A New Year ~ A New Me

Our church is praying and believing for Favor in 2009. We are trusting that He will do mighty things in 2009 in each and every one of us. Let me share a couple verses Pastor shared with us in a letter he sent out recently.

"Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth." 3 John 2 KJV

"But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you. For surely, O Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor s with a shield." Ps. 5:11-12 NIV

This past Sunday Pastor spoke on the 7 Habits we must strive towards. I'm listing them here mainly for accountability. This is what I want to strive for. I want to know Jesus more this year.

1. Persistant Prayer - Set a time & place EVERYday.
P pray
U until
S something
H happens

2. Trust God
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight." Prov. 3:5-6

3. Be Faithful to God House.
"Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another-and all the more as you see the Day approaching." Hebrews 10:25
This is one I really need to work on. It is way to easy for me to want to sleep in on Sundays, especially if I don't get to on Saturday. I love my sleep, no really in like a really sick way! I love it way too much!! But, I love my Lord and my family more. We will be in church every Sunday and very Wednesday.

4. Love Others. Love God.
"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails." 1 Corin 13:4-8

5. Listen to God. Submit to His Will.
How do we listen to God? By reading His Word! That's the first step.

"Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say? I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice. He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete." Luke 6:46-49

"You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised." Hebrews 10:36

6. Be Thankful.
"[G]ive thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thes. 5:18

7. Study God's Word.
Don't just read it ~ Meditate on it.
This is where this comes it. Beth Moore (gotta LOVE her!!) is doing a Scripture Challenge this year for us Siestas. You should join in! It'll be fun! I'll be sharing my verses here on my blog as well. This again will help to keep me accountable.

So, watch out girls! This year is going to full of blessings, lessons, and well, Jesus! Are you in it with me?

In Christ,
Jenn

Trees for Us and for Taylor

Well, we finally got our Christmas tree up today.

Canaan was pretty impressed.

Tyler tried to put the angel on the top of the tree. He suddenly got scared though for some strange reason, so James finished the job.

And we finally got Taylor's trees out to her as well. All in all, a good day.

And here's a pic of us putting the trees together that Tyler took.

While Blog cruisin' this am, I happened to catch up on my fave - Beth Moore (you can find her here: www.livingproofministries.blogspot.com). And her writing from Monday was so profound. Let me share a small portion with you.

"Girlfriends, Jesus is so worthy of our trust no matter what has taken us by surprise. Picture that, when the enemy asks for a little extra access to you, the only reason why God may have given him permission is because He knew you'd prove faithful. Do the thing. In the unseen realm, angels are cheering and demons are jeering. You are in the stadium and the bleachers are full. (Hebrews 12:1) Take one for the team if you have to. Be strong and courageous. Be willing to show people how it's done. Don't look for a leader. You are the leader. People are looking to you. Be deliberate. Make sure they see Jesus. We're not here all that long and then there's BLISS. Forever bliss. Till then, we're over our heads. But we can dang-well decide what kind of over-our-heads we're gonna be."

Wow! That puts major new perspective on the trials I've faced. God knew I'd prove faithful. Seriously? Wow! And ya know, I'm not in that stadium alone! I'm am in there with The King Almighty!! Jesus Christ! Isn't He ALWAYS faithful!! Even when I don't feel I can be. And that BLISS, oh that wonderful BLISS that is to follow!!

Speaking of the Bliss to follow, my BomBom is back in the hospital. That darned chemo is really gettin' her down. Her white count dropped and she hasn't been able to hold anything down. My Momma and Sissy are coming up this afternoon and we're gonna go to Joplin to visit with her. Just say a little prayer for her today. I know it's getting close to her time to enter that everlasting Bliss and honestly it's not her I'm worried about. I know where she will be and I know she will be without pain and suffering and I want that for her right now. She is so weak and miserable. But, I do worry about some of our family. There are a couple people that I just worry if and how they'll be able to handle her passing. I hope (and trust me, I'll tell them) they know to cling to our Heavenly Father and will turn to Him for peace and comfort. As you say a prayer for my precious BomBom, please ask for favor on our family. I pray that we are pulled together this Holiday season no matter what does or doesn't happen.

Blessings

Yesterday I was feeling so overwhelmed. With Tyler and his Asperger's, with Grandma, with Mom, with the Daycare, with our finances, just everything! It all started Tuesday afternoon. I took Tyler to the Dr. which was a nightmare! He was EXTREMELY active. He was firmly diagnosed with Asperger's or High Functioning Autism, so Dr. switched his medication. Well, it takes up to a couple weeks to get in his system, so on Wednesday he had a really bad day at school. James had to go pick him up by noon and bring him to me. So yesterday I kept him home to give the med another day to get in his system. Well, yesterday morning was very trying. I've also been frustrated by the Daycare not filling up yet. And the 2 kids I have are awesome, but with Indian subsidy they pay a month behind, so I won't receive any payment until December 20th. So, I'm workin' my hiney off and not seeing our finances get any better yet. Well, and then add Grandma's Breast Cancer and Mom's possibility of Breast Cancer with her mass being removed Tuesday, and well ya I was overwhelmed. Well, I had the opportunity to visit with my Pastor's wife yesterday around noon and it was such a BLESSING! I was able to get so much off my chest! Then the Benevolence fund at our church has agreed to help us this month. AMAZING! Then she prayed with me over the phone. Well immediately the peace of Jesus just flooded over me! I'm telling you I felt His presence over me and still do. THEN, as if that wasn't enough, I looked up and Tyler (of all children!) was taking a nap! Let me just tell you, this NEVER happens!! Even when he was little he would never really nap! So, then within an hour I received a phone call for 2 children needing care! They are State children, so I was wondering whether I'd even be able to take them. But, I called my Star Liason and guess what. Yep! You guessed it! I've been approved for 1+ Star, which makes me eligible to accept State children as well!!! Can you believe it? Well, if you believe in the power of Jesus Christ, you can. If you don't, well just call me, we'll talk! Then Tyler woke up, got his school work done with minima battles AND went to sleep by 8:30 last night! This is HUGE too, as we fight bedtime every night untill at least 10:00. So, (nope, I'm not done yet!) today I call Tyler's teacher and he's had a great day! Still a couple bumps, but leaps and bounds from the past weeks! (Sorry for all the exclamations. I'm just super excited!) And, one last call for one more baby and yep! The Daycare is now full!! Isn't God WONDERFUL!!!! Thank you Jesus! Just had to share with you all! (You know, my like 2 blog readers! LOL!)
Loves,
Jenn

Digital Scrapbooking

Well, this weekend some friends and I went to a Scrapbook Retreat in Carthage by KISS Crop N Shop. It was AMAZING!! We had a blast! I won a Canon printer!! That was really cool! It's a portable 4x6 photo printer. The prints are better than Walgreen's or Wal-Mart and just as good as Osborn's. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it!! You can check it out here. Got a little bit of work done, not much as usual. I end up sitting there either talking to everyone or thinking about what to do next. But I'm inspired again. That's the main thing - getting my thinkin' tank full. I've decided to dabble in the world of Digital Scrapbooking. It looks like a lot of fun. I've just been apprehensive due to lack of knowledge. But, I went to 2Peas and found some great tutorials. And (use your imagination here, I'm singing) dun dun dun duuun:


My 1st Digital Layout:





I'm so proud!! There will definitely be more to come! Special thanks to Summer Driggs from Summertime Designs for the use of the Breast Cancer Awareness kit. Isn't it beautiful?

I think I have a new addiction!

On another note, please pray for my Momma. She is having her surgery tomorrow morning. They are going in to remove the mass in her left breast. They don't know how much they'll have to take untill they get in. Then they'll send off the mass and confirm whether or not it's Breast Cancer. I really hope the Dr.'s suspicion is incorrect. I don't think I can handle my Momma and my BomBom both going through chemo. I'll update tomorrow after I hear from Poppy. I wish I could be there!

Well, after a weekend of scrapbooking and visiting my Momma, I'm exhausted!! So, while it's barely 9:00, I'm crashing.

Later,
Jenn

Asperger's and Tyler

Well, we found out today that Tyler has Asperger's Syndrome. It is a mild form of Autism. I'm beginning TONS of research right now, so I can help Tyler and to help educate others arond us in how to interact with Tyler. This had been very shocking and difficult to swallow, but at the same time it's been a relief to finally begin to understand why Tyler is like he is. I'm going to attach some strategies for dealing with Asperger's if you'd like to read a little about it and how to react with Tyler. I'll be blogging a little more I'm sure. Just please pray for Tyler and for James and I in dealing with him and this. Thanks.

General strategies for success

• Children with Asperger's syndrome benefit from daily routines for meals, homework, and bedtime. They also like specific rules, and consistent expectations mean less stress and confusion for them.
  
• Many people with Asperger's syndrome do best with verbal (rather than nonverbal) teaching and assignments. A direct, concise, and straightforward manner is also helpful.
  
• People with Asperger's syndrome often have trouble understanding the "big picture" and tend to see part of a situation rather than the whole. That's why they often benefit from a parts-to-whole teaching approach, starting with part of a concept and adding to it to demonstrate encompassing ideas.
  
• Visual supports, including schedules and other written materials that serve as organizational aids, can be helpful.
  
• Be aware that background noises, such as a clock ticking or the hum of fluorescent lighting, may be distracting to your child.
  
• Children with Asperger's syndrome often mature more slowly. Don't always expect them to "act their age."
  
• Try to identify stress triggers and avoid them if possible. Prepare your child in advance for difficult situations, and teach him or her ways to cope.
  

Strategies for developing social skills

• Your child may not understand the social norms and rules that come more naturally to other children. Provide clear explanations of why certain behaviors are expected, and teach rules for those behaviors.
  
• Encourage your child to make eye contact when spoken to, and explain why it is important. Give lots of praise, especially when he or she uses a social skill without prompting.
  Practice activities, such as games or question-and-answer sessions, that call for taking turns.
  
• Help your child understand others' feelings by role-playing and watching and discussing human behaviors seen in movies or television. Provide a model for your child by telling him or her about your own feelings and reactions to those feelings.
  
• Teach your child how to read and respond appropriately to social cues. Give him or her "stock" phrases to use in various social situations, such as when being introduced. You can also teach your child how to interact by role-playing.
  
• Foster involvement with others, especially if your child tends to be a loner.
  Teach your child about public and private places, so that they learn what is appropriate in both circumstances. For example, hugging may not be appropriate at school but is usually fine at home.
  

Strategies for school

• Use visual systems, such as calendars, checklists, and notes, to help define and organize school work.
  
• Orient your child to the school setting. Before the school year starts, take time to "walk through" your child's daily schedule.
  
• Be aware of and try to protect your child from bullying and teasing. Talk to your child's teacher or school counselor about educating classmates about Asperger's syndrome.
  Ask your child's teacher to seat your child next to classmates who are sensitive to your child's special needs. These classmates might also serve as "buddies" during recess, at lunch, and at other times.
  
• Encourage your child's teacher to include your child in classroom activities that emphasize his or her best academic skills, such as reading, vocabulary, and art.
  
• Set up homework routines for your child by doing homework at a specific time and place every day.
  
• Use rewards to motivate your child. Allow him or her to watch TV or play a favorite video game or give points toward a "special interest" gift when he or she performs well.
  Some children with Asperger's have poor handwriting. Typing schoolwork on a computer may be one way to make homework easier. Using computers can also help children improve fine motor skills and organize information.

Been Awhile....

since I blogged. Well, now that school is back in session and we have soooo much going on, I guess I will try to get back in the habit. Speaking of habits, that is our main focus with Tyler right now - Habit Training. Of course, this is pretty common sense for just about everyone but me (guess that's the blonde! LOL). But, I've been reading a lot on the Charlotte Mason way of homeschooling and this is one of the foundations. If you're unfamiliar with Charlotte Mason and want to know more you can google it and find like a bazillion sites. This is the one I recommend though: http://www.simplycharlottemason.com/. Anyways in looking for some other resources, I found these GREAT little flip charts to help our little ones with habits.



The first green one is to help them clean their rooms (without having to go in there 500 times and tell them what to do next!). The yellow one is Zone Cleaning for the kiddos. You can assign them the Zone work and keep your house cleaned the easy way! If you're not familiar with Zone cleaning, check out Flylady at http://www.flylady.com/. She is fabulous by the way!! And lastly the blue one is for Laundry - start to finish! How awesome are these little boogers?? I'm most definitely ordering them and trying them out on precious, little, unsuspecting Tyler. I'll let ya know how it goes!

On the homeschooling front, Tyler got new glasses with a new Rx and is doing MUCH better! It's actually helping with focus as well. He was reading like a champ yesterday and today! I was so proud! I just love to brag about him. Mainly because he really ticked me off this evening, but that's another story better left untold. We are reading a chapter every night in Charlotte's Web. It's been fun for me to revisit that classic and Tyler has enjoyed it as well.

On to the next topic at hand, if you haven't aleady heard, I am opening a Home Daycare. I am totally excited about it!! I already have a couple kiddos lined up and hope to fill the rest of the openings by the time I open. The projected date (as long as noting goes wrong with inspection) is October 6th. It will be called TaterBugz after our Taylor. Surprisingly Tyler is excited as well. He wants to be the "Big Helper" and I'm sure he'll be a good one. Wish me luck is this little endeavor and PRAY for us!! More info coming soon, I'm sure! Also, if you know of any kiddos that need care, send them my way!

And last, but most certainly not least, my BomBom is battling Breast Cancer for the 3rd time. We just recently found out that is has manifested in her lungs (since she doesn't have any breast left from the last 2 times). It is Stage 4, but they are hopefull. She began chemo Monday and up until Tuesday night she was doing well. But, the chemo got the best of her and is making her violently ill. She was admitted to the hospital this morning. Prayers have went up for her and I know without a doubt she will have healing. God's hand is on her now. We give Him thanks for the the mighty work He is doing in her. I pray for God's will to be done and that's of course what I want more than anything. I just hope His will includes her sticking around on Earth a little longer for that healing! Is there anything wrong with that? I love my BomBom (which is my Grandma by the way - my Mom's mom) and I just don't want to lose her, but I also don't want to see her suffer either. The other woman that needs prayer is my Aunt Cheryl. She's doing everything in her power to care for her the best she can. Bless her heart though, she has health problems of her own. I pray that God gives her the strength she needs, the patience Grandma needs and the wisdom to ask for help. I've added a couple pics of my BomBom. The first is her and Canaan. And the other is her with some of her Great Grandchildren. Starting on the left with my son Tyler, Stephanie's son Cody and then Kyle, and then far right Amanda's son Davin.

These next one is the whole McCracken Family. And lastly starting at top left my baby sister, Melissa, then me, then bottom my middle sister Stephanie, BomBom and my Momma, Cherie.

Well, I'm going to sign off for now. My time is always limited right now. Canaan thinks he needs my upper half every 2 hours!

Blessings in Christ!
Jenn