All 10 Popes

If you could do it over again, I'm sure you would....wouldn't we all. If you could take some of those things, that pain right away I know you would. I often want the Lord to take away some of the agonising memories from the choices I made. I know you do too. There is some pain that is forgiven, yet it dwells deep, rich even with in our souls. The Lord has healed, but there lay the scar. Indeed, though...dearest mother you are a butterfly. There you were, just a babe yourself having a new born babe. You and that sweet boy. Two caterpillars together. Trying to figure out growing and him growing faster than you figuring things out. And that wisp of time. It goes by way to fast. And then two more are added...and later, much later a fourth. And then it happens....the metamorphosis Somewhere between the third and fourth: Jesus, He captures your heart again. From caterpillar to butterfly, you are a new creation in Him. He pours grace, and you pour tears and sweat and sa...

Today at Wal-Mart, I was asked the dreaded question (at least is dreaded for this pleaser), "Do you home school?" "Yes," was my meagre reply and then I think I smiled and tried to look confident, but non-judgemental as if there is a look like that. Then I had this thought, "It's four in the afternoon!" "How does this lady know I'm a home educating mother?!!" Doesn't home educating sounds so much better than homeschooling?! Anyway, back to the story as I know you're sitting on the edge of your seat... You see, usually I only get this question if it's the middle of the day, but now I'm getting it at four in the afternoon?! YIKES! I can feel my face get a little red because now, it's official, we're one of those "weird" homeschooling families that you can spot a mile away because they are all the girls are wearing coolots and the boy's shirts are all tucked into their pants and are wearing an actual ...

Remember that book by Judith Viorst titled Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No-Good, Very Bad Day ?  It was one of my very favourites growing up (maybe because I've always struggled with being a grump in the morning). Yesterday, that was me. Kari and the Terrible, Horrible, No-Good, Very Bad Day. From the time the sun ebbed into my bed room until the time I wished it would go ahead and go away because that meant some relief...oh, sweet relief of the day being over. Just over. It's always easy to point the other way. Recently, on Facebook there was a cartoon of a mother crayola and her two kiddo crayolas (one blue, the other pink...or red maybe). Standing there was this mother crayola staring down on her two kiddos (much like I do mine) because there was blue colouring all over the wall. The "blue" kiddo is pointing at the red one saying "it was her." The picture came with the added line at the bottom, "I'm not color blind kid!" I can rel...

There was this girl I once knew Perhaps, it was you, that knew her too This girl, she had all the answers Though her heart, full of questions...murmurs This girl, she's moved afar Anger, wrath, even hatred fill her heart There was this boy I once knew Perhaps, it was you, that knew him too This boy loved to play ball This was the thing he loved most of all This boy dealing with losing a loved one so dear And this girl, knew that pain too, brought her right near This ball, this boy and girl These three become friends hard to unfurl These friends, these three friends from the start What they think is love grows inside their hearts Lust, is never...ever really good Things turn, unexpectedly out as these two never thought they would A new beginning was started, a journey of sorts The hills were high, and valley's weren't short Rocky is the road that leads to redemption But these two they stay committed Yes, committed they stay Then there was th...

Paul's Labor for the Church. This is the subject heading in Colossians 1 starting in verse 24 in my Bible. The church, to Paul, the bride of Christ was something that he suffered greatly because of. He became a servant of her  because it was in that very servanthood that he was able to share the "...mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." (v27) This is not something that Paul begrudgingly put on himself to do. He knew it was the very thing that he was made to do AND he rejoiced in it. Those sufferings?! He rejoiced in them! REJOICED!! "Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ's afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church." ~Colossians 1:24 Honestly, there is almost nothing in me that can relate to this. When I think of suffering or that it is perhaps  headed my way, I want to run away...far...far...away. I am to suffering what Jonah was to taking the...

"But in true repentance, there must be hatred of former sinfulness, from a change wrought in the state of the mind, which disposes it to choose the good and to refuse the evil. It shows also a sense of inward wretchedness. Such is the great change wrought in repentance, it is conversion, and is needed by every human being. The ruin of sinners is their walking after a hard and impenitent heart."—Matthew Henry Concise (notes from Romans 2:1-17) These words resonated deeply with in me. Shortly before this I was sharing my testimony with some young ladies via youtube which always stirrs something inside of me. Usually, if I'm being honest, it is a bit of shame. Even that very word carries a weight unknown to other words. I know that sharing my testimony is a blessing. I know it blesses others to hear what Christ has done with this hard heart of mine. I know he gets the glory. It's in that remembering where the shame comes in. Those memories are like a...

Well, I wouldn't say that we're official Yoopers...yet, but I thought maybe this would give you a peak into our lives up here in the UP...kind of a to 10 list of things to know about living up here... 10. There is a special all season windshield washer fluid that should be placed into the car before you enter sub zero temperatures. 9. I don't think I can express just how thankful we are for our snow tires 8. Allow yourself 5 min. extra per child to go outside especially if you are readying your little ones for a walk to the grocer around the corner. It will probably take you longer to get ready than to actually walk to the grocer, buy the few things you need and walk home. 7. Seeing the big flakes drop like a beautiful ballet out of the sun filled sky is something I hope I never forget to wonder at. 6. Thank God for snow plows, and sand....and slow drivers...and a heater that works.... 5. Playing in the snow is a whole new set of adventures for the kids and real...