So for my 100th post...

I am going on a media fast. That's right. A media fast. It's part of a Bible Study that Paul is taking the youth through. This is our 4th time to go through it as a family. So for the next 21 days there will be no computer (except for work), no tv, no XBOX, no blogging, no facebook. Occasionally if the sky looks dark we'll check to make sure there is no danger...other than that...no media.

This will be an interesting time in our family. The last time we did this the kids were hardly watching cartoons so it wasn't that hard. This time they love cartoons (all three of them) and they love to play XBOX. So it will definitely be a bigger challenge this time. We have lots of things planned. We are going to clean out our play room and give the toys to Hurricane Ike victims. We are hoping to go, as a family, to Port San Antonio and serve food to Hurricane Ike victims. There are still several thousand people displaced to Port San Antonio. We will play games, we will play outside, just spending time together. We are going to read Bible stories do crafts, all kinds of things...just to be together with little distraction.

So don't lose heart...I'll be back in 21 days! Maybe my 101st post will be about the amazing things that God has done over the last 21 days!

God uses pagans....

Ok, so my friends aren't necessarily "pagans" per se...however, they are certainly are not believers in Jesus. I went to a jewelry party tonight...totally out of obligation. A friend of mine donated to the Alzheimer's Walk that we are participating in and then invited me to her party...so I went.

(by the way if you would like to donate to our walk, please copy this link and go to my webpage!

https://www.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=268992&supId=230780424

And I thank you;)

Anyway, so I go to this party where there is plenty of beer, wine and other beverages that I don't drink and plenty of words flying around....that I don't say. We are looking at jewelry and talking and about two hours after the party starts a lady walked in really upset and begins to tell a story to the host (my friend) about her daughter. She is 5 years old and can do EVERYTHING a 5 year old can do...with one exception. She has a communication delay. In other words she understands everything you say, she comprehends everything, she can do and act in accordance with everything you say, but she cannot verbally or expressively communicate back to you. She has struggled with speech but she has made some incredible strides and her pediatrician said that after two years in a school program (not public school) you would never know that she had a problem.

The reason the mom was so upset is because the pre-school her daughter was in called her today and told her to come get her child because they "could do nothing with her." She was told not to bring her back, also.

WHAT?!?!?!?!?!?

I was floored. Another church in our area turned down an opportunity to minister to this family, for no good reason. I realize she is developmentally delayed...but according to her mother (who is a nurse by the way) she is NOT retarded, she is NOT special needs, she is NOT autistic...She just has trouble communicating. She knows what she wants to say, but cannot turn the thoughts into words and get the words out of her mouth.

I was so devastated at the notion that this church would not help her. She is sitting at this jewelry party bawling her eyes out because she just wants someone to love on her daughter. Her daughter needs stimulation and a classroom and a teacher to challenge her and teach her new words....because her issue is not learning. She can learn and is learning new words all the time and working toward communicating.

Since we have just opened our Mother's Day Out I began talking to her about our program and as soon as I did, I realized my entire purpose for coming to the party. I spoke with her and her daughter will begin our program on Tuesday! God used a seriously ungodly people and place to accomplish his purpose. I had a Divinely appointed meeting with that lady tonight and I thank God that He prompted me to go.

I hope I never underestimate the power of God to use ungodly people and circumstances to accomplish His will. His will pevails over all.

Caleb and Abby's First Day of School

Make a Smilebox postcard

So Caleb and Abby had their first day of "Mom's Day Off". We just started the program at our church and it is starting off slow but sure. We hope to have more childred over the next few days and weeks, but we had a good start. Caleb and Abby were really excited about "school". Caleb did really well. He came home and told me that Ms. Jodi (his teacher) had taught him to read and he is now ready for Kindergarten. I thought...how amazing! One day and he can already read! Give Ms. Jodi a raise!

Abby is in my class and I wasn't sure how that was going to go over. We have been talking about it for a while...reminding her how good she was going to be in mommy's class. So all was well for the first part of the day and then....

I told her three times to do something and she refused all three times. So I calmly walked over to the stoplight and changed her clip from green to yellow and then...

She FREAKED out. I mean the whole bit. Screaming, kicking, crying...all of it. So I basically manhandle her out to another teacher for Abby to be in time out. She kept up with her CRAZY fit and then all of the sudden out of the corner of my eye I see her feet flying through the air and Paul walking out of the room. I guess this is what you would call a perk. Her daddy working just feet away down the hall! In a few minutes she came back red faced to class and apologized to me and then promptly asked me to change her color back to green because she said she was sorry. I told her we would see about that and she rejoined the class.

That was it. The whole thing. The rest of the day went flawlessly and I have a really great class...including my precious daughter. I don't think, however, that she will be throwing anymore fits...you know...with daddy in such close range!