Lack Of Faith Or Common Sense?

Recently we are in a dilemma with my daughter and her knee. She is planning on going to Peru for a missions trip in April. She is 15 and so excited about it! Problem is she hurt her knee. She had an X-ray and a MRI done. We are waiting for results as the mission trip for her hinges on them.

So my struggle is always the same. Are the hurdles a sign that she should not go... or Satan just attacking? Am I to look at them as a growing opportunity for my faith or an opportunity to use my common sense?

On and on my mind goes. I could analyze forever, but that is not biblical. One of my many weaknesses is NOT being able to take that step of faith unless I can see the light shining on it! Anyone else like that? Can I get an "Amen"? It is not the way God intended for us to walk with Him. I know that He did not tell Abram exactly how he would travel to where He intended him to go. And did Abram say, Um...can ya let me know the route so I feel better inside about this trip. If I know where I am going, I will be able to be more obedient. " NO! He just went.

I need faith and obedience like that.

Finally Talking!

I have been a bit worried about my 2 year old, he was not really talking. Well, has that changed. Everyday there is a new word he is saying to us all! I even can get him to count! He will do almost every other number. Couldn't believe that one. My favorite is:

Walks up to me and says, "Mama, Mama, Mama?"

"What, baby?"

"What you doin'?"

Melts my heart! I know that in a few months I will be telling him to "hush!" But for now..as it is blooming, I am enjoying every word.

Why Do People Mock?

I get upset when people have to be so mocking. I see it quite often on Facebook. I am not sure the rhyme or reason for it, and I usually keep my mouth/fingers shut. Sometimes it is just too much for me, and I have to "zing" back. There is always some status going around that says something to effect of "If you love your mom and think she is the best in the whole world, copy and paste this to your status." Ok, is there any harm in this? If you don't want to, guess what??? YOU DON'T HAVE TO! There are many different kinds from..."If you know an idiot..." to "If you have lost a baby..." People are not FORCED to copy and paste anything they don't want to. If you don't like reading the things that the people YOU "friended" on Facebook write, than de-friend them! Don't mock them. I think some people just need to make other people feel smaller so they can feel bigger. It is sad.

Are We Having Fun Yet?

Everyone in my household is enduring some level of sickness. I am going on two weeks with mine. I was the last to the doctor's for antibiotics...can't hear..sinus infection. The 9 year old, and 2 year old have been medicated and on the way out of this. My 15 year old and hubs are in the beginning. And as a side note, the hubs is OFFICIALLY sick now..and surprise, surprise...the "magical cough syrup" did not HEAL him.

EVERYONE is SICK of:
Hearing me saying: What did you say?
Listening to my 2 year old scream constantly from his first prednisone "high"
Listening to the blow-by-blow report of every step of my 9 year old's video game character
Listening to the "SNUFFING" of my 15 year old's nose
Listening to the "disbelief" of my hubs that he is sick AND the 2 year old is still screaming!



So....are we having fun yet???

YES WE ARE!!!

eHow Again

I have not written an article on eHowfor a few months now...maybe even since spring. I don't know why I neglect THAT but make sure my farm is taken care of on Facebook. My farm isn't making me any money, not even a penny. eHow, on the other hand, has consistently earned me between $25 to $30 a month since mid year. One of my articles has earned almost $50 on its own.

It works, eHow really works and I would be foolish to keep neglecting it. Depending on the article, it only takes a few minutes to put an article up. ..not including the hunt for pictures.

I highly recommend to anyone who is looking for a way to make some residual income. I think the most consumption of my time is the networking you should do. Reading articles by your "friends" on eHow, commenting, rating the article, and then recommending the member. I am going to start doing about 10 a night. When they see you have looked at and commented on their articles, they will return the favor. There is a definite relationship between how many people are looking at your articles and the and my monthly amount. The more articles I am reading, rating and recommending, the more times MY articles get the same treatment and the greater the increase in my monthly check! I have 38 articles right now. Imagine if I had 100 or more and let's say I continue to average $25 for every 38 articles ( it sooo doesn't work that way..but let's just pretend for minute). I could be making close to $100 a month! I like that. Income rolling in and I am not doing much work or the work I am doing is something I like anyways...telling people what to do! What could be better?

My Husband Found A Cure For Sickness!

If you have not realized this by now, I am very sarcastic. My pastor always is saying to me, "Tonya, it isn't WHAT you say, it is HOW you say it!"

We are all being hit with a nasty virus that I started out with. Sore throat, stuffy nose, then runny nose and coughing..coughing..coughing! Unfortunately, my 2 year old got this and has had extremely high fevers along with an unending cough that always puts a chill through a mother's heart. My 9 year old has Asthma, ( I think my 2 year old does as well, but not as bad, yet) and of course it went right to his chest. My daughter and hubby have been able to fend this off. I am on my second week of it due to a sinus infection that I JUST today got some antibiotics for...woo hoo!..I will be able to hear again and have balance!

So on to the CURE!

My hubs has some cough medicine his doctor gave him a while ago. Now this cough medicine has codeine in it! I KNOW it was given to him because he was coughing a lot and the codeine is meant to knock you out so you can get some rest from the annoying coughing. The "cough syrup" part is either an expectorant or suppressant..or both. Well, he thinks he is getting this, so he informs me he is going to take his medicine. I tell him, in probably NOT the nicest tone, that he needs to take it when he is coughing like his 2 year old and is turning purple trying to stop.

But men are like teenagers sometimes...they think they know everything.

He came home from work. I heard him cough softly once. The next thing I know, my 9 year old is in the bedroom tattling on daddy! "Dad took a big swig from the BOTTLE, mom, the BOTTLE!"

"Oh Dear, can I talk to you? Did you take that medicine?"

"Yeah, it will knock this right out of me"

"Knock what out of you..you coughed once! You need to take it when you are repeatedly having coughing fits! You have coughed once."

"Honey, I coughed so hard on the way home, I gagged!"

"Well, dear, that could have been from the cold air outside or the warm air you had blowing on you in the car. You have only coughed once here."

"Well, I know my body and this will knock it out of me."


"But the cough syrup is NOT a cure..it doesn't cure the sickness! It is only for coughing and sleeping! How much did you take?"

"A teaspoon."

"You did not! You drank out of the bottle!"

"Well I know how much needs to go in my mouth...."

Ok, hand went up as I interrupted and said "OH GIVE ME A BREAK!" and went to bed!

Men....I know God gave them to us...now how to live with them!

Homeschooling Parents Arrested For Endangering The Welfare Of Their Children

Yes, you read that correctly. This is a horrible, true event that is not at the end yet.

This family, who I know very well, are good Christian parents who homeschool 4 boys. They were arrested this past Monday for not registering their children with the school district. The charges were: endangering the welfare of a child. Come on!!!!! I want someone on the face of this planet to explain to me how not filing a piece of paper endangers the welfare of a child!!
For more detailed information please go to this link: Home Schooling Couple Arrested

As I said, I know this family and KNOW that she has been homeschooling them and MORE (they have a farm) for the whole 7 years in question. I would even understand the endangerment charged if they DIDN'T homeschool their children for the past 7 years because of the need for some education for anyone to succeed. But that is NOT the case here. Matter of fact, we use the same curriculum!

My husband was in his car listening to the Rush Limbaugh show when it was announced! The Rush Limbaugh show! We are talking about a tiny community here and it was on a national radio show. Next he heard it on Fox News. I was horrified for them.

HSDLA -The Home School Legal Defense Association heard...HEARD about this and contacted the family. Check this article out on what they are saying: Attorney For Home School Couple Says Arrest Was Unnecessary and Highly Unusual

How did this all start? Some nosey person saw the kids outside during school hours and called Child Protective Services. These parent's pictures...were splattered all over the T.V. and through every paper were article after article of half truths. The sheriff who arrested them made the statement "The boys were very polite and seemed somewhat educated." Who made him judge over who is educated and who isn't? Now ready for the clincher? They were approached prior to the arrest with the problem of non-regisgtration. The investigator came in and made statements to the newspapers that there was hardly any sign of homeschooling. But according to the family, they tried to show him and he said he didn't need to see it. HUH? Child Protective Services helped them and got the kids registered and the curriculum sent in to the school. So the problem solved! Nope..they arrested them later and the investigator even said that they were going to make examples out of them. The father was told of a radio show talking about all of this and he called in. Here are more details with a link to the radio interview at the end: Home School Dad Speaks Out About Arrest

So the county wanted to make an example out of them. I feel, that God will be glorified in this, this family will be lifted up. The outpouring of support is overwhelming and it is just getting bigger and bigger. This story is spreading and spreading, and it needs to. Who is going to be next? The government, despite what they think, do not own our children. God gave them to us. the parents. Please do not take my words as I don't care about the REALLY abused children. I am thankful that there is an agency to step in and protect, but this is NOT the case. And as with all things, it seems, the government goes too overboard and too far in every situation.

Please pray for this family and I will keep you all updated as to how this is progressing.