2015 Highlights

Where in the world did 2015 go? It came and went, *snap*, just like that! And now we're already halfway through January! 

I guess it's true the older you get, the faster time flies.... Life is short indeed.

*SIGH*

I wanted to take a look back at 2015 to remind myself what has happened, what the Lord has brought us through.

DECEMBER 2014

We're going to start in December of 2014. I didn't recap 2014 and I wanted to chronicle the first time my kids were old enough to visit the Country Club Plaza in KC and actually remember it. 

I also wanted to remember when I actually gave Adelle a decent hair cut. There is a story behind this cut. The short of the long (pun intended!) is that she wouldn't take the pick to her hair in the mornings and I kept giving her empty threats of cutting it. I realized I hadn't followed through and decided it was time. I cut it. I surprised myself as I had NO IDEA what I was doing! Not to bad, eh?

JANUARY-MARCH

The kids enjoyed not ONE, but TWO Valentine parties.

Little Man turned 6 years old and shared his birthday with a friend, whose birthday is 2 days after his. 

Cousins came to visit from the northern plains! That is always so much fun. 

APRIL-JUNE

Jonathan gets to help cut up some dead limbs that came out of our tree. Yes, my hunny bunny took the limbs out himself. Crazy man.

Here's a quick pic taken right before spring piano recital. They both are doing so well learning those black and white keys. 

Summer officially began with family vacation at the beach! We go to the beach every summer at least once. 2015 was a special time for me. I have been to the beach plenty of times, but I saw something different this year.

JULY-SEPT.

I tried to raise some tomatoes, bell peppers and eggplant in containers over the summer. I got a few small tomatoes and bell peppers. I had 1 or 2 Japanese eggplant that I didn't really know what to do with....  *chuckle*

Chic-fil-A Customer Appreciation Day means free food!... If you dress up like a cow.  :-D

We started a new school year with a friend. Mr. K5 joined our school this year. He hates to leave school every afternoon. Poor baby.  

OCT.-DEC.

It was Blue October! Our hometown was in MLB's World Series and WON, beating the NY Mets in NYC. Way to go Royals!  We don't normally pay too much attention to sports, however, it's been a while since KC has had a winning team, so we couldn't help but notice and cheer a bit.

BTW, the Chief's aren't doing so bad themselves. They're in the Super Bowl play-offs and playing in the NFL Divisional round this weekend.  *Wink*

We are truly enjoying the co-ops and field trips with our homeschool group this year. 

New this Christmas season: Grace Notes Christmas concert. Adelle was able to join a local girl choir this school year. Something new for piano students: a Christmas piano recital. 

And we end 2015 with our best pal!

Wow! What a year! 

I can't wait to see what the Lord has in store for 2016!

That's Why We Praise Him

I was looking for the chords to a hymn and stumbled upon this song. The title caught my attention when I saw it in the google search list, so I clicked on the lyrics first, as I see it as an absolute MUST to look at words of songs before I listen to melody. The song isn't worth getting a catchy tune stuck in my head if the words don't glorify the Lord & line up with The Word.  

This song expresses exactly why we should (and do) praise the Almighty, Living, One True God

Take a look:

Verse 1: He came to live, live a perfect life.

               He came to be the Living Word, our Light.

               He came to die so we'd be reconciled. 

               He came to rise to show His power and might

Chorus: That's why we praise Him, that's why we sing. 

               That's why we offer Him our everything. 

               That's why we bow down and worship the King

               'Cause He gave His everything

               'Cause He gave His everything. 

Verse 2: He came to live, live again in us.

               He came to be our conquering King and Friend. 

               He came to heal and show the lost ones His love

               He came to go prepare a place for us

 Chorus: That's why we praise Him, that's why we sing. 

               That's why we offer Him our everything. 

               That's why we bow down and worship the King

               'Cause He gave His everything

               'Cause He gave His everything. 

Bridge: Halle,  Hallelujah 

The tune itself sounds a little on the "old" side, but the words are enough to sing it anyway. 

To God be the glory!   

Happy Birthday Jesus Cake

We had a Happy Birthday Jesus Christmas party with our homeschool group this past Monday. The cake was the focal point of the party and the kids got to help decorate it.

1. The shape of the cake is round to represent the world into which Jesus was born. 

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.   ~John 3:16

2. Each of the 3 layers is a different color:

a. The bottom layer represents the fact that all our hearts are muddy, dirty and dark with sin. This is the reason Jesus came to earth. 

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.  ~Romans 3:23

b. The center layer is red symbolizing Jesus' blood that was shed for our sins.

In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace. ~Ephesians 1:7

c. The top layer is green denoting the new life we have in Christ after our sins have been washed away. 

He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.  ~1 John 5:12

Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.  ~John 6:35

3. The frosting is pure white signifying the righteousness and purity of Christ. 

He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.  ~2 Corinthians 5:21

4. A border of red hearts symbolizes brothers and sisters united in Christ circling the earth as His witnesses.

And He said to them, Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; who he who has disbelieved shall be condemned.  ~Mark 16:15-16

5. On top the cake is a gold, or yellow, star representing the star heralding His birth and lighting the way for all mankind, since the grace of God includes all, not only the Jewish people who prophesied Messiah as our Savior. 

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.  ~Galatians 3:28

6. In the center on top is one large red candle representing Jesus who came into the dark world to bring it light and truth. 

Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.  ~John 8:12

We didn't have a large red candle available, so we just used regular red birthday candle. We also put a candle in each heart.

After we completed a craft, played a Christmas bingo game, ate some pizza and read a story, we got to enjoy a piece of that cake. It was so good! (Of course, homemade buttercream frosting is the BEST ever!)

Source: Dukes and Duchesses

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5 Random Things ~ November & December

I'm back to 5 Random Things. 

Now. 

Where to start? There has been so much that I haven't been able to blog about this fall, mostly due to lack of time.  

Only 5? I'll try. 

1. I will start with this Early (not!) Bird. She was motivated one morning to rise early and get going on school work.... right out of bed; No waiting for anything. She wanted to work while I prepared breakfast and she was up before Little Man! Now that's saying something. He's usually up by 7am. She's a sleeper.

I'm still not sure what her motivation was that day. We didn't have a field trip, party or play date. Hhhmmm.    *shrug*

2. We have been enjoying science this year. Here, we were learning about how we get our seasons; rotating the Earth around the sun. We had a lamp (the sun) in the middle of the table and they moved the globe (Earth) around the lamp, taking notice of the Earth's tilt.

They didn't know that the proportions were incorrect, not true to scale. That lamp should've been much bigger, or the globe a lot smaller. Oh well. That part might be a little more important later down the road.

3. Adelle made girl choir this year. This choir was known as Cantabile Girl Choir (in association with Cantabile Youth Chorale). Tonight they premiered as "Grace Notes; a place for your voice". That is a much easier name to remember.  :-D

Their Christmas concert was tonight and a fine singing job those girls did indeed! All of Adelle's choir buddies like her name. Can you guess why?  *wink*

4. Here is a sneak peak of a party we attended today. It's December. It was birthday cake. That's all the info for now. Look for an upcoming post about this soon.

5. And I so can't leave this post w/o showing off the latest wreath I made. The Christ's Names ornaments were an idea from (hey friends, where did that idea come from?) a diy ornament blog post. I'll have to find that post and edit this to get you the web address @ a later time. You're so going to want to check it out.  It was a tutorial indeed, with free printables and everything. Note: Click on the photo to get a closer look at those name ornaments. 

Here's the tutorial: Printable Paint stick Ornaments

Rule-breaker 6. Did I mention that I have a new song to add to my favorite list? I have to play this song and read those lyrics at least once a day.  Yeah. I had to include it here. 

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Thankful Thursday ~ Thankful for Brokenness

I am thankful for brokenness. It is in the place of being at the end of my rope, the end of myself, that I truly can turn everything over to the Lord. I don't mean just cry, vent, get it all out and then I feel better. It's more than that. 

Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth articulated it best when she said, "Brokenness is not a feeling; rather, it is a choice, an act of the will. It is not primarily a one-time experience or crisis (though there may be crisis points in the process of brokenness); rather, it is an ongoing, continual lifestyle. 

"Brokenness is a lifestyle of agreeing with God about the true condition of our heart and life, as He sees it. It is a lifestyle of unconditional, absolute surrender of our will to the will of God - a heart attitude that says, 'Yes, Lord!' to whatever God says. Brokenness means the shattering of our self-will, so that the life and Spirit of the Lord Jesus may be released through us. It is our response of humility and obedience to the conviction of the Word and the Spirit of God."

What better place to be but to see God for who He truly is and my desperate need for Him? That's when brokenness comes. That's when surrender comes. And then comes the blessing of healing for my soul. 

Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? And who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart. Who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood and has not sworn deceitfully. He shall receive a blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation.  ~Psalm 24:3-5

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From Depths of Woe I Raise to Thee

I really can't help but to share this version of From Depths of Woe I Raise to Thee. I've never heard of this hymn before Monday and now that I've read, read, and reread the lyrics, I can't help but to listen, listen and listen some more to this song. 

It. 

Is. 

Incredible. 

Here are the words:

1. From depths of woe I raise to Thee

The voice of lamentation

Lord, turn a gracious ear to me

And hear my supplication

If Thou iniquities dost mark

Our secret sins and misdeeds dark

O who shall stand before Thee?

2. To wash away the crimson stain

Grace alone availeth

Our works, alas! are all in vain

In much the best life faileth

No man can glory in Thy sight

All must alike confess Thy might

And live alone by mercy

3. Therefore my trust is in the Lord

And not in mine own merit

On Him my soul shall rest, His Word

Upholds my fainting spirit

His promised mercy is my fort

My comfort and my sweet support

I wait for it with patience

4. Though great our sins and sore our woes

His grace much more aboundeth

His helping love no limit knows

Our utmost need it soundeth

Our Shepherd good and true is He

Who will at last His Israel free

From all their sin and sorrow

It's truly enough just to read the lyrics by themselves. This arrangement by Michael O'Brien adds so much to the beauty of this poem. 

I have found another favorite. 


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Hhmmmm

As you know, the Lord has been speaking to me lately about being thankful for the afflictions, difficulties, trials, pains and sufferings of this mortal, temporal life. Also, I have been having some physical difficulties these past few weeks, which, so far, is nothing of much significance.

So, yesterday morning, as I washed the dinner dishes from the night before, I went to the Revive Our Hearts website to listen to the latest broadcast from Nancy (Leigh) DeMoss Wolgemuth.  Wouldn't you know... she has started a new series called The Blessing of Thorns. I tilted my face toward heaven and said, "Ok, Lord." 

This afternoon, out of the blue, I decide to hit up Wretched Radio, completely forgetting about what time Todd Friel airs his radio show, and (I kid you not!) he's in the middle of broadcasting pieces of a sermon from Steve Lawson about suffering for the glory of God. 

WOW!

Do you have a broad smile forming on your face right now? I certainly did at that point this afternoon. Both of my arms raised up, dripping soapy water everywhere (again, I was doing dishes) and I ask, "Lord? What are You trying to tell me?" 

Certainly, this is no coincidence. 

I can't help but wonder....  Do I need to just get this concept into my head in general, or is God preparing me for something?