Busyness!!!

I am excited about our upcoming furlough to the US! But it's hard for me to look that far ahead when each day holds so much busyness.... I find myself thinking of all there is to do before we go!
You'll see a countdown on the side bar of my blog as to how many days are left. I find myself wanting to share with you some of the thoughts going through my mind, and even as I think about how to word it, my thoughts are interrupted by more things to do! So maybe I'll just make a list....

Go through each room and organize/get rid of things (finished two...)
Make plans with friends in the US to get together
Buy/Make gifts for people that we will see in the US
Teach Aneesah how to quilt, and help her finish it before we leave!
Shop for fabric for the center of Brad's quilt
Finish making Brad's & Marissa's quilts
Keep up with homeschool
Order Brandon's PreAlgebra book
Get an external hard drive for my Mac Mini and back up my computer
Organize some of my homeschool curriculum to take back to the US to sell second hand
Order/Organize from the local libraries in the US books that we will need for school when we get there
Shop for fabric/Sew authentic African dress outfits for Brad and possibly the fam
Possibly sew huge South African flag for WOL's Born Again to A Living Hope musical drama
Teach someone to do the admin for Jr. Youth at Church
Organize/print some Christian service projects for the youth to do while I'm away
Find a flip file that's missing
Pack
Take fam pics for Prayer Cards
Give Mya hair extensions

And all of this is in addition to keeping up with ministry and every day life! I would like to get as much of this done as possible before my niece, Stephanie, and Carly Evelyn arrive on June 17 for a month long mission trip! So, maybe now that I have a list of some of the things going through my mind I can get to work and stop having interrupted thoughts!!!!

Memory Verses

I've gotten behind on my memory verses, so I've been trying to work diligently this week! Here are my new memory verses:

We ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving diverse lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. Titus 3:3

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. Proverbs 9:10

A while ago I posted about a iPod/iPad app for memorizing verses, but I found it didn't work well for me. I decided to do some searching last week and found an app put out by Fighter Verses. I really like it! It has a reminder to help me to remember to work on my memory verse every day, and you can set your verse to pop up on the lock screen every time you turn on the iPod/iPad. You can add your own verse list, and put it in it's own topical list, so I was able to make a list of the verses I'm working on and a list for my children.

I only wish I could add the same verse more than once so that I could have a separate list for each of my children, even though they are working on memorizing the same verses. This way they could mark the verse memorized when one of them was finished studying it.

   

Memory Verse Update!

I'm trying to keep up on my memory verses for Jr. & Sr. Youth so that I can finish with them at the end of the year. This week I learned 2 Jr. Youth verses, but just can't seem to get the one for Sr. Youth. I'll keep trying!!
Acts 4:12
Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none under Heaven given among men whereby we must be saved.

Joshua 23:11
Take good heed therefore unto yourselves, that ye love the Lord your God.

Let me know if you're interested in memorizing verses with me! I'd love to have some accountability and support! :)

Baked Oatmeal

The original recipe was for 48, so I scaled it down to one rectangular baking dish. You could probably halve it and do a square one….

Servings: 12
Website: http://www.angelfire.com/bc/incredible/xSF1bakedoatmeal.htm

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Ingredients
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1 c. oil
1 1/2 c. sugar
4 eggs
6 c. oatmeal
1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. salt
2 c. milk

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Instructions
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In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar and oil. Stir in milk and
dry ingredients. Pour into 9x13 rectangular baking dish.
Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Next morning bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 30 to 40
minutes.
Serve with hot milk and cinnamon and sugar.

Friends & Coworkers

Mike, Fran, Bret & Rachel VanBruggen

We dropped our friends & coworkers off at the airport today. They are returning to the US for approximately 5 months to share with churches & individuals about all that God is doing here in South Africa. The VanBruggens have become a vital part of our team, and even more, a part of our family away from home. God has used them to strengthen the ministry of Word of Life in South Africa, and it wasn't easy to say goodbye, even for just a little while. Fran, I still swear that we're related somehow. ;) We'll miss you! Hurry home!!!

Struggling with Self-Discipline

This week I have had such good intentions with no desire to do much about it! I want to have the energy to run my home with efficiency and to exercise and eat right, but I just had no will power of my own. I have been exhausted physically due to recent activity in my life - all of which has been amazing! And I have been challenged by verses such as "She looks well to the ways of her household,And does not eat the bread of idleness" Prov 31:27, and "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God," 1 Cor. 10:31 and yet I continue to lack will power.... As I sat down to blog about this last night (and blogger was having technical issues) I was reminded of the following verses:

For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin. For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate. But if I do the very thing I do not want to do, I agree with the Law, confessing that the Law is good. So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me.

I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good. For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin.

Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.

Romans 7:14-8:1

These verses spoke for me so well! I am feeling encouraged today!

The Glory of my King

Do not claim honor in the presence of the king,
         And do not stand in the place of great men;
    For it is better that it be said to you, "Come up here,"
         Than for you to be placed lower in the presence of the 
          prince,
         Whom your eyes have seen. Proverbs 25:6-7


Help me, Lord, to focus my life on the glory of my King rather than to seek glory for myself. When I have a clear picture of who God is, it will lead me to true humility.

Holy, holy, holy!  Lord God Almighty!

Early in the morning our song shall rise to thee.

Holy, holy, holy!  Merciful and mighty,

God in three persons, blessed Trinity!

Holy, holy, holy!  All the saints adore thee,

casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea;

cherubim and seraphim falling down before thee,

which wert, and art, and evermore shalt be.

Holy, holy, holy!  Though the darkness hide thee,

though the eye of sinful man thy glory may not see,

only thou art holy; there is none beside thee,

perfect in power, in love and purity.

Holy, holy, holy!  Lord God Almighty!

All thy works shall praise thy name, in earth and sky and sea.

Holy, holy, holy!  Merciful and mighty,

God in three persons, blessed Trinity.