Gracie Update

Thank you to those who prayed for Gracie. She had her GI test yesterday in Burlington. Preliminarily, everything "looks normal for her". The doctor said the reason for the slow emptying of her stomach is probably because she has more "loops" than a normal person does. Of course, this is part of her abnormal anatomy and the corrections the surgeries have made. Did y'all see the catholic vote video? If you haven't, watch it-trust me, it IS good. It really puts things into perspective. http://www.catholicvote.com/
I woke up this morning and Abbs walked out of the home office. I was like what are you doing home. First, I thought she must have a migraine, but she didn't look ill. Come to find out, Scout had gotten out and she had to corral him and ended up being too late. That darned electric fence! Well, thankfully, he didn't make it far. We were surprised he even initiated a bust on his own (we separated them and put dixie in a stall in another area and they've been whinnying for each other frantically ever since-sounds like the movie Spirit around here-lol). But, anyway, an extra blessing today, Abbey is home with me and the littles. This makes me happy!
This is kinda funny. Here's the deal, we rarely ever have anything new. You know how it is, trying to make your way on a little. Buying used and keeping for decades. Well, we don't watch a lot of tv, but we do watch movies and the news. Our tv was just about gone! All the connections were worn out and if you wanted to watch a movie you had to literally jiggle the av plug to get the picture and fiddle incessantly with converter to get any sound. It was so frustrating. I have been begging Chris to get a new tv. So, our church gave us a modest monetary gift for Pastor appreciation last week. With that, we bought a tv. It is so great-I love it! It is a rather small one compared to what other people have but I am just enthralled with how thin it is. It is light as a feather and hardly takes up any room. I am now just laughing at our computer which is like a mile deep-it just goes on and on. We really need a new computer but that will probably not be happening any time soon. We try to do everything on this old job. Chris's sermons and studies, the kids schoolwork, research and essays, my computer work. We are doing good if it doesn't shut down on us while we are using it. It has a mind of it's own-lol. But, it is amazing what is out there. Technology is truely amAZing-to me!
Hey, another thought. Adam and Jesse were in class the other day when their teacher mentioned a 'yield sign'. So, my question to you is..."What color is a yield sign? Don't look it up, just answer what you think/know/believe. I'll give you the story next time!
~Lindy

Teaching Reading, Lisping Lips and Almighty God

Do y'all like teaching reading? It is not my favorite thing to do, truth be told, but, it is so rewarding when they 'get it' and start kinda rollin' on their own, with guidance. This is Liberty's year to learn to read. With the others I started at 5 but with her (kinda by default cuz i had so many to teach) I waited until she was 6. I am here to say that, in her case, I am thrilled. Once she crossed the 'phonics threshold' it has been so much easier. I love it- She talks with a little lisp (she would say 'lithp' lol) and she's reading along with her little sweet voice. I have used Rod and Staff to teach all my children to read and I am so happy to say that, so far, each of my children's first officially 'read' word was 'God'. After that first word, within a few days they are reading the story of creation. For the sixth time I am hearing these same words coming out of one of my children's mouths. "God" "God made light." "God made the light." "He made the sky." You know, I have thought about what is the most important thing to begin to teach a new Christian and it seems to me that the most important thing you could give them would be a high view of God. The same is true, in my opinion, about my children. If I can give them anything, I want to give them a high view of God. A humble place from which they can learn all the other truths that surround Him and His plan. "Our God is in heaven, He does as He pleases." As Pastor Chris Agee has said many times "If you didn't exist, what does it mean?" (in response to the thinking about God's truths "what does this mean to you?"). May my kids never presume to 'shake a fist at God'. May they always bow a humble head and raise an expectant face...

Liberty Ann

~Blessings,
Lindy