A Great American Adventure

This week our family has been travelling with my sister and her family out west to South Dakota. We are having a lot of fun. Visiting some of most awe inspiring places such as Mt. Rushmore and Custer State Park. Along the way we have been keenly aware of God's mighty power and His awesome handiwork.

I enjoy traveling with family. My sister takes her family on a vacation to a different state capitol each year. We have enjoyed tagging along. I want my children to have wonderful memories of meaningful family vacations. I read recently vacations are a better way to spend your money than household items or toys, because you make memories that last a lifetime. While if you buy objects they are soon forgotten. I suppose you could say that this was written by someone trying to sell people on vacations but, I can see the validity in it.

This trip has been an education in history and in the magnificence of God's creation. We paid an interesting visit to the South Dakota Capitol of Pierre. We have also had our share of tourist attractions that were simply pure entertainment value. Like the World's Only Corn Palace and The World Famous Wall Drugs.

Lots of fun and great memories. Memories to last a lifetime. Like having a donkey poke his head through my open van window all but demanding to be fed. I gave him what I had handy which was a handful of prunes. He seemed to like it and a second younger donkey joined him in my window. Eventually we ran out and had to shoo them away. We also saw free roaming buffalo. As we were leaving the buffalo, Carson said, "I don't think I can eat buffalo wings after that". Troy and I had a good chuckle and explained that buffalo wings were chicken wings not buffalo.

On our ride out of Custer State Park, Ephraim started making strange coughing noises. I looked back and sensed that he was about to throw up. He denied it, but I managed to get a bag under him before he threw up. I think it was car sickness but Ephraim had a different idea. He said he thought he was allergic. We asked him what he was allergic to and he said "donkeys". Again a good chuckle for us.

So far this Great American Adventure has been an eventful trip and we still have more days to go. We have thanked God for His provision for our safety and the majesty of the land He created.

What a Compliment!

This week I have been helping at VBS (Vacation Bible School). I was serving in the role of story teller. This role is a familiar one to me because of being children's leader at BSF (Bible Study Fellowship), but this was a different setting and a more casual atmosphere. One of the little girls in my group yesterday had been in my BSF classroom this year.

This little girl's mother stopped me in the hallway today and gave me one of the highest compliment I have ever been paid. She said this morning while the little girl was brushing her teeth, that she turned to her and said "Mommy, I love Mrs. Bishop". The mother smiled pleased that her little girl liked coming to VBS and BSF. Then the little girl said "I wish Mrs. Bishop was my mommy". The mother was a little hurt of course.

I told the little girl that she probably wouldn't feel that way if she lived in my house everyday. The mother then replied knowingly with a sweet voice, something to the effect of "Not every mother can be as nice as Mrs. Bishop all of the time". Of course, I am delighted that the little girl loves me so much and thinks so highly of me. I'm sure my boys have days where they would love to trade me in more often than not.

Felt good to know that God had answered my prayer. I had prayed that God would use me as His hands and feet. That I would see the children as He sees them and that I would have His love for them and His patience. I believe that this little girl's compliment shows that God was at work and answered my prayer.

By the way the little girl's mother is a supermom with twice as many kids as I have. She is someone I look up to and know she has her act together in a really big way. The other great thing about her is her smile and the way you know that her joy comes from the LORD. That makes it even more of a compliment. Of course to God be the glory!

Questions for Mama

As the mama of two pretty fantastic and inquisitive boys, I get a lot of questions. Some are as simple as "what are we having for supper?" and some are much deeper. Yesterday's question of the day came from Ephraim...

Ephraim: "Mama, is God sleeping?".

Mama: "Ephraim, the Bible tells us that God never sleeps. Why do you ask?"

Ephraim: "I thought He might be sleeping, because I can't hear Him. God rests
though, right Mama?"

Mama: "Yes, Ephraim, The Bible says God does rest".

Ephraim: "Well, maybe He is resting then Mama."

Mama: "Yes, Ephraim, maybe He is resting".

Have any questions??? I've had a lot lately and while I can not go to my earthly parents to ask, I can go to my Heavenly Father. It is amazing how God's WORD speaks to any circumstance in our life. And I mean ANYTHING. Take a look, you'll be amazed too.

Taking a Break...

It was like I almost forgot I had a blog. Been busy, just let posting get away from me. As of last Wednesday, Carson was officially on Summer break and Ephraim's Children's Morning Out program ended on the Thursday before. They both were ready for Summer. We all have a break from Bible Study Fellowship, but we aren't taking a break from the study of God's WORD.

I may have mentioned in a prior post, but we are studying the book of Ephesians as a family. We started by talking about how that the book of Ephesians was a collection of letters. Given to us by God, written by the Apostle Paul to the people of Ephesus. We did our own rendition of the Blues Clues song "We just got a letter". (You will know this if you have young children).

This week we are studying Ephesians 2 staring with verse 8. Instead of focusing on receiving a letter, we are talking about the gift God gave us in our Savior Jesus. I just love how God uses His WORD to meet us right where we are. I want so very much for God's WORD to be a living and active presence in the life of the boys and us of course.

Speaking of living and active, our sermon series on the book/movie The Ultimate Gift started this past Sunday. Pastor Teike spoke this week on the gift of work. I felt convicted about being more on task and less idle. I suppose I ought to sign off and start my work for the day. Everyone has a job to do, even me.

Let's Do a Pat-ter-ren Mama!

This weekend, I was attempting to help Troy in the yard. This in and of itself is laughable. Though my mother was an accredited flower judge and landscape design critic, I didn't inherit that gift.

Sadly this weekend, I was being defeated by a small container of petunias. I was sitting on my steps pretty much in tears, because I wasn't schooled in planting and so forth. Lamenting that my mother was gone and I hadn't taken advantage of her wealth of knowledge while she was living.

My good friend whom my boys call Grandma Coo, tried to comfort me and guide my planting, but it just wasn't working. Then Troy and the boys came to my side and offered me hugs and kisses.

Then Carson uttered the sweetest and gentlest words... "Let's do a pat-ter-ren (pattern), Mama!". There we had it, a pattern would indeed do. A simple "AB" pattern of purple, pink, purple, pink along the side walk. That was all it took to put the flower planting into perspective anyway.

What a comfort the Bible is to me, because it gives us a pattern to live by. Now, it isn't a simple "AB" pattern, yet, we can trust Christ to lead us every step of the way. We have a super natural power available to us through the Holy Spirit. Pretty amazing! I'm looking forward to studying the book of Ephesians with Troy and the boys this summer. A small book in the Bible which gives the pattern to live by.

Free... Free... Free! No, Really! It is Absolutely FREE!

I've been pretty excited about my new cell phone. My sister and I searched and debated and haggled for a few weeks trying to find the perfect "free" phone. If you know me at all, you know I love a great price. I want to get the best deal for the least amount of money. The only thing better than my 75% off clearance items from Target is something for free.

Anyone can tell you that nothing is ever truly free. Even the free phones I found were after rebate and with the addition of another costly service. Now, I know that the phone company has to make money because as we say at my house the phone company is Troy's (and our) "bread and butter", but I really did want to be a savvy consumer.

So when, I found a phone at Sam's Club for "free" with no rebate, and no costly additional services, I was thrilled. I did still have to pay the customary $18 upgrade fee, but Troy is working on getting that taken off our bill. I've been sharing my excitement about the phone deal with just about anyone that will listen. I guess I wanted to be sure and spread the word about the good deal I got, so they could benefit too.

Made me stop and think. After I read my devotional this morning, I was already convicted of the urgency to share the Good News. The Good News that Jesus died for me, and rose again that I might be saved from the punishment of my sin. The Bible tells us in Matthew 10:7-9: "As you go, preach this message: 'The kingdom of heaven is near.' Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy,drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.

Free, His Gift of Salvation is truly FREE! I can't do anything to earn it, there are no hidden fees, I don't have anything to add to it. It really is the best deal around. You can't beat it. So, while I want to share my savings tips with others, I certainly want to remember to have an even greater enthusiasm for the Saving Grace of Jesus. If you haven't accepted your FREE gift, now is the time.

This House

After a full morning at Bible Study, Ephraim and I like to just relax a little before we go to pick up Carson from school. Today a thunderstorm has interrupted our normal and cozy routine. Ephraim did pretty well at the start, but a loud clap of thunder had him shaken. He was headed downstairs to get a puzzle, when it happened.

He ran back to me and the safety of my arms. I held him close and he said to me, "This house will be okay, cause it is built on the LORD. Right Mama?". "Yes, of course", I responded. Yep, that Ephraim is listening even when you think he isn't. So be encouraged all you mothers and fathers, grandmothers and grandfathers, aunts and uncles, Sunday School teachers and Bible Study leaders. When you give out God's WORD, It does not return empty. Just as God promises in His Holy Bible.