I am so proud of my boys! (And then a few soccer photos from yesterday!)

Today is just one of those days when I just want to shout, "Yea God!" One of those moments when God allows us a glimpse into the work that He is doing in the hearts of our children...

I'll start with Nick... For some reason our neighbor has had a really hard time with Zack and Nick... Maybe she just doesn't like teens, I don't know, but she has been unfairly hard on them. After I got over my mother bear instincts, we decided that we would just keep being nice to her, no matter how she treated us...

Things have been better lately and on Friday, she asked if Nick would finish cutting her backyard for her since she had to go out of town. He agreed but wasn't able to do it until late yesterday because of rain and soccer games...

He got the job done, but then it looked really funny because the part she had cut had already grown a good bit, so today I suggested that Nick take a few minutes and go ahead and cut the part she had already done.

Well, I didn't know it until much later, but not only did he finish the back, he went and cut her front yard too (without being asked!!)!! When she called to find out how much she owed him (she had offered to pay him)... He told her that he would only charge her for the part she had asked him to do, he just wanted to do the rest!

When I told him how proud I was of him, he smiled and said, "Well you said to be kind to her!" Guess what...they really do listen!!

But then I took the kids to dinner and Zack said, "You know how you always tell me that if I just won't participate when the other kids curse or talk about inappropriate things, they'll eventually notice that something is different? Well, they're starting to notice."

Turns out a small group he's in, in one of his classes, finished their assignment and they just started talking... Zack stayed in the group, but he didn't participate in the conversation and at one point one of the seniors said, out of the blue, "You're a big Christian aren't you?" Not big, like big and holier than thou...but big...like it's important to you. Zack just said, "Yeah...I am."

I was so proud of him that the young man noticed... I always love the question, "If you were on trial for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?" I guess Zack got his answer... but I also love that he didn't shy away from answering either!

I also learned tonight that Zack took a bunch of business cards that we have at church for inviting people to church and handed them out at school (about a month ago)...I love that he's not afraid to be identified with his faith!

In Colossians 4:5-6, Paul writes, "⁵Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. ⁶Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone."

I think both of the boys did a great job modeling exactly what Paul is teaching...I have so much to learn from them!

Now...a quick update from yesterday's soccer game...game 2 of State Cup...they won again!! It was so exciting...now they have to win next weekend to go to the next round...it will be a really tough game but it can be done...here are some of my favorite shots from yesterday...the last two are the best of the day!

Way to go guys!! Win again!!

God In The Details...

Ok first...calling all Hot & Healthy Moms...it's Monday, time to check in. Sorry I'm late posting this but we had a printer emergency this morning and I had to get Nick's homework to him at school that he could not get off the printer... (I'll post my results in the comments again...)

So, now a story about God in the details... You may remember at the end of 2008, we made the decision to move Nick to a private school. God worked a miracle for that to happen (you can read about that here, if you missed it) and it has been a great experience so far.

But it has been a difficult transition in some ways... his new school is much more difficult than public school was. He was in pre-algebra in his old school and the only math class he could go into was Algebra...quite a leap. It hasn't been easy, but today, he got into the car...he was so excited...he made a 93 on his latest test!!

But the biggest transition of all has been literature. At his old school, the reading requirements were this lame system called Accelerated Reader (AR). The kids had to read books on the AR sytem and then take comprehension tests on the books, they actually counted as major test grades.

Now Nick has never been one to choose classics, but his reading tastes were far better than the books on the AR system... He enjoys Christian fiction that I find at a local bookstore and he likes to read biographies. So he was penalized because he didn't want to read the books on their system and no alternative was acceptable, like hey...how about an old fashioned book report where the kids actually learn to write?!

So off my soap box... At his new school, they're actually required to read quality literature. He walked into his new school and right off, he was handed a copy of Great Expectations, by Charles Dickens. Well reading that is far different than reading your typical fiction, so it was an adjustment.

So when I learned (from seeing some of his grades) that he was really struggling, I tried to figure out how to help him... I downloaded an audio version of the book to his IPOD, so he could read and listen at the same time, but Scott and I also decided to read the book with him so we could discuss it with him.

We were under a tight time schedule as the first test was coming up over the first 19 chapters...YIKES!! So I said a little prayer and asked God to give us insight as we read as to how the teacher might think and what kinds of things she might consider important on an essay test.

We spent alot of time going over her review questions with him and talking about the right way to answer essay questions (this was pretty new to him also)... And then, he came home the day of the test and he said, "Mom, a lot of the questions were just like what you talked about! " He made a 94 on that test!!

Considering that I was never challenged at this level in school with literature either, I knew that God had definitely granted me some insight into how a literature teacher might approach a test like this.

But today was the icing on the cake... Over the weekend he was given 3 chapters to read and we were pretty certain he would have a pop quiz today. As we sat and discussed the book, there was this little detail that prompted me to say, "This would be a really picky detail to put on a quiz...but just in case...what was the crisis created by the cook?" The answer... she mislaid the beef...and sure enough...that question was on the quiz!! He made a 100...that question was the difference between an A and B!!

I guess it might sound like it, but I am not in any way criticizing the questions on the quiz... I love how this is teaching Nick to focus on what he reads...how it's improving his comprehension and I LOVE the conversations that we're having about this book...far beyond just the details.

But more than anything, I love how Nick is seeing what happens when you rely on God for EVERYTHING!! Now you might be thinking... "Does she really believe that God cares about details like that?" ABSOLUTELY!! If He numbers the hairs on our heads, why wouldn't He care about a child who is fighting to do his best and parents who are doing all that they can do to help him?

You know, I'm learning a lot from this too... God wants us dependent on Him for EVERYTHING... every single detail... If Nick (if I) only learn that lesson, then it's all worthwhile. I love how God can use anything...even a book like Great Expectations...to teach us, to humble us and to show Himself to us in such simple, wonderful ways!!

Baby Jesus Songs & An Award

Just a quick short story that is just too precious not to share...

When we adopted Abby, we learned that she loves music. Since Mackenzie had purchased an IPOD Nano, she decided to let Abby have her IPOD Shuffle. I will never forget the first time I heard Abby say the name 'Jesus'... We had been home a very short time and I was wondering how we would ever begin to teach her the name Jesus and the next thing I knew, she was singing it with one of the songs on her IPOD.

Well, last week Abby came to me and was very upset that there were songs on her IPOD that weren't 'baby Jesus' songs. She wanted me to take off all the Disney songs only put 'baby Jesus' songs and Christmas songs...who says she can't listen to Christmas music year round?

So, her IPOD is full of 'baby Jesus' songs and we're still hearing Silent Night, Jingles Bells and Frosty the Snowman (I know, those aren't 'baby Jesus' songs, but Christmas songs were her exception)!

She still doesn't understand who He is, but how wonderful that she loves to sing about Him...she knows He loves her...Abby's version of Jesus Loves Me... "Jesus loves me...I KNOW!" I think He must smile when she sings about Him!!



On another note (no pun intended!!)... my friend Leslie, who is taking I hope, just a temporary break from blogging (I miss you friend), nominated me for an award...the Lemonade Stand Award, which is for blogs showing great attitude and gratitude!

Now it's my turn to nominate a few...

Definitely Cheryl at HisTaiHens...her faith and her perseverance through the trials of trying to adopt their 3 children in Taiwan is inspiring...

Then there's Linn at A Place Called Simplicity...you probably have been following their blog, but just in case, they adopted 2 precious ones from Uganda in December, and then this past week, their house burned on Wednesday, their son and an emergency appendectomy on Thursday and then their long time best friend, their dog died on Friday... Her faith is unshakable... Linn, I want to be like you when I grow up!

And then, my friend April over at Dirty Laundry...she's had more than her fair share of trials and she always keeps me laughing!!

And finally, my friend Trina at the Great Adventure... she has 6 children, homeschools, blogs and still takes time to encourage the rest of us!

Ok friends, now it's your turn to nominate someone... And Linn, I understand if you don't have time right now...you're a little busy!!

Hugs to all my blogging buddies!!