I tried to put it in words but, it was already done for me.

How deep the Father's Love for us

by Stuart Townsend

Lyrics:
How deep the Father's love for us,

How vast beyond all measure

That He should give His only Son

To make a wretch His treasure

How great the pain of searing loss,

The Father turns His face away

As wounds which mar the chosen One,

Bring many sons to glory

Behold the Man upon a cross,

My sin upon His shoulders

Ashamed I hear my mocking voice,

Call out among the scoffers

It was my sin that held Him there

Until it was accomplished

His dying breath has brought me life

I know that it is finished

I will not boast in anything

No gifts, no power, no wisdom

But I will boast in Jesus Christ

His death and resurrection

Why should I gain from His reward?

I cannot give an answer

But this I know with all my heart

His wounds have paid my ransom

A Lovely Day

Today we participated in an Asthma walk a thon for Cookie. It was a wonderful day rain and all. Our team won the prize for Best Team T-Shirt. And of course, the day did not end with out Noahkeem walking through puddles, stepping in mud and tripping down the hill. He always makes me smile and reminds me that he is definately 3.

The Father's Love

All that really matters is to be utterly convinced and certain of the Father's Love for us.

It all started with a question about New York

Cookie asked me what I liked the most about New York City and I told her the tall buildings. But I also miss the buzz and the energy of the City. I miss driving down the Henry Hudson and zipping over to River Side Drive. I miss taking "short cuts" to get to the GWB only to find out they turned out to be long cuts. I miss the sound of my shoes hitting the concrete, taking me where I want to go when a cab would have gotten me there in half the time. I miss the sounds of horns blaring in the air. And the people.

Pre-Kids we used to go to a Starbucks in Times Square. Probably the biggest one I have ever been in and of course always crowded. There one evening I discovered chocolate covered blueberries and chocolate covered espresso beans. So I did what any latte lovin' person would do. I bought several boxes and rationed them out to the ones I loved.

Getting to the City now is a several hundred mile jaunt. The traffic that surrounds me now is a tad bit different. One thing is yet the same, the majesty of God is in the Metropolis as it is in the Country. His mercy still endures to all generations. He loves all people, everywhere. Whether they are black or white, rich or poor, lost or found, male or female. His love is never quenched by idiosyncrasies that keep people separated. Nothing we do or say will change how He feels about us. Nothing anyone says, will change the way He feels about us. And I think that is down right awesome! God loves us through and through! And no one can take that away from you!

I rest that I am in the palm of His Hand. Isaiah 49:15-17, "Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb?Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you. 16Behold I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me." He has not forgotten us. "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an end. They are new every morning great is Thy faithfulness". Lamentations 3:22-23.

Mental Health Day

Today started off as "Lets watch family home videos day" because it was raining. When the kids went upstairs to get dressed, I shut down the home theater. Noahkeem has been using the potty today... Thank God. And he only had one accident - Thank God again. I hope this is the beginning of something beautiful... Something beautiful as in having one child in diapers/pull ups. This potty train (the whole ride and act of potty training) has been a work in progress and regress. Since March. I am tired of hearing the do's and dont's of potty training.. The best thing to do is to do it when the child is ready, when you're ready and when you have the patience and block of time to do it all.

By the Way.. I thought Isabelle had bitten the dust (Isabelle the newest hermit crab) but, she is still alive and crabbin. Yet each time one dies, I think, "That's it, no more Hermit Crabs". But I always end up getting another. I now want to don the play room with a fish tank. It will give the kidderinos something else to watch besides the TV.

And finally, Dolly is officially a member of the "Lets raid the pantry before mom gets downstairs" team. She initiated herself by helping herself to the last of the marshmallows.

September 11th

7 years ago I called big D at work to make sure he was okay... He worked in Manhattan. As I was talking to him an air plane (plane#2) went across the television screen and slammed into the 2nd tower of the World Trade Center... I just gasped in horror.. The post office closed early. Children were dismissed from schools early, Grocery stores were empty. The George Washington Bridge was shut down... and a ride to Manhattan that easily took 20 minutes turned into an 8 hour ordeal for my husband to get home. For days to come all eyes were glued to the television.

I remember the somberness days after. We ate in a restaurant in Ridgewood NJ and there were posters of Missing Persons.... in my heart and probably in the heart of their loved ones they knew they were not missing... Standing on a pier across the Hudson River I witnessed the smoke smoldering for weeks.

I can't begin to convey the fear/concern for my husbands safety of boarding buses and going through tunnels to get to and from work after 9/11---- There are no safety measures for buses - thus they are easy targets for suicide bombers and their are no safety measures for tunnels.. After leaving the New York Metro area 5 1/2 years ago, I realized how far removed many people I met felt from the events of 9/11. I couldn't seem to shake the feeling of loss that my former community experienced. I couldn't stop thinking of the many lives that were snuffed out and whether or not they had time to whisper a prayer. I thought about The World Trade Center Marriott...where I stayed a few years prior on my wedding night. I couldn't help but think that so many people were caught unaware and forced into eternity. Employees, Guests, People sleeping, swimming, eating, taking showers, having meetings etc.. All caught off guard.

Several weeks later I went to Manhattan and visited a memorial that was erected at a church near Ground Zero. The iron gates were saturated with flowers, pictures, candles, posters, and pictures drawn by young and old alike.



There were of course people who used this situation for publicity.. making false calls to 911 personnel and stating that they were caught under the rubble and weren't. How sick can you get? Of course there were people who blamed George Bush and other political leaders for this atrocity. How dare they?


Over the last seven years since 9/11 one thing I do know for sure is that I have been safe. There have been no bullets whizzing over my head or my house at night. I have clean drinking water. I don't have to look over my shoulder when I go to my house of worship. Although living under the threat of terrorist, I have been kept safe. And I am thankful to all who are in leadership in this country who are vigilant and those who are active military who fight for our freedom. Because Freedom is never free. May God Bless America today and always.

Check them out!!!!

Please Check out Rocco and Cookies Blog. They have only worked on it twice since starting it but plan to keep it up. http://thekidsartstudio.blogspot.com.

Rudolph

Rudolph the Red Nosed reindeer

Had a very shiny nose.

And if you ever saw it, you would even say it glows.

All of the other reindeer used to laugh and call him names.

They never let poor Rudolph join in any reindeer games.

Then one foggy Christmas Eve, Santa came to say, Rudolph with your nose so bright, won't you guide my sleigh tonight.... Then how the reindeer loved him and they shouted out with glee.......

Isn't it sad how people who are different get ridiculed and called names, gossipped about under the guise of intercession and ostracized because they are different or have problems? Then here comes Jesus who recognizes the individual we deem different, a nerd,a skank or the like and says, "You are beautiful, could you lead my people?". Just as Santa asked Rudolph to guide his sleigh.

And could someone tell me why is it that when the hideous odd ball is recognized by Jesus or someone we feel is important or more perfect than ourselves, we then love the odd ball or at least pretend we do? What was it about Santa picking Rudolph that made all the reindeer love him when 5 minutes before that they were cracking down on him for having a big red schnoz?

How many people have we judged, laughed at, talked about until we find out they are not so different than ourselves or they are playing for the same team that we are on? Are we that perfect, flawless, superior and intellectual that we have a free pass to disregard someone who is different than us? Do we ever think that the same God who is love with us is in love with them? Or are we blinded by our disgust at those who are less fortunate, less educated, more emotionally distressed than ourselves that we cant even think along these lines? Jesus put it this way, Whatever we do to the least of these, we have done it unto Him.

Its all school!

Sometimes home school is just stopping and addressing issues of the heart. Walking out all that you heard in Sunday Morning Service and trying God to see if He is real. We put the text books down. We talked, hugged, and cleaned 1 safety hazard--- I mean bedroom today. But what was learned? Dependence on God- the one who created us. Forgiveness, Compassion, Dependence on others who may have tools that we need to get a job done, cooperation,---Things that you just don't get from well meaning cartoon characters who try to convey in humanistic stories of courage void of God but filled with all of the encouragement to believe in yourself and not the one who gives you breath.

One thing I have learned is that in my weakness He is strong- His strength is made perfect just as His Word promises.

The day is over and the kids are singing worship songs, and other diddies, dancing, and playing on bongos as loud as the can. Packing popcorn is strewn all over the living room floor and hallway and I have a strong inclination to stop blogging and join in all the festivities.

Its that time of year again!

I am happy to say-if I haven't already that we started school in August and will ease into Language Arts this month. This school year and many to come, always remember that your school is not going to look like your friends or strangers for that matter. Your school will look like the way you design it given your children and their learning styles. Your school will reflect your values and as much or little of God as you let in. I can't help to say that in our quest to teach and make sure our children have the best curriculum there is to offer what is gonna last forever is God's Word in their hearts. It's so easy to put Academics first and let Gods word fall by the way side. Don't get me wrong academics are important. Gods Word and knowing Him is also important and shouldn't be neglected. It's not the Sunday School teachers job or the Youth Pastors job to teach Godly principles to our children. (See Deuteronomy).
I don't think we need anything elaborate to teach God's word to our children. God is so creative that if you ask Him how to demonstrate His Word and make it come alive for your children, He will give you ideas and the words to say.

My prayer is that your home school be blessed with the pursuit of the knowledge of Him. May both you and your children seek God with all your heart. May we quote scripture with the same passion that we quote our favorite lines from movies, tell our favorite jokes, and sing our favorite songs.

God wants to strengthen you as you fulfill the call of homeschooling this year. Isn't it wonderful to know that He cares about every detail regarding our homeschooling year? Isn't it awesome that He wants to bear the brunt of what you take on or let weigh on your shoulders? He told us to cast all of our cares upon Him because, He cares for us. He's not mad at us, Hes Mad about us!

Take care to cast your cares on Him this School Year! Be Blessed.