Balto

Many years ago I lived with my husband and 4 small children in a little town outside of Savannah Ga. The place we lived was very rural so it was typical for people to dump out their unwanted pets or other animals instead of going through the correct procedures of turning them over to the Humane Society It usually became my job to turn these animals in and hope they find good homes. I am an animal lover and would have loved to keep everyone of these animals but I knew we could not afford that. We already had a cat and 4 children. I became very familiar with the folks that worked at the animals shelter. In fact I would often call before bring an animal to them to check to see if anyone had requested an animal matching the one I hads description. Sometimes that was successful and the animal was delivered from me into his or her new home. This was true for this particular day. I was bringing in a small breed puppy to meet her new owners that morning. Tim always told me not to bring home any dogs when I left the house. I always laughed and said I wont.
I arrived at the shelter and was greeted by the owner to be. She was very excited to gain this new member of her family. I signed the release papers and she said the acceptance papers and I was about to leave when I spotted the cage in the corner of the waiting area. The cage contained three small odd looking puppies. I never went back to the area where they kept the dogs because I knew I would fall in love with them . Bringing animals up here was hard enough for me. I certainly wasn't going to add to it by looking at all these animals in need of a home. I walked over to the pen and begin questioning the worker about the pups. She said they were 6- 7 wks old, just arrived yesterday and were about to be put back into the holding area.These pups were the most unusual I had ever seen. Multi colored coats and one brown eye and one blue eye. She wasn't sure of their breed. I cant explain it. Something about these pups. Like I said I had come many times to the shelter and left many times without a pet-- and yes even though I generally didn't go look at the pets in the holding area there had been times when cute little animals were in the waiting area. I couldn't explain it then but now I know what was going on then.
I got the pups out of the pen and played with them a little bit. There were 2 girls and a boy. They were so sweet and before I could stop myself I was filling out papers to get one. Yikes I knew Tim was going to have a fit but I couldn't stop myself. The worker asked which one I wanted. I couldn't choose. She sat all three pups on the counter for me to decide. I said "who wants to come home with me" and one pup walked over and licked my face. The worker announced its a boy.
I took my little bundle and went home. I knew Tim was not going to be happy about this- but I knew I was supposed to have this dog. I just couldn't explain why at the time.
We named him Balto- after the dog who had saved the children in the epidemic. He was a sweet little puppy and got lots of attention for the kids. Tim wasn't upset with me. He would just shake his head and laugh. About two days after I brought Balto home he became very sick. He had diarrhea and had no energy. I had already scheduled a vet visit for him the following week but called and they told me to bring him in that day. It turns out he had a bacterial infection that was treatable but could have been deadly. He prescribed medication for him. I asked what breed Balto was and the doctor said catahoula leopard . I had never heard of that breed.
When I returned home I researched the breed and sure enough there were dogs that looked just like Balto. I learned that the Catahoula are herd dogs which explained his herding behavior with the children. He herded them in a circle in the yard when the played outside with him. He was really funny to watch. The eye color and coat color was typical of that breed. I also learned that as adults they can get very big and strong. Especially the males. Oh boy I have a potential big strong dog on my hands.
Fast forward to 2005. We had moved to Ware Shoals SC. The accident occurred. I was sitting on the couch three weeks after the accident, all the visitors had gone back to their normal lives and we were trying to pick up and find our new normal. I looked over at Balto laying on the floor beside me. He got up and laid his head on my lap as I cried. I realized that ever since the accident he had been by my side. Like he knew I needed him. This was going to be my first night alone in the house without visitors just me and the kids. I was a single women with four children alone. Then it occurred to me. I was not afraid to be alone. God had sent this big dog to protect me and to be a visual reminder of his protection for me. I gave Balto a hug and said this was the plan wasn't it. God knew Tim was not going to be here and he knew I needed you.
It has been almost seven years since Tim died and Balto is still my shadow. He is always watching me. If I am in the yard working, he is sitting by the door watching me. He follows me room to room. As I am writing this, he is on the floor at my feet.
For me Balto will always be a reminder of Gods protection for us. God knew Tim wouldn't be here for us and he knew I needed Balto to offer me comfort and protection. We named him Balto after the heroic dog from Alaska and he lives up to his name. That Balto saved the children My Balto gives me a sense of safety. I thank God for sending Balto into our lives.

our world

I have been very saddened lately with what is being fed to our kids by the media. First I took my oldest son to see Rango. It looked like a cute western type cartoon movie. It was not what it appeared though. I was shocked at the amount of foul language and violence through out the movie as well as encouraging suicide. also it included scenes were christian beliefs were made fun of. It was not a kid friendly movie at all. It is so sad that things that are supposed to be aimed at a kid audience are now filled with trash and anti God messages. I then had another shocker ,although I should not have been surprised, when watching the kids choice awards with my children. The music included foul language, people were dressed in inappropriate clothing and it was hosted AGAIN by a person who has openly made fun of Christians. Some of the presenters were known drug users and openly gays. Is this the messages we want to send to our kids as the appropriate way to live? These beliefs and lifestyles are leaking into ever inch of our children's media. Are we as Christian parents going to just stand by and let this culture indoctrinate our children? I for one am not going to allow it in my home and children's lives any longer. I know they will not be happy with me when I wont let them go see the latest movie because I feel the content is inappropriate or watch the latest show but I am not here to be friends with my kids I am here to train them. It is their souls that are on the line.

A trip to the mall

I took my kids to the mall yesterday partly to go Christmas shopping and partly just to spend the day with them. I am sad to report what I saw. Although it didn't surprise me it saddened me. All around us were people rushing around, grumbling, being rude. I saw no Christmas cheer. One store display ever said Christmas Greedy. What has our world come to. Christmas has become a time to fight it out for the toys your kids want or the things you think you have to have. we as Americans have gotten so far away from what Christmas really means. Even Christians have fallen into the trap of commercialism. Why has this time of year become a time for us to expect to go into debt. To SPEND SPEND SPEND. Christmas is NOT about Santa... it is about the birth of Jesus!!!!!! We are supposed to give gifts to express the love God showed for us in sending his son to earth. I hope we as Christians will take Christmas back and get out of the commercialism trap. I plan on limiting Santa more this year and focusing more on Christ. I would rather fill the kids with Gods word and love for us then a bunch of toys that will be lost, broken or forgotten with time. Toys and things are temporary... Gods love is forever!

The joy of adoption

I know that God is in control of all things in our lives. About 12 years ago I was facing life as a women who wanted children very badly but could not have them. It was a time of great sorrow in my life because I could not understand why God would give me this great desire in my heart but take away my ability to have children. I never doubted he had a plan. I just didnt understand it. Fast Foward 12 years, I am the mother of not one child but 4.... when God blesses... he blesses big! Not only that but I have fostered an additional 4 children. Thats eight children that have been in my home and I have "mothered" back 12 years ago I could not have imagined I would be so blessed. I believe God calls some of us to the wonderful process of adoption. It is after all what he does for each of us when we accept him as savior.
My family has once again been blessed. My brother and sister in law are in the process of adopting a sweet little 4 year old boy. God has chosen them to be his parents and us to be his family. I am so excited about the common bond of adoption that our children will share. I am so happy to have a new nephew.
I praise God for the blessing and priviledge of Adoption.

Homeschooling year 2

Last year I decided to bring my kids home and educate them. A series of events finally led me to make this decision for my family. I was scared out of my mind that I would not be able to do it sucessfully. I am thanful for the homeschooling friends that helped me and listened to me all year long. I made lots of mistakes my first year but we made it! I learned more of what works for each of my children and for my family. We have been able to grow closer as a family through this process. I have also seen the frustrations of dealing with public schooling disappear!
Now we are entering our second year. Lots of changes are upon us. My oldest child will be a 9th grader. Luckily he is very smart and has a desire to learn. In fact he has already read through all of his textbooks and he cant wait to begin. I am so glad I will do my first time homeschooling high school with him. I also have two 7th graders and one 5th grader. I have chose My fathers world curriculm for all of us this year. Dylan will be doing the High school version- Old testment for his history and English. Electives will include High school health, Spanish 1 and God and the history of art. He chose the Life Pac for Math and of course Apologia Biology! He cant wait to do his disections-- yucky
The rest will do Exploration to 1850 for History and Music. They will also do God and the history of Art, rod and staff English, spelling and math and Apologia General science.
It will be a full and fun year for us!

Tim's tree

I remember it like it was yesterday. We were moving into out apartment in Louisville Ky. It was a day of unpacking, taking boxes to the dumpster then unpacking some more. In the mist of it, Tim came through the door holding a small dead looking twig in a busted up pot. It Looked like its former owners gave up on it and put it in the trash. Leaving it there to die. Tim could not stand it and brought it home to nurse it back to health. It was the twigs lucky day because if it had been me taking the boxes to the dump it would have been left there. I have never been much of a plant person. I laughed at him for bringing it home. I could not imagine that it would live. It was practically dead. All brown and dried up. Despite what I thought, it lived and thrived under Tims loving care.
Then came time for Tim to graduate from seminary and for us to move to Georgia. The small tree as it had become now was use to the colder, milder climate of Kentucky. I really did not think it would go well for it. First it had to survive the move then the climate change. Tim loaded it carefully into his station wagon. When we arrived in Georgia, it slowly began to loose its leaves over the next few weeks and look "sick". I thought yeap this is it. Tim however never gave up on his little tree. He gave it extra nutrients in the soil and nursed it and it began to thrive again. It grew and thrived year after year.
After five years in Georgia it was time for another move. This time to a little milder climate in SC. I knew this would not be a great climate change for the tree but still could it really survive another change. He Loaded it in the back of his truck and we were off again. As it had before, it lost all its leaves over the next few weeks. Tim nursed on it again and once again it begin to grow its leaves and thrive. I marveled at this amazing little tree.
Then the time came for us to move again. This time it was just me and the kids. Tim wasnt with us anymore. I carefully loaded the tree in my van as tears rolled down my face. I will take care of you little tree. The tree must have know that I had little knowledge of how to care for it because it did not loose its leaves in this move. It never looked sick.
I was repotting the tree again today for the 3rd time in 5 years. Oh little tree what you have seen. You were rescued from the dump. You were saved. You saw our laugher in our first years of marriage. You saw our joy in getting our first baby KC our cat who still lives with us.You saw our tears over not being able to have kids. You saw the joy of the adoption of the boys, then Caitlyn. You have seen the highs and loves in our lives. I just wonder what you will see in the future.

WHY

I know everyone has things in their lives that they wonder WHY. I read it everyday in my news feed. I see people fighting cancer, children going through diseases, people dealing with injuries, operations that dont work and so on. The sad fact is that it is a fact of life. If you are not dealing with a why now then you will one day. I have found that the best way to deal with a why is to see how God can be glorified by the situation. This is not always easy.
In my own life, as fathers day approaches we deal with our BIGGEST why. That is why God took Tim. I have my own theories mostly that his work was done. But I also see all the people that came to Christ because of him. We may never know the real reason but what I do know is that I am not the only one that goes through a why and I can use my situation to help others.