Christmas with the Reeses...in case you missed out. :)

These are pictures and a video from our trip to the new candy store Powells here in town. I'm really not sure who enjoyed it more, the kids or Geoff and I. The only way this place could have been more amazing was to simply be bigger. Other than that, ever novelty or sweet you can imagine was there, from floor to ceiling including a full case of chocolates and another of gelato. If you're ever visiting, let's go to Powells, OK?

"Slow Fade" for your consideration

"Slow Fade"

Be careful little eyes what you see
It's the second glance that ties your hands as darkness pulls the strings
Be careful little feet where you go
For it's the little feet behind you that are sure to follow

It's a slow fade when you give yourself away
It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray
Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day
It's a slow fade, it's a slow fade

Be careful little ears what you hear
When flattery leads to compromise, the end is always near
Be careful little lips what you say
For empty words and promises lead broken hearts astray

It's a slow fade when you give yourself away
It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray
Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day

The journey from your mind to your hands
Is shorter than you're thinking
Be careful if you think you stand
You just might be sinking

It's a slow fade when you give yourself away
It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray
Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day
Daddies never crumble in a day
Families never crumble in a day

Oh be careful little eyes what see
Oh be careful little eyes what you see
For the Father up above is looking down in love
Oh be careful little eyes what you see

Daniel 2:20-22

"Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his.
He changes times and seasons; he sets up kings and deposes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.
He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him." Dan. 2:20-22

For a variety of people, this year's election is nothing less than an all out civil war between two diametrically opposing views. As we all watch this election unfold and people threaten to move to Canada if XYZ becomes president, I think we would all do well to remember that it is the Lord who changes times and seasons, who brings leaders to power, and takes them down. Nothing is out of his hand. Pray for the leadership that is coming,

"First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth."

Have you met Gordon Brown?

I love Oswald Chambers...you either get him, or ya don't. :)

September 22nd.
	THE MISSIONARY'S MASTER
"Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am." John 13:13 To have a master and to be mastered is not the same thing. To have a master means that there is one who knows me better than I know myself, one who is closer than a friend, one who fathoms the remotest abyss of my heart and satisfies it, one who has brought me into the secure sense that he has met and solved every perplexity and problem of my mind. To have a master is this and nothing less - "One is your Master, even Christ." Our Lord never enforces obedience; He does not take means to make me do what He wants. At certain times I wish God would master me and make me do the thing, but He will not; in other moods I wish He would leave me alone, but He does not. "Ye call me Master and Lord" - but is He? Master and Lord have little place in our vocabulary, we prefer the words Saviour, Sanctifier, Healer. The only word to describe mastership in experience is love and we know very little about love as God reveals it. This is proved by the way we use the word obey. In the Bible obedience is based on the relationship of equals, that of a son with his father. Our Lord was not God's servant, He was His Son. "Though He were a Son, yet learned He obedience . . ." If our idea is that we are being mastered, it is a proof that we have no master; if that is our attitude to Jesus, we are far away from the relationship He wants. He wants us in the relationship in which He is easily Master without our conscious knowledge of it, all we know is that we are His to obey.

Back to school and other such nonsense

So, we're off and running in homeschooling land. Nathalie is doing amazingly well after a few bumps *cough* during the first week or two of school. She is nothing if not verbose and stubborn, but watching her learn is an amazing privilege. My bestest buddy Heather has graciously allowed us to use a room of her home to have a school room, so we've decked it out in everything that is Kindergarten. We are growing a Chia pet, learning Italian, playing instruments, doing crafts, writing, reading, saying the pledge of allegiance... just like "normal" school.

You may then ask why I am doing this if I'm such a fan of traditional school. No, I do not have a death wish, nor am I masichistic. I am certainly not the mom you would have pegged as "most likely to homeschool her children" when I graduated from high school. Sometimes I really lose my temper. Sometimes I just want to ship them off to boarding school. But mostly, I want to give my girls an extra couple of years to be innocent, free little girls. They don't have to compare themselves to other kids, they don't have to be bombarded by Hannah Montana (not that there's anything wrong with her...) or try to be anything but sweet, joyful little girls. Although Nat is working on pendmanship and reading and all sorts of things that are Kindergarten, mostly I am trying to spend the time to know the hearts of my children, to listen to them, to guide them and to allow them to be the children that God has created them to be. I am so blessed to have this opportunity, and although it means some sacrifice financially for our family, I am looking forward to a day when my children are grown and I can truly say I did my best and that I know my girls and they know me.

And, as a saying goes, "I have seen the village and I don't want them raising my children." At least not yet.

I should also say that this decision was made prayerfully and over the course of many months, and is what is best, this year, for OUR family. This was one of those gray areas where we could have gone in more than one direction and I'm sure would have been blessed either way. No matter if you have your children in public school, private school, or dual immersion school (whatever that may be;) the important thing is that you make the decision that is the best you can offer your children. Not what is easiest, not what is the most financially easy, but what is the best you can give them. Blessings to all my friends who are doing their best to raise heatlthy, happy, Godly children in this crazy world.