the cabin...

wanting to invest in a piece of property that our family could enjoy - bigs and littles - we found this charming little place on 7 acres on the Methow. It is just too peaceful for words... and a delightful tubin' trip down to Papa's cabin too! Worst part is our very UNWANTED guests that we can't seem to rid the place of. Maybe that's why they sold?
Overall though - the memories that we have in the Methow over all the years and now to think that we own a little piece gives us gratitude once again of our Heavenly Father's outpouring upon us!


<

Watching God work His purpose in our adult children's lives...

God's goodness & faithfulness are so evident in our oldest one's life! Danielle began a small preschool out of her home last year, and now this school year is also running another one in town. God's fruit of patience is incredible in her! With 2 little princesses 14 months apart - Danielle is continually on the go! I pray He continues to give her all the strength, joy, and peace she needs! He is her strength!

Grace is 14!

Where did the years go? Just a moment ago I remember walking into a very small community hospital in SanClemente - peering thru the crack in the curtain window - KNOWING that this little princess in the plastic bed was our daughter! The joy and excitement are indescribable! To ponder God's full purpose is in her life brings me to more excitement over His gift to us in her... His Grace is Amazing!

IF YOU GIVE A MOM A MUFFIN…

Just had to share this from another friend's blog since I have the VIVID illustrations to go with it...some 25 years plus with how many more to go??? ... better start scrapbooking!

IF YOU GIVE A MOM A MUFFIN…

If you give a mom a muffin,
She’ll want a cup of coffee to go with it.
She’ll pour herself some.
Her three-year-old will spill the coffee.
She’ll wipe it up.
Wiping the floor, she’ll find dirty socks.
She’ll remember she has to do laundry.
When she puts the laundry in the washer,
She’ll trip over boots and bump into the freezer.
Bumping into the freezer will remind her she has to plan for supper.
She will get out a pound of hamburger.
She’ll look for her cookbook (”101 Things To Do With a Pound of Hamburger”).
The cookbook is sitting under a pile of mail.
She will see the phone bill, which is due tomorrow.
She will look for her checkbook.
The check book is in her purse that is being dumped out by her two-year-old.
She’ll smell something funny.
She’ll change the two year old’s diaper.
While she is changing the diaper, the phone will ring.
Her five-year-old will answer and hang up.
She’ll remember she wants to phone a friend for coffee.
Thinking of coffee will remind her that she was going to have a cup.
And chances are…
If she has a cup of coffee,
Her kids will have eaten the muffin that went with it.

by Kathy Fictorie

HE IS A GREAT GOOD GOD - no matter what!

I've been struggling with the "bounty" we've been living in and wondering when will life go down again since the metals market is like that & familiar to what I've watched all my life in the scrap business.

My insight this AM is was spurred by Beth Moore's Stepping Up study:
when I felt secure I said, I will never be shaken, O Lord, when You favored ME, You made MY mountain stand firm, but when You hid Your face, I was dismayed. (Ps. 30:6-7)
Beth says on page 69 of the workbook, David was the first to ascribe his prosperity to the Lord, but somewhere along the way he mistakenly placed his security in the blessing of God rather than God Himself. We often know enough not to ascribe our security to carnal, worldy things. Our greater and slyer temptation is to place our security in the blessings we readily credit to the Lord.

In my questioning over these bounty years I've declared - I want to be content in Christ like a marriage - in richer for poorer. I know what it was like to have $2 in my checking and hope that the $22 check for the phone bill didn't clear.

Beth goes on to say, Even if our security is in something God has given us - our gifts, talents, loved ones,...consistent victory, passion for His Word - our seemingly secure mountain ultimately will fall into the sea. ... If our trust is in manifestations of God's favor rather than God Himself, we will crumble like dry clay when He calls us to walk a distance of our journeys entirely by faith and not by sight.... Mountain-like security only comes from trusting God, not what He's done for us or given us, however glorious and eternal those things may be... The difference between trusting God and trusting what God has done is fine line we can easily trip over... unknowingly let our security slip from God Himself to His manifest favor.

Being apart of a "word faith" church in the 80's, in the "name it and claim it" or you just don't have enough faith, I'm cautious to proclaim the blessings of God. I think I just got a grasp on what I am to proclaim!
I TRUST GOD! HE IS GOOD! MY SECURITY IS IN MY STRONG GOD!

In this economic shaking, we experienced scrap prices going from the highest they'd ever been to not even being able to sell-to the present stable again - how can I not praise my Good God! But when bad things happen to God's people and I want to question God? Is He still the same - yesterday, today and forever? If I end up with cancer - is my God still the Good God that I proclaim Him to be? Do we boast in our God when things in our life are difficult or can we say with security - I will not be shaken! ... that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent! O Lord, my God, I will give thanks to You forever! (Ps. 30:6 & 11-12)

Family Pictures

THE BOYS

THE GIRLS

THE SCRAP





What a precious time with our family! Stephanie was awesome and patient and the perfect photographer for our family!
http://stephaniestremlerphotography.blogspot.com/2009/07/dan-cris-family-session.html

Our WA homeschool privilege...

I've been getting those concerned questions about homeschooling as I do at the end of each year with parents considering the fall. Just like schools, we MUST plan ahead as we make decisions about our childrens' futures. I ponder and go back and forth in our own homeschool convictions. I realize more nowadays how unique each child is and what each one needs, wants, and requires.
So I thought I'd post some current thoughts.

High School - I've seen this lovely lady speak at conventions. She sums up my heart in just this little YouTube video & her 5 points listed underneath. I enjoy her blog too! Her most recent "Never Compare" is so timely!http://www.thehomescholar.com/5mistakessignup.php

Homeschool/ home-based instruction vs. Alternative Learning Experience Implementation Standards
After 1 yr. in our local parent partnership - I can now have an opinion:
We were off-site with 1 child and on-site with 2 - one took 3 classes the 2nd semester, and the other quit classes after the 1st semester. We had excellent homeschool moms as teachers of the classes the boys took. We chose them for that reason! Our son who took the 3 classes has some friends he really enjoyed while there.

A student's status in the district changes once enrolled in a parent-partnership and are no longer considered BY THE STATE OF WA - homeschooled/home-based. If you were to take a class like band or choir you file the same enrollment form with them. There are other forms with our PPP, though I signed one (which I think may have changed now,) saying we homeschool 99% - it gave me home-based freedoms and we were not subjected to testing ie WASL, but children are enrolled in the school district. Parents are listed as the primary teacher and you set up a yearly Student Learning Plan including learning goals and books/materials used for each child's year of school. Then monthly you report your child's progress in each of those classes you are teaching, affirm that hours spent learning both on-site and off-site were met. Weekly you are under the direct supervision of a certificated teacher for each child and the individual weekly contact method that you 'surrender' to. You must meet these requirements in order to receive state funds. Those monies were appreciated but here is where my opinion becomes just that. Freedom comes at a cost. Though we pay almost $40,000 in property taxes - could I be effecting the outcome of homeschooling and it's future in the state of WA? Maybe this will have no effect to the overall changes that our SPI may have in mind. But I am reminded that we are so blessed to have the freedoms we do in our state.

For us - I am glad to be "free" once again.