Wordless Wednesday

Crazy 8s meme

I took a nap, made tea, and since I have the night shift for the pellet stove, I will fill in the sleepy times with doing a Crazy 8s meme. Yessiree folks, you heard right...Mrs. M of New York Traveler fame has tagged me once again. Bless you Mrs. M! Situate yer saddle 'cause here I go!

8 Things I am passionate about

1. Jesus
2. Singing
3. Homeschooling
4. Scripture
   
5. My family
   
6. My Church
   
7. My friendships
   
8. My husband
   

8 things I want to do before I die

1. See all my children living out the Christian faith
   
2. See all my family members commit to Jesus
3. Have another baby (hopefully a girl?!!)
   
4. Travel to various states in an RV
   
5. Make a music album
   
6. Live in a completed house with all working appliances (a gal can dream!)
7. Hold my grandchildren (hint)
   
8. Publish a book
   

8 things I say often

1. Thank you Lord
   
2. Get your schoolwork done!
3. Gross!
4. Stop that NOW
5. Coo beans (letter L not included)
6. Stop talking
7. I'll be right there
8. Put your belt on

8 books I've read recently

1. Bible (NKJV & NIV)
   
2. Beginner's Bible
   
3. Veggie Tales: The Case of the Lost Temper
   
4. To Harass Our People by George Hansen
   
5. The ACLU vs. America by Alan Sears & Craig Osten
6. Evolution's Fatal Fruit by Tom DeRosa
7. So Help Me God by Roy Moore
8. Charles G. Finney autobiography

8 songs I could listen to over and over

1. East to West-Casting Crowns
2. It's Only the World-Mandisa
3. I'm Livin' in the Days Ahead-33 Miles
4. William Tell Overture
5. Tumbling Tumbleweeds-Roy Rogers & The Sons of the Pioneers
6. I'm Proud to be an American-Lee Greenwood
7. Faceless Man-Creed
8. Lord of the Harvest-Imperials

8 things that attract me to my best friends

1. Loving
2. Caring
3. Fervent prayers
4. Generosity
5. Kind
6. Patient
7. Forgiving
8. Funny

8 people I think should do Crazy 8s

1. Myfriendconnie
2. KimC
3. Allen Antics
4. Amy
5. Nikki
6. Hallie
7. Laura
8. Any one else want to do this? :)
   

Hard Pressed on Every Side, Yet Not Crushed...

We are having our share of trying times here in the Upstate NY house. Things are financially tight, but we are experiencing an extremely tight time this winter season. I cannot understand how so many things can break down at the same time! It is mind boggling!
First, my oven/stove died; then my washing machine died for over a week. We did not want to spend any money on repairing it, so I stomped out the wash in the tub. My dear sister allowed me to come down and run up her water bill for loads that were just too much for us to wring out. (thx so much! Love you!!!!) I was beginning to wonder if there was a pattern to these things occurring back-to-back
While in the process of diagnosing the problem with the washer, the septic tank backed up--there went $240 down the drain! (it's ok, you can laugh--I did!) Now my wondering was over--SOMETHING is going on here. My DH said it was just a coincidence; things break down. No, I couldn't believe that--and then, the dryer started cutting out. No, not the dryer! If it were summer, no problem, but not now! It takes some fancy maneuvering, but I can get it to work on medium heat for a little while...DH will look into that as soon as he can.
Are you shaking your head in disbelief? Wait, there's more!!!! Just a couple of days ago, the feed auger motor for the pellet heater died. We keep a day's worth of kerosene on hand in case of such emergencies, but with my DH going to college, and UI benefits expired, we couldn't run on kerosene, and we can't buy a new motor. HEAP is no help because we have to have someone inspect it to tell us how much it will cost, but the inspection will cost us more than we can afford. So for now, I feed pellets into the stove every 5-8 min. In fact, I have to throw in a shovelful right now.
Oh the rambling thoughts that have plagued me..."what have I done so wrong to deserve this!?"..and "is God punishing me?"..and "I feel like Job and the devil is hitting me hard!"...
Being around it all the time could be very depressing...I cannot say that I haven't been on the edge of a breakdown during the past 4 months. What keeps me? God's Word and His people! If you think this is a lamentation, let me assure you now of the purpose of this post.
The outpouring of support from my church has been an anchor for my heart! They have been so generous with gifts of food, and money, and love and prayers!!!! They are truly living out the Scriptures, and my thanks to God for them just cannot be expressed with the mere words!
As I fed the fire all night, I was reading from the Psalms. My heart nearly burst with thankfulness to God for the goodness of His Word. So VERY VERY fitting is Psalm 73 that I beg you, dear reader, to closely examine it. I will share with you the verses that amazed me:

Truly God is good to Israel, to such as are pure in heart. But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled; my steps had nearly slipped. For I was envious of the boastful, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked...They are not in trouble as other men, nor are they plagued like other men....Their eyes bulge with abundance; they have more than heart could wish..Behold, these are the ungodly, who are always at ease; they increase in riches. Surely I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocence. For all day long I have been plagued, and chastened every morning. If I had said, "I will speak thus," behold, I would have been untrue to the generation of Your children.
When I thought how to understand this, it was too painful for me--Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I understood their end...I was so foolish and ignorant...Nevertheless I am continually with You; You hold me by my right hand. You will guide me with Your counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but You: And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You. My flesh and my heart (and my appliances) fail; but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. For indeed, those who are far from You shall perish; You have destroyed all those who desert You for harlotry. But it is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all Your works.

Book Meme

Last week, Mrs. Mecomber, of New York Renovator, tagged me for a book meme. It has taken me a little while to get around to it, but here it goes. The instructions are as follows:

Pick up the nearest book (of at least 123 pages).
Open the book to page 123.
Find the fifth sentence.
Post the next three sentences.
Tag five people.

Like my tagger, I too have my favorite Bible nearby--a slimline NIV New Testament given to me as a graduation present with my name embossed in gold on the front. It meant so much to me to receive it from the church I used to attend.
Luke 8:46-47
"But Jesus said, 'Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.'
Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at His feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched Him and how she had been instantly healed."
I suppose only someone who has been healed of a life-long affliction can truly know the depth of her thankfulness, but my eyes tear up to imagine her measureless joy!

Ok, now who to tag...um, I have to admit that I don't visit many blogs, but I enjoy
Life In a Shoe
and
Smockity Frocks

Hope you'll corral yerselves a book and join in! :)

I am a Rockin' Girl Blogger

I have been awarded the Rockin' Girl Blogger award by my very good friend, Mrs. Mecomber of Mrs. Mecomber's Scrapbook! Yee-haw, or, if you prefer..Far out! Thanks saddle pal!

Moses Mouse

A couple of weeks ago, my oldest son found a baby mouse. He was wallowing in a bit of rusty water in an old coffee can. The little guy was soaked to the skin. He was named Moses soon thereafter. Being the compassionate person I am, I just had to see what I could do for this sopping wet, shivering little mouse. Actually, it was the mother in me-for pity's sake, the little thing was squakin' fer his maw, and I just had to do somethin'! So, after providing Moses a snuggly nest in an old plastic aquarium, and feeding him some egg/sugar/milk mixture from a dropper, he recovered quite nicely. I used a little sock to slip the dropper into so the flow of the "milk" was reduced enough for him to keep up. I also used the other side of the sock to "groom" him. Who knew that mice liked to be scratched behind the ears and under the neck? He closed his eyes in delight. I suppose it felt similar to his maw. He graduated to corn kernels, oats, and bread crumbs. I got a little attached to him, but after 2 weeks he is now ready to go back where he belongs-the wild. (pic is dark because I didn't want the flash to spook him and then have a mouse scurrying up my arm into my hair...you get the idea)
So-long Moses! If'n yer ever in these here parts again, don't be afeared to visit us, just mind the cat!

Wordless Wednesday(actually it's Thursday)