Addendum to Annie's Honesty

Here is the AFR (Anne Frances Ramirez) version of Philippians 2:14 - "Do everything without whining or complaining." I like that!

Annie's Honesty

Recently I started giving my kids one Scripture and one sight word to memorize each week. They've been doing pretty well and usually are excited to recite what they've committed to memory. Today I put up a new Scripture...one I've been anxious to get into their little heads and hearts: "Do everything without complaining and arguing," - Philippians 2:14. After having Annie repeat it after me, she cocks her head and says to me, "I want a different one." I just smiled and we talked about how the last three have been "feel good" verses" - "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me", "I will never leave you nor forsake you", and "Have faith in God." However, we can't ignore the ones we don't feel like heeding to. There are a few I'd rather skip over myself but as the Lord has been showing me all of the commandments He sets forth are for our good and benefit.

Easter Celebrations

We had a wonderful weekend celebrating Easter. Although, at each venue of celebration Bek managed to get hurt. Nothing serious, but you'll see as you read on. On Saturday we took a drive to visit Grandma, Uncle Mike, Aunt Tammy, and Cousin Michele. The kids had a fun time eating pizza and hanging out. Bekah managed to somehow fly off Grandma's bed and make a loud thump - but all was well. On Sunday we went to my mom's for a yummy breakfast, excluding the big, pretty undercooked blueberry crumb cake I spent time making the evening before...grrrr! My poor Annie had been looking forward to this breakfast treat. I'll have to make that one up to her soon. Bek slipped in her new Easter shoes on my mom's kitchen floor and hurt her hip. On to a fabulous Easter service at church. The worship was amazing, as usual, and they sang my favorite Easter song "He's Alive". Easter has to be my favorite holiday because of what we are celebrating - the hope Jesus gives us because He rose from the dead. How can a person not rejoice when they contemplate this? From church we made it to Steve & Sue's for a super delicious lunch/dinner, games, and presents (yes - my family is extremely generous and does presents for Easter). My girls have walked away year after year just blessed with new books, toys, and candy (thankfully minimally). In addition, my amazing cousin, Nancy, bought them matching Easter dresses, shoes, socks, and hairbows. She loves doing this for the holidays so I will never object. :) Oh yes - Bek's injury here was suffering her first-ever splinter. Steve and Sue got a new puppy, Sophie, a couple days ago (a super-duper cute yellow lab) and she jumped up on Bek. Bek sat really hard on the wood steps and ended up with a splinter in her palm. She was such a trooper! She let Sue do her thing with the tweezers and did't cry a bit about it! All in all it was a wonderful weekend. Now back to life as normal!

Field Trip

Last Wednesday we joined our friends, The Boubion's, on a field trip to The Kidspace Children's Museum in Pasadena. All the kids had so much fun and it was nice to let them just play and enjoy themselves. I always enjoy talking to my friend, Claudia, and she let me pick her brain a little about homeschooling.

Happy Resurrection Day!!

What a beautiful Easter morning the Lord is giving us in Southern California. May you have a blessed day as you reflect on God's amazing love, grace, and power that was demonstrated over 2000 years ago...just for you!!

Fabulous Grandparents

I thought I would share these pictures from last Thursday and take a minute to share how blessed I am by both of my parents' desire and effort to be close to my girls. My mom attended a tea at Annie's school and my dad drove out just to visit for a couple of hours in the afternoon. They're both willing to get down and play with the kids and give them more slack than they deserve when they're in less than great moods. My girls love them so much and look forward to spending time with them. They're the best!!

Bittersweet

Analinda, Karina, Jessica, Judy, Judith, Gianina, Jisselle, & Nellie

Last Wednesday at church, my husband and I announced it would be our last night with Gracia Calvary. We believe our season there has ended and the Lord is leading us back to Calvary Chapel Chino Valley, at least until He shows us if we're moving closer to seminary. Word had already gotten out amongst the Jr. High and High School girls before that evening and they were so sweet to make me farewell cards and surprise me with them. They said the sweetest things in them and made it difficult to leave. Many people came up to give us their well-wishes and prayers and I felt so loved as I left that night. I will miss our friends at Gracia, but because they really are friends, I know I will stay in touch with them.

Our first Sunday back to CCCV was wonderful. I truly enjoyed the study, worship, and fellowship with those I've missed so much the past year. I'm looking forward to being there as long as the Lord keeps us there.

Go! Fight! Win!

I had to share this picture. My friend, Mrs. R., who graduated from USC, sent this cheerleading outfit to Annie for her 5th birthday a couple months ago. Isn't it adorable!!?? Annie is loving pretending to be a USC cheerleader and as I'm sure you can tell from her pose, Mama is trying to give her a few tips.

What Do You Do?

Here is a question for all you moms out there. What should I do with all the pictures and crafts my kids make? I have tons and tons and I don't know where to keep them all. I have them on the fridge, taped to the wall, in plastic containers, in notebooks, and everywhere else you can think of. I guess my real question is...would I be a mean mommy to actually (gulp) throw some of it away?

Fun For the Kids

As Easter is fast approaching, I thought I would share a fun activity I was given to do with my kids. We tried it last year and my girls loved it! Its a recipe:

Resurrection Rolls

1 package crescent rolls
Large Marshmallows
Melted Butter
Cinnamon Sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Give each child a crescent roll triangle to represent the cloth Jesus was wrapped and buried in.
3. Give each child 1 marshmallow to represent jesus.
4. Have child dip marshmallow into melted butter (represents embalming oils).
5. Roll the marshamallow in cinnamon sugar (represents spices used to anoint the body).
6. Wrap the coated marshmallow tightly in the crescent roll.
7. Seal edges (represents wrapping of Jesus' body after death).
8. Place in oven for 10-12 minutes (oven represents tomb - shut it hard for a finalizing effect).
9. Allow to cool.
10. Eat and enjoy. Child will find the roll is puffed up, but empty.

HE IS RISEN!!!!

Oldies But Goodies

On the way home from the retreat last weekend Jannette and I got on the subject of worship. She was saying how she and her husband and son listened to Terry Clark a lot. I just happened to have a Terry Clark CD in the car so we popped it in and Jannette reminisced (sp?). It was so much fun. Music and scents can certainly bring back vivid memories. So on Tuesday morning when I took Annie to school, I grabbed some of my old worship music that I listened to in the early years of my walk with God. I popped in an old Amy Grant tape cassette (yes, its that old) and strolled down memory lane in my relationship with the Lord. It was so so sweet. My girls did not even complain about not having "kid" music on. When the song "In A Little While" finished, Annie insisted I rewind it because it was so beautiful, talking about the hope of heaven and being with the Lord forever. When she hears it, she now sings/yells it as loud as she can (we're working on this). Its funny how the lyrics of songs like "El Shaddai" and "Thy Word" and "I Have Decided" and "My Father's Eyes" and others meant a lot to me over 16 years ago, yet how more MORE they mean to me now. There is something to be said for experiences and just living for the Lord...I love Him more today than in the past, just because of His faithfulness to me as I've sought Him and followed Him. How much more now do I want to praise Him, serve Him, and go home to heaven to be with Him forever. Does this make sense? Oh well, as my Rebekah says when her mouth is full and I say I can't understand her: "God understands me."

Feliz Cumpleanos!

Happy Birthday to my beautful sister-in-law/friend, Moni . We love you so much and wish you a wonderful day.

Women's Retreat

Last weekend I had the privilege of attending Calvary Chapel Chino Valley's women's retreat in Murrietta Hot Springs. It was awesome, as always. The theme was "A Pattern of Good Works" and emphasized how our lives should be known by such a pattern. The teachings were wonderful and as always the Lord was faithful to minister to me in all the areas I wanted Him to, as well as those that He knew I needed (not necessarily wanted). The good thing about conviction is that even though it doesn't always, okay it never, feels good, at least you know God cares enough to correct you and bring you into closer fellowship with Him.

The ride to and from was nice as I got to take Moni, Jannette, and Irma. The conversations were great and I was blessed to get to know each friend a little better. It was nice seeing some of my friends at the retreat who I just don't get to see very often anymore, like Carin (with Baby Sophie!), Lizzie, Crystal, Corinne, Sally, Jenna, Dyane, and many more. The decorations were so creative and cute (good job, Corinne !)

Here are some of the Scriptures the Lord gave to me:

In regards to seminary and stepping into the unknown (home, finances, etc.):
Deuteronomy 1:21 "Look, the Lord your God has set the land before you; go up and possess it, as the Lord God of your fathers has spoken to you; do not fear or be discouraged."

In regards to my timidity at the thought of being a pastor's wife and having to attempt to minister to women who are older than me:
Titus 2:3-5 "the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things--that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed." As Pastor David pointed out in his teaching on Friday night, our capacity to minister to others can be determined by our own behavior.

In regards to home schooling and raising my children in general:
2 Peter 1:3-8 "as his divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. But for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."
The italicized words are the qualities I want to pour into my children, no matter what kind of schooling the Lord directs us to. And if it is home schooling, I want to make these part of their educations.

I loved having some quiet time with the Lord in the cafe both mornings. I didn't hear crying or "Mommy, I'm hungry", etc. It was a blessing. But I did miss my husband and babies tremendously and was so happy to return home Sunday afternoon to open arms and a very clean house. God is so good.

Children's Dreams

Last night I read my girls "The Legend of the Three Trees" in which three trees state what they want their wood to be made into when they grow up. None of them end up being what they dreamed for themselves, but instead God used them to make the manger Baby Jesus lay in, the ship He sailed on when He calmed a great storm, and the cross He died on to save us from our sins. The moral of the story is that our ways are not always God's, but His are always best. So after we finished I asked the girls what they dreamed for their own lives. Annie first said she wants to go to heaven. Great...loved that answer. For her life on earth she wants to be a mommy, a singer, a dancer, and a ballerina. When I asked Bek for her response she said, "I want to ride the ferris wheel." Oh to be 3.