Menu Monday

Here is the end of the year, beginning of 2008 plan!

Monday: Fun Foods for game night...chicken tenders, chips and dip, salsa and chips cheese balls

Tuesday: Black eyed peas, collard greens, and ham

Wednesday: We are traveling with Daddy!

Thursday: Breakfast for supper

Friday: Tomato Gravy, rice, salmon patties and green beans

Saturday: TBA

Sunday: small group lunch, and Campbell's soup and grilled cheese for supper

For more ideas please check www.orgjunkie.com

Have a wonderful New Year!!

And We're Off!!

Ok, we are not really off and going...but. I looked at everything with our move "until Christmas" and "after Christmas". I knew once Christmas was over that things would really pick up speed in the move and getting to Texas. It almost takes my breath away but we are now officially in the "after Christmas" stage. Most of our cleaning out has been accomplished and Sid has a lot of work scheduled to finish up on the house. As soon as the house sells we will be on our way.

We discussed our plans to find housing in Texas the other day. As soon as we know the house is sold Sid and I will head out to find somewhere to live. This is where I may need some of you wonderful Texas friends I have found!

Continue to pray as we continue to trust God's leading in our lives.
Pray for the people who will make our home their home.
Pray for the place God has in mind for us to live.
Pray for our energy and strength.
Pray for calmness.

Christmas morning we had our traditional Christmas breakfast together. Before we ate we read from Isaiah 42. It is talking to the Lord's chosen servant, who some believe to be Isaiah, or David, or even the nation of Israel and in the New Testament this is referred to as Jesus, but the verse that stood out to me was..."He will not falter or lose heart, until justice prevails throughout the earth."

That is my hope in our ministry...that we will not falter or lose heart.


Thank you for supporting us in your prayers. There are so many ways we see that support.

Christmas with Edna..."Jean"

We have met someone who has really become special to us this Christmas season...Edna. I mentioned in an earlier blog that we had adopted Edna from our local nursing home, and little did we know how special she would make our Christmas.

We had the chance to spend some more time with Edna again before her party. We took some very small Christmas decorations and helped her decorate her room for the holidays, where she informed us she prefers to be called "Jean". She also shared with us that rolling will cure all !

Yesterday was the big day...Santa came and there was a party to beat all! We were so excited to have the chance to spend this day with "Jean". The room was full of so many of the residents all excited about the party and all looking for family and friends who were there. As I sat beside "Jean" I couldn't help but notice all the ones who were alone. My heart ached for them.

We were there to help " Jean" open her gifts, and get her party food. Then we took her back to her room and helped her unpack her gifts...where with her mind it was Christmas all over again!!

Was everything about this adventure easy? NO. Doesn't that place smell funny? Yes. Doesn't everyone look at you? Sometimes. Was it worth it? Oh yeah! Would you do it again? YES! Will you keep contact with "Jean"? Yes, I really want to.

Before we went in to the nursing center yesterday, I told the children to remember that God loves these people just as much as He loves us. Gods love is the same for His children, even if your mind and body are not healthy. It made it such a wonderful experience to look at these people with that in mind...they are my brothers and sisters.

Edna "Jean" speaks often of God and Jesus, just the other day she said "I love that Jesus". Everything I have learned about "Jean" tells me there is a relationship with God there. I hope that is true, because one day we will meet again in heaven, and her mind will be well, and we can share some of the times we have been blessed to have together.

oops! Menu Wednesday?

Well I made it three weeks before I missed a menu. BUT, instead of just not doing it....I am posting a little(ok, a lot) late.

Wednesday: Tomato gravy, rice, and beans

Thursday: Taco Salads

Friday: 15 Bean soup

Saturday: Spaghetti

Sunday: brunch with our small group, and a very lite supper

Monday: Christmas Eve...tons of goodies at my mom's!!

Monday late night: Rolaids, Mylanta with a Zantac chaser!!

Tuesday very early in the am: more Rolaids, Mylanta, and Zantac chasers

Tuesday Breakfast: Full Christmas breakfast

Tuesday lunch: soup buffet at my Mother in-laws

Tuesday dinner: you have got to be kidding...maybe a fast!!!

Out of the Box

I know my garbage collectors think we are running some type of illegal business or maybe that we are filtering a couple of families garbage through our trash service. I keep expecting them to question us! The past couple of days I have not left the house I have been placing stuff either in moving boxes or trash bags and it has been about even. My goal is to only have out the absolute necessities to exist until time to leave. That way when it is time to pack it can happen quickly. Fortunately, we have this spare room we can place boxes that are packed.

I was joking with my mom this week that the local thrift stores and the local landfill were really going to miss us when we are gone! Packing school has also been quite a chore. If any of you wonderful homeschooling moms have packed and moved school before and have some of that great experiential advice of how to pack school, please pass along the information!

Sid will get his books for his first DTS class this week. He will start online in January, so keep him in your prayers as he continues to work, sell the house, and start seminary!

I just wanted to update everyone on where we are in the process. So, if I take missing...check the moving boxes! I may have packed myself!

Praise Baby

This is a new resource for all of you that still have small ones, that seems to be out of this world.
My cousin has the cutest little boy and when we were over there the other week she put this DVD in and I witnessed him just mesmerized by praise music. She went on to say it always has a calming effect on him and HER! Just wanted to pass the information along to other parents.(And by making this post I qualify for a free praise baby bib....coming soon to you Krista!)

This is week three of the Monday Menu Plan for the Emory family. So far it has made meal time, shopping, and preparations easier. Last week was a pretty odd week and I only prepared meals every other day. This week seems pretty normal so here we go!

Monday: Veggie Spaghetti and bread

Tuesday: Taco Soup, sour cream, and chips

Wednesday: Italian Sausage, peas, apple sauce

Thursday: Salmon, rice, brussel sprouts

Friday: Chicken Stew

Saturday: Sandwiches, party mix, hot chocolate, hot coffee......at the Christmas Parade!

Remember to check www.orgjunkie.com for more meal plans, recipes and ideas.

Christmas Edna

Today the kids and I decided to see if anyone at our local nursing home was in need of some family and attention this Christmas. When we arrived and told the patient coordinator what we were wondering there was no hesitation in connecting us with someone right away.

Her name is "Edna". She is physically not that bad off, but she is classified as schizophrenic. The lady at the nursing home said she is very sweet and harmless. That she was! She was sitting in a wheel chair and had beautiful silver hair down to her shoulders. She had eye glasses that enlarged her eyes to a almost comical size, and there was not a tooth in her head. She was so excited to have company and really loved seeing the children. After finding out some very simple items she loved and needed we proceeded to shop for her. That was the most excited I have seen the children shopping for someone else.

We are going to attend Edna's Christmas party with her later this month. We are so excited to be able to sit in with this woman as her family.

In Isaiah God refers to the needy as "our flesh and blood". Hearing that this past week really made me think how I would treat my flesh and blood. I would give anything I had to my"flesh and blood" if they had a need. I think we just forget sometimes that we are all children of the same father.

Find some of your long lost never met relatives and make a special connection out there this Christmas. It is amazing but there never seems to be a shortage of lonely needy people.

Amazing!

You have got to check out this video that my fellow posted on his blog!

http://www.wonderingfellow.com/2007/12/eastside-foursquare-church

What an amazing story. It really makes me think of the passage in Acts that we have been studying in school with the kids. Cornelius has just had a vision where he is told to send for Peter. Peter also has a vision where God is preparing Peter for the task at hand. Peter sees, in his vision, a large sheet being let down to earth. On the sheet there is all kinds of animals. Then a voice tells Peter to kill and eat. Peter immediately says no he will not eat what is unclean. Then the voice in his vision says "Do not call anything impure that God has made clean".

I wonder how many times in my life I will do that. Not won't to go, not won't to do, not won't to be somewhere with others I find "unclean" or worse unworthy to my standards.