The Sportsman by Eli

The following was written by my son Eli (a senior in high school) for his English class.............
You did an awesome job on this poem Kid!!

 

FOR MY PEOPLE

ELI B

PERIOD 2- ENGLISH

11/4/13

 

For my people everywhere hunting and fishing

This is not a sport for some, it is a lifestyle.

From the beginning of time to the end of days,

There will always be the sportsman.

 

For the bow hunter that once roamed the land

The skill was attained by the user.

This was quickly turned into a sport for some

This we call the sportsman.

 

For the man with the Winchester which brought great destruction.

Others used it in a different way.

The way of the modern sportsman

This brought new light in spite of the destruction.

 

For the father teaching his children the simplicity of life

For the soldier fighting for our country

For the farmer working the land

They all have the same thing in hand.

 

For the camo that is worn by some

But, worn out by others

This is the sportsman.

 

For the modern sportsman

The honest, hardworking sportsman

Whose work isn’t nine to five

But, five to nine

This is the way of the modern sportsman.

 

.

 

 

 

A Picture's Worth a Thousand Words, Adoption Awareness Month

Each November is recognized as 'National Adoption Awareness' Month- Adoption is important no matter what month it is but, during the month of November, certain organizations will take both ad space and work time to educate others in honor of it being the 'awareness' month.

Adoption Awareness

You know how they say a picture is worth a thousand words

As most of you know, we adopted our Ellie at birth- Ellie's birthmom's  name is Heather......She made the selfless decision to place Ellie with our family, not because she did not love Elle's, but because she loved Ellie so much that she wanted to do what was best for her. 

In our family, Ellie is adored by her big brothers Eli and Ryan

 

 

 

She is ADORED by her daddy......

 



 

 

And She is adored by her mommy................

 

 

Thank You Vivid Photography for this photo

Adoption Awareness is this:
If you are wondering if adoption is right for your family, don't stop wondering until you have pursued to the closed door (or open door)
If you know adoption is not for your family, don't stop praying for those of us that have the incredible privilege of being part of adoption- Pray for the child that has been adopted, pray for that precious birth mom that made that selfless decision, pray for the family that was blessed with having a child join them by way of adoption, and pray for the children that are waiting in either foster care or orphanages for their forever families.

Family Pictures....funny, weird, gross!!

It's that time of year.........Family Pictures
An hour of forcing my boys to stand (or sit) posing for the camera- Ellie throwing a fit while being bribed with gum (her new fav)..........Matt grabbing me in places that are not appropriate for our family picture just before the picture snaps so that we have to re-take so that you all are not traumatized when you get our card........
I was going to skip them this year until last week- My sis in law hands me her phone and say's
'Look at our family pictures'
They were LOVELY!!
I was so inspired after seeing hers I booked ours.....
Once they were booked the research started
pinterest: family pictures
Google Images: trendy family pictures?
stalking facebook for friends family pics...........

It was amazing what I came across-
some funny, some weird, and some just gross (the adam eve)
I will post our family pics after they are taken  BUT until then please enjoy what I have been looking at

:)

hee hee hee! If someone sent me this card I would keep it even after Christmas just because it makes me laugh everytime I look at it.............Cheesy- absolutely..............funny- oh yea!!

First thought when I saw this was....what a disrespectful bunch of kids- Second thought...this picture looks like a scene from the 90's movie 'Home Alone'

Too much kissing.............YUCK! One couple kissing is cute- two is just....well...Weird



#nowords #gross #whatrtheythinking

Is this really a moment to celebrate.....on a Christmas Card?
For those that attend my church- On first glance who does the dad look like-
Hint...KH

Everyday Life....Pictures from Oct. & Nov.

Parenting....A Soft Answer

By 10:30 last night I could hear in my voice the 'tone'.....the tone that carries with it a lack of patience..........a lack of grace.....a hint of anger....that tone us mom's get when our children (or husband) have seemingly pushed us to our limit...
'GO TO BED....NOW!!!'
It wasn't wrong to tell Ryan to get to bed- It was past when he normally goes to bed and it was daylight savings time on Sat. night so technically all of our bodies were registering 11:30 p.m. while the clock was saying 10:30- but it was wrong that I told him to 'get to bed' while communicating it in anger.
Firm, direct, matter of fact, even adding consequences if the direction is not followed is great-
Raised voice, angry edge to that raised voice with glared eyes to boot is not how Christ is asking me to communicate (no matter how annoyed, tired, or 'all done' I am)....
Parenting can be so demanding.........so hard....yes it is a huge blessing- all of us parents feel so grateful for the job of raising our precious kiddo's the Lord has entrusted us with BUT it is still demanding and still very hard.
As I woke up this morning earlier than usual to my Ellie yelling into her monitor 'Mama! Mama! MMMMMOOOOOMMMMMM!!!!!' I rolled over to Matt and said 'Oh My GOSH what time is it!!!'
My mood was no better when I woke up then when I went to bed...another demanding parenting day was what my internal thoughts immediately went to. 
After asking Matt what time it was I rolled back over before jumping out of bed- I knew what I needed to do otherwise this Monday was not going to be a good day- I would try to live it in my own strength (which would lead to angry responses and a great deal of frustration)- I needed God's wisdom to discern when my attitude was not what it should be, and His strength to choose a 'soft' answer as my responses...

I prayed a quick prayer before rolling out of bed...

'Heavenly Father Please let me have soft answers today- please let me not respond in anger but instead with calm.....' 

 

It's just a bit past noon and already the day has had many challenges- many reasons that I could justify huffing around responding angrily............
I have a choice with each challenge....how will I respond....
When Matt headed out the door just a bit ago he said 'Man, when you woke up this morning you were in a MOOD!'  He then gave me a quick hug and I hugged him back....That was his way of noticing that while he thought I had woken up in a mood I was no longer battling that mood but had gotten over it............
Yes, with God's help I did get over it today.  Today the conscience choice was made that I would not give into my 'mood' but instead give into God's calling to live beyond myself  and rest in the strength he would provide.

Heavenly Father please be with all of us mom's who are in the middle of child raising- Please give us all the wisdom to turn to you for the strength we need to raise our kids how you would have us.  Thank you for the incredible calling of being mom's...we love you Lord Jesus!!

'A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.' Proverbs 15:1

 





As soon as I hit 'publish' on this blog post I will head back into my dining room and mop up all that
                   cheese you see on the floor.........today's lunch time with my Ellie showed that she can get off her
 high chair tray and dump her lunch onto the ground :)

Instead of worrying, fretting, or freaking out!

Yesterday in Bible Study our teacher (we are going through Priscilla Shrier's 'Jonah') walked us through when God allows either a situation into our life or calls us to a situation that is overwhelming- impossible to accomplish in our own strength.....

Priscilla references 2 Chronicles 20- King Jehoshaphat was up against a situation that he could not manage in his own strength- From the outside looking in he was doomed for failure..

UNTIL...

'Jehoshaphat resolves to inquire of the Lord'

Priscilla went on to explain how we are 'set up to win' when we seek the Lord.....The Lord fights for us....We do not need to be afraid or discouraged......
Our Bible Study group went on to discuss how the people praised the Lord while they were in the midst of their situation- while they were waiting for the Lord to bring a conclusion to their overwhelming situation - they did this instead of worrying, fretting, or freaking out.....

Such a good reminder that when we face those difficult situations that seem impossible we need to:
Stop and Seek God
Obey what He is asking us to do
Worship instead of Worrying

So much easier said (or written) than done BUT with God's help, we are all set up to win!!

AMEN!!!!

______________________________________
2 Chronicles 20

New International Version (NIV)

Jehoshaphat Defeats Moab and Ammon

20 After this, the Moabites and Ammonites with some of the Meunites^[a] came to wage war against Jehoshaphat.

² Some people came and told Jehoshaphat, “A vast army is coming against you from Edom,^[b] from the other side of the Dead Sea. It is already in Hazezon Tamar” (that is, En Gedi). ³ Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the Lord, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah. ⁴ The people of Judah came together to seek help from the Lord; indeed, they came from every town in Judah to seek him.
⁵ Then Jehoshaphat stood up in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem at the temple of the Lord in the front of the new courtyard ⁶ and said:

“Lord, the God of our ancestors, are you not the God who is in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in your hand, and no one can withstand you. ⁷ Our God, did you not drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham your friend? ⁸ They have lived in it and have built in it a sanctuary for your Name, saying, ⁹ ‘If calamity comes upon us, whether the sword of judgment, or plague or famine, we will stand in your presence before this temple that bears your Name and will cry out to you in our distress, and you will hear us and save us.’
¹⁰ “But now here are men from Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir, whose territory you would not allow Israel to invade when they came from Egypt; so they turned away from them and did not destroy them. ¹¹ See how they are repaying us by coming to drive us out of the possession you gave us as an inheritance. ¹² Our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”

¹³ All the men of Judah, with their wives and children and little ones, stood there before the Lord.

¹⁴ Then the Spirit of the Lord came on Jahaziel son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite and descendant of Asaph, as he stood in the assembly.
¹⁵ He said: “Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s. ¹⁶ Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel. ¹⁷ You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.’”
¹⁸ Jehoshaphat bowed down with his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down in worship before the Lord. ¹⁹ Then some Levites from the Kohathites and Korahites stood up and praised the Lord, the God of Israel, with a very loud voice.
²⁰ Early in the morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! Have faith in the Lord your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful.” ²¹ After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise him for the splendor of his^[c] holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying:

“Give thanks to the Lord,
    for his love endures forever.”

²² As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated.

 

Dear October...

Dear October,

You are beautiful!  The fall colors you have brought with you boast of God's Glory.....Thank you for sharing your splendor with us.

Respectfully,
Stephanie