Clara the Ninja Kitten

Meet Clara

 

Clara the Ninja has joined our family as of Sunday. She is very affectionate and energetic.  She likes running laps through the house, playing with everything she can get her paws on, eating  plenty of tuna and assorted raw meats, sleeping with Mom and Dad and staring out the windows.  Her dislikes include being told "No" and a dirty litter box.

Yummy, made from scratch, Pico de Gallo

 

 

Sometimes when we go to visit David's parents his mom treats us to lunch at her, and our, favorite Mexican restaurant.

 

They serve the most delicious Pico de Gallo.

 

Last week Sarah, David and I went to visit, Daniel was at work, and she treated us to lunch.  Of course we were all enjoying the Pico and I finally had the presence of mind to ask if we could buy a pint to bring home.  So we did and Sarah and I ate most of it the next day.

 

I looked some recipes up online to get the gist of how it was seasoned then made it myself.  It came out so tasty!  Here is what I did:

 

about 2 c diced white cabbage

1 sm shallot diced

1 lg jalapeno diced, seeds removed

6 plum tomatoes diced, seeds removed

cilantro leaves finely chopped

about 1 tbsp. lime juice

about 1 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp garlic powder

 

Mix it all up and let it sit for an hour or 2 before serving.

 

I think this is something I will keep on hand as I can eat it in place of coleslaw.

 

As Followers of Christ, we are called to forgive!

What good does holding a grudge toward someone do?  Not. One. Thing!


But you know what?  It hurts YOU, the grudge holder.  It festers in your soul and you become bitter and hateful and spiteful.  Certainly not something I, as a follower of Christ, want to have in my life.


So what do you do? Someone has done or said something to hurt you.  Maybe it was intentional.  Maybe not.  But you still feel hurt, offended, angry, bitter.


What does our ultimate authority, God's Word, say about this?


Ephesians 4:31-5:2

English Standard Version


31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.


5 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.


How do we "put away" something like bitterness or anger?  What does this look like in our daily lives?


I had a pastor once tell me to pray for a person that I had confessed to him had done something that bothered me.  It wasn't anything sinful but it was really bothering me and causing me to have hard feelings.  He gave me very simple advice.  Pray.  Every time this person enters your mind pray for her.


Over the next 2 weeks I found myself praying for her several times a day.  She didn't know that what she had done had bothered me.  She didn't know that I was harboring bitter feelings toward her.  But I did and I knew it was sin on my part.   So I prayed for her.  At first it was hard but over time I found myself really and truly praying for her out of true Christian love for her as a sister in Christ.


So that is my advice when someone angers you.  Pray for them and as you do Christ will soften and change your heart to be more like his.

What is worse? Killing a beloved lion or selling parts from aborted babies?

Why do people care more about this story of the wrong lion being killed than they do about the news that Planned Parenthood is selling body parts from the babies they killed?

I don't think it's right to hunt for the sake of killing an animal to add to your trophy room. But it's not something I'm going to get all upset over.
One the other hand I do believe it is MURDER to abort these "fetuses". It is also morally wrong to sell their body parts.

No matter what your political stance can you see the difference between hunting and animal and Murdering a baby, a tiny person, a child made in the image of God?

Moms and Dads, what is someone wanted to "abort" your 12 year old?, your 12 month old?, your 12 day old? Would you be okay with that? No?
Then why are you okay with aborting a 12 week old baby in the womb?

Would you grieve a miscarried child? Then how can an abortion be different.

I have a 3rd child. A child that I miscarried in June 1997. To this day I grieve for her. I don't even know if it was a girl but that is how I think of it. And I named her. If I feel this way about a child I lost to miscarriage how do women really feel about a child they aborted?

Just some thoughts as I see FB blow up over the lion

 

Cooking session

Cooking up a storm! Days like this I am so, so thankful for our gas grill which is on the carport so I can cook in all kinds weather. Pictures when I get them all compiled. But here's a run down: Boston Butt, Asparagus, Grilled Pineapple, Boiled Peanuts, Potato Salad, Collard Greens, so far.

Plants & Back Strain

Repotted my huge aloe plant and her babies yesterday. I think I have 12 pots to sell if they all live. After I finished I cleaned up and took some Motrin because I knew I would be sore. By 8 last night I was crying in pain. Had a very painful and restless night and was convinced I was having another kidney stone attack.
Went to the Doc today still in terrible pain. She did the usual checks and said what did you do yesterday Anything unusual? I told her about the repotting of the aloe and she said this isn't kidney stones. This is a severe muscle strain.
What a relief. I still hurt but at least it's not kidney stones.

My aloe family.  That's a celery plant hiding in there too.

The rest of the aloe brood.

Hybrid Tea Rose that we moved and cut back.  Lots of new growth.

Daniels Gradutaion Party

After the graduation ceremony we had several friends over for dinner and to hang out.  We had kids here until close to 11 which isn't really late unless you're me and fighting a migraine and exhaustion!

Daniel at the sound board

David speaking

Me speaking

Presenting the diploma

Daniel ran his own sound
 

Some of his friends before we went to our house

Video games are always a part of the day

We had kids in every room except ours

Balloons added to the festivities

.

This is our gardenia bush.  Very fragrant.  Daniel is showing its size

some of the kids jumped rope

 

We had ages 4 - 54

Sarah hula-hooping while walking on the spool.  Hard to do and hard to photograph.

Daniel taking his turn.

 

Congratulations!! Daniel 2015 Graduate

Friday, June 19, 2015 our 1st and oldest child graduated from high school.  It has at times been a rocky road, but we ALL persevered and he did it.  He actually finished several days early and at times he felt like it would never happen.

We invited friends and family to join us for a short but meaningful ceremony.   Daniel chose songs that were meaningful to him, Dead Man, and pertinent, Schools Out.  The poem "If" has long been a favorite of Davids and one we as a family have heard and discussed many times.

Beginning of Wisdom Homeschool

Class of 2015

Friday, June 19, 2015

3 o'clock p.m.

Daniel Weldon Gibson

Prelude                                                             Dead Man by Wolves at the Gate

Invocation                                                        Evelyn Bickley, Gavel Club Instructor

If by Rudyard Kipling                                    David Gibson

Letter to Daniel                                               Susan Gibson

Letter to Daniel                                               David Gibson

Presentation of Diploma                               David & Susan Gibson

Benediction                                                     David Gibson

Postlude                                                           Schools Out by Alice Cooper

                                                                                  Dead Man

by Wolves at the Gate

I was once a dead man A stranger with no home
I stood opposed to God himself And yet He pardoned me

With all my heart and the fiercest will Desired not but to thieve and kill
I hadn't a thought of peace, but war Surrender was not what I'd endure

I was a murderer filled with lies and deceit Faced with my list of crimes that I would always repeat

Deliver me! Wake me up from this damning sleep

I'm surrendering! Pull me out from this wickedness In this thieving heart of stone

I realized all these sins I could not atone

I was a murderer filled with lies and deceit
Faced with my list of crimes that I would always repeat

I was once a dead man A stranger with no home
I stood opposed to God himself And yet He pardoned me

So just at the right time when we were dead in our sins

You took this heart of mine and gave me life again

You gave me life again This is where I begin

So far apart and a debt to fulfill This purchase bought on redemption's hill
An ailing disease I couldn't cure Oh this grace! How rich and pure!

Abide in me, my God! I am found in You Pardon me, my God! You know my deepest thoughts
Deliver me from sin! I am made anew
I'm surrendering this heart! For which your blood it bought

The mob they yelled and screamed for justice That wrath was ours we are to blame
You made a spectacle of rulers Denying You of a king's fame
Having crushed the written cannon That wrote of all our guilt and shame
Displayed upon the tree it was nailed The saving power of Your name

For I was once a dead man
A stranger with no home
You saw this wretch
And You gave him life
Forever I'll praise You!
I will praise You!

IF by Rudyard Kipling IF you can keep your head when all about you Are losing theirs and blaming it on you, If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you, But make allowance for their doubting too; If you can wait and not be tired by waiting, Or being lied about, don't deal in lies, Or being hated, don't give way to hating, And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise: If you can dream - and not make dreams your master; If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim; If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster And treat those two impostors just the same; If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools, Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken, And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools: If you can make one heap of all your winnings And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss, And lose, and start again at your beginnings And never breathe a word about your loss; If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew To serve your turn long after they are gone, And so hold on when there is nothing in you Except the Will which says to them: 'Hold on!' If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, ' Or walk with Kings - nor lose the common touch, if neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you, If all men count with you, but none too much; If you can fill the unforgiving minute With sixty seconds' worth of distance run, Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it, And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!

Day 19 of Migraine

Today is day 19 of a level 8+ migraine.  I saw my doctor last Thursday and she gave me a shot of Demerol and Phenergan and a prescription of codeine and Phenergan.

 On Friday I called her back and she gave me a prescription for Percocet and a new nausea med.
Nothing is giving much relief.

 It is so hot here, in the high 90's with no relief in sight. 

I'm so tired of the pain.

My son's graduation party is this Friday and this is not something that can be changed. 
Please pray that I will get relief from this migraine

Brief Update

Right now it feels like everything is very negative and discouraging.

Nothing on a job for David.

Denied Medicaid because it took too long to get them the info so I have to start over.

Constant, level 8+ migraine for the last 11 days.

Daniel and David fighting.

Daniel thinking that since he is 18 he shouldn't have to have any rules.

Stressing over the financial situation.
 
Getting my pinched nerve in my neck fully healed.

On a more positive note, Sarah and I visited my parents church yesterday and the youth pastor preached a very good sermon about keeping the gospel of Chr1sts crucifixion and resurrection at the forefront of our f@ith.  Mom is going to get me a cd of the sermon. He was preaching to the graduates but it was a message we all needed to hear.

Thank you all for your prayers and support.  It means so much to me,

Sarah's 17th Birthday

Sarah loves rock climbing and bouldering.  Unfortunately, Inner Peaks is the only indoor facility that we now of and they are 35-45 minutes away.  But it has become a birthday tradition for of to some extent.  So yesterday we took her along with Daniel and Steven, a friend from Gavel Club an Engineering this year.  Sarah had a free climbing and gear since it was her bday and the boys paid their own way so it was really inexpensive in the long run.  All we did was drive them and feed them.

17 years ago, on a Sunday much like yesterday, a little after the morning church services were over, Sarah Katherine Gibson made her debut.    She has been such a joy to raise.  Yes we have had our difficulties like all parents do but all in all we have been so blessed to have the privilege of raising her. 

Happy Birthday Sarah!

Here are some photos of the day.

 At Lunch

Daniel

Steven & Daniel

Steven & Sarah

Daniel at lunch

Steven at lunch

No real improvement with pinched nerve

Visit to the Dr yesterday was not encouraging. He said when I fell out of bed 12 days ago it really set me back.  I go back on Thursday and if things aren't better I'm probably headed next to a neurosurgeon.  Please continue to pray.  I'm in constant pain and getting very discouraged.

If it's not one thing it's another

Last night I fell out of bed and hit my head, jaw, right arm and reinjured my pinched nerve which had been on the mend.  The look on Dr Halls face when I told him what had happened was not good.  This may be a major setback  and he told David to watch for signs of a concussion.

This is going on 6 weeks that I can't do much of anything.  I can't drive, cook, crochet, or even fold laundry.  I'm starting to loose hope in ever getting better.   I'm seeing my family doc on Monday about the discoloration on my face.  Today it does appear lighter and the bruising around my eyes is less and my right eye is not as droopy as it has been.   There is so much going on that it's becoming very hard to have any positive outlook or thoughts.

No job in sight for David but Dole did ask him to apply for a job. 

Please continue to keep us in your pr@yers,

Susan

Scrambled eggs with asparagus, grape tomatoes, bacon & sweet onion.  YUM...ME