Week in Review.....

Once again, I feel like I have been out of blogland for too long this past week. Seriously, though....I don't know how some of you loyal posters do it!! I am in awe of you and maybe a part of me covets the ability that you have to post regularly! I know, I know.....I shouldn't be coveting. I am really content with where God has placed me and what He has put on my plate right now. But I do wish there were a couple extra hours in each day. :) Thanks for you loyal readers who have stuck with me, despite my absence. I love checking in on you all and hearing how God is moving in your lives each day and week and how we are all a'changin!

Last week, my dad, my stepmom and my brother, Billy visited for the weekend. We had such a great time. I don't get to see them very often and so treasure the time that we have to spend together. They came Friday night and left on Sunday. The boys had another race on Sunday, and my dad, stepmom and Billy were the first spectators the boys had at the races, other than me and Barclay. Somehow, it is a little more exciting to them to have "other" spectators.

My dad thinks I have officially lost it as a mother, allowing the boys to participate in such a dangerous sport. At one point, he leaned over and said to me, " Aren't the boys good swimmers....don't you think you could have coaxed them into that sport???" I think he was kidding. Yes, call me crazy.....I don't know what has come over me......it is another level of trust in God.

The boys had another great race. Despite Ben psyching himself out for this race and being completely intimidated by the track, he finished 5th in his division and came home with a plaque. Seth finished 3rd. It was a proud moment for me to see them both place and receive plaques this time.

Seth right before his race.

Ben on his starting line....trying to overcome the mental anxiety. Boy, is he a child after his mother....always having to get the mind to come under subjection to Christ! Praying it doesn't take him 36 years to master that....like his slow learning mother.

It was a beautiful, warm fall day on Saturday and we ventured out to a miniature golf course for some family competition. My dad is an avid golfer and has taught Jed, our 4 year old, the art and skill of golfing. It is something sweet shared between the two of them.






Taking a picture break on the mini-golf course.....can you imagine being in line behind us! We definitely didn't play the course very quickly. We were quite a crew.

I think this is my favorite picture. Faith felt like such the "big girl" for finally being able to walk the course and actually play. She was a bit puzzled by where her ball went each time she hit it in the hole!

My stepmom, Bobbie, and Faith after a hard 18 holes!

Being the competitive bunch that we are....my dad and brother, Billy had a shoot-off at the end (you can't leave with a tie...there must be a winner!) Here is my very humble father doing his victory dance. :)

We also love board games around here. I grew up playing them. Last Christmas, we went to visit my older sister, Heather, and her family in Texas. She introduced us to this awesome family game called "Ticket To Ride." Upon coming home, we bought it last year and it has become our family favorite. Many an evening, after we put Faith and Jed to bed, the three older boys, Barclay and I settle in for a friendly match of the game. I have had to learn to control my competitive spirit, as it isn't a very good example, or very motherly to try to beat your boys at a game! They have become quite good. Shame on me, I know.

We introduced my dad, stepmom and Billy to the game and once again, the competitive edge in my family came out full force! We had a ball laughing and trying to block each person. I highly recommend this game. You can't find it in stores and have to get it online through Amazon or Ebay. There is also a European version which is just as good. It would make a great family Christmas gift!

We had such a great weekend with them.

The rest of the week went pretty smoothly, other than the normal busyness around here. Barclay was out of town for a couple of days at a Pastor's conference in upstate NY. We had our Moms In Christ Bible Study Thursday morning which was on Sarah and her example of faith. Wow....did God work on my heart last week as I studied to teach about faith and unbelief, about how God has very specific plans for each of our lives, plans that were determined before the foundation of the world....hard to imagine, isn't it?? Plans that He desires to see come to fruition and it is our obedience and faith in Him....alone.....that He desires. The verse that has stuck with me all week is Hebrews 11:1:

"Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."

Oh, that God desires our confidence to be in Him. Faith: believing what God promises for the future...our hope in Him and eternity. Our hope and confidence in His plans for us. Faith: is the proof or the unseen reality of what God is doing in the present....today. He is forgiving our sins, interceding to the Father on our behalf, pouring out His love and grace upon us all, each day. That faith goes against the flesh. The flesh cries out: ME, ME, ME....my plans. Faith cries out: All You God. All You....no matter what.

It has been a week of laying my flesh down before God, and all the unbelief that comes with fear, worry, doubt, control, pride, envy....etc..."Lord, I believe, help my unbelief." Mark 9:24

It has been a week of rashes. Yes, we are back in the season of viruses and colds. I dread this season because as one gets sick....the rest are quick to fall. Last Friday, Faith woke up with this crazy rash all over her arms. It was really red and hot to the touch. It has since spread over her entire body and she looks like she has the plague. Come to find out, she has Fifths Disease and this nasty thing takes a couple weeks to run its course. We are on day 9. Thankfully, her temperament hasn't changed as her skin has. She hasn't run a fever and has been pretty happy, go lucky. I am praying her clear skin will return this week.

Here is a picture to round out the week. We love dress-up around our house. As Faith is the only girl, I try to have the princess dress up laying around and the fancy, sparkly dress up shoes....but somehow she finds her way to the cowboy hat, the superman cape and the bug catching net.......please tell me there is hope that my little princess will be a girlie girl!! I know, lay it down....she will be whatever God designed her to be! :) And that's ok with me.

I'm off to catch up with each of you and read your blogs. I'd love to hear from you. Drop me a note and say hi....introduce yourself, if you haven't already.....have a blessed week.

In the palm of His Hand-Stacy

WFW-God wants our Hearts

"And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the Lord. Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the Lord respected Abel and his offering, but he did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell." Genesis 4:3-5

"So the Lord said to Cain, "Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen?" v.6

"If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire if for you, but you should rule over it." v.7

Welcome to Word Filled Wednesday from the 160 Acre Woods. If you read my blog regularly, you'll see that I love posting on WFW...there is nothing greater than sharing God's Word with each other to exhort, encourage, comfort and teach....I pray God ministers to each of our hearts each week as we sit at His feet. Stop by the 160 Acre Woods to hear from the heart of God through so many women! You will be blessed.

This week, as I was having my quiet time and studying through Eve, I came upon this verse in Genesis about Cain and Abel. I stopped when I got to it and really just let God speak to my heart and meditated on each and every word. At first, I found the words confusing...."accepted....you do not do well." I know God accepts us as we are, sin and all. He loves us in spite of all that we do wrong each and everyday. His love is never ending. His mercy is new every morning. He wants none to be outside His presence. But....

"Because the carnal mind [is] enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God." Romans 8:7

Enmity....it is a form of enemy. The mind that is of the body and flesh is an enemy, a foe, hostile against God.

"For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh" Romans 8:3

Sin is a part of us from the day we are born (thanks to Eve!)...but God in His mercy gave us His son, Jesus Christ as a ransom for our sins. His death, when He allowed His body to be put on that cross and those nails hammered into his hands and feet, was all for us! He knew that this sin would overtake us. That apart from Him, we walk in sin each and every day.

"And its (sin...Satan's) desire is for you, but you should rule over it."

"And if Christ [be] in you, the body [is] dead because of sin; but the Spirit [is] life because of righteousness." Romans 8:10

We all have a choice. Doesn't so much in life come down to choices....each and every day what do we choose? Christ never leaves us...but we have to choose Him. He wants are heart. He wants all of us. He doesn't want the leftovers. He deserves more. He deserves the best. I know I don't give Him my best each day. I know I fall down more times than I'd like to admit.

And here we have the story of Cain and Abel, the sons of Eve. Eve, after she selfishly and pridefully falls into the temptation of Satan and lets Satan lure her in her fleshly weakness, takes a bite into that piece of fruit....from the one and only tree forbidden from her....she is cast out of paradise: perfection in the garden. All is lost that day. Eve later has two sons with Adam: first Cain and then Abel. Cain planted and harvested from the ground and Abel kept sheep. As a planter, Cain brought some of his harvest to the Lord, but Abel brought the lamb that was born first and its fat.

Why was one offering more favored than the other? Why did God look with favor on Abel's offering and not Cains?

Because God was looking at the attitude behind the offering and the offering itself. Abel offered the best. Abel offered a blood offering knowing that sin needed to be covered. Abel was a man who believed in faith. (Hebrews 11:14) God saw His heart.

Cain, on the other hand, offered from the work of his hands. Cain's offering was only an acknowledgement to God as Creator...it wasn't done in faith and sin wasn't even recognized. Cain's offering was about him...it was about good works...not a heart attitude.

God saw that Abel's offering was "more excellent" (Hebrews 11:14)

And God in His mercy and love approaches Cain with tenderness and asks him why he is angry? He doesn't accuse. God gives Cain the opportunity to acknowledge his wrongful sacrifice and to look inward at his heart. Not to compare himself to Abel, but to look at himself before God.

And here Cain has a choice. He can either repent before God and choose to change his attitude. Choose to give God His best, from His heart or He could follow in his selfish ways and the sin of self would overtake him.

Cain chose the later. He became angry. He let his emotions overcome his actions. He allowed himself to be ruled by sin and for Satan to overtake him. He acted out of anger. He acted out of pride. He acted out of sin.

As a result, He killed his brother....and he became a fugitive, fleeing from the face of God. More sin was heaped on top....shame, guilt, anger.....hopelessness.

If we would only give God our hearts. If we would give Him our best. If we would walk in faith and trust Him. If we would see our sin and take it to Jesus for His forgiveness and the washing and purifying that comes only from Him. Through the power of Jesus Christ, we can rule over sin. We can choose to put our minds on Christ and conquer the sin that so easily takes us in the wrong directions. Sin is there lying at the door.....but God is standing at the door at well. May we all open the door to God and choose to lay down our sin at the feet of Jesus and follow Him with our hearts, souls and minds.....may He have all of us!

"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. Revelation 3:20

Have a sweet and blessed Word Filled Wednesday. Thanks for stopping by-Stacy

Boys Will Be Boys.....

First of all, let's just say, I never thought I'd be a mom to 6 children....let alone 5 boys and a little girl... Patience, self-control, gentleness, meekness, selflessness, domestic duties.....(many of the fruits of the Spirit) are not a part of my make-up.....if left to myself (thank God He loves me in spite of the workings of my flesh and He works mighty hard on this girl to bring forth the fruit of the Spirit) and my own tendencies (ie..sin)... without Jesus Christ I would be a fouled up mess. It is seriously only through His work and refining that I even remotely exhibit patience, self-control, gentleness, love....etc... all of those qualities/fruits that we as Godly moms should be displaying. Seriously, I think some days I absolutely exhaust Him.....forgive me Lord. As I said from day one...I am a work in progress.

"being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ." Philippians 1:6

Anyway, God began putting the desire in my heart for children at a young age (23 to be exact). When my husband and I discussed having a family, we would joke and say 4 would be nice. I thought I could handle 4...and that way, there wasn't a middle child. But as usual, God always has bigger and better plans and for Him the number was 6. He worked that all out in my heart and I, too, was thrilled with each blessing God gave us. There was always a little fear with the next pregnancy, as I am also a worrier by nature (add that to the list) and always had health issues alongside each pregnancy. On top of that, I had to have c-sections due to Ben's premature delivery. Yes, that would mean 6 c-sections. (I have the deep scar to prove it...6 cuts in the same spot...ouch!) But after each birth, while holding our newborn babe in our arms, my husband would look at me and ask, "When are we going to do this again?" I am so blessed today, to be the mom to 6 children. God always knows better than we do.....always.

"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," says the LORD. Isaiah 55:8

And as for the boy thing.....I can't tell you how many times I would get the questions when I was pregnant..."so, are you trying for a girl this time?" Oh, that would make me so mad. No, we were never trying for a girl....50/50 chance....not good odds. We always just desired another child....whatever God would bless us with we were thrilled. By the time I was pregnant with Faith (and that is another story I'll blog about sometime....what a walk of faith that pregnancy was....I thought I was done after 5...you know the fear and worry thing...Satan had that smack dab in my face....and my ob was right there telling me I would die if I had another c-section.....but again....God's ways are so much higher!) I keep digressing....sorry. Anyway, I am pregnant with Faith and thought for sure she was a boy.....at that time....that's all I knew.....and then God blesses us with a little girl. But people everywhere would see me coming with all my boys and see me pregnant and say...."Just kept trying for that girl, hugh?" I don't think some people think before they open their mouths. I would graciously smile and continue on.

But as for the boy thing and the original thought behind this whole post was to share the whole mom to boys angle and how these boys of mine are so much different from what I ever knew. I grew up with all sisters. My parents divorced when I was really young...so didn't even have my dad around full-time. My childhood home was inundated with estrogen. Barbie dolls, doll babies, playing dress up (girlie dress up that is), playing grocery store and library, doing our hair and taking each others clothes....these are the things my sisters and I did. I did enjoy the occasional climbing trees and building forts, making mud pies in the backyard and hiking in the woods.....so I wasn't really a girlie girl...but I also wasn't a tomboy. But boy stuff......who knew?? Raising boys...that was a whole different matter.

That brings me to the original picture: dirt bike races. This year, we ventured into the sport of motocross. Yes, boys will be boys! After a couple years of running from soccer field to soccer field between my husband traveling and having small little ones in tow....I was always on the run and we were always divided as a family. It wasn't what we desired and the boys didn't either. Last year, we were introduced to the world of hare scrambles. We had a little KTM motocross bike given to us and then bought a Honda dirt bike...went to one race as spectators....and let's just say that was all that was needed to turn the boys onto this new sport. It is quite an adrenaline rush, I must say. So, this year, we bought each of the three oldest boys race bikes and have joined the many families that travel on the weekends to these races. We have traded in the soccer games and weekly practices for weekend family races. Seth and Luke race in the pee-wee division and Ben is in the youth division. Our backyard has turned into the practice track and my husband and boys have learned the art of caring for dirt bikes, among other things.

Now, my little "princess" girl....when asked by her brothers, "Faith what does a Kawasaki say?" She promptly responds with a smile......"vroooom, vroooom!" Is there any hope that she will turn out a girlie girl??? :)

The boys raced the weekend of the 6th and are racing again this weekend north of Harrisburg.

We try to go to at least one race a month during race season. Their best friend races, as well, and he is pictured in the picture above.

Here is Ben after he finished his race. It had rained the day before the race....so the track was super, super muddy. It was also a really hot September day...around 80 something and humid.

Here is Seth as he was going off a small jump in his race. His race is on a 2 mile track that goes through fields like this, and in and out of the woods.

As for the boy part again.....there was this really huge dirt hill off to the back of the fields where the race was being held. For boys....this is like slice of heaven.....see dirt hill and have to climb....and get dirty....really dirty. Off they all went after their races to climb what to me looked like a mountain!

And there they are all at the top....conquered the mountain! This might be more of an accomplishment than the race itself??

So, the boy fun didn't stop there.....as I mentioned....it had rained the day before....really hard...so what was left of the rain was mini-mud ponds everywhere. Luckily, I had thought ahead and packed an extra pair of clothes for each of the kids....and also the mud boots. I don't think a home with small boys is complete without mud boots. As a little girl....I never had mud boots: Snow boots, yes, but mud boots? I learned quickly that mud boots were a necessity!

Well, this little oasis beckoned the smaller children all the more. The boys had been running from one race track to the next across the fields....the temperature was creeping up...and this may have well as been a swimming pool to the boys. Here's the progression......

The mud boots are now gone and Luke is walking across the roadway connecting fields...toes squishing into the cold mud....heading toward the mud watering hole.

The boys wade in....Luke, Jed and Luke's best friend Sam (when you have 4 boys....what's adding a few more....they all fall into the mix......Sam's brother is Seth and Ben's best friend who races and we take both boys with us to each race.) By this point, the boys are looking at me with the longing faces of...."please can we just lay in the muddy water???" That was the question that came next.....and the answer was....

Sure....have at it boys!!! They rolled around in that muddy mini-pond like swimming pool like pigs in the mud on a hot day. And it didn't stop there...they then decided it would be nice to paint their bodies in the mud. That is what took place next.

Here is Luke and Jed showing off in all of their mud...dripping from their fingers...quite happy with themselves.

And then one last time...Jed sits in the mud hole to try and clean...funny yes, cleaning off with muddy water!


While all this was going on....here is how our girlie girl, Faith, travels at the races...although look close...she, too, is wearing her mud boots! Thankfully, she stayed put in the backpack...and didn't want anything to do with all that MUD!



All in all, we had an awesome "boy" day. Dirt bike races, dirt hills, and mud holes.....what little boy (and big boy) could ask for more! And to top it all off....Seth came in 2nd and won his very first trophy and his friend, Jared, came in fourth. Ben came in 6th in his division, and didn't win a trophy......it took him about 30 minutes or so to handle his pride and his disappointment and be happy for his brother and friend. I was quite pleased with him as he worked through those emotions....and in the end.....put a smile back on his face.

Here's to a house of boys.....and one sweet little girl! I wouldn't change a thing and am learning this whole boy thing as I go....what's a little mud?

In His love-Stacy