Last Day of Tutoring....

Well I just got home from my last day of tutoring this sweet little girl. The 2 years I've been with her seems to have flown by. Today I took her lunch from Taco Bueno. She loves her some chips!!

As I was sitting out in the car waiting to go, I noticed a Momma Starling Bird with her 2 babies. The babies were as big as she was. One was not wanting to veer too far away from her, while the other stayed close, but was more adventurous in finding his own worm. I enjoyed sitting there watching this bird family when the Lord spoke to my heart. In a way, I've been like the Mama Bird- not a mother by any means- but a helper. I've helped this little girl soar in Math and Reading. When she didn't understand something, we would try to figure it out together. She would search and search for the worm- while I would try as hard as I could to help her find it. It's been my goal all along for her not to need me....the same way as that Momma Starling Bird wants her babies not to need her.

I took my little girl her lunch and we were able to visit. She brought me the sweetest card and little bouquet of flowers. She loved the small scrapbook I made for her as well as the blanket and pillow I knitted. At the end of our time, she was able to go outside and play with her friends. Just like that little baby bird, she hugged me and ran to be with the others- the way God intended it to be all along.

My heart is full and maybe a little sad, but to know I did exactly what the Lord wanted me to do is simply priceless.

Animal Cruelty

I watched a Dr. Phil episode yesterday that put my opinion of Dr. Phil through the roof! He had on there a dog fighter....one that fights pit bulls. It was a very graphic episode, and I cried through most of it. Dr. Phil in NO way agreed with what this man had done and didn't spend very much time with him. He did have on the show a group of burly guys called Rescue Ink- they make it their goal to rescue animals that have been abused. Can I just say my heroes????

As I was watching that episode, I kept telling the Lord...."I'm so thankful I'm not in that audience, I would have blown that guys head off....or better yet put him in a fighting ring and beat him up with no way of escape." Then I heard the Lord softly say, "I love him too."

It got me to thinking later as I was driving to meet my little tutor person....people in this world do awful things and yet the Lord in His mercy and time forgive them if they ask for it. Does that make it any easier for me to forgive the animal abusers of this world I live in.....to be honest no! I don't want to forgive them, the idea of someone hurting a defenseless animal makes me sick! It brought me great peace when the Lord brought back to my remembrance that nothing goes unnoticed from His sight. He cares for the birds of the air as well as the animals that roam this earth, and someday MY Ancient of Days will get his revenge on those that hurt animals. That brings me peace. Yes, I'll still struggle with forgiving evil doers, but to know that God sees what is being done and will get His way in the end is an awesome thought.

I want to leave this blog post with an awesome video- one that my hairdresser Jessica showed me yesterday. It's an awesome story of 2 men who rescued an abused lion cub. They named him Christian. He got so big that they thought of returning him to the wild in Africa. They did...against everyone's better judgment. He found him a lioness and had a whole family. After 12 years they went back to find Christian. Everyone said that lion wouldn't remember these 2 guys who had rescued him.....Enjoy...and get your kleenex!



It just goes to show animals appreciate beyond measure what you do for them. I know my God smiles when He sees people treating what He created with the respect and love they deserve.

Long Time, No Blog!!!!

Ok, so I haven't blogged in forever- I've been swamped. Take a look below and see lots of posts!!!

Kingdom Crew Party

Troy, Michelle, Mandy, Walter

The Crew!!!!

Wow, Russ, love the hat! LOL!

Mom and her guacamole

Yummy!


More of the crew

Nick, Luke, Jason

Luke & Jason

Me & Nick

Troy & Michelle

A Western BBQ Theme

This past Saturday Mom and Dad hosted the Kingdom Crew Party. We had a blast!!! Troy and Michelle cooked up some GREAT BBQ. It was so tasty. Mom made her first attempt at guacamole- or as Russ thought- refried beans!!! LOL!! We visited and watched the DVD of the Kingdom. I think the whole crew is ready to do it next year- but I guess we'll wait til 2012...it's never far from our minds though!

Toad Suck Daze

Me & the hubby- it's hot and humid!!!

Toad Suck Fair

Stoby's for lunch- it was YUMMY!!!!

Some good cheese dip

Me

The Restaurant

Luke

It's lunchtime!

A very unhealthy snack- but it was good!

A Cinnamon roll and Icee!

Luke has been working MAJOR hours lately, so we decided to do a day trip to Conway. We shopped at several stores and had to stop for nourishment. We stopped at a gas station and had a cinnamon roll and Icee's....it was SOO good. After more shopping we headed to eat yet again at Stoby's. It was so good, we had never eaten there before- YUM!!! After Stoby's we decided we needed a little exercise and went to see what Toad Suck was all about. We just walked around, looked, got a T-shirt and headed home. It was a very fun day with the hubby!

Tutoring.....

This is my last year with my sweet little girl....and the time has flown by for sure. We have had our time bumped up from 30 minutes to an hour. She has soared in reading and FINALLY in Math. I'm so proud of her I think I could just bust. I was able to surprise her for her birthday again this year- a real pair of earrings and a musical jewelry box- she was shocked. I do have to say I was a wee bit jealous over the jewelry box....I SO wish I had one of those when I was her age. She has been such a blessing and joy in my life. It just goes to show that when we give of ourselves to others- the Lord blesses our time and effort beyond our wildest dreams. It will be sad for me to say goodbye to her at the end of this month- but my number one goal was always for her not to need me....which I think we have both succeeded in that!

I've been thinking about whether or not to tutor in the next school year- the Lord has placed it upon my heart to do it again....why not! There is some little person out there that needs me and I will come to need them too!

Scrappers Gone Wild

Our Cabins

Me & Margaret

Ann & Margaret

The Crop Room

Our theme for this Crop- Peace, Love, Scrap

In April, I went to Scrappers Gone Wild at Ferncliff. It was a wonderful weekend. I was able to get about 24 double pages done- what a record. I roomed with Ann and Margaret...they are always fun! It was a great scrapbooking weekend for sure!