Foreshadowing?

"Ask rain from the Lord in the season of the spring rain, from the Lord who makes the storm clouds, and He will give them showers of rain, to everyone the vegetation in the field." ~ Zechariah 10: 1

As we were pulling out our driveway to go to church this AM, I happened to glance in our neighbor's yard and noticed this Japanese (I think) Tulip tree starting to bloom.  Seeing these beautiful purple flowers always foreshadows the coming of spring to me.  Even with two winter storms that brought snow and ice this year, it seems that winter flew by.  Just this sight of God's creation waking up to new life makes my heart happy.

I took this picture Wednesday night as I was leaving Bible study at Shandon.  I adore this church because I adore the people that make-up the church for without the people this would just be a building.

The countdown and entrance of the choir. I love worship at Shandon!!

Ready for the message-- I love that the back of our bulletins is left blank for sermon notes.  I actually keep my bulletins on a big silver ring so that I can go back to my notes when I need to remember something from a sermon.  I call it my "Blessing Ring" b/c hearing God's word is always a blessing to me.

New sermon series is entitled "Losing My Religion:  Finding God's Reality"

Today's Text was Romans 14: 16-23 "Finding and Enjoying Freedom"

I always take away so much from Dr. Lincoln's sermons.  I go to church to worship and praise God, but He always GIVES me more than I deserve.

Getting ready to go get Sister and head out for some grocery shopping.

After church selfie...I just love the way grey hairs stick straight up--NOT...I read where Biotin is good for hair and nail health, so I started taking it about four months ago...Hair started growing like mad...I don't know that it is any healthier, but it is definitely longer...So need a hair cut but just can't find the time to make an appointment...

This is my Mouse Kitty.  The only two people in the family he has anything to do with are Blake and me.  If I happen to lock him out my bedroom, I always find him asleep outside my door.  He was definitely worth the trip to Sumter to save him from an untimely death.  I love my Mouse Kitty.

I have a random post about babies, baseball, field studies and friends coming very soon.

 

Ash Wednesday (beginning of Lent) ~ March 5, 2014

Palm Sunday (Commemorates Christ's triumphal entrance into Jerusalem ~ Last Sunday before Easter and marks the beginning of Holy Week) ~ April 13, 2014

Maundy Thursday ~ April 17, 2014

Good Friday ~ April 18, 2014

Easter Sunday (Celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ) ~ April 20, 2014

Snow, Earthquake, Heatwave

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. ~ Colossians 3: 16 

This past week has been rather unusual in the south.  In less than two weeks, we have had two snow/ice storms that have kept us out of school for a total of five days.  Saturday night I was reading in bed when the house shook.  I'm talking windows rattling and the house shaking like something exploded outside minus the noise.  We live near a military fort, but normally you don't hear tanks firing or weapons' qualifications late at night.  I thought something fell on the roof due to the ice, so I got up to check things out.  Nothing. Shortly after that, my phone and Blake's phone started going off with texts from people asking us if we felt the earthquake.  EARTHQUAKE?  WHAT?  It seems that Edgefield, SC, had an earthquake that registered 4.1.  (In Sunday school, one of the ladies said, "Come, Lord Jesus, come!"  Definitely a sign of the times.)  If winter storms and earthquakes (yes, I realize an earthquake is not considered weather) aren't enough, I read the weather forecast for my area for the rest of the week and the temperatures are supposed to reach 78 degrees Friday. Heatwave in February.  HA!  With that being said, I'll let the pictures finish telling my story.

This is another reason why I love Shandon Baptist.  The Clucks are getting sweet notes from Sunday school teachers.  I know a lot of churches do this when people visit, but we have been attending Shandon for almost a year, and we are still getting sweet messages like this.  It really feels like a second home.  I love it!!

I just started subscribing to this magazine. Remember I told you I have issues with magazine subscriptions.  It really is bad.  Well, I also have issues with cookbooks.  I love to buy and read cookbooks.  Now mind you, I am not that kind of gal that cooks all the time.  I sort of get on a roll.  I'll cook really big/good/different meals for a spell and then I get tired and I'll call the Colonel and ask him to please bring something home for supper.  Cooking sort of hits me in waves.  Anyway, this is a really good magazine with simple, non-flashy meals.  (I will say that the picture of chicken and waffles did nothing for me.  That actually looks rather gross to me.  However, the breakfast recipes on the inside were really good.  I love breakfast for dinner.)

My favorite soup is She-crab soup.  I could just dive in a pot and eat it until I died.  I've made it a few times and about killed myself on the 1,000 calorie bowl.  Because of the calories, I don't make it that often.  I recently saw this soup in Publix and thought I would try it.  It is really good.  The Colonel hasn't tried it yet, but I don't think this will be a keeper for him b/c it is a little spicy.  It is b/c of that that I liked it.  

I have no idea why this precious rooster was upset.  I have forgotten.  Probably yet another fight between him and his twin rooster.

This is Mouse's new bed he has made for himself.  Cats are just...well...different.

Valentine's Day was sort of hit and miss at our house.  We usually don't do anything special except I'll cook something "different."  This year we had the ice storm, but the Colonel surprised me with more flowers.  I have no idea where he got them b/c everything was shut down around here during the ice storm.  I guess when you are out in it working 16 hour days you run across a few places trying to make a living.  

Do you ever order anything off QVS or HSN?  I usually don't.  I think I have ordered one thing way back when.  It was some cooking thing that I used one time.  Anyway, one Saturday I was watching this infomercial for Cindy Crawford's "Meaningful Beauty" skin care line.  I totally disregarded televisions use of technology and became amazed at the melon that didn't rot.  (Good marketing strategy)  Forget the fact that human skin is nowhere near that of a melon rind.  (Blame it on the rain.  Wasn't that a song "back in the day?")  Anyway, for ONLY $39.95 I could have Cindy Crawford's flawless (airbrushed to death) skin.  I was sold.  (Sucker)  I ordered the stuff.  I've used it for about a month.  I actually like it, but I am looking nothing like Cindy did in the infomercial or in the brochure that came with the lotions.  I don't only use this.  I alternate with a Retinol cream every other night too.  Skin is softer but wrinkles are not going anywhere.  Sigh.

Love my crazy crew!!

Happy Heart Day

"Let love be without hypocrisy.  Abhor what is evil.  Cling to what is good.  Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality." Romans 12: 9-13

Happy Valentine's Day!  It doesn't feel much like the red heart day around here.  The boys and I did manage to work on their cards today.  They don't have school again until Wednesday.  Oh, well.  It was fun listening to them debate over which cards suited each classmate.  Ya know, you learn a lot about classmates doing Valentine cards.  HA!

Here are a few pictures to tell the story of our day.

 

That would be the sun and even some blue skies that I have missed.  Yesterday, I laid across one of the club chairs in my living room with the sun beaming in through the picture window.  The next thing you know I was asleep with the sun on my face.  Nick asked me what I was doing, and I told him I was soaking up Vitamin D.

 

The patio had a layer of ice on it, so the Clucks went out to "ice skate."

 

The yard was also covered in a layer of ice which Nick soon found out.  Oops!

 

 

Southern Hockey--frozen patio, one golf club, one hockey stick, a puck made out of a jar lid, and patio chairs as goals.

 

Valentines for classmates!

 

There is ice on the ground and this child is in a sleeveless shirt and underwear.  Yes, I am THAT kind of mom.

 

I caught this Rooster leaving the kitchen with a bag of chips, water and a cup of marshmallows.  My clucks have worms b/c they eat all the time!

 

Nick ran into the kitchen showing me that his tooth fell out finally.  Then he asked, "Does the tooth fairy come in the snow?"  (She does if she still remembers the tooth fell out at nine o'clock tonight.  Ugh!  She has been known to forget.  I put the tooth in a baggie and hung it on the fireplace so I would see it all day.  Probably need to leave the tooth fairy a note on the bathroom mirror.  Fairies are flighty you know.)

 

 

Never ending sillies. 

More Snow Days

"But ask the beasts, and they will teach you; the birds of the heavens, and they will tell you; or the bushes of the earth, and they will teach you; and the fish of the sea will declare to you.  Who among all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this?  In His hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind." ~ Job 12:  7-10

It's been winter "for real" in South Carolina over the past few days.  We had Winter Storm Pax stroll through leaving his footprints.  The Roosters have enjoyed it, especially not having school.  I am so thankful we didn't loose power.  

One of my dear, sweet friends had her baby girl Tuesday.  Ellis is truly a miracle, and I am thrilled for Lisa, Clay and big brother Miller.  Lisa has such a huge heart and I just love her.  We taught together many moons ago.  Oh, the adventures we have had together.  The Colonel nicknamed us Lucy and Ethel after a dinner party Lisa and I put together when I lived in Estill.  I'll have to share that saga soon, as the things that happened that evening would only happen to Lucy and Ethel or to Lisa and myself.  Whew.  

Again, the pictures tell the story of what the Dew Crew have been up to over the last few days.  Enjoy.

This is Lisa and Ellis.  I can't wait to hold her and see her little baby feet.  I love baby feet!!  I'm already in love with that little chicken!

"Delight in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart." 

~ Psalm 37:4  

I'm so thankful that Lisa's prayers were answered and answered so perfectly.

This was the first snowflakes outside my classroom window Tuesday.  We ended up getting out of school at 11:30. 

Roosters were so excited to wake up to this yesterday morning.  (Excuse the dirty window...I don't do windows!)

Hot chocolate and the latest edition of "In Style" that arrived right on time.  It was the spring fashion edition.

I made cookies for the boys.  They devoured this entire plate.  I ended up having to make more from a tub of dough I had in the freezer.  I "tried" to cut them into the shape of snowmen, but they looked like snowball blobs.

I decided to light our gas logs yesterday in case the lights went out.  I didn't want to light these in the dark, so I thought it best to have them lit.  I have never done it before and am very nervous about gas period.  I know it can go "boom".  A friend of mine singed her eyebrows off lighting a gas grill one time.   Since the Colonel was at work and I didn't know if he would make it home, I decided to give it a try.  I did it!!  No "boom" and I still have my eyebrows!

How poor southern people sled in the south--Sterlite lids and a frozen very steep driveway.  The Roosters had a blast.  

Blake in the Colonel's old army uniform and boots.  

WHAT?!!  After I got my layers of clothes in the washing machine, I walked into the den and this is what I found.  My instructions were "Take your wet clothes off in the laundry room and go get on some dry clothes."  

I found this and the little Clucks sitting on the couch in just underwear playing their DS.  BOYS!  (Or at least MY boys)

Mom, my sled broke.  (I had to go inside and get the Cluck another lid.  It's not like we don't have a ton of them.)

Mom, I can't see like this!

The big kid

Always Something New!

For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge... ~ 2 Peter 1: 5

Do you know one of the things that I love about reading the Bible?  I love that I can read passages over and over and then one day while reading God decides you are ready for Him to reveal more meaning.  It happened to me this week.  I was studying my Sunday school lesson (John 19: 23-30, 38-42) on the crucifixion of Christ.  I don't know how many times I have read the scriptures that tell of Simon of Cryene being drafted by the Roman soldier to carry the cross beam for Christ.  The scriptures do not tell us the reason why; however, there must be significance in the task or why would God have it recorded. Was it because Christ was beaten so badly that He was too weak to carry the beam?  Doesn't the Bible make that point several times?  Why tell us that Simon was drafted to carry the cross beam?  After doing some reading on crucifixion, I learned it was customary for the criminal to carry his cross, or the crossbeam, from the place of sentencing to the execution location.  The bearing of the cross was the mark of guilt.  The criminal carried his guilt to the place of crucifixion.  Could the recording of Simon carrying the crossbeam for Christ be the Father's way of reminding us yet again that His son was blameless--innocent?  Was it a subtle reminder to us that Christ was going to the cross by no guilt of His own?  Yes, He died on the cross for our sins but He carried no sin of His own.  Could that be the reason God recorded it--as a reminder to us?  

I also read where the criminal had a placard telling of the crime committed. Jesus' placard read "King of the Jews".  Pilot knew that this would be an insult and embarrassment to the Jewish religious leaders.  It is the reason he chose the words.  However, I learned that it was written in Hebrew, Greek and Latin.  Think about that--Hebrew was the language of religion.  Greek was the language of philosophy, and Latin was the language of the law.  All three of those things combined to crucify Jesus.  And then think about Pilot's motives in the wording of the placard--"King of the Jews".  Pilot considered it an insult and embarrassment to the Jewish religious leaders.  However, God used it as a gospel tract.  One of the thieves discovered he was crucified with the King and received entrance into the Kingdom of heaven.  The placard Pilot used to insult; God used to save a thief whom He loved.  How great is our God!!  

And, as always, I've included a few pictures of our week. 

This poor turtle contained three years of teaching on it.  It fell out my car at the Roosters' school and I found it in the carpool line AFTER the snow storm we had and a few days of carpool.  I was just sick.  All my PowerPoints, lesson plans, units, assessments, etc.  Look at it!  Pitiful.

I told the Colonel about it and somehow he got it to work. He copied all those files to my computer's hard drive and then uploaded them to a new owl USB drive.  I was one happy gal.  

This is one of the units on the drive--penguins.  The students and I have been enjoying research and essay writing using these little guys as the topic.

Gathering research for their expository essays and presentations.

The Roosters had NASA night at their school this past week.  The teachers did an awesome job incorporating the Olympics with art and science.  The pictures below are the Roosters going to different classes.

Learning the science behind how salt helps an ice cube in water stick to a string.

 

Before service today

I love the "three minute" countdown.  Music starts, the screens show fellowship pictures and the clock lets everyone know that service is about to begin.  Even the music that plays during this time is awesome.

Mission booths in the Gathering Place

I got a new phone yesterday because the charging port on my old phone was damaged.  I was playing around with the camera features today.  I showed this picture to Sister and she said I looked like Lady Gaga.  Geez.

These are just my silly boys refusing to let me get a decent picture of them.

Have a great week!  I hope to be back before next Sunday.