Life with focus . . .

It is funny how life happens and then I realize that I am not keeping up with things - such as this blog. We have had many changes in our lives during the past several months, such as leaving one church family after almost 14 years to join a new church family. We went from being very involved in a church family to starting from scratch in trying to figure out where/how God wants us to serve in the new one. We have had two of our sons dedicate their lives to Christ and we have gone on a mission trip as a family. Our daughter started back to school after a quarter off and started a new job (all in one week) whew. . . .Time can just slip by if you let it and you can just float along if your not careful. I want to live with a purpose and make sure the important things are taken care of and done. I think the past few months have held many purposeful events and I hope that I will be able to keep focus as we move ahead into the summer.

My sis and her Puppies?

I took these pictures on a recent visit to my sisters. Captain Jack, pictured with my sister is not quite 1. The other dog is Sparky - he is 5.

What's UP?

We have been busy trying to get back into some sort of routine since arriving home from Texas. School got going pretty well and then after a week and half we took another small break to go visit family, I'll post pictures later. Well, now we are back at it and trying to stay focused. It is a bit difficult because Spring finally arrived and I sure would rather play. I plan to keep us schooling until about the end of June, we will take most of July and August off with the exception of a math drill here and there and some reading. We don't get much warm weather here in the PNW and so I like to be able to take advantage of it. We have an out of state trip planned in August and since we will have used most of my husbands vacation we won't do our usual camping trips but probably some day trips to parks, zoos and museums during the Spring and summer.

Wow - A New Look

I decided to go for a new look on my blog and when I changed templates all of my links disappeared. So instead of writing on my blog, I have spent most of my time putting things back. Whew!

A Different Education

During the past couple of weeks our family had the opportunity to go work on a We Care Ministries church campaign. We Care Ministries works with local congregations to help them get the gospel out to their community. The campaign is a week long effort at door knocking in the community during which they offer assistance - such as food or clothing to those in need and then also offer to share the gospel. It was a stretching experience for our whole family and a very rewarding one at that. We lived with an extended family of very like minded, spiritually focused people who had a real heart for the lost of the world. The best part of this was seeing our 15 year old son grow in his spiritual life. He has grown tremendously in many ways. This boy was very timid to get up in front of a group but while we were there he was able to get up and share in front of a large group of adults, he went door knocking and actually talked with the people at the door and now he is ready to go on another campaign. During this campaign we also saw a total of 25 souls come to Christ along with one wayward Christian coming back. We may have missed two weeks of our regular studies but the education we gained during those two weeks is of eternal value.

A Book Readers Quiz

I was tagged by Merry at Beth Spera in Domino with this quiz. I tag Javamom, Mama Squirrel and Plant Lover. I look forward to reading your answers.

1. How many hours a day do you spend reading?

About 1 (not counting reading children's school books with them).

2. How fast do you read?

Not real fast but not slow either - I haven't timed myself

3. What is your favorite book?

In His Steps by Charles Sheldon

4. Who is your favorite author?

I don't have a favorite - I like Tolkein, Austen, and Dorothy Gilman plus many others.

5. What is your favorite action/adventure novel?

Not sure

6. What is your favorite mystery novel?

The Mrs. Pollifax novels by Dorothy Gilman

7. What is your favorite romance novel?

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.

8. What is your favorite character novel?

Deer Slayer by James Fenimore Cooper

9. What is your favorite fantasy/sci-fi novel?

The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien.

10. What is your favorite history book?

??

11. What is your favorite biography?

Barbara Bush's Memoirs by Barbara Bush

12. What is your favorite other non-fiction book?

Best Friends for Life by Michael & Judy Phillips or
Fearfully and Wonderfully Made by Phillip Yancy

13. What is your favorite play?

Taming of the Shrew by Shakespeare

14. What is your favorite of the genres mentioned in questions 5-12?

Mystery novels.

15. What is your favorite type of character?

Strong, full of integrity and great morals

16. If you could host a party with 7 literary characters, who would they be and why?

Miss Marple of Agatha Christie fame because she is logical and wise; Aragorn because of his integrity; Mrs. Pollifax because of her sense of humor and she just seems like she would be fun to be around; Elizabeth Bennet because of her sharpness of wit; Sam from Lord of the Rings because of his loyalty and I am not sure who else I would like to meet - maybe Merlin from The Once and Future King - just to keep things interesting.

17. Do you like film adaptations of books? If so, which is your favorite? Which is your least?

Yes! I like A&E's Pride and Prejudice and I am not sure which I least liked.

18. Who is your literary role model?

Don't have one

19. Which literary house would you like most to live in?

Pemberly

20. Which literary couple would you like most for parents?

???

21. Pick 3 literary characters you would like to have as siblings.

Lizzie Bennet, Charles Bingley, Aragorn or Faramir

22. Who is your favorite literary villain?Favorite as in most wellwritten?

??

23. Name a character that most people dislike, but that you do not. Why do you like them?

??

24. Which minor character deserves a book all to themselves, in your opinion?

None are coming to mind right now


25. Which character do you identify most with in literature?

Elizabeth Bennet (sometimes snippy and misjudge people)

26. If you could go into a novel, which one would it be and why?

I am not sure.

27. Do you prefer hardback or paperback?

Paperback for reading, but hardback for buying.

28. Do you like dustcovers?

I don't mind the mylar library ones - but don't like the regular paper ones.

29. Do you like introductions, forwards, afterwards, and appendices?

Not really.

30. Do you like reading literary criticism?

Sometimes.

31. Do you like new or used books? What about ex-library?

Both

32. Are you likely to buy new books without having read them, or would you buy a used copy (or check it out from the library) to see if it is good or not?

I rarely buy a new book, unless it is unavailable otherwise.

33. Name 3 - 7 books that you rarely see on people's favorite book lists, that are high on your own.

??

34. Which is your least favorite book of those that are considered "classics"?

Wuthering Heights - utterly depressing

35. Do you like books read aloud, or do you prefer silent reading?

Silent reading.

36. When you read, do you see things in your mind like a movie, or just in vague pictures?

Vague pictures

37. Do you like to read in silence, or with backround noise/music?
I prefer silence

38. Can you read in the car without getting carsick?

Sometimes

39. Do you go to booksales?

Yes

40. Name one literary quirk of yours.

I don't know of any

There's No Place Like Home

We arrived home at midnight last night and slept in this morning. There are mountains of laundry that need conquering and many tasks that need attention. There was a stop at the grocery store for the basics and the first cooked by mom meal in almost 2 weeks. (boy was I spoiled). We will start school & regular chores again tomorrow and that will probably be challenge after having 2 weeks off, especially since the neighbor children are now on spring break. We are in the Pacific Standard time zone, but our bodies on are Central time. This should be an interesting week.