It's starting to feel like Fall!

It is finally cooling down here in West Virginia, and the leaves are starting to turn a little. Fall has to be my favorite season! Fall in West Virginia has always been so special to me. I love the crisp air, tastes, smells and colors!

Every year in our neighboring town they have a Pumpkin festival. I love to go. You can eat anything and everything pumpkin. (ice cream, fudge, cookies, bread..ect.) I really hope Peter and I have a chance to go this year!
The picture above is Jacob and Caleb last year at the pumpkin festival!

I think I'll try to make a pumpkin roll this weekend!

This is a picture of the evening sky behind our house. I thought it was so beautiful!

Romans 6:13

"Neither yield your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin; but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness." Romans 6:13

This verse tells us not to yield our members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin, but yield yourselves unto God.." Have you ever noticed how easily and thoughtlessly we yield our members unto sin? It is usually so quick that we don't even think about it. Sometimes I am so carnal in my Christian walk that I don't even realized that I have sinned. Yet when I am impressed by the Lord to do something for Him, my flesh fights hard against it.

Example: Yesterday I called my best friend to vent about stuff and people. We got off the phone and I went on with my day. This morning I realized how my part of the conversation was not God honoring at all. I had to ask God to forgive me for sinning.

The day before yesterday the kids and I went through the KFC drive-thru for lunch. The Lord pressed upon my heart to give the cashier a tract. My flesh did not want to do it. I was so nervous waiting for her to give us our food. I was fully aware that I was doing something that was going against my flesh.

I need to be more mindful of how I yield my members! I am so glad that God still forgives and is a patient teacher!

Wii fun

My brother Benjamin loaned us his Wii for a couple of days and the boys (and daddy) have been loving it! We are definately Wii fanatics now! I actually was little sore from playing Wii sport. It really gets you moving! Hopefully Santa can get us one for Christmas! I personally like the Mario Kart game. Of course I am a child of the 90's so anything Super Mario brothers is pretty cool to me.

New phrases heard as playing Wii:

"Oh man, I've been shrinked and inked." - Jacob

"You just got shrinktified" -Jacob (I think this one is found in the NIV somewhere LoL)

"Holy manroad, mom" - Caleb (translation - "holy mackrel)

The Wii's time in our house is almost up, it goes home tomorrow.
Will I miss it? yes and no
Yes - I think it is fun
No - boys are obsessed with it

The Wii definately gets my thumbs up!

Miranda's Cookbook

Hey guys! Check out my new blog, www.mirandascookbook.blogspot.com! This blog will be my virtual cookbook. I will posting recipes that I love, and I hope you will add yours as well! I hope that it will a place of inspiration on those days when you just don't know what to cook!

Is your house a home or a business......?

Psalm 4:6 "There by many that say, Who will shew us any good? Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us."

Our homes are to be a refuge and a place of safety and peace for our families. Sometimes when you are in the home everyday, your home sometimes becomes your workplace or business. Things are pressing on you, pressures to perform to perfection, child training, teaching, and people and tasking are demanding attention. It is not just homeschooling moms that face this, but every mother trying to raising their children biblically and wives that are trying to be a helpmeet to their husbands.

The end of this verse is really what I want for my home and family. I pray that the light of God's countenance will shine in and out of our home. The first part of the verse is like the world outside, "is there any good anywhere." I pray through my home and life my family, friends and strangers my see the light of God's countenance in me.

It is my duty as a wife and mother to make my home as God would want it, but is also has to be a place of refuge, safety and comfort for me. If it feels like my workplace it will not be comfortable and I will want to go "home" sometime.

"Please forgive me Lord for making my home more business-like than a HOME. Please help me to see what changes need to be made. Thank you for your forgiveness!"

Labor Day Fun

Yesterday was Labor Day, and we spent it with my family. We all went to a little creek and rode 4-wheelers and swam. We all had a blast. Peter finally decided to trying driving, and he had a blast. It was an end of the summer celebration, and also time with my brother Christopher who was leaving for the police academy today. Him and Benjamin (my youngest brother) will be leaving for Iraq in December so we are trying to get as much time together as possible.