"Just say NO!" (but not all the time)

I just found my camera last night. It was were I put it. I wonder where it is now?
So, here's an update with no pictures. Just use your imagination. You have one of those, right?

Apparently, we do need another hole in our head. We now have two dogs.

The children and I visited with dear friends, the Petitts, last Saturday so that the Daddy could take some entrance test for school without our help. (Not helping is really hard!)
These dear friends had a little dog that showed up at their house. It came home with us.
I know I grew up in that generation that was taught to "Just say NO!" And where some things are concerned I've done a bang-up job of making who-ever came up with that slogan really proud. But not this time.
The Daddy, that sweet thing, reprimanded me not long after arriving back at our domicile with this fuzzy extra passenger. The conversation went something (exactly) like this:
"Well, thanks for talking with me about getting another dumb dog."
"I knew if I asked you first you'd say no. So I didn't." (He'd make that slogan writer proud too!)
"Well, your right."
Then we discussed getting shots for two dogs instead of just one. And getting two dogs spayed. (And yes, Papa, we are going to do that. Selling golden retrievers is not a job I desire. Not even a little bit).
By Tuesday evening the little mutt, Angel Cake, had her own pink collar. (I've really got to find the camera so ya'll can see this goofy looking little dog. She looks like a toy.) Angel Cake and Zoie are getting along great (Zoie didn't eat her - she tried to eat Zoie).

In other news . . .
I've been really burdened lately about some of this baggage I've acquired. Stuff I thought I'd already unpacked. Satan was really trying to steal my joy. As I've witnessed God's work in our lives and especially in Gene, and wondered with awe at where God is leading, I've also been plagued by our divorces.
I think MUCH of it has to do with the beliefs instilled as a young person - which is GOOD. Divorce is BAD. We do NOT condone it.
I kept reflecting on the verses about church leaders being "the husband of one wife."  I was under attack. About adultery. About the woman at the well. About how we could possibly have any impact.
I cried out to God to help. To forgive. To explain.
And then God spoke. In that quiet, patient way He uses when He is repeating a lesson to His child.
He reminded me (in several ways) that I'm already forgiven. Set free. That while we grieve that those marriages weren't healed, and the pain that many endured, we are released. From being unequally yoked. From the bad decisions that hurt us and our children.
He reminded me (again - for the umpteenth time) that the really ugly "gift" we received had a beautiful blessing(s) inside.
He lifted my chin to see the joy in my home. Joy of serving Him. Joy of serving one another (we're still working on this one). Joy of serving others.
Joy in our family worship time. A time that didn't exist in our home until recently. A time of gathering around the throne of our Father together. A time looked forward to by even the littlest members with happy anticipation.
Joy with a man in love with God. A man sharing that love with, first, his family, and then the world outside our door. An amazing man.
Joy, even as we wrestle with God's plan for us in all this. Joy, as our eyes continue to open to Truth.

Divorce, just like any other thing God hates, IS FORGIVABLE. It is not advisable, but if you've found yourself there, you can find forgiveness. Because as much as God hates sin, He loves you more than is humanly fathomable. He gave His Son for you. The Son took your place. All that hate of sin was placed on Him. He traded Himself because of the love of the Father for you.
And He loves me. Even when He keeps having to repeat Himself.
It's not called a childlike faith for nothing. Parents often repeat the same lesson over and over. And I find that as I re-teach life lessons to my children I am becoming a better teacher. Practice makes better.
God is the perfect teacher - look at how many children He has!

So as a repeat myself, am I becoming more Christ like? (And God laughed at that question too!)

And best of all, I was reminded that it is this gracious gift of divine forgivness to me that has freed me to forgive others. Are you set free?

So, dear ones, we covet your prayers.
Pray that hedge up around us to guard our thoughts and hearts. To protect our joy.
Gene started college classes this Monday. REAL COLLEGE. He is doing Liberty Online. He's really excited. But he is finding out this first week how much TIME is required. We knew it would require LOTS of time, now we just have to practice it.
Pray that we manage our time well. Spending time with his wife and kids is really important to Gene (praise the Lord!) so pray that God blesses him with the ability to "play" with us and get his school work done (and if you want to pray for a small miracle - that Gene would suddenly become really good at typing).
I discovered this week how I have to back off and let him do his thing. I thought I was. Then he had his first "real" assignment, an introduction of himself to his classes. I found something else to do, just let him do this himself. But I could hear his ssslllllooooowwwwwww progress. His hunting and pecking on the keyboard. It really bothered me. Pray, I find ways to keep busy (possibly in a different part of the house).

Praise the Lord, we are all well. Our needs are met. We are blessed with great family and friends.

Let us know how we may pray for you. Or serve you in some way. And come see us sometime. <3

P.S. - just thought I'd give you a fun word picture to work those imaginations.
Woke up to both dogs barking and growling this morning. (A big "woof, woof," and a little "yap, yap" - it would have been cute later in the day). I considered shooting them. Even stopped briefly in front of the gun cabinet to ponder. Threw on a ratty robe, shuffled down the hall, found the back door. Both dogs were very excited to see me and when I opened the screen door they came in the porch. There was a HUGE, brown boxer sitting at the edge of the yard. As pretty as he (or she) was, he needed to go. Since clapping, stomping, and yelling, "Go home!" only made him stare harder at me, I went back to the gun cabinet. Grabbed the kid's little, black 410 (and one bullet) and went back out. So the Mama stood in the driveway this morning, with her ratty robe and crazy hair, and fired at that dog. I'm sure I didn't hit it (much) as I witnessed his backside running away between the trees.
(But boy are my kids impressed - I may have to shoot at something else.)