Enough of this weather!

When I got up this morning(not on time, by the way) everything outside was covered with a thin but crusty layer of ice. Various members of our family are sick right now, the house smells like garlic, bleh, and I really don't want to get sick, so I agreed to go in to the business today until 3pm when I have a babysitting job(twin girls, really cute). So off I drove. As I began to slowly descend down a hill into town, guess what happened.
Brake swish brake skid swish brake plunk.

Down I slid towards the ditch, thankfully missing a nearby truck and thankfully not going into the steep ditch because it was full of snow that stopped me. If I had come a minute later, I would have crashed into the (very new looking)truck.
Thankfully, we don't have airbags in our (very old) car, so there was no possibility of them going off, and I was going slow so there was no whiplash or anything.
Thankfully, the driver of the truck gave me a ride to the business so I didn't have to walk. (I know, don't ride with strangers. But this is in Oakland! He turned out to be the husband of one of our customers)
Bill and Larry(yes, those are their real names) pulled the car out for me a few hours later and overall no damage was done. I'm very thankful to God for keeping me safe. With five drivers in the family we have had hardly any car accidents. And I will be even more thankful if I don't get the flu from my family!

Neutrality Loathsome

God will have all, or none; serve Him, or fall
Down before Baal, Bel, or Belial.
Either be hot, or cold: God doth despise,
Abhor, and spew out all neutralities.

-By Robert Herrick

I'm not going to college and you can't make me!

So I'm back. Actually I've been home since Sunday, and I've just been lazy about posting. The week of babysitting went well- the children are very well disciplined and respectful. I caught a cold from one of the kids, as I always seem to do when I babysit. There were five kids under the age of eight, and they kept me busy, but all went well.

It snowed again last Saturday and the boys have been enjoying sledding and hot chocolate. I have been getting back into my routine and trying to get some work done before our home school co-op starts up again. On the topic of waiting at home- just the other day while I was at work one of our members came in to exercise. We chatted a bit; she asked me if I had found a job yet, then all of a sudden she said seriously,
"You know honey, you DO have to go to college."
(I do not like to be called "honey" by people who are not in my family.)
I laughed, somewhat incredulously, (What? Are you serious? Who are you to tell me what to do?) And said:
Why?
And she basically said:
"Well, you may have to support yourself if you husband is unable to, or if you need extra money someday, I mean, getting married and having kids is ok, but you should be able to get a good job."
Me:
I agree that I should have a way to support myself (in case my husband dies, or if I never get married) but I don't think college is the best way to gain a secondary education.
She just repeated what she said before. I probably shocked her terribly; she is a public school teacher and she seems to be against home schooling. But the arrogance! Telling me that I have to go to college. College is not the only way to learn a trade, to assure a good job and earn a living; and as far as art goes, it is not the most efficient or the best quality way to learn. People don't think outside the box.
So frustrating!

Oh Boy!

The boys are so excited because, as they put it, "Alaska is coming here!" Snow, freezing rain, and below freezing temperatures-ah yes, a bit of Colorado heading for our very own backyard. The boys are thrilled. I don't mind so long as the roads are cleared by Sunday morning. I have a babysitting job next week in the capitol city that I can't miss. I promise to post something good before I leave; I doubt I will have internet access where I'm going. By the way, I had Lithuanian chocolate for breakfast today and it was tasty!

He's a Pirate. 

Holiday happenings

We spent this Christmas at home alone together, as we do all Christmases. Sunday we visited relatives after church and got home exhausted at supper time. One of the gifts Mom gave me this year was the book "Elixir" by T. Davis Bunn. I really enjoy Mr. Bunn's books because they are so serious, very well researched, and so tense. I encourage you all to read a book of his. Other than that, I received too many socks to count and enough candles to decorate a funeral home. If you skip over to Jen's blog you can read what we did yesterday; this weekend brings another round of guests and social activities.

The best parts of this year's Christmas were:
1 seeing the boys get so excited over a toy you spent five cents on.
2 hearing Jotham's journey again. (Dekah.... of.... Megido!!!!)
3 Jen spending time with a good friend from out of state
4 finding out that Josh is still human, and not zombie
5 openly, freely, and thankfully celebrating the birth of Jesus

Light Shining out of Darkness

God moves in a mysterious way,
His wonders to perform;
He plants his footsteps in the sea,
And rides upon the storm.

Deep in unfathomable mines
Of never-failing skill,
He treasures up his bright designs,
And works his sovereign will.

Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take,
The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy, and shall break
In blessings on your head.

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust him for his grace;
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face.

His purposes will ripen fast,
Unfolding every hour;
The bud may have a bitter taste,
But sweet will be the flower.

Blind unbelief is sure to err,
And scan his work in vain;
God is his own interpreter,
And he will make it plain.
-William Cowper