Last day in children's church

Today was my last Sunday of doing children's church. I will once again be able to join the adults upstairs for worship, Praise God!! Now don't get me wrong I really have enjoyed working with the kids down stairs, but I can't wait to sit and soak in the presence of the Lord during worship with Joe and the rest of the worship team.

Anyway so we read about Noah's ark and God's promise never to again flood the earth. We took torn up pieces of colored paper and made a rainbow out of them. As we were doing this it struck me that when we are lost and broken, to the world there seems to be nothing that can be done. We are no longer whole and nothing in the world can put the pieces back together. But with the grace and mercy of God, if we allow him too, he takes those pieces of our life and puts them back together. And the work of art that he creates is not what we were before. He makes a new creation and there are no seams to be seen where the torn pieces were piecesd together. We are whole, new, and no sign of brokeness is to be seen. Praise the Lord for how this simple craft for the kids, could speak to me in such a strong and real way!!

Stupid Human Nature!!

I have been checking out other blogs and creating a list of blogs I follow. It is interesting to see all the different types of blogs out their and get a glimpse into someone else's life. To see ideas for crafts(like I have time anyway), activities they do with their kids, things God is doing in their lives, etc. And after reading I often think, man I wish I was creative like that, or did that with my kids, was able to juggle things as well as they do, had a blog like theirs, had followers like they do(2 so far, hey it is better than nothing), etc.

I guess you could say that the jealousy bug is popping up again. Why is it in our human nature and to see someone else and have the thought go through our heads that if someone else is doing something funner, craftier, or exciting then us, then that means we are less then they are. Guess it is human nature, but still I would like to get where that isn't a common response. I am really pretty comfortable with myself and who God made me to be, but sometimes I do feel inadequate compared to others. Guess that is another thing that I need to give to the Lord and pray that he shows me the areas I need to grow in and allow him to mold my heart.

Fun with peanut butter and m&ms!

Wednesday we decided to have a fun night at youth group. So John bought some peanut butter and we smeared it on the kids' faces and have then race to see how many m&ms they could get stuck to them. It was awesome!! Here is some pictures of the fun.

Then we made the kids put a HUGE marshmallow in their mouth(seriously these were so big you couldn't get the whole thing in and close your mouth) and had then say various things. And we finished the evening with a round of Imagine If, which is a really fun game to play! All and all it was a fun night and I think the kids enjoyed having a bit of fun after the last couple of weeks meetings. We have had some small group type meetings that really made us all think hard about our life and our relationship with God.

Our quick trip to Beaver Crossing

Monday around lunch time my mother-in-law called me and asked if I wanted to go to John's sister's for a couple days. So by 6 o'clock we had all 4 kids packed and buckled into the expediation and were on our way to Beaver Crossing to help freeze corn. Now I know some women would think that a 3 hours trip with their mother-in-law and a couple of days with both their mother-in-law and their sister-in-law would be horrible, but I actually like my in-laws. I enjoy hanging out John's family. John always jokes that his family likes me better than him. lol

Anyway here is some pictures of our visit. Here is Pat, my mil, my nephew Cana, and Livie. Livie loved baby Cana, you can see how he felt about her. Kari, trying to tempt us with her bowl of corn.

Only a SMALL portion of the corn we froze.

Doesn't this look like fun?!

Livie and Cana

My oldest, beautiful niece, Gracie. I love this girl, she is beautiful, smart, and funny. She is growing up into an awesome young lady! Did I mention that I am her favorite aunt?!JJ and HIS cousin Phinehas. The had such a blast playing with a castle and space ship together.

We also got to see a chicken being killed and cleaned while we were there, which was very entertaining to the boys. Alex and Uri were given the feet and got a big kick out of scaring Gracie and Mikaiah with them.

The Wasps are Taking Over!!

We have been having a problem with wasp nests in our backyard this summer. We found a small one at the beginning of the summer in the kids' playhouse and John went out and took care of it. Then Alex came in and told me that a wasp stung him a couple of weeks ago and there was a bunch by where he was playing. I went out to see where he was talking about and there was a wasp nest in one end of the clothes line post he was playing by. I decided to check the other side and found another nest. Then went to the other post and found a large wasp nest in both of the post. Four nest in all, two smaller ones and two larger ones. So I took the left over wasp spray and took care of those.

Then today when I went to take out trash and saw a bunch of wasps by our shed. I opened the door and found 3 nest in the doorway. It doesn't bother me much seeing a wasp here or there, but finding a wasp nest is a little unsettling, let alone finding 8 in one summer.

As I was walking back up to the house, God showed me a similarity between these nest over taking my backyard and sin over taking our lives. We often feel that we are doing fine, that sin has no place in our live. And then we notice an occasional problem we are having with lying, drinking, lustful thoughts, etc and think that it is just an occasional thing so it isn't a BIG problem like finding an occasional wasp isn't to bad. But if we take the time to really search into our hearts we would find that sin we think is occasional and no big deal, is really stemming from a big problem and is slowly overtaking our lives, much like a wasp nest. And if we don't take care of it, it grows bigger and bigger and pretty soon that sin is just a normal part of our life.

Much like the picture that the song "Slow Fade" paints. People don't crumble in a day, it is slow, letting sin take over little by little. A marriage doesn't fail in a day, it is the little grumbles and lies over time that create the big problems such as an affair and such.

So the lesson I learned was that if I see a "wasp" in my life, not to just discount it right away, look and make sure there isn't a nest hiding in my heart.

After listening to a conversation between a mom and her child today, it got me thinking that sometimes if we are not careful, parents encourage undesirable attitude or behaviors in our children. Often we think we are helping but really we are not.

It is easy to try and explain away a child that throws a fit everytime they have to share a toy with another child. So we use the "their just not used to sharing" excuse, or "that is their favorite toy."

Or when your child is picky and doesn't like to eat anything but plain noodles and bread, it is easy just to make them that for every meal, instead of fighting with them over expanding their pallet.

Or when your child is rough and fights with other kids all the time, it is easy to just say "well that's a boy for you."

Or if your child always has a meltdown in public and is a terror in stores it is easier just to stay home.

Or you kid is always getting into trouble at school, and instead of allowing the teacher to handle it, you go into the classroom and try and dismiss your child's actions and "come to the rescue. Yet again."

And believe me I am speaking from experience. I have 2 boys and 2 little girls, who have tried and tested me over and over. And sometimes it is just easier to act like it is ok, and not face it. Because who wants to admit to themselves, or worst yet, other moms that our kids are not perfect angels 24-7.

And these seem like such little things when they are 4 or 5, but the problem is that if you don't get a handle on it early on, you will end up with a 15 year old that can not control their temper, who still doesn't share, and who expects to be cater too because they don't like this or that.

Life is not fair. It can be cruel and nasty and if we don't raise our children to realize that it is how you handle life that makes the difference, then no one else will. Nobody is going to come to your child's rescue when they are an adult. We need to raise our kids to handle disappointment, to sometimes do things they dislike, and to be in control of their own actions. Praying that the Lord will give me wisdom and guidance on raising my kids, because without God's help, I can't do it alone!

The Schimek's take over the local bookstore!

I really wanted to go check out the local used book store A-Z books. I drove by last night when I had no kids and of course it was closed. So I thought I would go today with the kids, since Mom had one of the kids(hey when you have 4, having one gone for a bit makes even the craziness of the 3 remaining kids seem quieter). I almost decided to just skip it, but since I know it is a rare thing to get out of the house with no kids, I decided just to bite the bullet and just go.

So picture it, young mom taking a baby in a long stroller and 2 active boys into a store full of bookcases and books. I could already see me chasing around the runaway children while pushing the baby in the stroller and books flying all over. The young, geeky man, who looked like the only human interaction he ever recieves is at Sci-Fi conventions that he goes to dressed as his favorite alien hero, even looked at us with dread as I asked him if he knew of a children's series I was looking for. He walked with regret as he showed us to the kid's section and told us he doesn't know about that series so I would have to look around. He then said in a sarcastic voice as he walked away, "this is going to be great."

Well I will have you know that my little ones were VERY good!! I know, even I was amazed. JJ sat down at a little table and looked through a dinosaur book. Alex walked up to the young man and asked where the snake books were and then looked through the selection of animal books until he found one and then sit down very quietly and looked around. Livie even seemed entertained by the books.

And best of all I found a series from a children's christian author that looks funny. I am going to read the first and then offer to come read it to the kids at the school if it is good. Hopefully we can get the kids really interested in books!!

Jealous

I am not usually a person who gets jealous of other people, but from time to time I do. Today I had a moment of jealousy as I was driving and saw a lady who I know(a absolutely lovely lady who I happen to really like) walking by with her children who were being well behaved, she looked all cute and then, walking away from her new vehicle, and it got me thinking about how SHE is probably able to take care of all her kids, keep her house beautiful, have a happy marriage, and juggle all the hecticness in her life a lot better than I do, all while staying thin, always looking so well put together, and enjoying the perks of her husbands nice paying job.

Then the Lord slapped me up side the head(thank you Lord!!). He stopped me and reminded me that by being jealous of her blessings from God, I was overlooking mine. I was making her blessings to be greater than the blessings that God gives me everyday. Yes, she has a good life and God loves to shower her in blessings everyday, but I have an amazing life, with an awesome husband, and 5 beautiful children. God showers ME with blessings everyday, some that I dont even realize he has given me at the time. He loves me for ME! He doesnt desire me to be this other woman, she was made with a purpose and so was I.

I love when the Lord gets me past one of my "oh, poor Mandi" thoughts! And come to think of it, there might be some who believe I have a charmed life and envy my life.

Need New Books for Our School Library

To I went to the school to help the Liberian start working on the school's library. Most of our school books are donated which is totally amazing, but the also means that the majority of them look really old. And lets face it kids often don't look past the cover to see the adventure that a good book could take them on. So our goal is to try and replace older looking ones with either new versions of the same titles if they are really good ones, or totally different books.

Looking through the books made me think of my own love affair when reading and where it all started. I have always enjoyed reading, but it really started with my 3rd grade teacher, Mrs. Fudge. She would read to our class almost everyday. We read some really great books, I don't even remember the titles of all of them, but I can still remember some, Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, The Boxcar Children, and the Orphan Train Children series. It is unfortunate that kids do not know the fun they can have by opening the pages of a book. What lands they can see, life they can live.

So my prayer is that we can find good deals on books for our library or receive some donations of newer books that we can place on our book shelves. I am planning on trying and finding some tomorrow at the local used book store.

Are you KIDDING me?!?!

I am so discouraged!! I have been working out for the past 3 weeks. Out of those 21 days, I have worked out 15 of those days and put in at least 15 minutes each time, but most of the time going over 30 minutes. I have been working out on the Wii Fit doing strenght training and aerobics and then doing some Zumba off and on.

Today I decided to see what my weight loss progress has been. Of course your weight goes up and down from day to day, but my first weigh in 21 days ago verses today weigh in I have lost a total of, drum roll please....... 0.2 lbs. That is right a whole whopping 0.2 lbs. Everytime I lost some weight and it went right back up.

Now I have noticed a change in the way my clothes are fitting, my pants are looser around the waist and in the legs, and my shirts feel looser around the bust. But I can't believe after working out for 3 weeks there isn't a bigger change in my weight. I am just hoping that means that while I am losing fat that I am gaining muscle so I am not seeing a change on the scale much.

For Greater things are yet to come!!

"For greater things are yet to come, and greater things are still to be done in this city."

This is a verse out of a song we have been doing for youth worship and I love it. This is a song for TODAY!!! I believe God is getting ready to release his Holy Spirit over this town, this state, this nation in a way that we have never seen before. It will be like a fire sweeping over this dry, hungry land and the fire will refine this land!

I love the picture of fire that God gave me. Often when we think of fire we think of destrution, loss, burnt ruins. No, this is a purifying fire. When they work with precious metals they purify it in fire to remove all the blemishes, all the junk out of it and then the metal is pure. Pretty cool to think that when we fall on our knees in front of the King of kings, and acknowledge that we are sinners and that we need Jesus in our lives as our Lord and Savior that he starts purify our hearts and takes that ugly, broken, lost heart and makes it new and whole. NOTHING CAN DO THAT BUT THE POWER OF JESUS' BLOOD!!

God loves them!!

From time to time I will get on the webpage for children in the Nebraska foster system who are available for adoption. I would love to one day be able to open our home and our hearts to a child that is in need of a forever family. It just breaks my heart that there are kids still on this page that I first saw on the page over a year and a half ago. And there are teens that are older that probably have little hope to be adopted. Most people when they think about adopting they want a younger child. It just breaks my heart.

And you never know why they are in the system, what their past is. Are they orphans who have no family able to support them? Were they abandoned? Were they taken away from their parents? Was their prior home live a nightmare? Have they been abused, emotionally, sexually, or physically? And the biggest question is this.....Do they know that they have a heavenly father that loves them? Do they know that God adores them, created them for a purpose, and has great desires for their lives?

It raises the question, could after being abused, abandoned, unloved for so long, could they ever open their hearts to accept the love God has for them?

Lord I pray for these precious treasures that are in need of love and a family. Lord, guide your people to open their lives and family to these orphans. You have called the church to care for the widows and the orphans. Lord, rise up your church to carry out this call. Lord, prepare our hearts.

Here are two kids who captured my heart, Chavon who is reaching the age of being out of the system and will continue her life with no forever family.
And Ethan who is a handsome little 4 year old boy, who dreams of a mommy and daddy to tuck him every night.

God's word for me!!

I have to admit that often when listening to a sermon or a word from God it is so easy to say, "Well that is for so and so" or "man that is just what they need to do," but I am coming to realize that even with a sermon that seems to have nothing to do with me, God still has something to say to me.

I heard a quote the other day and I loved it, "sometimes you have to spit out the bones and eat the meat." What this means is that no matter what the intent behind a sermon is, God has something for us to hear in it. Maybe the person giving the message had God speak to them through the word in a different way then God speaks to you or the person next to you, but never the less, if you stop to listen to God, he will speak to you.

I love, Love, LOVE that God speaks to us and if we just quiet our souls we can hear him speak to us in different ways then we ever imagined! How many times in the day are we just quiet? I pray that I can start to spend more time with the Lord, being still and opening my ears to recieve His word for me!

Goodbye Ben Franklin's!

Our local Ben Franklin's is closing which I find very sad. I don't get in there near as often as I would like. I used to go all the time to get different craft items, but since getting caught up in being a wife and mommy to 4 kids, I don't have time for crafts.

I actually worked there for many years, starting in 1999 when I was 15 until 2004. I started as a cashier, then frameshop, then craft manager. I love the customers, my coworkers, and just being among crafts. I still miss checking out people and working in the frameshop.

I am very sad that this store that has been serving the community for over 25 years will be closed at the end of the month! I pray that God would bless the loyal workers that have been there for over 10 years and that he would help them in their search for a new job.

His will, not ours!

"How little chance the Holy Ghost has nowadays. The churches and missionary societies have so bound him in red tape that they practically ask Him to sit in the corner while they do the work themselves." ~C.T. Studd

I read this quote a couple of years ago and it still sticks in my head. Then a couple of weeks ago I was listening to a program on the radio, I believe it was Focus on the Family, but I am not sure. Anyway the guy speaking said the often people will make decisions or plans for something and it might even be viewed as a good decision, but if God was not included in the planning, then it is an ungodly decision because He had no part in it. Now that is not to say that if after starting something you stop and pray asking God for forgiveness for not following his lead and ask for blessings over that decision that he will not bless it.

But we have gotten into a routine of making decisions and plans without even praying and asking for God's guidence and then as an after thought, or possibly when things are going wrong we stop and pray to God about it. We need to start rising up and being the church, the body of Christ, that we are called to be. To go to the Lord in prayer BEFORE we decided something, and here is the point to remember, actually LISTEN to what he says. To not let our own fleshly desires get ahead of God's desires.

To all the church leaders, me included, even if we have a great idea that we feel will further our church or whatever ministry we are serving in, if we have not prayed and listen to God in that, then it is not a godly decision. We often feel if we are working and doing something for the kingdom of God then it is right no matter what. No, God has called us all to a ministry, to do something for the Body of Christ that we can only do. Just like God does not put a hand where a foot belongs, he does not desire for someone called to children's ministry to be the church office person, or the person meant to reachout to the sick to be the worship leader. He created us all for a purpose, for a ministry, and it is about time the church start listening to his calling instead of trying to figure it all out ourselves.

Before John and I were even married we were prophecied over and the man said that God was calling us for youth and young people. Well I wasn't really wanting to listen at that time. We then had 2 more people prophecy over us, reaffirming the first one. In total 3 prophecies of us being made for youth ministry. John and I have been serving within the church for over 6 years. We have worked with the youth for most of that time, either as the leaders and sometimes as just the helpers, as well as in other ministries within the church body. I know can say that youth is where God has for us to be. Right now our group is kinda small, but that does not mean it is not where God has called us. He has given us a love for the young people of this town. He has given us a desire to help them grow in their faith and in their relationship with Christ.

I pray that the whole body of Christ(us included) would listen to the Lord. That we would take joy in his presence and let His desires become ours! We need to be listening for His will, not let our fleshly desires dictact our path.

Dance the night away!

Yesterday John and I went to a wedding for a man from church that John has known practically his whole life. He is an awesome man, who had been praying for a wife for a long time and was giving up hope that he would ever get married. Then he went to a friend's wedding and came back home with such joy, he met this amazing woman. It was so wonderful to see this godly man, marrying the woman that he prayed for all those years. It was a beautiful wedding.

We were lucky to find a babysitter to watch all 4 of the kids so we could go to the wedding and stay for a good portion of the reception. It was a really nice recption with a dinner and dancing. The bride was from Brazil so there was some fast music for the dancing. John and I even got up and danced some, which was a blast. One advantage of getting older is not being so insecure and being able to just let go and have fun. I don't have anyone to impress. I have a wonderful man who loves me even if I dance like an uncordinated bamboon. But the I did end up with a hurt hip over it all.

I was looking forward to slow dancing with John all day. And they had lots of slow songs playing during dinner and then for all the traditional wedding dances. But once they let the guest dance it was all fast music. So we were getting ready to leave and they FINALLY had a slow song we could dance too. So there we were, John holding me in his arms. It was so right, so natural. This man who I have been with almost 14 years, married to for 9. I have been in his arms so many times on the dance floor and everytime it gives me butterflies. Looking into his eyes, laughing at inside jokes and just enjoying being with him. I am so proud to be his wife!!

Zumba Dance!!

John got paid today and since it was more than we expected John said I could get the Zumba dance for the Wii instead of waiting. Man am I glad I did. It is a major workout!! Every part of my body is sweating! Even my arms and legs. Praying that I will see a change in my body with this. And boy was it fun! I think I will really enjoy it once I get all the moves down. And my legs don't feel like they are on fire when I am doing it. But I used way more muscles then I expected and burned a ton of calories from only 10 minutes of dancing! I pray that I stick with it!!

Getting rid of the flub!

For the like the 5th time this year I have started an exercise routine in hopes of trimming some flub off my body.(at this point I think using a carving knife would be quicker, but since I am not a turkey guess that is out of the question) So I have started working out once the kids are all down for naps with my Wii Fit.

I saw the commercial for a Zumba workout video kit and found out that they have Zumba for the Wii and really want to buy it. But since my dedication to exercise has been kinda touch and go in the past months(ok, my whole life. lol) I decided I will have a goal that I need to reach before I can buy it. So I decided that I need to stick to exercise for at least 4 workouts each week for 3 weeks to get it. I have workout almost daily for 1 week so I am doing pretty good so far.

My goal is to get my midsection and back a little less flabby and tone up my body. I don't necessarily have a weight that I want to be at, just want to be able to fit into my clothes better and if I go down a couple of sizes in the process than awesome! I just want to get back to a healthier weight for me and be able to enjoy my figure again while I am on a break from having anymore babies.

So please pray that I keep the motivation to stick to this! I know in the long run I will be glad I did.

Youth was AWESOME!!!

Youth tonight was AWESOME!! John and I had been lacking ambition with the youth group after all the stuff that happened with the last youth leader and most of the youth members leaving over it. We were having trouble getting into the groove of things. Then out of the 3 remaining faithful youth members, 2 graduated and we felt really crappy.

Well we decided to continue and now have 2 faithful youth members and about 4 more casual attenders. I know it doesn't seem like much but we are so excited. We are starting once again with a young youth group(6th and 7th graders) and have decided to change the youth name and paint and rearrange the youth room. We are waiting on approval from the church council but the name we picked is 180 Youth Ministries.

Our whole desire for the youth group is to help the kids to realize that their relationship with Christ is their own. It is personal and something they need to grow in. That they must turn from themselves and the world and turn towards God, hence the name, 180 youth. Our Bible verse we picked is "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, old things have passed away; Behold, all things have become new." 2 Corinthians 5:17

Tonight we talked about:
1.What is most important in our lives? What you put your time and energy into is really what is most important. Therefore even if we say God is yet we spend no time worshipping Him, praying to Him, or in his word, then is he really as important as we think.
2. Were we created for a purpose? God knew each one of us before he knit us together in our mother's womb and created us with a purpose for the kingdom of God that only we can do. That none of us are accidents.
3. What are our plans for the future? That we all have plans, but God also has plans for us and we should pray and seek God's will in our lives and include him in our planning.
4. Is there such a thing as a wasted life? That many waste their life never living for God or believing that they have nothing to offer to the Kingdom of God. But it is never to late to live your life for Christ.
5. Does God have desires for our life? We talked about Psalms 37:4 "Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart" and how this doesn't mean God is a genie in a lamp ready to grant our wishes. But that is we delight in the Lord, take joy in worshipping him and spending time with him, then he will conform our heart to his and therefore his desires will become ours.

I know that John and I walked away from tonight getting just as much if not more than the kids did. I could tell though that they were really listening. Praying that God spoke to their hearts and they grow in their relationship with Christ!!

More Pictures

Friday we had a picnic with John's aunts and uncle and a bunch of cousins. Afterwards we walked over and let the kids all ride the rides. Here are some pictures from that. I have to say that I think my husband is the best looking man! He is such a sweet, sensitive, wonderful man. I can't imagine my life without him! We have been together 14 years in October and married for 9 years.

My friend Laura invited us over for the 4th of July. The kids had a bunch of fun. I think John enjoyed being able to light off some fireworks and blowing up some things. Too bad my brother didn't come down because then they would have had a ton of fun having a roman candle war like they normally do.

Here are some pictures of the kids from tonight.

"Don't bug me I am eating my cookie"

Some pictures of our fun week

Wanted to share some pictures from this week from my new camera that my totally amazing husband bought me for my birthday.
Here is my birthday cake my sister bought me and surprised me with at my grandma's. Here is a picture of my brother, Livie, and me. Casey and I are very close and I can say that he is truly one of my best friends. Plus he happens to be one of John's best friends, so we enjoy having him come visit. John and I met through Casey.

Here is a picture of my sister Ashley, Livie, and me. Ashley and I are about as different as you can get, but we get along great and I love the big jerk. lol. Just kidding. But really people are surprised to find out we are sisters, because we are so different. But she is an amazing sister, especially since she bought me a super yummy birthday cake. This is John's Aunt Jackie and Kennedy. Jackie married John's uncle Jack(isn't that cute, Jack and Jackie) after meeting on E Harmony. They met, fell in love, and got married a few years ago when they were both in their 70's. Jackie lives in Kentucky, and so they would live part of the time here and part of the time there. Jack was so happy after meeting Jackie. Seriously was the only time I saw him truly happy since becoming part of the family. Jack passed away about 2 years ago, but Jackie has continued to come back to visit every summer. We love this woman!

Jackie made us pose for a picture of my "sweet family." I love this man standing beside me and praise God for bringing us together and blessing us with 4 beautiful children!

John surprised Livie and I with a strawberry cheesecake blizzard cake from DQ for our birthdays. We are still going to have Livie a birthday party but this was for both of us.

Alex and Uri, the crazy cousins. Uri is actually 4 months older than Alex and at one time was bigger than Alex if you can believe that.

JJ, Phinehas, Uri, Alex, Elijah, and baby Cana. All the boy cousins enjoying the day at Island Oasis

Mikaiah, Kennedy, Makayla(John's uncle's granddaughter) and Gracie, all the girl cousins except Livie