Our Weekend To Seattle, The Space Needle

We had a great time in Seattle. It only took us 2 1/2 hours to get there. Blake could hardly wait to get there. I knew for sure he would be asking 'Are we there yet mom', before we would be 10 minutes into our trip, lol, so I told him I would give him $1 if he didn't ask 'The Question'. Ya right, come on , can you expect a 5 year old to hold back from asking that dreaded question a 100 times before we get there? I was praying so, lol. We were about half way, and we stopped to grab a bite to eat............"Mom, I really don't need that dollar, I already have 20 saved so, another dollar.....ahhh I don't need it mom" . We all laughed, I looked at Blake...."Mom are we ALMOST there? Rofl........he is so funny!

We got to our hotel.....I was not impressed. Our room stunk so bad of like some sort of cleaner. The first thing I did was open the windows. After unpacking everything, we went next door to grandmas room. Blake brough a few toys with him, mostly Lego's. He was standing by the bed and dropped a leggo, so he bent down to look under the bed. "MOM, MOM, there is a ANT HILL!!!". Freaked Out, I didn't want to look under there, I HATE ants, ugh yuck! Sure enough a piece of food had been left and there were ants all over it! I went directly to the front desk and asked for another room. They moved about 4 doors down from us, no ants there lol.

After getting settled in we headed for the Space Needle. Blake with his 5 year old questions, said "Mommy, is it called a needle because it has a needle at the top?" lol. Then he says, " I wonder if there will be a bunch of space men there?" He had grandpa and I in stitches laughing! I was worried that he would get scared going to the top, because you can see out, it is glass windows.

He did great and he was up to the window taking it all in! Ummm....I was the one with my eyes closed, lol. I did NOT like how it shook so much going up! We were able to go outside and walk around, it was very windy but blue skies, so we had GREAT views of Seattle.....breath taking views!

I will share pictures later...I need to get ready for church! Have a BLESSED Sunday :)

New Free KJV Scripture Tags on branmadetags.blogspot.com

Check out the NEW Proverbs scripture tags I made tonight :) Hope you find one you like, feel free to snag what you like! http://branmadetags.blogspot.com


Easter Blessings,
Brandie

Friday's Weekly Wrap Up Meme

Ok, so I am going to try and blog, my world has been busy, to busy to blog lately! But since my hubby and kiddos are outdoors well....why not?

Monday we stayed home and got some much needed house cleaning done. It was a pretty event less day.

Tuesday evening was Lord's Supper...we stayed home, did school, and read our bibles together. I did not allow any games or TV for the day beings it was The Lords Supper.

Wednesday was busy, we did school, I caught up on correcting, and then we headed for swimming at the YMCA. After swimming we went to Mc D's for dinner and then headed for church. It was a GREAT message, as always.

Thursday Austen and I went to work in Blake's class for the morning. They were doing testing all day, so we helped out there.

Today was our homeschool co op day. We start off having coffee at the local coffee shop and then we go the church and the kids do their school work. Blake wanted to have Trav over to stay the night tonight. They just have a blast together. We love him like he is our own! When Wayne got home he wanted to go out to eat so we all went to Izzys Pizza. Now I am full, tied and ready for bed!!!

Beyond Jelly Beans~

Beyond Jelly Beans~ meaning Behind Easter Symbols

Christians celebrate Easter to remember the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The story of Easter can be found in . While chocolates, jelly beans and fluffy stuffed animals have become icons of this spring celebration, the holiday's symbols are rich in tradition and meaning.
The lamb reminds us of the Jewish celebration of Passover, which occurs each spring. In biblical times, the Jews sacrificed lambs to atone for their sins.

In John 1:29, Jesus is called the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world because his death on the cross parallels the sacrificial lamb used in the Passover ceremony.

An egg represents new life because many birds and other animals hatch from eggs in the spring. People can find new life through a relationship with God made possible by Jesus' death on the cross (1 John 5:12).

The cross symbolizes Jesus' death by crucifixion as a sacrifice for our wrongs and to give us eternal life (John 11:25).

However, the rabbit is a secular (not religious) symbol of the season. During the spring equinox, the Saxons in Northern Europe celebrated a festival called "Eastre" or "Eostre" dedicated to the goddess of spring. Her symbol was the rabbit, which is also a fertility symbol.

The symbols of Easter are rich in tradition and meaning. Carla Foote

http://momsense.com/

He Careth For You.....

"He Careth For You"

Cast all your care upon Jesus,

Who ever careth for you,

He will sustain and uphold you,

He will be faithful and true.

Jesus our blessed Redeemer,

Jesus, our Shepherd and Guide,

Ever will bear all your burdens,

Ever will stay by your side.

Jesus knows all of your problems,

Knows all our trial and care,

He's ever ready to help us,

Ready to answer our prayer.

Oh! what a comfort in trial,

Just to lean hard on this Friend,

Trust Him for grace and deliverance,

Learning on Him to depend.

Jesus wants you to be happy,

Wants you to have peace and rest;

Cast all your care then upon Him,

Lean on His strong, loving breast.

Careth? Oh yes! Jesus careth,

His own are dear to His heart;

All His beloved whom He died for,

They are to Him set apart.

Oh! how He cares for His people,

Guards them and keeps them alway,

Wants them to share in His glory,

All through eternity's day.

Make your requests then to Jesus,

Trusting His promise so true;

Roll on the Lord all your burden,

For He is caring for you.

--by Lois Beckwith

Memories~

Memories

Memories are a treasure

The wealth we have inside

Special times and sad times

They're all part of life

We often like to retreat

To the memories of yesterday

The tender moments we had

That can never be replaced

When we see that the Lord

Was there throughout our lives

And see the turns we made

With Him as our guide

We see the plan

He had To bring us where we are

We see the road we've travelled

Has brought us on this far

So memories of the past

Help us trust to thee

Our future years with gladness

That we cannot yet see

For if in the Father’s care

We place each day we live

We will know His inner peace

And His grace He freely gives

© By M.S.Lowndes

Check Out My Graphic Site

www.branmadetags.blogspot.com

Here is what I found on Acupuncture

Very Interesting.......I had no idea really about this... I am sure glad I looked it up though.

Should A Christian Participate In Acupuncture?

With that information as a basis, can we find an answer about false religion in Scripture? The answer is yes. There are numerous commands to Israel by God that deal with the false gods of the pagans that surrounded them. We find many of these commandments in Leviticus and again in Deuteronomy. However the first commandment God gave to Israel is the foundation of all of these commandments. "Thou shalt have no other gods before Me" (Exodus 20:3).The question of whether acupuncture is biblical is answered by the first commandment from the Old Testament that is repeated in the New Testament (Matthew 22:37-40).

Any practice that is part of a false religion is not biblical. The fact that our society has been inundated by imported Eastern religions and "New Age" practices is another sign of the "last days" (2 Timothy 3:1-7). However, these things are not "new" at all. Rather, they are the old counterfeit religions masquerading as legitimate practices. No wonder the Apostle Paul warned us that Satan and his ministers masqueraded as angels of light. "For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve" (2 Corinthians 11:13-15).

Adding the word "Christian" to something does not legitimize it nor does it make it biblical. The term "Christian acupuncture" is what is known as an "oxymoron" or a self-contradiction. In other words, the two words cancel out each other. Acupuncture is not based in the foundations of Christianity. The definition of a Christian means a follower of Christ. Acupuncture is a practice of an ancient Chinese religion and philosophy that has no place in the life of a born again believer. Acupuncture may seem harmless and innocuous and perhaps even "beneficial" but it can be a doorway to the occult. William Divine, chairman of the California Acupuncture Association said, "You could bring one patient in and five different practitioners could look at him and they would come up with five different diagnoses and none of them would be wrong." In other words, none of these five practitioners know the truth. They are all operating from their own opinions based in superstition rather than a diagnosis based in true knowledge. A needle piercing the skin could conceivably cause a beneficial reaction to a nerve, but that is not the original theory behind the practice of acupuncture.

There are many who are practitioners of this philosophy that are deceived as to its true origin and what they are really involved with.As to the difference between acupuncture and acupressure, instead of needles, pressure is placed upon nerve centers. For instance there are pressure points said to be in the sole of the foot and the palm of the hand that correspond to other areas of the body. Acupressure would seem to mean the same as deep massage therapy where the muscles of the body are exposed to pressure to increase blood flow. However, if the process is practiced to bring the body into the harmony of yin and yang, then it is rooted in occultism. The question becomes is it being practiced as part and parcel of the same philosophic origins of Chinese acupuncture? The answer to that question should be the guiding issue.The important issue here is separation for the born-again believer from any and all practices that would bring them the danger of bondage to counterfeit religions.

Ignorance of evil is a danger and the more we inform ourselves as to the true origin of the Eastern philosophies and practices, the more we see that they are rooted in superstition, occultism and false religions that are in direct opposition to God's Word. The world's false religions teach that there are "many paths to God." This is the ultimate lie. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no one comes to the Father, except through Me" (John 14:6). None of the counterfeit religions can bring us into harmony with God. The only way is through the Lord Jesus Christ.

Making Your Home Sing Monday

I have wanted to participate in the meme for quite some time, so I decided to jump in, I know it is a bit late Monday evening but it is such a great topic!


What are you doing or going to do today to make your home sing?

I think for me, I struggle with being consistent, and so when I am not I get very discouraged. This week my goal is to make out a schedule and STICK to it. I think it will make the day flow much better and the children will also know what is expected of them. There are days we have appointments and things outside the home to do, so it can make it hard. The other thing this week I am working on is attitude. My mood often sets the tone for how the day will go.

We actually stuck to our schedule today and it made such a huge difference for the kids to just look at the board and know what is next and what is expected of them.

Fruit Of The Spirit

Galations 5:22-23

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.


Lord, help me today walk in the Spirit.
In Jesus Name,
Amen

Spring Cleaning & Today's Schedule

School 9-12pm
Lunch 12:00
Cleaning 1-2:30 (Chores)
Free Time 2:30-4:00
Afternoon Spring Clean 4-5
Dinner Prep: 5 pm (stew)






Wash all window seals


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Today's Verses Psalm 103:2-5

Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:
Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;
Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good [things; so that] thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.

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Beautiful Sunday :)

What a beautiful Sunny Sunday afternoon. It was a blessing to make it to the 11am church service today. It was a crazy morning. I want to thank all of you who left sweet comments, and prayers and to all my dear friends who read my blog, my church family, and my grandma.
I am still dealing with a bit of this flare up but I am feeling much better. I am looking forward to the this week, getting back into the swing of things. We took last week off from homeschooling, it was a good break and I needed the rest. The kids went to visit grandma, and had time to relax all week. Blake and I had a quiet day yesterday together. We went swimming and then rented a movie. The kids did a good job helping around the house on Friday, I was proud of them!

This is the 3rd day on all the vitamins, I am anxious to see if it will make a difference. I see a bit of a difference, I am not so exhausted. Praise God! I have really been soaking up God's Word and seeking what God's will is in my life. I am learning to thank God in everything. There are so many people hurting these days. I think of a couple dear blogger friends who have children with cancer. I can not imagine what they go through daily, but I know God does. He knows each of our trials.

I have some time to play in my Paint Shop program creating some new scripture tags.
Go check them out at www.branmadetags.blogspot.com

God Keeps His Promises~ Fibromyalgia

Although I did not like what the doctor said and the condition I have, I do know God is in control. As I serched the internet I began to understand more about my condition. After years of Chronic pain, it feels good to know what is wrong. I will share more later. I am off to the pool now.

Hugs,
Brandie


Diagnosis : FIBROMYALGIA


What Is Fibromyalgia?
Fibromyalgia is a non-life-threatening, chronic disorder of the muscles and surrounding soft tissue, including ligaments and tendons. Its main symptoms are muscle pain, fatigue, sleep disturbances, and tender points at certain parts of the body. Many people describe fibromyalgia as feeling like a persistent flu.

Some health care providers may use these terms to refer to fibromyalgia: fibromyositis, fibrositis, periarticular fibrositis, muscular rheumatism, chronic muscle pain syndrome, musculoskeletal pain syndrome, or tension myalgia. However, "fibromyalgia," which means "pain of the muscles and other fibrous tissue," is the accepted term and has replaced some of the others. Terms ending in "-itis," which means "inflammation," are now considered incorrect because inflammation does not play a significant role in fibromyalgia.

Key Characteristics of Fibromyalgia
Muscle pain, either throughout the body or only at certain points, is the primary symptom of fibromyalgia. It may range from mild discomfort to pain severe enough to limit work, social activities, and everyday tasks. Pain commonly occurs in the neck, upper back, shoulders, chest, rib cage, lower back, and thighs and may feel like a burning, gnawing, throbbing, stabbing, or aching sensation and may develop gradually. It usually seems worse when a person is trying to relax and is less noticeable during activity.

A related, key aspect of fibromyalgia is the presence of "tender points," muscles and tendons that are tender when pressed. Typically, tender points are located in the neck, back, knee, shoulder, elbow, and hip.

People with fibromyalgia, which is also linked to depression, also feel moderately to severely fatigued and have sleep problems, including insomnia. This may result from restless legs and arms, which may disrupt their sleep, or they may suffer from sleep apnea or grind their teeth while they sleep.

Tender Points and Fibromyalgia
According to the American Academy of Rheumatology, for a diagnosis of fibromyalgia, you must have unusual tenderness at a minimum of 11 of 18 specific "tender points" associated with the condition. Some health care providers diagnose fibromyalgia in patients who have fewer tender points but who otherwise have severe, widespread (meaning upper and lower body occurring on both right and left sides) pain symptoms that are present for at least three months.

The standard tender points are located in the muscles or other soft tissue on both sides and the front and back of the body. Those who have fibromyalgia may have unusual tenderness at any of several other points on the body as well.



Who Is Affected by Fibromyalgia?
Experts estimate that 3 million to 6 million Americans have fibromyalgia. Of these, 80% are women. One of the main risk factors is being a woman between the age of 20 and 50. Another risk factor is having a rheumatic disease, such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, or Sjogren's syndrome. Fibromyalgia also seems to run in families, so a gene may be at least partly responsible for the condition. Most people with fibromyalgia begin to notice symptoms between the ages of 20 and 40, but children and older adults may also develop the condition. Women with fibromyalgia typically feel pain throughout their body, while men are more likely to have facial pain or pain and stiffness in a certain part of the body as a result of a work- or recreation-related muscle strain.

~WebMD Medical Reference

DeClutter~ School Room

Blake's Word Wall

Changed My Bulliten Board

BEFORE I Started this is what it looked like )

Room

BEFORE... I know they are out of order lol

Bible Reading~Hope In The Lord

Rev 21:4

And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

Psalm 16:9
Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope.

Psalm 42:5
Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and [why] art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him [for] the help of his countenance.

Psalm 42:11
Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, [who is] the health of my countenance, and my God