Off to Cali we go

I haven't posted FOREVER...but I did want to ask everyone's prayers while Shawn & I are gone to California this week.

Shawn is taking a business trip to Irvine, and I'm taking a "resting" trip to Irvine with him. I plan on doing nothing but read, scrapbook, sit at the beach, read, etc.....

The kids are going to be....everywhere. Between Sarah, Anna and my parents, they will be well taken care of, and I'm sure they're looking forward to having a "refreshed" mommy when I return!

I'll be back Monday night (the 19th), and Shawn will stay the rest of that week and return Sat. night (the 24th). We'll spend my birthday and Father's day in California. So, we'll be celebrating Fathers Day on the 25th :).

Well, dear friends, be praying for us, and we'll be praying for you!

Ma & Pa Kettle, Doing Math

http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=FB7D5DFBA4DF5EA8

Our House - What should we do?

We are wanting (maybe I should say I am wanting) to take out the hedges on the front, right side of our house, and put in a small patio area. I just wanted to get some opinions of others. If we do this, I'm wanting to take out the big tree next to the drive (not the one in the forefront of the picture below), and the big hedge under the bay window. Maybe replace with nice patio bricks - instead of a concrete slab?


Does anyone have any suggestions?

Then, maybe next year we'll do something with the left side of the steps?

Happy Easter 2006

Easter Pictures of the Karns' Kids

Five Little Monkeys....

The last time I glanced at the clock this morning was 3 am. No more TALL glasses of Coffee & esspresso for me late at night - I have enough trouble sleeping. I was finally asleep when Hunter decides to crawl in bed. Well - I'm barely aware of him anyway, so I let him stay.

Probably not 1/2 hour later - here comes Brock. So, I keep scooting closer to Shawn. I realize Brock came, but I'm too tired to do anything about it. So I let him stay.

Next thing you know, I wake up, in a scrunched up position. Valentine (our Dalmation) decided she wanted on the bed also - so she laid at my feet - all 75 lbs of her, then I notice Hunter and Brock were so close to me I'm surprised I could breath.

It's now 5:30 am. So I get up to use the restroom, and when I went back to my bed - there was no place for me! The boys decided to spread out, and Val was still at the foot of the bed, and I was too tired to argue or move anyone, I pulled up the bed spread, next to Valentine (who had been outside for 2 days straight and didn't smell the greatest) and went back to sleep at the foot of my OWN bed!

I'm sure Shawn had to be wondering what in the world was going on when he woke up - because as usual, he slept thru it all!

Crazy Life

Is life crazy for anyone out there? I know, in the Karns household - there's always something NUTTY happening. Right now, just trying to get everyone healthy is a huge focus. I don't know about you, but we have had the worst year EVER for being sick! The kids seem to be passing it back and forth, and we're getting no where.

I feel like, even my prayer / worship/ reading the Word time has gone out the window (since we can now open windows)...and life is just...YZARC (crazy spelled backwards for those who can't get it).

Easter was today - Pastor gave a great sermon - about "proving" the resurrection. He did an awesome job! We ate at my parents house, visited with Shawn's parents and had a great day with family, and a man from our church who has no family here. Sarah got to drink coffee, and our kids got to watch TV (Lent being over)...what else could you ask for?

Well...I can think of several things. A deeper love for Christ. A stronger hunger to know Him more. Our church to have a BURNING desire to reach the lost. My unsaved loved ones to know HIM as their Savior. Galesburg to have the Spirit of darkness and confusion lifted from it.

Oh God - help us to NOT get comfortable. When have we TRULY felt uncomfortable? My kids have a habit of saying, "I'm starving!!". Shawn & I have really started to talk to them about REALLY starving children, and that we shouldn't mistake being hungry for a meal to being STARVED for food you haven't had for a few days.

When have we felt Unsafe? Recent situations with a good friend of ours has left our friends' feeling unsafe to stay at their home. However, God, being the Creator of all - will work this situation out for His good.

When have we felt Helpless? I like being in control. However, when my husbands company decided to sell his company to a competitor, we were, and ARE helpless. We have to wait and see what will happen with insurance/doctors and all kinds of other things we took for granted. But - God is showing us already that He is preparing us to lean on HIS provisions.

When have we really felt MESSED UP? For a good month and a half, God has been "messing" Shawn & I "up". It started with the Eagles' Wings conference, and it just keeps going from there. He is getting us ready for something truly awesome!

God is doing something in Galesburg! He is truly REFINING us, but we have to go thru the fire. It's sometimes painful, sometimes scarey. But God is still there - the Refiner.

What a DAY

When we first moved into our house - almost 10 years ago now, our side yard by the pool was beautifully landscaped - professionally. It was gorgeous, and we enjoyed the beautiful colors of the flowers - the plants were so green and pruned just right. I remember sitting out there just enjoying nature and thinking - WOW...I wonder how hard it is to keep up with all the weeds that may grow...

10 years later - here we are. Well, maybe not quite that bad, but there has been a lot of changes at the Karns'. We no longer have the beautiful landscape area. That came up and in planted grass so that the kids could have an area directly in the back yard to play. Out went the small fence around the pool, and in came the 6 foot fence with the safety latches and the strongest "cover" you can find. Out went the big open side yard and in came the privacy fence and play fort, trampeline, etc.

Isn't it amazing how many changes there are in a few short years. I really - really - could go on and on about what we have done/changed/improved/destroyed, etc. at this house. But - I know that one area I could improve is gardening. I started last year, and did a pretty good job at planting flowers around the pool fence, and kept them watered and weeded. Until about August. Then I was "burned out". Well - as I was out there pulling weeds today - which should have been done last Sept/Oct., I am once again determined to have beautiful flowers around my pool area. I've already called Shawn, then my dad asking if / how much$ / & when we could pour more cement to make my patio bigger. The kids have played outside since after breakfast (yes - everyone seems to be better - Tanner's still getting there). It's warm out - and a good long walk seems inevitable.

I'm so excited! I think Spring is really here!!!!

Eagles Wings Conference

Just a Reminder for everyone...the Eagles Wings Conf. is tomorrow in Bolingbrook (near Chicago). We will be leaving the church at 2:00pm, so be there early. If you don't want to eat "fast food" we will be taking lunchmeat, etc. we can eat while others are eating fast food.

I'm expecting GREAT things! I'm so excited to go!

To Splurge Or Not To Splurge?

I went grocery shopping at 10pm last night. My quiet time (sad life, I know). But, if we were to have any breakfast in the morning, it had to be done. I'm walking through the aisles - taking my time (literally my only break for the day without any kids), and go down the best aisle in the store! The coffee aisle.

There is NOTHING in the world like good smelling coffee (sorry Sarah - Lent's almost over). My senses started taking over...drawing me to the coffee bean display. Should I? I've never ground my own beans before... It's kindof expensive. Hmmmm...

Well - I'd like to say that judgement got the best of me - but my selfish nature took hold. I picked up an empty bag, filled it with caramel toffee coffee beans, poured them into the grinder - and ground away! I was so happy - thinking the whole time, I do deserve this, right?

Well - as I sit here, drinking my Caramel Toffee, I'm thinking it's ok to splurge every once in awhile. Mmmm, is it ever good!!!

~Amber

Karns Kids Blog

Ok, since everyone has the "bug"...Hunter & JayCee wanted their own blog. So, if you look at the bottom of my links, there's a link to {My Kids}. They would be thrilled to have a comment :)

All is well...for now

Well - Shawn got home last night, and gave me the "scoop" about the new owners of their company. They have promised most everything will stay the same (as far as holidays, vaca time, etc) and are trying to find an insurance that is comparable to what they have now...let's keep that in prayer! And they are planning on keeping this part of the company here - not moving it (I think the headquarters is in California?).

So, as long as they keep their word - all is well. Hopefully the insurance thing will be ok, too. But like I said earlier. God is in control, anyway, so there's no reason to worry about it.

Thanks for all your prayers!

My Morning Phone Call

Well - Shawn calls this morning and asks if I'm "sitting down"... That means there's really GOOD news or really BAD news. I'm nervous. What is it? I wonder if they actually gave him a raise with the new position he just took. That would be GREAT. We could use the extra money.

BAM...His company was just bought by someone else. What does this mean? Who knows. His job now is pretty laid back. He can wear jeans/shorts t-shirts, etc. He gets a lot of vacation time. A lot of holidays. Lots of perks (fun things they do for their employees), etc. It's been a pretty good place to work. Now - the future in unclear.

Isn't it funny...God is "messing us up" in all areas of our lives! I've been on a "Holy Ghost High" since we went to Atlanta to the Eagles' Wings conference - and now the kids are sick, and Shawn's job is ???????? But you know what? When normally I would be sick with worry over our "future"...I'm at peace. I know God is in control. There's nothing I can do about it anyway. I keep saying I'm trying to "clean house" (literally - my house) so that we can be ready to do His call at a moments notice (no, that doesn't mean we're planning on moving or anything). That could be just having fellowship at our home on a spur of the moment without worrying about all the toys/clothes/junk sitting in the middle of the floors.

I'm excited! God is doing something Great in our lives - in Galesburg - in this Country - in the world! I don't want to be passed by - I want to be a part! How about you?

New Template

Ok - I changed our template. I'm not a GREEN type of person, either, but with the "germ bug" going around, I thought this was appropriate. What do you think?

Uh - Here We Go Again

Yep - the old germ bug is revisting the Karns house! Brock is coughing non-stop, and is losing his voice. Tanner just isn't up to par - starting to cough. And Hunter is coughing with a fever - still sleeping (it's after 9:00am here). So much for school today.

So be praying, and if you have to come here for any reason - don't forget what to wear....

James 4:1-12

My friend, Kim, is teaching the adult SS class this Sunday at her church. Her lesson is on James 4:1-12...

Does anyone have any thoughts for her? She's afraid of comeing off too strong, but her thoughts are.... "What's in Your Heart?"

James 4:1-12
Submit Yourselves to God
1What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? 2You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. 3When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

4You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. 5Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely?[a] 6But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:
"God opposes the proud
but gives grace to the humble."[b]

7Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

11Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. 12There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?

Only Grace

I LOVE Matthew West's new song..."Only Grace"

There is no guilt here
There is no shame
No pointing fingers
There is no blame
What happened yesterday
Has disappeared
The dirt has washed away
And now it’s clear

Chorus:
There’s only grace
There’s only love
There’s only mercy
And believe me it’s enough
Your sins are gone
Without a trace
There’s nothing left now
There’s only grace

You’re starting over now
Under the sun
You’re stepping forward now
A new life has begun
Your new life has begun

Chorus:

And if you should fall again
Get back up, get back up
Reach out and take my hand
Get back up, Get back up
Get back up again

To be like a child

What a time we had yesterday during our Revival with Pastor Neil Smith! Both services were awesome! God's presence was felt when you walked in the building! Last night, we had a time of worship an hour before the service started. It was awesome! Thanks to Karen Stroops, we have some banners now! It blessed my heart to see my 8 yr old son, pick up the RED banner and begin to pray as he walked the sanctuary (he has to work on not pokeing anyone with the banner, since he walks & prays with his eyes closed).



We need to be like children. Free in our worship. Not worried about what others thinks. Let offenses roll off our backs. Able to look at the unseen with Awe and wonder and expectation.

I'm so in love with Jesus - I just want everyone else to be as excited as I am right now! I'm looking forward to our time of worship before service tonight! Come with expectancy!

HAPPY 3rd BIRTHDAY, BROCK

Missey Gray

My heart is grieved. I was looking up information on St. Patrick's day for the kids to work on and study, going thru some homeschool blog sites, and discovered a 32 year old homeschool mother of (now) 5, Missey Gray, died during an emergency c-section on March 1, 2006.

Yesterday Missey went in to get her stress test that she's been getting every 2 weeks. The test showed that Missey was loosing amniotic fluid and that she had lost enough of it for it to be alarming. That's when they decided to go ahead and take the baby.

After they lifted the baby from her body, some of the amniotic fluid got into her blood stream and caused a blood clot, which is what caused her death. She never came out of surgery. Her mil (mother-in-law) said that this only Happens 1 in 200,000. (Dandelion Seeds blog)

No, I didn't know this woman at all, but from reading her blog (which she wrote in for the last time before they left for the drs. office - http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/HeartSchooling/ ), I can see that she was a woman who loved the Lord first, then her husband, then kids. She had three girls (age 11, 8, 5) a boy (almost 2), and then a newborn girl, named after her, Melissa Kate Gray. Missey blogged on Nov. 2, 2005 the following:

The academics are important, but the heart-set is even more so. That's why I like to say that we are "HeartSchooling" -- it puts my focus back where it ought to be and helps me keep my priorities straight.

Missey was a WHIZ at homeschooling! She makes me look like I do NOTHING! Not only was she homeschooling, but she was involved with blogs and online homeschool support groups - helping make other homeschool moms' lives easier.

My prayers go out to her husband, Tom, and their 5 children. I only wish I would have met her before. I do know I'll see her again someday!

What in the WORLD is going on?

Obviously - it's not in the WORLD - but God is giving us a glimpse (mind you a very MINUSCULE glimpse) of what Heaven will be like! Why were we created? To worship Him! Yesterday and Last nights services were unbelievable! It was AWESOME. We sang a song yesterday and the words were, "In Awe of You we Worship". Pastor talked about how we don't use that word very often, but that is how we should look at God.

Dictionary.com says Awe is "A mixed emotion of reverence, respect, dread, and wonder inspired by authority, genius, great beauty, sublimity, or might". WOW - does that do a good job of describing our emotions about God or what?

Again, another song we sang said this, "Turn your ear to heaven and hear the noise inside...the sound of angel's AWE, the sound of angel's songs - and all this for a King - we could join and sing - All to Christ our King".

Another song we sang talks about "How Great is our God" - and "He wraps Himself in light, and darkness tries to hide- and trembles at His voice". That's how Awesome our God is.

A good friend of mine was happy for Pastor, Libby, Shawn & I, when we came back from the Eagles Wings conference last weekend - with our "new way of freedom in our worship" - but expressed that "it wasn't for her". Well - God showed up last night again, and told her "YES IT IS"...and because of her obedience, she was blessed with a Heavenly language - and a "new freedom in her worship".

God is taking us to places we've only dreamt of - more than that even! Are you ready to go? Are you going to hesitate and sit back & "wait & see" - or are you going to JOIN IN and be on the frontlines? Can you tell I'm excited? GOD IS SO GOOD. Alright - now is the time to, "Turn our gaze to heaven and raise a joyous noise.....Oh Praise Him"!!!! (David Crowder)