today in her Yarn Along.  Here's the progress on my first sock.


I'm using Paton's Kroy sock yarn in the denim jacquard colorway.  I've heard that it wears well.  I hope so.  I'm not looking forward to learning to darn!  The book is Story of the World Middle Ages by Susan Wise Bauer.  If you guessed that I'm reading it to the children, you're right. 

I still need to start a new read aloud with the kids to meet my Hearts for Home commitment for the week.  the trouble is that the kids are all reading aloud to us, too.  Just today, Emily started reading Job to us.  Her idea.  Michael started reading a Sugar Creek Gang book aloud.  Amy started reading A Year Down Yonder earlier this week.  I had to start with Story of the World; because, it's our homeschool history read aloud.  Now they're watching UP! for the first time.  Will I start something before bed?  I'm not sure.  We'll see how the rest of the night goes.

For now, I'm going to sneak in just a bit more knitting time!

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

When Hubby is Unemployed or Underemployed....

"And let us not be weary in well doing: 
for in due season we shall reap,
if we faint not."
~Galations 6:9

Having a husband who was unemployed and then underemployed brought many challenges to my life; but, none has been so challenging as the problem of whether I should seek employment.  I've been a homemaker for twenty years now.  I quit my job to stay home when my first child was born.  Our pastor told us that we needed to do what we believed God was telling us to do.  So, even though I was then making more money than my husband, we made the decision for me to stay home to raise Matthew.  It was hard in a lot of ways; but, we stuck with it.  Eventually, the Lord lead me to homeschool Matthew as well.  Fast forward....three more kids....Hubby has a great job....Hubby loses great job....starts business....business fails....series of less than profitable jobs after a period of unemployment....

During this time, one of my hardest struggles has been with whether I should get a job.  I have a college education which my dad was wonderful to finance for me.  I kept thinking that if Hubby wasn't making money, I should.  The problem was that I didn't feel I had God's or Hubby's blessing to leave the children to work.  In fact, Hubby was against it.  Every time I started looking for work, the tension level in me and in my family skyrocketed.  When I stopped looking, everything calmed down again.  Even after months of looking on and off, nothing came up.  I had a few interviews early on; but, even though I could have done the work easily, nothing came of it. 

Meanwhile, my husband was still telling me not to work.  I have four kids, a house, and homeschooling to do.  Finally, I realized that I needed to trust God and trust my husband and do with what I have.  I released the worry, though not without grabbing it up once in awhile.  I am doing what God has given me to do.  Hubby is doing what God has given him to do.  We're trusting God for the rest.  God has taken care of us miraculously at times.  We've been disappointed at times.  But, I've learned to appreciate the small things in life.  Like I told my friend, I always have a ball of yarn when I need it.  That may seem small; but, a few dollars for yarn is a luxury.  God has given me some of those little things. 

So, if you're in a tough situation, seek God.  Listen.  Be still.  Try to calm your nerves and trust what your husband and your God are telling you.  Walk in faith.  Look for the little blessings.  Focus on the good.  You can do this.  In Christ's strength, you can do this.


God bless you, keep you, and encourage you all,
Laura
Content and blessed at home

P.S. I wrote this a few years ago when my husband was unemployed. He's unemployed again. The same questions have gone through my mind. I asked God. I asked my husband. Now I'm waiting on the Lord and staying home with my family and taking care of them until my husband or my God asks me to do otherwise. Laura 2/21/16

Update 4/14/16 My husband found a job and has been working almost two weeks. In just over a week, we will receive the first paycheck. It's been four months since my husband closed his business. No unemployment benefits, no food stamps, but somehow, someway, God has taken care of us through it all. Don't give up!




~~~~~
May I suggest?


Doesn't Anyone Care?

"Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you."
~1 Peter 5:7

Hearts for Home...A Few Commitments for This Week





encouraged us to make
a list of four to six 
things we commit to
do this week to keep our
"Hearts for Home".


1.  I commit to begin a new read aloud book with the children.
2.  I commit to doing at least three loads of laundry a day until I'm caught up.
3.  I commit to decluttering at least fifteen minutes each day this week.
4.  I commit to spending face to face time with each of my three little ones each day this week.


 
Four should be enough to begin with.







Monday, February 7, 2011

Weakness...Strength

"My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness."
~2 Corinthians 12:9

All I can say is thanks to God! Daily, I find myself so aware of my weaknesses and imperfections. As soon as I do better in one area of my life, something else slides. Can you relate?

It is good for me to remember that all my life I will be weak in one area or another; but, God's strength is available to me. All I have to do is ask Him and believe that He will give it to me.

Over the last couple of years, many are going through difficult times financially and emotionally. The government may call it a recession; but, for many it is truly a depression. My husband lost his good paying job seven years ago. The company decided, after ten years of service, to give Lowell's job to a young person who would work for half the pay. Ouch, ow, yeowww!

God was strong when I was weak. I was so hurt, so angry, so lost. We didn't know what to do. We sought counsel from Christians and our pastor. Unfortunately, no one was really getting a word from God. We made some bad decisions. We weren't hearing from God. We didn't hear; because, we didn't let God through our pain and fear and discouragement. He didn't give up on us though. He loved us through one bad decision after another. We were crying out to him in desperation; but, we just didn't have ears to hear an answer.

It's been seven years now. We never declared bankruptcy though we were beyond bankrupt. The bank whom we'd financed our business, our home, and our vehicles, reposessed it all. We were left with only our furniture and our personal items. It was the middle of December. We had until the 31st to give up our last car and our home to the bank. We also had four children. Merry Christmas. We were weak. Oh my, we were weak.

But HE was strong. He showed himself strong to us. An old friend showed up at the door one afternoon. One of the kids answered the door. Our friend dropped off a Christmas card, said he had to go, and practically fled. Weird. I hadn't even gotten to the door yet. When I opened the card, I knew why. Inside was a check for a thousand dollars! It was from a group of friends that we'd done Bible study with years before in another town. Imagine the shock! I was almost afraid to hold it. I knew it was directly from God.

So, I showed it to my husband. We decided to set it aside and wait for clear direction from the Lord. It came two days later. Another friend shared our situation with her Bible study group and asked for prayer for us. Afterwards, a lady said she had a van for sale for $1000! The next day we had a van! It ran just fine even if it did have a bit of hay and straw in it. ~grin~

Since the business was gone and the house was gone, we wanted to move back to our hometown. God caused a man who was selling his house to decide to rent to us instead. That was a big deal because he'd just remodeled it with a finished basement. That made a two bedroom house big enough for the six of us. He didn't even bat an eye at our bad credit or our little dog. We laughed later and said that God let us keep our dog and our four kids!

We've had continued struggle since then. It will be seven years in June since Lowell lost his position. We've been learning to depend entirely on God all this time. Lowell hasn't had a position that allowed us to take care of all our needs during this time. Somehow, God has still provided one way or another. We've learned to be creative; and, we are definitely a lot more graceful to others who are on the down side of life.

Lowell has a position now in Kansas City with a yellow page company. Someday, in God's timing, we'll join him there. Once again, we are weak because of the separation; but, God's grace is sufficient for us. His strength is made perfect in our weakness. We can do this in His strength. Even so, I pray that God will reunite us soon.

Just as Beth Moore says:

God is who he says he is.
God can do what he says he can do.
I am who God says I am.
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
I'm believing God.!

Have a terrific God believing week!

Laura

May I suggest?
~~~~~


Thursday, February 3, 2011

Knock Knock!

"Everyone that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened."
~Matthew 7:8

An Apology....

My little girl and I prayed for snow!