Simple Woman's Daybook

For Today... March 2, 2009

Outside my window... Sunshine, with promise of warmer temps this afternoon.  Yay!   

I am thinking... about Psalm 119: 89-96.  Bro. Kent read this yesterday morning.  I had hoped to post on it yesterday...maybe later today.   

From the learning rooms... Pretty basic school this week, due a busier than usual schedule.  The kids are working hard on their art fair entries, and I am planning for some very *low key* music and art appreciation to start next week, a la Elizabeth Foss's Real Learning.  (See sidebar for book link.)  Continuing with our new missions curriculum during Bible time...more on that below. :)

I am thankful for... missionaries!  And seeing God continue to develop a heart for missions in our family.   I've posted about our beginning a new mission curriculum during our Bible time in school.   How like God to coincide that with an opportunity for us to pray, up close and personal, for a special mission trip.  Last week, a group from my former church in Conway went on a medical/dental mission trip to Honduras.   I had received emails on the church prayer chain about the trip, including a list of participants.  Several dear friends from years ago were among the group.  

As part of our mission curriculum, we've been putting together a notebook of mission-related prayer needs.  The Honduras mission trip immediately went on the list.   The kids and I studied a bit about Honduras, I shared with them about a Honduran friend I had in grade school, and I told them a little about friends of mine who were on the trip.   

Then we began getting email updates about the trip.  This is from a message I sent to a friend whose husband was on the mission team:

"I've been reading the updates from the email chain to them as well. I was checking my email during their chore time this morning, and Peter and Bayley were near my desk when I opened my inbox. Peter saw the "Honduras Update", and said, "Mom, what happened in Honduras yesterday??" The other kids ran over and began to excitedly ask me to read it "now, Mom, please?" They couldn't *wait* to hear how yesterday had gone. They pray for missionaries all the time related to their GAs/RAs at church, but having the daily updates from the mission team in Honduras (and knowing that Mom actually *knows* some of these people...I've been telling them stories about some of them :)) has made it very real to them. 

I guess not all of God's work in this mission trip is going on in Honduras! Neat how God can use people I haven't seen in years, serving him in another country, to work in my children's lives here and now."

I'm so thankful for God's perfect ways.  I'm thankful for the mission team that went to Honduras, for God's work there, and for the excitement praying for that trip has built in my children.  I'm thankful for missionaries like my friend Carmen's son, Aaron, his wife Joanna, and their four children, serving as Wycliffe missionaries in the Solomon Islands.  I'm thankful for people like my brother-in-law, who has such a heart for everyday evangelism.  I'm thankful for the opportunity we have later this month to attend the "One Day Evangelism Crash Course" he is teaching at our church. 

From the kitchen... Enjoying some chocolate treats from a friend's kitchen today...thank you, J!! :)

On this week's menu:

Monday~ Grilled Chicken (Billy offered to grill again tonight...yay!), twice baked potatoes, salad, and garlic bread.

Tuesday~ Creamy Tacos in the crock pot...super easy supper for a super busy day. :)

Wednesday~ Billy and the kids eat at church while I'm at the GROWING KIDS' WORKER SALE...eek. :)

Thursday~ Pork Roast, salad, veggies, bread.

Friday~ Hamburger Steaks, hash brown casserole, salad

I am wearing... Dark green sweats

I am reading... Still reading Real Learning, by Elizabeth Foss, and Growing Creative Kids, by Wesley Sharpe.

 Also reading Daisy Chain, a brand new fiction book by Mary DeMuth (watch for a review this week!!), and Failure to Connect, by Jane M. Healy.

And just started this morning... Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ, by John Piper.  (The entire text is available online.)  Thanks to Ann Voskamp for posting this link!

I am hoping... that this busier-than-usual week will go smoothly, with no major "kinks". :)

I am creating... cleaner, better-organized closets, drawers, and bedrooms as we finish the "Great Spring Clothes Swap" and prepare for the Growing Kids' Sale this week.  

I am hearing... children doing chores, Darcy scampering after a dog toy someone just threw. :)

Around the house... Basic upkeep this week as we continue to work on sorting clothes and organizing storage spots.  

One of my favorite things... Wednesday night choir practice!   After being out for a couple of months due to health issues, I was able to return last Wednesday.   What a blessing to be able to "Make a Joyful Noise" (Psalm 100) again, especially as we are preparing Easter music. 

A few plans for the rest of the week... It's Growing Kids' Sale week.  That means dropping off clothes on Tuesday, shopping the Worker Sale on Wednesday, and working my shift at the sale on Saturday.  Then there are the usual...school, chores, church/choirs on Wednesday night, co-op Thursday.  Oh, and a birthday party to attend Sunday afternoon!  I think I need a nap already...zzzz

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