Parenting Resources - A Very Helpful Book

Having three teens in the house at once is not a new situation for me.  My oldest three children were teens; it couldn't have been too long ago, but the time has slipped by.  Anyway, you would think I would know everything about young people there is to know by now.  But I don't.

I find myself quite inadequate for the job.  Thankfully, there are some resources that have been a help to me.  In fact, if I had only had them when my oldest children were still in the home.

Hook, Line, and Sinker, by Cary Scmidt is an excellent book for parents and teens alike.  Unlike many people who write on the subject, Cary Schmidt has a lot of experience dealing with young people and parents alike.  His wise combination of experience and biblical knowledge works together to produce a volume which pinpoints many areas of weakness in the homes of today.

The most amazing thing is not that Satan uses the same tactics over and over with generation after generation of young people, but that, after all these years, the same tactics still succeed.  It seems to me that we should be paying closer attention to the Devil's deception and trying to thwart his plans.

Cary Schmidt outlines and exposes Satan's lies and deceptions, gives us ideas as to how to conquer his insidious attacks.  We've been going through his book as a family, and it has been a real eye-opener as well as an encouragment.

If you have any young people in your home and want to raise them for God, you would do well to have this book.

This article is purely my opinion, and there is no payment of any sort for my support of this book.

Ministry Update - March 2012 (2)

Much has happened in the past few weeks in our ministry to the military. As many of you know, there has been a lot of opposition to anyone going onto an installation to conduct Bible Studies, us included. There was, however, a meeting of the parachapel organizations for the Marine Corps base a few weeks ago in which the chaplain continued his support for individuals to minister on the base. He recognises the need for help inthe huge job he has of trying to reach, encourage, and help the troops and their families.


Please pray:


1. For continued open doors in Camp Pendleton


2. For the establishment of a second team on Camp Pendleton


3. For permission from the chaplain here at Yuma Marine Corps Air Station


4. For guidance concerning our upcoming project at Twenty-Nine Palms Marine Corps base. For this operation, we are planning on doing some preliminary work, laying the ground work for future ministry.


5. For guidance, safety, and that our vehicles will hold up as we begin our drive from the west to the middle of the country.


6. For my husband, who is experiencing chronic ear problems. We're praying that the Lord will guide us to an ENT doctor, and that we will be able to afford whatever proceedure he needs.


Thank you so much for keeping us in your prayers!


Yours for the Journey for Jesus,

When I'm Tempted to Complain...

"Wherefore endure hardness as a good soldier . . ." 2 Timothy 2:3

We've had the wonderful privilege to minister to many Marines here on Camp Pendleton.  One young man, we'll call him Brandon, came over this morning to help us with our bus in return for a nice big breakfast!  He is a diesel mechanic in the Marine Corps, and of course is a very busy fella.

After breakfast, he told us what things were like over in Afghanistan during his deployment.  Bringing his dry humor into every situation, Brandon had us all roaring with laughter at some of the crazy things he did while he was there.  But some things carried with them a sharp stab at my comfort zone.  The things he went through are virtually unbelievable, and have made an indelible impression on my heart.

Being a diesel mechanic, he was extremely busy.  "I had no idea what busy was until I got over to Afghanistan," he told us.  "We were so busy working with our own equipment and also the Brits', there was a time when we were on duty twenty-three hours a day for four weeks!  The only time anybody could find us not busy was when we were asleep, so they'd wake us up and tell us that we needed to go back out and fix a machine.  It got to where I was so tired, I didn't care about anything any more.". 'Just kill me,' I would think to myself,". he laughed as he waved his hand.

Busy?  Yeah, I know busy.  But I don't think I know busy quite like Brandon does.  Going without sleep?  Oh, sure; when you have three kids three and under, you know what it's like to go without sleep.  But I don't think I've ever been as tired as Brandon has.

As the conversation continued to flow, my husband asked, "What's the closest you've been to an IED?"  (Improvised Explosive Device)

"I had one go off right under me once, when I was riding in a vehicle," he replied.  "I heard a tremendous boom, and felt my legs get real hot, almost like they were being scoured with hot sand, and then I remembered that sand, when it gets very heated, turns to glass.  So here I was, out in the middle of nowhere, with my legs encased in glass!"  He chuckled a little, then said, "My head was messed up for awhile, and I couldn't hear for a few days, but after awhile I was ok."  He told us of his hearing loss, but he made light of his injuries, saying, "Hey, at least that was all that happened!"  My mind went back to the many Marines I've seen wearing Prosthetic Legs.

Hardship?  Pain?  Oh, yes, I know pain.  Childbirth, for one.  And surgery recovery.  But...somehow I don't think I know pain quite like Brandon has.

His description of life there in Afghanistan sounded nothing like "normal."  "One of the very best things my buddy got from his family was a package of Depends," he quipped. 

I stared, the kids' jaws opened, then shut, and Jason asked, "What's Depends, Mom?"  After he was duly informed, he stared at the Marine as though he had come from Saturn.

"Yeah," Brandon continued.  "We'd be in a convoy, and we'd be on the road all day.  But they don't have convenience stores out in the desert every sixty miles or so.  And I learned that when ya gotta go, ya gotta go!"

OK.  Now that's nothing like I've ever experienced since I was in diapers.  Somehow my small motorhome with only one bathroom for all six of us sounds very spacious . . . very spacious indeed!

When Brandon left, I had to wonder, what's my comfort zone?  These folks have given up every comfort - and I mean EVERY comfort - for the sake of duty, but what about me?  Surely there is more I can do for my Lord. 

What's my comfort zone?  

Getting a hug by his best friend and the man who saved his life!

Do I complain, grumble, or belly-ache because there aren't enough fries in my Happy Meal?  Perhaps my home is small, and my feet get stepped on sometimes.  That sure beats having my feet blown off.

Sure, we have to wait in line for the bathroom, but that beats wearing Depends.

And sleep?  Why, I get more than I deserve!

Spending time with Brandon has brought all new meaning to the phrase, "endure hardness as a good soldier."  May I be willing to reach out of my comfort zone as I seek to live for God.

Finding contentment in our Journey,

Now THIS is Hilarious!!

I was reading this article today, and gleaned a LOT of wisdom.  No, I'm not a secretary, but I can learn a lot about serving from those who serve.  Bonnie's words of guidance are quite an encouragement to anyone who wants to grow and be a blessing to others.

Not only did I gain some wisdom, I also got a few belly laughs.  These are simply HILARIOUS.

Dog for sale: eats anything and is fond of children.

We do not tear your clothing with machinery. We do it carefully by hand.

For Rent: 6-room hated apartment.

Auto Repair Service: Free pick-up and delivery. Try us once, you'll never go anywhere again.

Used Cars: Why go elsewhere to be cheated? Come here first!

And my personal favorite:

Our experienced Mom will care for your child. Fenced yard, meals, and smacks included.

The moral of the story??  Always have someone proofread your work!!

Put a skip in your step as you go on your journey!

When We Are Broken

In our house, small as it is and as many people as there are, it’s inevitable that something gets broken.  Hopes are dashed, forceful words are flung, and hearts are broken.

“It is impossible but that offences will come  . . .”

My daughter’s precious possession is splattered across the floor.  Her pride and joy lay in a heap, and her heart was grieved.

Sometimes things get broken, splattered, dashed. 

Pieces lie scattered.  Can the loved article be fixed?

Maybe.  Maybe not.

We take it to Him who can make all things new . . .

I take the beautiful plant out of the heap, and gently place it in its new home.

 The cleanup is not difficult, but the pain in my hand attests to the fact that there is a price to be paid. 

And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.  (Zechariah 13:6)

My daughter’s eyes glow when she sees her loved plant.  “Thank you so much, Mommy!  It’s so beautiful now!”  It was broken . . . so that it could be made new.

I may not like it much, but I know that it’s OK to be broken.  Jesus can make us new.

Make The Most Out of Your Thrift Store Stop

My daughter, Kathryn, is what I call a "Thrift Store Queen!"  We've always shopped at thrift store, but even when she was little, she was worlds better than me!  In fact, I would go through a rack of clothes, and she would come right along behind me and find oodles of good items at wonderful prices that I had just overlooked.  Now she takes her three children shopping, and they are learning from the best thrift store shopper I know!

While she is great at finding good, stylish clothes for her family, she specializes in decorating her house in real style, right from the Salvation Army!  One look around her house will tell you that she has excellent taste, and it's hard to believe that her things come from such places as Goodwill, the Salvation Army Trift Store, and her favorite (what she refers to as an upscale thrift shop!,) "Vinnie's, or St. Vincent De Paul's.

The other day, I asked Kathy if she would share with me her secret to getting the most out of a stop at a thrift store.  These are the things she said:

1.  Identify what the sale items are.  Are they red tag?  Blue tag?  The kids already love going thrift store shopping, and enjoy finding tags with the right color of the week.
 

2.  Scan the store to see if anything really catches my eye.
 

3.  Go through the store more methodically, if I have time and money.
 

4. Shop often.  Of course, if go regularly, I can watch for new items, or keep my eye out for things which are having their prices lowered.
 

By following this method, I've been able to get some tremendous buys!  Here are some of the big deals I got recently:
 

One time recently, I found a Keurig on sale for 9.99.  It was a display model, so the plug had been cut off of it, and it was missing the cup holder with the sharp point.  I knew my hubby could easily put a plug on it, so I picked it up, went home & ordered a cup insert online that I found on sale, and I had a brand new Keurig for only $ 25!!!
 

Another time I saw Vtek electronic jewelry box learning center in the display case for $8.  That was more than I wanted to pay, so I looked through the toy section to see if I could find anything.  Wouldn't you know, I found the same Vtek jewelry box for only $2, since this one didn't have the box!
 

But I guess the crowning glory of all buys was the changing table I got for only $0.99!!  It was a yellow tag item that I had been eyeing it for a few weeks.  At our particular Goodwill, at the end of the week, they put the color of the week on sale for $0.99, so I simply waited until Saturday, and lo and behold, it had been marked down, down, down all the way to $0.99!  I was so thankful, and we bought it for the church nursery!

In my own research, I also found an interesting web site with some other good ideas.  The Budget Fashionista has some good points to consider, as well.

So there you have it, Ladies and Gentlemen, from The Thrift Store Queen herself!  I have found that by employing these points, even I - Thrift Store Bumbler - can get some good buys.

Have any of you gotten any good buys from thrift stores?  Maybe you have another point which you would like to share.  We would love to hear how you get deals!

Save the Date! ... and a very helpful book

It's official. folks!  July 21 there will be another Raub added to the (quickly) expanding Raub Crew!  

Congratulations, Stephen & Jessica!  I am so proud of both of you!

Anyone with at least one child can relate with the difficulty of finding time in the busy schedule to pray.  Spending time with God each day is the most important thing we can do, but often the most neglected. 



The Busy Mom's Guide to Prayer is a prayer journal that I found online and have been using for the past few days.  It's been great for me, helping me to pray through some of the neglected areas.  Quite a little gem! 

Check it out!

Enjoy your weekend journey!

Conquering Mount Washmore!

Help!

When I was growing up as the youngest of 5 children, my mother did the laundry once a week - probably on Saturdays, but I don't really remember.  She had what she sardonically termed, "The Dungeon," which seemed to be her home during the brightest and most wonderful hours of her only day off work.  The musty smell, the bare concrete block walls, and the mountain of work became her abode for hours on end.  This was what I thought Doing Laundry was all about.

This was the way I used to Do Laundry.  But what I didn't realize was that my mother had only five children, didn't travel, and didn't attend church meetings nearly as much.  As a result, I had a huge mountain of stinky, smelly laundry that I tried to scale every week . . . without much success!

But things are quite different now.  My running clothes are washed and ready for the next day, the kids are delighted to find the same clothes in their bin that they just wore yesterday (sometimes this results in seeing a kid in the same clothes day after day - but, hey, they're clean, right?) and hubby always has clean socks and underwear.

How do we conquer Mount Washmore?  I'm no expert in homemaking by any stretch, but I've learned to discipline myself to even enjoy the process of washing, drying and folding (and even putting away!)  clean laundry.  Here are some thoughts:

1.  It's a battle of the mind.  If Mount Washmore is an Everest (perhaps a "Never-Rest"!) it is so because it is a mountain of the mind.  In other words, we imagine it to be much worse than it really is.  My oldest daughter, who is working hard to have victory on Mount Washmore in her own home, told me on the phone the other day, "You'd be proud of me, Mom.  I actually took the laundry out of the dryer, FOLDED IT, and put it AWAY!  And do you know what the amazing thing is about that?  It didn't take me nearly as long as I thought it would!"  That job which we think would take thirty minutes to an hour usually only takes about seven to fifteen minutes! 

·         It doesn't take as long as you think!

·         It's not as hard as you think!

·         It CAN be done!

·         Taking just a little bit of time right away saves you lots of time later!

2.  The down and dirty: how to conquer!

·         Hook it!  When you really want something done regularly, attatch it to another regular activity!  For me, that activity is eating.  I eat three times a day - at least!  So if I want something done every day, I hook it to the meal.  For me, that means that I switch the laundry after breakfast, after lunch, and after dinner.  This way, I get three loads of laundry done every day. 

         

•     Organize it!  People who don't live in motor homes have a different way of operating than I do.  Here are some good articles that may give you some help:

1.  tackling that mountain of laundry 

2.  Simplify 101" laundry tips

3.  For those of you with large families, here is another good link:  Large Family Logistics

·         Finish it!  The hardest thing in the world for me is to discipline myself to actually finish a job.  I always have great ideas, and am quite enamoured by my own thoughts (aren't we all??), and so I find it very hard to actually finish a job that I start!  For laundry, that means, to put on a load, take a load to the dryer (my dryer is in the bay of the bus, so I have to go outside to switch laundry,) bring the dry laundry in, FOLD IT, and PUT IT AWAY!!  (In the motorhome, the kids' clothes bins are only two steps away, so I go ahead and put their laundry away for them.)  With everything else pressing on me, it is hard to finish, but I do my best to do it.  And if I get interrupted, I get back to it as soon as possible.

3.  Pray, pray, pray!  This should actually be the first step, but let's also let it be the last one.  The Bible says that we should "Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God.  And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."  Philippians 4:6-7  I'm so thankful that we are able to bring EVERYTHING to God!  He really is concerned about anything that concerns us. 

As we pray, work hard, and pray some more, we can trust God to help us conquer Mount Washmore!

When Things Go Wrong

The excitement in the motorhome was palpable.  Jason jumped up and down and squealed, "We're going to the zoo today!!"

Lydia looked at him and laughed.  "Yes, Jase, isn't it great?  After waiting all this time, we finally get to go to the zoo!" 

I glanced at the children and smiled while I quickly packed the things we would need.  Water bottles, sunscreen, snack, camera.  Anything else?  Boy, I sure hope I don't forget anything!  Tossing what I thought we would need into a bag and nestling my camera in its place, I continued to wrack my brain.  My thoughts were broken when one of the young people came to me.

"Mom?  I think there's a problem.  This time when I flushed the commode, the foot pedal broke, and now it won't flush at all!" 

I gave a puzzled look, my mind instantly going back to the days of work my husband put into fixing the foot pedal on our motorhome toilet.  No flush, no use!  No toilet?  Not good!  If we get back from the zoo late and then he has to fix the commode again, it would make for a miserable night.

When My Beloved found out, he went to investigate.  He came out of the operating room and looked around at the nervous loved ones waiting for the diagnosis.  "I hate to say it, but today is going to have to be a Fix the Commode Day, because as you all know, we cannot come home to a toiletless home!"

I must admit, the kids handled it very well.  There were no tears, but lots of disappointed sighs.  My Beloved and I conferred for a minute, and then he announced, "Well, guys, we may not be able to go to the zoo, but I need to go get some parts.  Let's go get some lunch somewhere, and we'll get what I need to fix the toilet."

A more sober group climbed in the van. 

What do you do when Things Go Wrong?

The bright sunshine of the San Diego sky insisted that it was going to be a good day anyway, so we got some lunch and decided that the toilet simply needed replaced (those plastic parts of motorhome toilets aren't made for continual wear over a period of several years.)  With a new commode in the van, My Beloved decided that we would still do a few fun things before he needed to go back to the bus to replace it, so we went to the waterfront to walk for a bit.

So instead of going to the great and wonderful San Diego Zoo, we walked along the waterfront.

And as we walked, something wonderful happened.

 

There were street vendors, hawking their wares.  There was the Maritime Museum - a many-masted iron-clad ship tied to the dock, complete with pirates!  There was the monstrous and incredible USS Midway, now a massive floating World War II museum.  

We saw the San Diego Silver Man (who scared My Beloved half to death!,) enjoyed the pier, and even got to watch airplanes land while we were at the waterfront.

What happened that was so wonderful?

We had fun.  A lot of fun.  We walked, talked, joked, laughed, and had a great time.

This dear lady has probably been in this wheelchair for years, but what does she do?  She splashes some bold color on, revs up the engine, and enjoys the ride!

What do you do when things go wrong?  Allow God to change the plans, go with the flow, and don't sweat the small stuff.  When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.

It may be a wild ride, but relax and enjoy the journey; it's a great one!

Angels Unawares

Do angels ever show themselves to folks nowadays?

I'm not sure, but sometimes, I think the Lord sends one every once in awhile to encourage and bless me.

I had just finished my run, and was doing some exercises at the playground when an older gentleman came up to me.  We had a bit of small talk, and he asked some questions about what we do and why we are here.  When I told him that we travel in the ministry, his eyes glowed, and when I explained our ministry to the military, he really was excited. 

Knowing that we travel a lot, he asked whether I had been to Isreal yet.  "No, not yet," I replied, laughing and waving toward my children, who were waiting for me in the van.  "I still have a pile of children at home, and it's a bit expensive to get over there."

He went on to tell me about his recent trip to Isreal, and how when he reads the Scriptures in the morning now, he knows the places.  As he described the sights of Jerusalem and spoke of Bethany, my mind went to Lazarus, Martha, and Mary.  How wonderful it must be to see that place!

Then, before we parted, he gave me a handshake, saying, "You would not believe how the Lord has blessed me financially, and in all sorts of ways.  I want to be a blessing to you, and treat you to lunch."

I felt something in my hand, and when I got to the van, I saw it was a fifty dollar bill.

Does God send angels without us realizing it? 

I think so.

Angels unawares. 

Has God ever sent someone to you to encourage you?  Please share your blessing with us!

A Huge Announcement!!!

Jon and Brooke were married in December!

It was The Phone Call.  


"Hey, Mom! Is Dad there?" my son Jonathan was on the line.


"Good. Yeah, get him on the phone, too, and you stay there, Mom. Put it on speaker phone, so you all can hear me." 


 Rustle, rustle, whisper, whisper. Wide eyes and big smiles. When you have a large family, it's hard to get everyone quiet enough to hear an important announcement. 


 "Hey, Dad! Are you there? Is Mom there, too? Am I on speaker phone? I am? Good! Well, we have an announcement: Brooke and I are going to have a BABY!!" 


 The motorhome erupts into applause, cheers, laughter, and yelling, all at once. 


 Rejoice with me, my friends! Isn't God good?? 


 Blessed beyond all measure,


Lisa

Fear and the Courageous Journey

Sometimes in our walk through life, we come across some pretty scary warning signs.

The trail may seem very steep, or rough. 

But we know there are many who have gone this way before, and we see evidence of their faith walk.

He gives us trail buddies along the way, to encourage our hearts.

 And we see glimpses of His love...

...and His glory.

Never fear the trail . . . "perfect love casteth out fear."

Take the Courageous Journey He has given you, and look for His Presence . . . you WILL find it.

"Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the earth."

Walk on!

Ministry Update: March 2012

 

The Marines run a little over three miles in about twenty minutes!  These are some guys doing their PT test.

Satan does not fight with M-16s, IEDs or 30 caliber rounds, he fights with wrong philosophies, rules with fear, and kicks folks when they’re down.

And Satan will not give up any ground easily.

This is the Wounded Warrior complex, where the Wounded Warriors live and have their rehab. 

Opportunities abound here on Camp Pendleton.  There is a lot of hunger for truth among the Marines here, and that’s a blessing to see.  Being challenged by the Word of God, several Marines are coming out to church.  We’ve been picking up some Marines for church from the School of Infantry, and that’s been good.  Some Marines need to be saved, while one, who is a Christian, needs a lot of support and prayer to live for God in his spiritual foxhole.

Many military families have dire need, and are seeking for help.  Unfortunately, without the Word of God, The military is unable to give them the real help they need.

I find this sign to be so ironic.

The military hardware is impressive!  But the spiritual need is great.

This is the track for the Wounded Warriors.  The Marine Corps encourages them to get back out and run!

While there is a lot of opportunity, there is much opposition.  The one Bible Study we held created such a high-ranking officer’s opposition.  If you’ve been a Christian any length of time and have seen the antagonism of the Devil, you know what I mean. 

The military is a very needy field, so we appreciate your prayer!

 

All for Jesus,