Merry Christmas!!

Well there has been so much going on here and still more to happen, that I though this would be a great time to catch y'all up :)

We have officially had the last day of school for the year (yea!!) and it was filled with parties and cookies and presents and all sorts of festivities. Titus had his birthday party for Jesus where he decorated cupcakes and blew out unlit candles (he is 5 after all).

Mia spent her last day painting (she was thrilled) and decorating cookies and having a wonderful last day with all her friends.

Emma watched a movie and decorated cookies and had fun with her dear friends one last time :(

Nolen ate cookies and got to have his little sis sit in class with him for awhile, thus convincing her to skip pre-k through 4th grade to go straight into Mrs. DeJongs 5th grade class. The littlest 5th grader, as we like to call her. She has Nolen and all the other 10 and 11 year -old boys wrapped around her pinky finger.

Scott had a great day and came home unable to see through all the gift bags and stuffed with all the end of the year fare. He spent the rest of the day Christmas shopping and helping to get the food gathered together for our church Christmas celebration on Sunday.

I went to class parties, subbed in Scott's class the last hour of the day, finished up most of our Christmas shopping and wrapping and took Titus to the wedding rehearsal where he is the ring-bear.

Can't wait for tomorrow :)

A hard lesson learned

This last month has been . . Lets's just say it's been eye-opening. I will back track.

Starting with the middle of September I have been sick. There have been a few days sprinkled in there of wellness, but few and far between.

And I have to say wellness with a loose translation, think Charlie Brown version of Much ado about Nothing and you will be close.

Moving on . . .

I have had 3 viruses and a bacterial sinus infection and now that I am recovered from those my body is the equivalent to Haiti in the aftermath. So now I am taking meds to recover some semblance of normalcy. Like being able to taste and smell, hear out of BOTH ears and not break out into a coughing fit at the drop of a hat. Oh, and I would love to stop "purring" as my husband calls it when I breathe. Yes, that would be nice.

Just so you don't quit reading and think this whole post is one big pity party I should probably move on (just remember this is the back track part).

I have had a lot of time to sip tea and think about what God is trying to get across to me, there has to be a point, right? I mean I'm not dead, Thus far and no farther. Like in Isaiah when The Assyrians destroyed, pillaged and plundered their way to Mt. Nob at the very edge of Isreal and God reminded them that they were merely an ax in his hand, but He wields the ax. All of this is just an ax in His hand and He is wielding it for a reason.

I realized that in the midst of the flurry of activity that is really my life I take a LOT for granted.

*Like all of my senses,

*that my husband will pick up the slack and stay out of the whirlwind when it's in motion, or get hurt.

*That doing is more important than time spent and

*that I have it all under control, all the hats are fitting and the plates are spinning beautifully

*Like sleep

Well I have realized that I was off. Way. Off.

I can now smell coffee and taste garlic. Have you ever realized how wonderful each taste and each smell are? I have relished each new pin prick that has come my way, THANKFULLY!

At one point I was so sick that Scott had to totally take over, Everything. And yes he was still working full time and coaching football. I am not the only one that can do my job. None of us are. It's a gift and I need to be thankful for it. He is an amazing husband and very patient with me and I need it. I need LOADS of patience.

It is a blessing to hug my children. Something I couldn't do for a couple days since I was so sick and contagious. At one point all I could do was sit on the couch and sip tea with them and listen since I couldn't talk at all. For days. So God taught me to listen and be thankful for them individually.

The hats fly off and the plates shatter, but that's good they are just a distraction when I should be thanking God for what I have and cherishing it while I do.

Sleep is just now rearing it's head in my life. I have been with out it for so long that I have been surprised by it's sneaking up on me. Today I woke up and said, "Scott! I didn't wake up in a coughing fit all night!" This was the first time in I don't know how long. I was so sleep deprived long before I was sick because I would take my time after everyone went to bed and finish everything up, getting me to bed way too late to be happy, healthy or productive the following day. God has brought me from square one, where I need even an hours sleep unhindered to a full night with a thankful heart.

The theme is thankfulness and it is what He calls us to be. Some of us are just more thickheaded than others and need to be given a harder taskmaster. Twice the bricks in 1/2 the time. Yowch.

Voila!

And just like that Fall is creeping on the scene and summer is behind us. Nolen, Emma and Mia are deep in the trenches and loving school. Ty has started pre-school and spends most of his days forgetting that it really is school and tells me how much he loves his new friends. Nolen is almost done with football and Scott with his first official year of coaching is thinking about next year already. Emma and Mia have figured out a system that works for piano practice and are loving it. Our house is all a flutter as we talk about think about and pray about the *new* baby. Nadia keeps telling us how she can't wait to see the baby because "it's so tinsy and tincy". The leaves are indeed changing on our street.

And with them I am reminded that there is a season for it all and each has it's own beauty and pain as well. The chill of winter with this thrill of parking your 4X4 on an embankment to "save the plowed spaced for the older people". The new life of Spring with the stark stinging winds. The sweet drip of Watermelon juice off the chin of summer and the biting pain of the first sunburn of the season. And the initial frustration of a full closet of Fall with tank tops hugging fleeces and cords to the fun of watching Single Wing while wrapped in fleece.

Lately I have been watching The Biggest Loser. The participants have eaten themselves to a place where their bodies are about to give out. They are sick and dying. The trainers are pulling them out of their graves and they are still complaining. How can someone in so much pain (overworked knees, backs, hearts, lungs) rebel so much while they are being helped? Sin is ugly. And it twists the reality that is there to the reality that we see. "Why do I have to give it up? It's not hurting anyone, right?" Wrong. When you are Christian you have been bought by too high a price to allow anything to come between you and your Savior.

A friend of mine recently contracted a case of Mersa. It went undetected. It grew. It flourished. By the time she went to the doctor there were no medications that would help, no iv antibiotics that would even touch it it had to be cut out completely. As soon as it was gone it was gone completely, no sign of it remained and the healing process was moving along faster than all thought possible.

This should be our response to sin in our lives. Repent. Run the other direction. Thank the Surgeon and leave the hospital. Is there a case of Mersa in your life? Repent and Voila!

Homemade yogurt, in the crock pot

I found this on www.passionatehomemaking.com and I am so going to try this :)

Edited on 10/5/09 to add: Since posting this I have also discovered that you can make raw yogurt on your counter top, without the use of a crock pot or yogurt maker. All you need is a starter and the super clear directions that come with it. Not only is it easier since you simply leave it on your counter top, but you also retain the benefits of the raw enzymes! You can find culture starters here.

I have tried other methods for making yogurt, but this is by far the easiest. I originally got this idea from Stephanie and use her basic recipe. Making your own yogurt is a frugal way to get some good probiotics into your family.

Here is the cost savings breakdown for us:

• Before: we would buy organic plain yogurt from Trader Joe’s: $3/quart
• Now: I make it out of our grass-fed raw milk from the farmer: $1.75/quart
• Savings = $1.25/quart x 2/week = savings of $2.50/week = savings of $130/year

Trader Joe’s is the cheapest organic yogurt you can find. The health food store sells it for $4.50/quart. For me, it is definitely worth the savings to do the five minutes of total work involved in making yogurt in the crock pot.

Crock Pot Yogurt

Recipe notes: This recipe uses a 2 quart crock. In using a 4 or 4 1/2 quart crock I found the yogurt to have a bit of a "springy" texture. I was able to alleviate this by heating the milk an additional 15 minutes for a total of 2 hours and 45 minutes.

• Turn your crock pot to low and pour in 1/2 gallon of milk.
• Heat on low for 2 hours and 30 minutes.
• Once 2 hours and 30 minutes have elapsed turn your crock pot off and unplug it. Let the milk cool in the crock with the lid on for 3 hours.
• After 3 hours remove 1-2 cups of the warmed milk and place in a bowl. To that add 1/2 cup of yogurt with live active cultures and mix very well.
• Pour the yogurt-milk mixture back into the milk and whisk thoroughly.
• Place the cover back on the crock and wrap the entire crock pot in a thick bath towel or two.
• Let it culture overnight, 8-12 hours.
• In the morning stir yogurt (if desired) and store in glass quart jars or a container of your choice.
• For optimum texture, refrigerate for at least 8 hours before using.

Non-marking soul

As I was helping Ty put his shoes on this morning I read the bottom of his shoe : Non marking sole. And I thought, " Wow, wouldn't it be horrible if we had the same type of label on us?" Let me explain...

When you weave in and out of your day and through the lines at the grocery store, latte stand and in and amongst your children and their friends what is the mark on them left by your soul? Do you leave the people you meet better than you found them, or is there no mark that you were there at all? Do you have a non marking soul? Or are you so filled with thankfulness that you leave a wave of smiles behind you? I went through a shy phase, worried that I would call someone by the wrong name that I never said a word to the children in my children's classes when I dropped mine off. Well, I decided that in the midst of my selfishness I had to stop. This is a golden opportunity to pour out the grace that has been poured into me. I want a marking soul. Now I throw out genuine "good to see you today"'s and hugs whenever I can. These children need to know they are a needed and wonderful part of the school around them.

The headmaster of their school greets every child that comes in with a "Good morning!" and he knows their names! My son did remind me that he does go home at night (good to know he doesn't think he lives at the school!). In the midst of changing and uncertain times for these children an adult that cares about them and wants them there can make a huge difference. Even the hug that you give your daughter's best friend can say more than you think. How about , "Good job making friends! She sure is a good choice!" Any extra amount of love poured in will yield great results.

We have great friends that my children have adopted at various stores that we frequent. A clerk at Costco that doesn't know the Lord will feel themselves pulled with a force unknown when a child freely speaking of their love of Jesus pours out an extra dose of love to them, completely unwarranted.

Even the full heart of your pastor after your children run up to him after the service to say, "thank you" and give him a big hug. It makes a big impact.

Call the people that help you by their names, they usually have name tags.

Be thankful, verbally.

Love your children's friends, especially if it's a friend well made. One that is a true friend to your child.

Pray for grace and for God to open up your eyes to opportunities every day for God to give you a marking soul.

Pray for a hurricane

Time to get uncomfortable. There is nowhere in the entire Bible where God says to his people whom He created and loves dearly, that he wants us to me nice and comfy-cozy. Or most importantly that in that state we would EVER be serving Him as we ought. The last few months have been swimming with the theme BE UNCOMFORTABLE . Each morning of my life i wake up with a plan in my brain of how I want the day to go and just as quickly that plan is ruined. By either my own lack of foresight or the sinners I live with. The goal is to wake up saying , "Ok, God! What's on the agenda for today. Make me ready!" and then move forward with a song in my heart.

I have slowly (how long have I been a Christian!?!?) been choosing to be uncomfortable to put what I believe on my feet.

Do I love Jesus? OK love widows and orphans. Find them, seek them out before they seek me. Be perceptive.

Do I love Jesus? Submit lovingly, thoughtfully and intelligently to my husband whom I WANT to lead me and to make the TOUGH choices for my family. And be thankful when he gets uncomfortable and does it. Even with the coaches who think it's manly to refer to the wife I just want to get away from.

Do I love Jesus enough to fill my coveted spare time intentionally serving Him? Make a call rather than make a cup of coffee. Go to a Bible study where I am stretched and encouraged to grow rather than staying in my comfy clothes at home.

Every time I get uncomfortable I am rewarded and right afterwards I forget and am reluctant to do it again. The flesh is weak and the memory is weaker. We are called on again and again in the Old Testament to remember the good that God has done and to tell our children. God is faithful to hold us and sustain us even in the hurricane.

Pray for a hurricane. Sometimes we need it more than calm.

Commencement, Calling and Courage by Scott Welch

Here is the amazing commencement address given for the 5 young men graduating from the River Academy in 2010 by my wonderful husband. Ponder and enjoy :)

Today I want to talk about words. Language is a funny thing. The English language started somewhere between Germany and Rome. It visited the land of the Anglo-Saxons and eventually made its way to the British Isles. It has seen its battles and has its wounds and scars. And though, like real life, the evolution of language never breaks the species barrier…it does evolve. One of the things that we have seen even during our lifetimes is how words lose and change their meaning. How about couple examples…Ladies, have you ever gotten a permanent? Where is it now? Have you ever seen a jumbo shrimp?

Words change.

Being somewhat of a language buff myself. I never like to see the old, good words disappear to make way for words like: Pwned, schooled, punked, wikied, googled. So today I would like to talk about 3 very important words that have lost their meaning. Three words that I believe need to be remembered, three words that I think need to be remembered specifically by men. On that note, we have five young men graduating today. This speech was written with that in mind. So…three words.

Commencement, Calling, and Courage:

1) Commencement – In the dictionary, Graduation and Commencement are Synonyms. Strangely enough, they mean the exact opposite of one another. Graduation means to complete a course of study and to be given a diploma. But commencement means to begin something. Literally, today is the beginning of the rest of your life. You have been told where to go and what to do for the last 18 years, though with increasing freedom and responsibility over the years. But now you can choose where to go and what to do with your life. Of course, being wise young men, you get direction from your parents, and the godly people in your life, but you are in charge of your own life now.

Which leads me to my next word…

2) Calling - Here is the question that too few men are ever asked. It is this question…What is going to be the guiding principle for the rest of your life? Will it be the search for the American Dream? Lots of money, a nice car, big screen TV. Or will you use this new beginning to plan how you are going to best impact the Kingdom of God? This world needs young men like you. Young men that have been educated well, raised well by their parents, have a good head on their shoulders, who care about the needs of others.

We need you guys to be the leaders of other men. We need more men who are more concerned about their relationship with God, than they are about how cute they look in girl pants. Men who will step up, man up, and live lives that advance the Kingdom in a mighty way. My encouragement to you is this: Use this day, this day of commencement, to plan how you can be leaders in the Kingdom of God in such a way the other men follow you. Whether you become a Doctor, Director of Human Affairs, Hydro-mechanic, Electrician, Teacher, or whatever else you do, you can, like each of your fathers have, use your calling to give honor to God and be a leader.

Everyone dies, No getting around that. And on that day everyone will look back on the days of their lives and ask…did I waste it? Men, choose today to live the sort of life that you will be able to, like Paul, say to Timothy say, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” And then Dan, Connor, Andrew, Troy, and Nate, then, there is laid up for you, like there was for Paul, a crown of righteousness.

So now for our last word whose meaning has been lost…Courage.

3.Courage – We live safe lives in the 21^st Century. We are careful not to rock the boat. We are leery of pushing buttons. We are careful not to exhort one another or they might be offended. Men, We need to stop being safe. Being a Christian must be risky or it isn’t being a Christian. We need to be reckless with how we serve the body of Christ. Do not be fooled…A life truly lived for the glory of God will be a life of sacrifice and persecution and courage. The world needs men like you, but at the same time, the world never stands for men like you. Ask Jesus, “In this world you will have persecution, but be of good cheer for I have overcome the world. Paul was beaten, stoned, left for dead, chased, and ultimately killed for Christ. In the book of Acts, Stephen preached one of the greatest sermons ever preached and was stoned to death. And Jesus stood to receive him. That is a life of courage. I don’t expect that will happen to any of you in modern America. But live in such a way that no one would be surprised if it did. Live in such a way that, like Paul, you see your life as Christ and your death is gain. And that takes courage.

I want to finish with a few words to each of you as you are sent out into the world:

Dan, how it is possible that you are 6 feet tall and still the shortest in your class, I don’t understand. But, at least you’re taller than me, that probably worth something. You always play at about 110%. I love that about you. And you know what, Dan, you might not have won all the awards and scholarships, but I tell you this…you are honestly one of the hardest working young men I have ever met. And I mean that. You’ve succeeded at times when mortal men would have accepted failure. And you have lived up to the Aumell name. And that is a great accomplishment.

Troy, I never got a chance to play you in tennis, so we can just assume that I probably would have won. The fact that people say I look like Andre Agassi might have helped me. Since I have known you, you have always been wise beyond your years, except maybe the Pokémon stage of your life. You were always the quiet one. But videos have been leaked to prove that you are not always as reserved as you seem. Your parents have raised you to be a Godly young man, and I know you make them proud.

Nathan, my expert witness and pre-trial attorney. Being the youngest in the class, you had a lot to live up to. You have grown a lot over the last couple years, spiritually and physically, and you have brought something needed to your class. Your views on church got me thinking but your views on how many analogies to put in one paper…not so much. Don’t despise your own youth, you have plenty of time to get life all figured out. And when you get life all figured out, please tell the rest of us.

Andrew, I have gotten a lot out of our time playing rugby. Especially the black eye and the busted jaw. But on top of that, you are one of the most accomplished young men I know. You always bring your A Game … in more than just rugby, but no one ever knows because you are of the most humble young me I know. You came to my son’s football game to cheer him on. He will never forget that. But more than that…you have had that impact on tons of kids at The River Academy. You are a man among men and I hope the young men left at the high school were paying attention to your example.

Connor, A lot of girls are very sad today that you are graduating. Of course I am talking about the 3^rd grade girls at the River Academy. Your sense of humor has made this last year such a hoot. You are a leader and everyone knows it. You care about other people and make a point of making sure everyone is included. The first Walsh to graduate. I am sure your mom is out in the crowd crying right now. But they are happy tears. Cause she and your father have raised you well.

Class of 2010, Men. You boys are a breath of fresh air. I can’t tell you how proud I am of you guys. Congratulations.