Ma Ledford & the Gang

Free Diaper

2011-12-16T14:24:00.003-05:00

We have entered the world of cloth diapering full force and I'm loving it.

I'm beginning to fear an addiction to acquiring new dipes.

I've even entered a giveaway for a FREE FuzziBunz Elite diaper by posting this blog.

You can enter too by heading over to All About Baby Boutique.

Hehe...the lengths we go to for cool, free stuff :)

Seeing...red???

2011-10-14T21:43:00.000-04:00

It's almost humerous how your self control flies out the window as you hormones increase; or at least that's what I've found to be true in the final days of this pregnancy.

"Do you know what you're having?" has been a common question as of late. I usually respond with "yes, a girl," smile politely, and leave it at that. I get a variety of reactions, but there is one question that has been surprisingly popular that has me really agitated:

"Shew, aren't you glad?!"

I hate that! It ranks right up there with "Wow, you look like you are about to pop. When are you due?!" or "You sure there's only one in there?!"

What are they really asking and how am I supposed to answer..."yes, I am really glad it's NOT a boy!" Or, "yes, I will feel complete now that I FINALLY have a girl!"

Is there something wrong with boys that I don't know about? Is my family broken or incomplete without a little girl?

I am thrilled to be having a girl. I am excited about the unknown, the pink frills, and the hope of the mother/daughter comeraderie I share with my own mom. I can't wait to see my husband go goo-goo in the palm of this baby, dance with her, and eventually walk her down the aisle.

However, I love my boys and would not trade them or the lessons they've taught me for anything! Yes, they are smelly. They are very loud. They make a mess, play with bugs, and drag in dirt. They play games that I find ridiculous or complicated. They pass gas and grunt. I'm not convinced they will ever flush without being reminded EVERYtime.

But they give awesome hugs, help me carry heavy things, and appreciate my femininity. They take responsibility for "yucky" chores around my house. They defend me mightily, even if they have to stand up to their dad. I love watching my husband wrestle and play the "knock-down game" with them, take them to the hardware store, and teach them about being godly men.

Raising boys is way out of my comfort zone. I question myself hourly and often feel like a failure. But I am so grateful for how God has used these precious humans in my life. That He has chosen me to be their mom. That He continues to refine me daily through their little lives.

So, yes, I am grateful for the little girl that will be joining our family in a few short days and all of the lessons that experience will bring. But it certainly doesn't trump the past 6+ years that I've had the pleasure of being the mom to boys.

Aa is for...

2011-09-26T14:23:00.000-04:00

Here are a few things I've been able to capture from the beginning days of school. The boys usually freeze when I snap pictures, but here's some of what we've been doing the pst few weeks...

Studying the Letter Aa, so I tried to find some cool treats. Here we have "Apples and astronaut ships" {Yeah , yeah that's not the technical name, but it works, right?!}

Hudson is sporting his awesome homeschool shirt that my brother and SIL gave us for Christmas last year. Aren't they awesome???

Sweet T's math is coming from an awesome book called Developing Number Concepts by Kathy Richardson. As a former math teacher, I LOVE LOVE LOVE her approach to primary math!!! Wish my algebra 1 kids had gone through her curriculum.

We are using Chicka Chicka Boom Boom as one part of our "Letter of Week" units this year. HudBug is putting up his very first letter of the year.

Using his pom-pon magnets on the Letter A activity

Prewriting skills using our awesome new Crayola Dry erase Activity Center

Sweet T working on some logic skills

Bottlecap spelling

More logic skills

Hud has a love/hate relationship with cutting. This day was ok... We have been using the Kumon workbooks for cutting practice.

My little Hud loves his Do-A-Dots!!!

Numeral recognition and counting practice.

{These are magnetic numerals that we have acquired over time and they are sticking to a cookie sheet.}

One-to-one correspondence activity from Kathy Richardson

Practicing making the letter A with Wikki Stix

Spelling his name with an alphabet puzzle

Apple lacing card

Reviewing AWANA verses

Picking out all the Aa's

(with Do-A-Dot markers}

We are using Window on the World for our geography/people group study this year. We studied Afghanistan for the letter A.

A friendly {ahem, pretty friendly} game of Guess Who? to put all those logical reasoning and sight reading skills to good use!

I have gathered all of my Letter of the Week activities from these AH-mazing ladies who are generous enough to share all of their hard work with the rest of us:

Erika @ Confessions of a Homeschooler

Carissa @ 1+1+1=1

Jolanthe @ Homeschool Creations

Coming up next at Ledford Christian Academy:

Fall Fun Pack

Letter Bb

Ummm, yeah

2011-09-19T13:14:00.002-04:00

{DISCLAIMER: I am 34 weeks pregnant and a little prickly these days...this is also a very important soapbox topic for me, so proceed at your own risk. And don't say you weren't warned!}

So, the kids and I have been getting this question a lot lately, "Did you have school today?"

I'm realizing that I don't like this question so much. Well, at all, actually. I get a little defensive. Kind of perturbed. And sort of dumbfounded.

I mean, I kind of get it - we homeschool and most people that I know don't. It is a very different world than most people that I interact with live in. An unknown creature of sorts.

I also understand that the question is perhaps just a well-meaning attempt to interact with us in this area of our lives or simply to make conversation.

Duly noted.

However, it still bugs me.

I mean I wanna answer, "Well, uh, yeah. It IS a school day, right?" Or, "have you ever spent all day with a 4 and 6 year old and not taught them something?!" Or maybe even, "Yeah, the state says I HAVE to!"

But I refrain. I try to remind myself that just because people are asking about our school doesn't mean that they are being critical or judgmental.

Let me elaborate.

You see, homeschool is NOT just "school at home." We do not follow a rigid 8AM-3PM schedule like most traditional schools. We don't have to enter the sacred "classroom" and pull out textbooks or worksheets to begin our learning.

Currently, as I type, my kids are indeed sitting at their desks in our classroom. However, Thad is in his pj pants with no shirt and Hud is in mismatched T-shirt and shorts. They are coloring their AWANA verses for this week while belting out their favorite VeggieTales Silly Song {The Song of the Cebú, for those curious ones out there.}

One of the beauties and chief reasons we chose to homeschool was for the very things that make it "not school." Yes, we teach our kids reading, writing, and math. We keep attendance. We will take "a test" at the end of the year. We even have an official "classroom." But that is quite possibly where the similarities to traditional schools end. We often have science conversations at the dinner table or in the grocery store. We sometimes learn about math while folding clothes. We can watch a NatGeo show in our jammies and cover biology, Bible, social studies, and geography all in one 30 minute segment. {Are you getting jealous yet?}

Sometimes we do follow a structured plan (I personally love Sue Patrick's Workbox system and have my own version set up for both boys in the classroom). On those days, our routine may closely resemble that of a traditional school. I spend countless hours researching, cutting, laminating, and reading up for those activities, much like I did in preparation for my kids when I taught in the public school system.

There are also many days when we won't step foot in the classroom. We may even be running around town like chickens with our heads cut off, all day {GASP!}. But those days are no less school days, right? We are soaking up the world around us and learning appropriate ways to interact with the people and things in it. We have great conversations while standing in line or sitting at a stoplight. And talk about learning to develop and practice fruit of the Spirit?!

But this type of "non-traditional" learning lends itself to lots of questions, plenty of opinions, and judgement. From others as well as yourself. There is lots of self-doubt as a parent and teacher of homeschooled kids. Am I doing it right? Am I gonna ruin my kids? Are they learning ANYTHING?!?!?

If my goal is to raise my kids to know about, love, and serve Jesus (which, by-the-way, it is), then I shouldn't be limited to the four walls of a room to do that, right? I don't have to have paper and pencil, books and worksheets. It doesn't really matter that Thad has taught himself to multiply but is refusing to read (true story!) or that some days Hudson spends countless amounts of time walking in circles, accomplishing almost nothing.

I am learning that I HAVE to be sensitive to God's leading and direction for our school and trust that He knows better than me and my lesson plans anyway! He is the One who instructed us as parents to teach our kids (Deut. 6). He called me out of the public classroom to come home and teach my kids. He chose me to raise my kids and is continually preparing me to do that in a way that honors Him (Eph 2:10). I cling to that promise daily, sometimes, hourly!

So next time you wanna ask if we had school today, DON'T!!!

Only kidding. Sort of. I will do my best to see your heart and curiosity for what it is. I will try to answer you politely.

Just know that the answer is an emphatic and resounding, yes! Yes, we did have school today..

Need a name

2011-08-15T10:32:00.000-04:00

For 6+ years, it has been MaLedford and the Boys around our place. We've enjoyed living in the land of bugs, trucks, and superheroes.

But, that's all gonna be changing soon! In a matter of weeks, a little girl is going to be joining our ranks. (I know, a Ledford GIRL!!!) Though there is much to be done before her arrival, we are super thrilled and looking forward with great anticipation to the day she comes.

With that in mind, "MaLedford and the Boys" will no longer be an adequate title for our family blog. That's where you come in...I need suggestions! Got something catchy for me to consider??? I'd love to hear from you. Leave your idea in the comments section below!

Unexpected fruit...

2011-08-02T22:44:00.000-04:00

We've been plenty busy since my last post. So busy, I've not taken the time to update! Today's event, however, was too good to pass up.

First, some background:

In the past weeks, God has been showing me much about my role as mother. There is enough wrapped into that revelation that I could craft many a blog post, but alas, I will refrain {for now}. One of the major lessons I am ~~fighting~~ learning is that the lessons learned and the effort exerted during parenting isn't at all for MY glory. Rather it is designed to bring glory to the Father. This is pretty difficult for a girl who only likes to tackle things that she knows ahead of time she will be good at and receive accolades for.

Jason and I have spent much time in discussion and prayer in recent weeks about parenting with a purpose. A Godly purpose. We have talked through rules, consequences, grace, mercy, rewards, allowance, yelling, spanking {I mean let's be honest here} and a plethora of other things. We've read some books, some blogs, ~~griped~~ talked to friends, even travelled to family camp in MI to try to become experts on all things family in order to best fulfill this role of parent. All the while, God is showing me that the glory or fruit isn't mine to receive...

...until today. Praise Him for His good gifts!!! I was dead-to-the-world when the boys got up this morning. Like every morning, they came down, ~~found me awake~~ woke me up, and moseyed into the den for their daily TV fix. Only the TV is not what I heard. Instead it was a drastically different sound. A very distinct one. A sort of clanging of glass and metal. A slamming of cabinets and drawers. As the sounds continued and became more and more familiar, I began to think I had fallen back asleep. Yes, I was dreaming. My ears were mistaken. I MUST be dreaming.

Really?! Yes, really! My precious little children arose this morning, greeted their mother warmly and gently as she was still snuggled in her bed, and then proceeded to UNLOAD THE DISHWASHER. Go ahead, rub your eyes and re-read it...my 4 and 6 year old unloaded the dishwasher. Completely unprompted. No bribing or begging involved. No threats hurled. No "deals" made. No nickels exchanged. Just a precious, loving, and pure act of kindness and service from the hearts of my babies. What a way to start the day!

Lord, thank you that you chose to show me fruit of my labor today. Thank you for beginning to soften the hearts of my children unto You and Your ways. Thank you that, even on the hardest of days, I have the privilege of being their mother. Thank you that you shelter them while their mom stumbles through this process called parenting. And thank you, THANK YOU for allowing me to wake up to an empty dishwasher!!!

Carla's Cakes???

2011-02-28T19:44:00.000-05:00

I have been dappling in the cake world for some time now, but it hasn't been much more than squeaking something out for my own kids' birthdays. Until lately, that is. I have recently had the pleasure of making a few cakes for some great friends who placed incredible trust in my experiments. I am no pro, far from it, but I enjoy ~~stressing over,~~ planning out and decorating cakes.

Here are some of the latest (forgive the picture quality: these are from my phone...)

a 1st Birthday cake for a precious little boy who has already learned to love the remote.
(His mama had to write Happy Birthday on the cake because I was SCARED!)

My first attempt at both a character that didn't come from a shaped pan as well as writing!

a Valentine's Book Club treat for a friend - complete with a marshmallow heart border!

A baby shower cake for a friend who happened to deliver just a few days later!

I have discovered that I really enjoy being able to give cakes to friends knowing that I created something special for them. The catch is I never really know how the thing is gonna turn out. I mean, I kinda just make it up as I go and hope for the best. And it takes me forever! {I credit some of that to lack of skill and the rest to my being a perfectionist.}

So, I have decided to bite the bullet and will be embarking on the official Wilton cake decorating journey - I start my beginners class next week and I confess, I'm a little nervous! At least at home, I can stress out in the privacy of my own kitchen. I will now be in the company of other students as well as a very experienced teacher who will be hovering over me and watching my make-shift techniques. I am hoping to learn more efficient ways to decorate and maybe some cool new tricks.

The pressure is on, friends. Taste-testers get ready!

February in review...

2011-02-22T15:36:00.001-05:00

I really wanted to get this posted before the end of the month, even if that meant 2 posts in one day!

I was super excited about our February sensory bucket. I had a blast putting it together.

red beads

heart buttons

erasers

small wooden hearts

some tweaked goodies from the dollar store
I cute apart the letters for love and took the sticks out of the hearts

red koosh-like thingys

I also added colorful muffin cups, plastic heart container, and red pom pons with a white bean filler.
Isn't it cool?!

I decided to amp up my attempt at creativitiy this month. We made "marble art" (or in our case, bouncey ball art) for our Valentines cards. They turned out really cute, but they didn't make it in the mail!!! Sorry family and friends - you can know you were loved from afar.

Happy February! Bring on the warmth of March!

Nice try...

2011-02-22T14:26:00.000-05:00

So I've discovered, I'm just not the blogging type. {Collective gasp of utter surprise!} I mean, if I can't even get my daily household chores done, my kids schooled, and dinner on the table in a timely fashion, why in the world would I expect myself to stay on top of a blog?! Silly me.

Though it isn't posted for all to see - and by all I mean the 4 people who read this blog - life indeed goes on in the Ledford house. Hudson is completely boycotting school right now, so that portion of our lives is a little out of whack, but alas, we continue to plug along.

Here are some clips from the past few {ahem} months:

Thad, Hudson, and the "big kids" heading our to conquer the arctic villains during our Christmas snow storm.

Hudson and Uncle Joe creatively passing time while we wait for Christmas dinner to be served. Apparently that bowl makes a pretty mean reflection!

Thad enjoying one of his awesome new toys, Qwirkle (thanks Bebe & Pops!) on the kitchen floor . I even made it in a picture!!!

Proof that school has indeed taken place since November! The boys love to use their Do-A-Dot markers.

As a motivator to get Thad to read, he's been reading these cards and then taping them in place all over the house.

Our first stab at Pick and Draw, and super cool game that came in Thad's stocking.

More winter work...

My attempt to beat the winter blues by being crafty! Hudson helped me sort some of my old crayons, back from my public school days, and we made homemade ones. They took longer than I expected, but turned out cute. I was more impressed than the boys, of course.

Falling onto the groove

2010-11-20T18:24:00.000-05:00

I've made a commitment to myself to keep track of our school endeavors via the blog world and it would seem that I'm not honoring that commitment thus far. Truth be told, I've spent my designated "blogging time" snooping the blogs of other homeschool families and stealing ALL SORTS of super cool ideas from them! I've been so busy snooping that I haven't had a chance to blog out own stuff.

Well, here goes:

We have been really getting into the swing of things with our workboxes. I learned about the workbox system nearly 2 years ago at the NCHE conference. I was sold on the idea and bought all of the supplies that very week. Sadly, like so many of my "I'm so excited" ventures, those boxes were only used for storage of supplies. Not anymore! They've been dusted off and officially broken in. The kids and I LOVE them!!! I've even been motivated to organize and make our room more functional. (Until we are able to move into our "permanent room in the current playroom.)

The current set-up for the boys "desks"

Our storage/center wall - this space is ever evolving!

The boys are getting good at taking the numbers off the boxes and sticking them on the "done" chart

Hudson has been working on his Thanksgiving Preschool Pack along with accompanying activities.

Hudson working on ordering the Mayflower activity

Tracing numbers and matching

Sorting food and people

Tt is for Thanksgiving with homemade playdough

Thad has also been hard at work. Although I have public school classroom experience, I've found it a little tough to juggle the planning and implementing for a 3 year old and a 5 year old. Thad loves school and is helping his ole mom make it all work!

Working out a pattern block puzzle

It has been a delight to incorporate his AWANA work into our school day. We've made it a center that he visits apart from his workboxes.

He's recently come to LOVE working out logic problems. This is a book by Critical Thinking Press.

Working through Building Thinking Skills, another CTP favorite!

I've tried to be more diligent about incorporating games into our school day, so we recently added a new game to our repertoire. I found a great deal on this game at the hospital (weird, I know!) so I snagged it. The idea is to find each of the items "hidden" inside the jar. It kept their attention for a while; it kept mine much longer! I guess I'm pretty competitive when it comes to games, even if I'm only competing against myself

Thad playing Find It!

We also had a family first this past week - we did a family craft! I am a really left-brained, logical kind of girl and I do not find my kicks by doing crafts with little kids. This week, I branched out. During my blog snooping, I read about a leaf craft that I was sure we could handle. Indeed we did! It was a great time and the finished products are precious too.

What a great past two weeks for us! I have thoroughly enjoyed doing some research and learning from some moms that are much further along in their journeys than me. Kudos to Erica at Confessions of a Homeschooler, Carissa at 1+1+1=1, and Jolanthe at Homeschool Creations (along with many others). God gave these moms super creative juices that I don't have and I am so grateful for their willingness to take the time to make public the great investment they are making in the lives of their children so that newbies like me can keep our heads above water!

I feel like the boys and I are working out some kinks and getting into a pretty good groove. We are finding consistency, purpose, and fun in our school. Finally some peace amidst the chaos - just in time for the crazy holiday season!

Fall Playdough

2010-11-05T20:36:00.000-04:00

We had a great week this week at school and I actually caught some of it on film!

The necessary ingredients for our monthly playdough (I got my recipe here). For fall, we used whole wheat flour (it produced a great natural brown color) and a dash of cinnamon for a yummy smell - way better than the old store bought stuff!

My little helpers anxious to begin. I'm not great at incorporating kitchen activities into our day, so they were thrilled when they realized I was serious about cooking together. They loved being able to measure out and pour the ingredients. I do require that they sit on a stool at a safe distance from the stove while we cook.

The finished product! It made a lot more dough than I expected. It was plenty for both boys to be able to work with at the same time.

The test run proved successful! I was concerned they would quickly grow bored with just one color of dough and no "toys." On the contrary, they played for nearly 30 minutes with nothing more than their little hands. Thad even created a nativity scene. "You know Mom, the place where baby Jesus was born?"

The smell was great and the clean up much easier than our usual alternative. I'm sold. No more store bought for us! We will enjoy the creative options of making our own.

We used our yummy scented fall playdough in several activities this week, including our Batman Pack. More on that to come...I don't want to exhaust my current streak of blogging zeal on one post!

Change is on the way...

2010-11-04T14:13:00.000-04:00

It is official - our family has launched into the world of homeschooling. As we follow this path that God has laid for us, I hope to be able to use this venue to record the nitty-grittys of the journey. I already have so much to share from just this past week!

Here's a sneak peek:

2010-01-06T11:29:00.001-05:00

Yesterday's Moment of the Day (MotD):

Thad discovered a super cool evangelism tool from Pastor Mark (our Pastor of Missions @ OTBC) called the EvangeCube. It is super cool and he loved talking about the Salvation story with it. I found one yesterday at a Christian bookstore and bought it for him. He hasn't put it down since! He and Hudson are walking around practicing the preschool version of the Gospel, for fun! How cool?!

2010-01-03T19:28:00.003-05:00

In light of the new year and my desire to focus on God's blessing in my life, I am going to try to post moment(s) of the day.

Here goes...

Jason is out of town and the boys and me were having a yummy family (breakfast) dinner. They were saying all kinds of random things when Hudson blurted out "Jesus died on the cross!"

I said, "He sure did honey. Why did Jesus die on the cross?" I expected him to say something like 'because He loves me' or even 'I don't know."

Instead, his precious 2 year old self shouted "FOR MY SINS. HIM DIED FOR MY SINS!"

I just about cried! Faith like a child...Thank you Lord for allowing my children to begin to hide Your Word in their hearts!

2009-12-20T17:43:00.002-05:00

The End

Early morning truths

2009-11-20T09:14:00.004-05:00

In the process of rebuking Thad this morning, the following took place:

Me: Thad. That is unacceptable! I will not have you doing that to my furniture.

Thad: YOUR furniture?! It's GOD'S furniture! EVERYTHING belongs to Him Mom!!!

What 's a mom supposed to do with that?!

Peez Mama...

2009-11-17T16:12:00.002-05:00

Hudson's precious moment of the day:

"Peez put on my rainbow coat and I go outside and pay my byself. Ok Mama?"

(Please put on my raincoat so I can go outside and play by myself. Ok Mama?)

The sweet words of babes. Warms my heart!

God according to Thad

2009-11-08T21:04:00.003-05:00

Here was today's revelation:

(...random discussion of David and Goliath...)

Thad: Yeah Hudson, because God is...He's just everything! He can make a lamp to His feet. Dude, He can make His feet LAMPS!!!

Now that's one powerful God my friends!

Can a girl get a break?

2009-08-06T14:00:00.005-04:00

Taking the ok from my friend Christy and I'm gonna complain a minute about food...

You know those super convenient bagged salads? The ones you just dump out and, provided the date on the bag is accurate, you have a lovely salad in, oh say, 15 seconds? Well, I love them. Really love them. Eat-them-several-times-a-week love them. I've been trying to avoid eating the typical "toddler lunch" at my house and have been throwing all kinds of yummy things into those super handy, super convenient, super tasty (can ya tell I think they're SUPER) salads into a bowl and having at it.

To make them even more super, I've discovered they come in flavors. You heard me. Flavors. With all of the really cool add ins right in the bag! Feta cheese, sesame seeds, soy nuts, crasins, low fat dressing - your mouth watering yet?! Couple that with the fun little sales at Harris Teeter and you've got your self a SAHM's dream lunch!

With one big "but..."

They give me mouth ulcers. Big, yucky, long-lasting mouth ulcers. Hard to brush your teeth or eat anything acidic mouth ulcers. I discovered this years ago in high school when those really nifty little bags first came out but had completely forgotten until my mouth randomly exploded with ulcers 2 days ago.

Sad. Really sad I tell you. What's a girl to do?

Quick as a wink

2009-08-05T14:47:00.003-04:00

I've been hesitant to post this due to the fear of hate mail, but I need to share my excitement:

Hudson is potty trained!

Just like that. All on his own. My sweet little 2 year old. He has done it! No more diapers, no pull ups, (not even the swell diaper covers sweet Holly let me borrow!) just ole fashioned undies for him.

This should do wonders for the grocery envelope!

The clothing envelope is another story...clothes don't fit quite the same without diapers and one pieces aren't very potty friendly. Never fear, the clothing exchanges and our MB outlet trip are just around the corner!

For now, the sweet bliss of diaper free living - at least for a while :)

Confessions of a sleepy mom

2009-07-25T10:56:00.004-04:00

It's no secret that I am a lover of sleep. It's almost funny that the Lord has blessed me with a child who appears to need none. I posted before (click here) about our clock rituals for Thad, which have been a saving grace for me. As of late, I can't seem to shake the grumps at 7AM. Last night, I had an idea...

Thad loves the feeling of independence. Being the boss. Running the show. Ok, you get the picture. He also has a pretty predictable morning routine. I decided to use that to my advantage. I set up the proposition as I was tucking him in last night.

Hey Thad, wanna try a really cool big boy thing when you wake up in the morning?!

Sure Mom!

Ok, here's the deal. I'm gonna make your chocolate milk and brother's juice and put it in the fridge tonight. Before I go to bed, I'll set the TV to ___________ (an unnamed, appropriate kids channel). When you wake up, you and brother can camp out in the den and let Mom get a little more rest. It'll help me be sweeter in the morning for sure! Whatcha think?

Ok Mom. Sounds good!

With only a small interruption from Hudson, all went as planned! They quietly hung out and let Mommy rest - beautiful! I indeed woke more cheery and feeling more refreshed. This may become a Saturday morning ritual.

Potty training woes

2009-07-21T08:56:00.004-04:00

Upon our return from our recent missions trip, our little one made the first move towards using the potty. He has been interested for a while, but I have been dragging my feet. It is just easier to go out in public with him in a diaper. Not cost effective, but easier.

No more. "Tee tee potty Mommy" is the new mantra at our house.

That's cool. I'm game. We tackled that task rather quickly and painlessly with kid #1, so I'm ready, right?

WRONG!!!

Thad was an equal opportunity accident haver. Anytime, any place, any attire. If he was gonna wet, he wet. We just set a timer for every 15 minutes (crazy, I know) and carted him off to the throne. Most accidents were cleared up within a week.

My sweet, precious dimpled Hudson is totally different. His little brain has quickly registered the bathroom signals and he relays the message to us, usually in time. With one large exception...if he has on any type of clothing, all bets are off. Diaper, undies, and training pants alike have all fallen victim to this exception.

The result? A stark naked baby. He is parading around the house and yard (back yard, of course) sans clothes and loving every minute of it!

Perhaps this is just a ploy to be naked...hmm...is he playing me? Am I being duped? Has my two year old constructed a masterful plan and succeeded?! AHH!!!

I digress...

We are praying potty training comes quickly, but in the mean time, don't stop by unless you are prepared to see our precious Streaker!

Leaving on a jet plane

2009-07-05T07:11:00.003-04:00

As you may know, we are heading to Brazil on mission. Pray for Pa and me. Pray for our team. Pray that the Lord will go ahead of us and soften hearts for the Word.

Visit Pa's blog for updates over the coming days.

Ciao!

First things first

2009-06-28T13:44:00.004-04:00

Don'tcha love it when God uses your kids to teach you a lesson? I mean to smack you right in the face with truth - that kind that makes you feel rotten and useless and undeserving of God's love.

Don't worry, this is not a pity party. But it is a conglomeration of weeks worth of putting the pieces together, so bear with me! There is a pretty picture in the end.

(The great thing is that in His love and mercy, we aren't left to wallow in the mud. Nope He lifts us out, helps clean us off, and offers the opportunity for us to try again. And again. And again.)

There has been much spiritual talk around our house lately. I mean, we talk about God a lot, but some pretty deep thinking and mulling over has been going on. Pa is praying hard about his ministry to the youth and the church as a whole - what God's purpose is for him here. I've been praying hard about my role in his ministry - am I only supposed to be a mother during this season or has God carved out something more for me? We've been brainstorming, sharing ideas, dreaming of the "perfect" ways to reach out and touch the church for Christ; it's been pretty cool. I have been doing some reading (I know, ME?! Reading and writing! God MUST be moving in my life!) and have gotten some great ideas about girls' ministry, moms' ministry, and ministry to parents of youth. I have allowed myself to stay up at night and run through plans in my head. I toss things out at Jason going 100 MPH just to try to process it all.

But, it has been just that. Talk. Lots and lots of talk. No feet to the thoughts.

And it's driving me nuts. You see, I'm a doer. Well, delegator really - I like to tell other people what to do and watch them do it. Anyway, I like to see things DONE not just talked about.

As of late, we have been in a period of waiting.

Waiting for the green lights.

Waiting for affirmation.

Waiting.

So what's the hold up? "I am so eager Lord. I'm ready to do this thing. Let's get on with it!"

In true God-fashion, He answers me with a smack in the face. (He knows I'm stubborn too, so He leaves no room for questions or interpretations. Just shy of writing it in the clouds...) And what better way to do that than with my beautiful children, right?

My boys are driving me nuts! There are fighting one minute, laughing the next, and screaming at me moments later. They have a very distinct love-hate relationship with each other (and me for that matter). Thad is proving to be particularly testy, challenging everything from dinner plans to the underwear I've grabbed out of the basket. No answer is simple. No obedience is immediate or comes without a tussle. I find myself yelling and speaking harshly. Grumbling under my breath. Arguing with a 4 year old! I am indeed weary and heavy laden. I am grumpy and complaining and have little time for positive interaction with my boys. Most of my time is eaten up with correction and redirection. I'm plumb exhausted.

Now, what does this have to do with anything about ministry?

In my hurry to get something good going at church, I have let something better slip by at home. I've been to the Word and other resources on behalf of my "public" ministry, but have totally neglected the most important - the ministry in my own house.

The hold-up has been me. I have been in God's way. My self-sufficiency in parenting has all but blown up in my face. My reliance on self has meant that God had to slow down my plans to get me back on track. Praise Him for desiring to do so!

He's gotten my attention and is realigning my priorities. Though I still have big dreams for the girls at our church and hopes of living them out soon, I am working on nurturing my own kids first. I am studying a book called Equipped to Love by Norm Wakefield (WARNING: do not read it unless you are prepared to be radically changed) and praying that God will allow the truths from that book, (truths from God's Word pulled apart by the author of the book) to penetrate and change my heart.

Will you join me in praying for a changed heart? That the Lord will teach me to love my family with His love and not that of the world? That I will stop looking for what I can get out of my loved ones and begin searching for what I can give? That I will not seek fulfillment from anywhere other than my Creator?

Randomness...

2009-06-18T13:00:00.002-04:00

I've set my homepage to this blog site and it was SCREAMING that I hadn't posted in a couple weeks - though not because I haven't been brewing one, just hadn't felt the urge just yet. So, for now, some random tidbits (or jiblets as I like to say).

We have been following a pretty standard routine around here: rise around 7 (STILL too early for my taste), breakfast of some sort, head to the ABCY (the Ledford's way of saying the YMCA), lunch/wind down/nap (save Thad who is boycotting strongly!) and whatever the weather allows by way of evening entertainment.

This week, we have been doing the VBS thing. Has thrown a slight wrench in the plan as I am pooped and fighting the grumps, but God is good! People have been pouring their hearts out to these kiddos and some are putting their trust in Christ - AWESOME!!!

We are preparing for our trip to Brazil - finalizing childcare arrangements, shopping, paperwork. Yesterday we visited the "Infectious Disease" peeps - we got a little more than we bargained for (which was getting shot up with anti-yellow fever drugs). After the 50 minute waiting room visit, the strong recommendation to avoid stray animals, unsealed water bottles, and prostitutes, we were finally given the shots and told to "hang out" for 15 minutes - did I mention we are having VBS this week and I was already almost 2 hours late?! Didn't aid the grumpy factor! All-in-all, great trip to the Dr. Geared up and ready to go now.

Highlight of the day. On the way to the Y, I hear Hudson mumbling in the backseat:
"Mommy, mommy, talk a me. Duckbill platypus!"
"Hudson, did you just say duckbill platypus?"
"Yea ma'am"
"Okay"
"See one Mommy. See one! Duckbill platypus!"

Uh...anyone? Anyone? My 2-year old would like to see a duckbilled platypus. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

There is it, our randomness laid out for all to see. Hopefully a more well thought out post to follow.

Outfit of the day...

2009-06-01T13:26:00.005-04:00

Just some evidence of my commitment!

Tilling the soil

2009-06-01T12:42:00.005-04:00

I have come to realize that it is no good to weed out flower beds unless you intend to replace them with something more savory. So Thad and I have done just that. After much purging of the old, Thad picked out some lovely Marigolds to fill the space.

Thad with all his gear.

Making a "track" in the soil for the seeds.

A close-up of the seeds.

Dropping them in.

Lined up...

Getting some water (this is one of those new independent things...)

OOPS! The consequence of independence.

Grow flowers grow!

How cool to be able to include my son in this labor of love!

Lord I pray that you will begin to teach Thad now to allow you to invade his heart and till the soil. May he long to serve you all of his days.

To match or not to match

2009-05-29T10:24:00.010-04:00

*****UPDATE*****
It was almost unanimous - let the boy dress himself. So, I have been and it is surprisingly liberating! I will still put my foot down for certain occasions, but plan to use them as teaching opportunities as well. Thanks for your input!

______________________________________________

So this post is a readers' poll - that instantly makes me laugh because I only know of like 2 readers, but none-the-less -

Thad has recently had an explosion of independence. He's now able to do things like turn on the spigot, get ice from the automatic dispenser, drag a stool to the cupboard and get out whatever he wants - you know those kinds of things. Some of them make me quite proud and, honestly, are very helpful. Others, well, not so much.

One in particular has placed me in quite a predicament - dressing himself. When he decides to actually wear clothes (you see nudity is the cool thing around here), he likes to pick them out and put them on himself. Wonderfully helpful when I am chasing around a quick footed, naked, potty-training 2-year old. So what's the problem you might ask. His fashion sense is, well, less than savory. I'm not talking slight fashion faux pas here people. I mean MAJOR law breaking.

In case you can't tell from this shot (the fact that I am working SUPER DUPER hard to convince my hubby that we need an awesome digital SLR is a whole 'nother post!) he is proudly wearing a loud striped T - backwards! - with pale plaid shorts.

So, what's a mom to do? Do I brag on him incessantly for taking the initiative to dress himself and simply overlook the hideousness of the outfit? Or, do I gently encourage him to find matching pieces and risk crushing the do-it-myself spirit he's exhibiting?

Your advice would be greatly appreciated!

Hudson's new clothes

2009-05-27T16:35:00.007-04:00

This is the new normal around here...

Celebrating the joys of freedom...

And the "I just tee-teed on the potty" dance!

Oh the world of boys!

Weeds of the heart

2009-05-24T21:03:00.005-04:00

I've recently begun developing a passion for gardening. Not the grow-your-own-food kind. Just pretty flowers. Last spring I took on the task of expanding an existing bed. I did some research on killing grass and decided to combine several techniques. I sprayed the entire area with Round Up, lined the area with four layers of newspaper, and topped it off with a cherry, I mean gardening fabric. After bringing in new dirt, I planted my beauties and surrounded them with mulch. I was absolutely exhausted when I was finished, but it was the "good kind" of tired - you know, when you can stop and look at the product of your labor. I enjoyed watching life spring from that beautiful new space last summer.

Then came fall with a crazy burst of crabgrass growth. You heard me - despite all of the preparation, the weeds still came. Once again I sprayed the area with Round Up, but the weather quickly grew too cold for this wimpy girl to be digging in the dirt. Assuming it would all die anyway, I left the dying weeds til warmer days.

Fast forward to last week. I had had it - the overgrowth of the crabgrass was taking away from the beauty of the plants in the bed. The butterfly bush was being choked out and was barely recognizable. The weather was great and the boys were napping, so I seized the moment. I donned my long sleeves and pants (to avoid the allergy mayhem that was sure to ensue) and set out to rid the bed of the crabgrass. I dug around in that bed for more than two hours - I haven't had such an intimate time with the Lord in months. As I was digging through the dirt, He began to quietly speak to my spirit. Your heart is much like this flower bed.

I learned a lot about crabgrass - I though I was going to go rip out all of the dead grass on the surface of the bed. I did and that task was relatively simple. The results were aesthetically pleasing. But the problem was much, much deeper. See, crabgrass "runs." What I mean is, it grows horizontally in really long pieces, sprouting roots at strategic points. It can quickly take over a space as it did mine. It also grows very deep roots. These aren't the nice give-it-a-big-yank-and-all-is-well kind of roots. These are thick, stubborn roots that grow deep into the ground. See, I told you this is like your heart. Lord, what do you mean?

Please know, that whole "Be still and know that I am God" thing, yeah, I STINK at that. I often feel a tugging in my Spirit that I know is from God, but this was more than a tug. This was being still and hearing His voice.

Then it clicked. Much like that flower bed, I go through great seasons of preparation in my life. Attending seminars and conferences. Making plans and praying through details. I plant all kinds of beauties in my heart - staying at home with my kids, learning to be a submissive wife, being a better friend, exercising. But just like last summer, I sit and watch them, enjoying the brief season of blooms. As time passes, the weeds begin to grow - frustration with my spouse, selfish motives, anger with my children - and before long, that bed is overwhelmed with weeds. I may "spray the Round Up - confess, pray, resolve to do a better job - but ultimately, I wimp out. I decide it is too difficult and wait for a warmer season to weed. This is when the real damage is done. I have hardened my heart toward God and my family and become callous to my sin. The weeds begin to spread to all areas of my life and the deep roots begin to grow. Though the weeds may look dead on the surface - I can put on a darn good game face! - in my heart of hearts, I am choking. My new life with Christ is barely recognizable. I usually hit a breaking point when I resolve to pull out my tools and pull out some weeds, but I usually stick to the surface - that's where the results are most easily seen. My life looks better and for a time, I feel better. But the roots are still there, waiting to spring forth with new life.

I began to dig deeper and deeper into the earth, longing to find the tip of the root. To get it all out. I removed my gloves and really dug in, all the while my eyes being opened to the condition of my own heart. I never found the tips of those roots. I labored hard, working my hands to blisters. But my effort wasn't enough. Let me dig out the weeds. Put down your tools. Let me labor. My effort is more than enough. See the hardening of my heart didn't happen over night and wasn't going to be cured with a quick surface weeding. Nope- it is gonna take time. It's gonna be long, dirty, and sometimes require painful digging.

But it is not about my effort - the preparation, the planting, the weeding. It is about my relationship with the Gardener. It isn't about the perfection of my bed or the bounty of my blooms. My Gardner doesn't care about the outside. It's the heart He desires. So for now, today, I will put aside my gloves, my spade, and yes, my Round Up. I'm going to lay them down at the feet of the One who can do infinitely better than my tools and cares enough to weed me out.

Falling on deaf ears?

2009-05-10T21:51:00.004-04:00

Thad has a clock in his room and strict instructions not to come downstairs before 7AM. For the most part, he is obedient to this rule. Thursday morning, however, he chose poorly.

I jumped as a pair of tiny freezing hands were placed on my arm. Groggy, I glanced at the clock. 6:24. I open my eyes just wide enough to see two small boys peering back at me.
"Up Mommy. Up!" says my smallest of offspring (he is precious, but a little less so at 6:24 in the morning.)
"Can you get us some juice and chocolate milk?"
"It is NOT 7 yet."
"Appa juice Mommy"
"Not til 7"
"Please"
"Pease!"
"Mommy cannot be nice before 7. Please go away." I immediately felt guilty for my word choice, but what I heard next broke my heart.
"Mommy isn't ready to get up Hudson. We gotta go away." Sounds much harsher out of the mouth of a four year old.

There is no magic in 7AM, but I have convinced myself that it is a reasonable time to rise and anything earlier than that is simply unacceptable. Surprisingly, they chose obedience and indeed went away. What happened next blew my mind.

I heard some shuffling around in the kitchen and decided I should try to listen to them. "Gonna have to get a juice box Hudson." Thad was searching for some source of liquid refreshment. After he found it I hear "Hudson, gotta find the blue thing. Without it you can't have a juice box. You'll make a mess." Thad is diligently searching for Hudson's juice box holder but coming up empty. "Sorry buddy. Can't give you a box without the blue thing. You'll just have to wait for Mommy to get up." Long pause "Wait let me check the sink." I hear more shuffling. "Got it! Here Hudson." After a few quiet moments, presumably spent drinking from the juice boxes I hear, "You have to be really careful with this key Hudson. It belongs to Mrs. Mary and if you lose it, we won't be able to get into her house. Be careful, okay?"

At this point, I am so stunned, that I am fully awake. Jason is stirring, so I know he's awake too. "Did you hear any of that?" I asked him. "It just proves that he does listen to you," he responds. There's my proof. Though they often argue with me, choose disobedience, and quarrel with one another, my early morning eavesdropping session showed they have been listening. Maybe they are saving it for a rainy day or early morning, but it's in there!

Later, after putting the bar stool back in it's place (the source of the shuffling sounds) and hanging Mrs. Mary's key back on the hook (that thankfully wasn't lost), I told Thad I was proud of his big brother skills. Frustrated that they were showcased before 7AM, but super proud!

Men are from Mars...

2009-04-21T14:30:00.004-04:00

I've heard this saying for years but had an up close experience just the other day...

I am a slob by nature. That shouldn't come as a surprise to any of you, but I am just recently coming to grips with it. In my head, everything has its own home, is color coded, and life runs smoothly. Too bad I don't live in my head. I have been riding this roller coaster of stressful disastrous living and crazy cleaning lady living, never finding that nice smooth coasting speed. So, I have caved in and hired a professional organizer. That's right, a professional. She is great! This is a wonderful godly woman who has used her tendencies to be a clean freak for the betterment of the community. She has come to my home, assessed my needs, assembled a plan, and will hopefully be coming to help me get things underway very soon. I am thrilled beyond measure. I am seeing some hope of victory over this demon of a junk problem that I have. I am praying for a revolution! My husband, however, thinks this is silly. To his defense, he has never said this out loud, but in his head I know he is thinking "you are home all day, honey... tell me again why you are having trouble with this." He just doesn't get it.

I have recently become excited about gardening (not like hanging out in it all day or anything, just having pretty things that actually live!) and the appearance of my lawn. My daddy always kept the lawn well manicured - I have very vivid memories of my dad with a lawn mower. I apparently, unknowingly, I brought that expectation into my marriage. Jason doesn't appear to have that same passion. It has proven an area of frustration in our lives, to be quite honest. The other day, I found him researching riding mowers.

"Whatcha doing?" (partly out of curiosity, partly sarcastic)
"Looking at mowers on Craig's List."
"Oh. Why?" (still sarcastic)
"Just looking."

In my head I'm thinking, "you are a strong, young man. Why don't you just suck it up and push mow that yard? Afterall, it's great cardio, right?" I just didn't get it.

Then it clicked! His desire to have that mower was just like my desire to hire an organizer. Truth be known, I could dig down deep (really, really deep) and tackle the mound 'o laundry in the house. I really could get it all sorted and find a workable way to keep it under control. But it is really hard for me. A struggle, even. Therefore, it just doesn't always get done. Mowing is the same for him. Really, he is perfectly capable of push mowing the yard and keeping it tidy. He can walk around the back yard for two hours dodging dog poop and kids toys to chop down the jungle. But it is really frustrating for him. Miserable, really. Therefore, it doesn't always get done.

Though we may not totally understand each other, we are willing to invest a little cash into helping life be a little less stressful, a little more tidy, and lot more fun!

So here's to professional organizers and riding mowers!

A fresh start (take 3!)

2009-04-20T11:28:00.010-04:00

I have been reading lots of blogs as of late, hoping to be inspired. I want to be good at this. To be witty and write with eloquence. To have an exciting blog that my family and friends want to read (and can count on being updated!). But I really struggle with what to write about - I mean, who wants to read the crazy details about the Transformers reenacting and endless discussions about brotherly love? My vain attempts at organizing my home or even getting the laundry done? I don't have great moments of pondering in the shower, a beautiful new baby's firsts to share, deep inspiring reflections about the Lord, or a child in present need of a medical miracle like the blogs I follow. I just live an ordinary, toddler inspired, chaotic life in cozy NC.

I have come to realize, however, that I am thankful for my non-eventful stay-at-home life. Thankful for the diaper blow-outs and petty arguments that I deem "drama." Thankful that, though these many godly bloggers that I follow are wise beyond their years, I am able to learn many lessons through their lives and not my own painful experience. That, for this season, this day, the Lord has sheltered me from anything more dramatic.

So, for now, my posts will continue to be about the humdrum of life at the Ledford house. I believe I will shift my focus to actually posting, instead!

Here are some recent pics, from our daily craziness, to make your visit worthwhile...

The Silent Treatment

2008-12-31T18:31:00.002-05:00

So I am sure that your parents told you that it was rude or inappropriate to give someone the silent treatment. You know, when you stick your lip out, turn your head and pretend that the person who has irritated you doesn't exist. I am not much for New Year's Resolutions, but I am always up for new strategies for dealing with my oh so verbal and feisty 3 year old. So, we are attempting to adopt the Silent Treatment as the new manner of redirecting Thad,interestingly enough, upon recommendation from my mom. (Hmmm, new strategy or ploy to make Carla talk less...?) Instead of launching into the pastor-like sermons with each infraction, we are simply picking him up, removing him from the center of attention, and placing him in a predetermined location. Sounds like a winner, right? No more bantering for 10 minutes or arguing about punishment. No time for anyone to get hot under the collar. Just a simple, oh so quiet 3 minutes, and life is grand. That is, unless you are Jason and me, lovers of talk. It is really tough for us to keep our mouths shut! You would think that after seeing the success of this tactic we would be quick studies. But no, not us! We continue to struggle with taming the tongue (no laughing friends! This is a serious matter!) I will continue to hold to my no resolutions position, however, I will be struggling with the best of them to make this thing work. So if you are the resolution type and hit a snag, just know you are not alone!

Happy New (quiet) Year!

Carolina on My Mind....

2008-11-15T17:34:00.006-05:00

Tis indeed a wonderful day to be a Tarheel! Today the UNC basketball team kicked off their official season against the Penn Quakers as the perennial #1 team in the nation and poised for a run at a National championship. For most of the past decade Carolina fans have had to espouse time and time again that UNC is a basketball school due to the ineptitude of our football program. Well, it would seem that times they are a changing because as I type this the UNC football team is ranked #16 in the polls and is also poised to win their division in the ACC if they can win out in the remaining 3 games. Butch Davis has done a masterful job in rebuilding a meager football program into a formidable competitor. On this glorious day wherein I can lazily sit on my couch with my family and watch both Carolina basketball and football at the same time (with an expectation that they both should win), my only regret, if you can call it that, is that I do not have a spilt screen :). Who knows, at the end of their respected season UNC might just add a Football Divsional title, an ACC championship, and possibly even a Bowl victory as well as whatever prolific hardware the stacked basketball team might bring back to Chapel HIll. It also excites me as a dad that my children, at least most of the time, will sit and watch the Tarheels play in lieu of their usual preference for VeggieTales or 3-2-1 Penguins. All I can say is, I'm a Tarheel born, I'm a Tarheel bred.....

SuperThad and the Duck

2008-10-31T22:30:00.007-04:00

As a dad, you have dreams and aspirations for your children. You want them to accomplish great things, to be successful in their pursuits, to be excellent in everything they do, and to go beyond what they think their own limits are. Well, today I am a proud dad because my sons are not just incredibly handsome, smart and fun to be around, my sons are a Superhero duo in the long tradition of duos. Crime has a new force to reckon with and it may come in a surprising form. Don't let those blonde curls and that innocuous fowl costume fool you; these brothers mean business and they want candy! It is my privilege to introduce you to, SuperThad and his sidekick, The Duck....

Early Morning Fun part 2

2008-10-23T15:17:00.002-04:00

I have come to the rescue of my brave and courageous wife's attempt at posting this video of Thad and Hudson and Miss Moo. Marriage is a team effort and so is this blogging thing :)

Household duties

2008-10-23T14:07:00.001-04:00

If you have ever lived in the same town as me or, heaven forbid, the same apt/room, you are keenly aware that service (i.e. cleaning up) is not my spiritual gift or love language. However, it became brutally clear to me at a recent marriage retreat (by the Lord, not my husband or the speaker) that I was being incredibly selfish by not taking care of my home. I had a little "come to Jesus" meeting with God and He radically changed my perspective on keeping my home neat. So, I immediately began a cleaning frenzy; organizing closets, cleaning out toys and dressers, Cloroxing the sink. I was a machine. It felt great! Very quickly, however, reality set back in and the children begin to re-dirty all that had been cleaned. Much like the blogging thing, this is typically when I would lose my gusto. Fortunately, I have maintained a proper perspective on cleaning, I just don't have the sparkling house of my dreams.

Mom and I have had many a discussion on the topic of including the children in household duties and I have made a few futile attempts at including them. This morning I decided to bite the bullet and let them have at it. So, I gave Thad a "special" cleaning cloth and demonstrated the proper way to clean the doors. He worked diligently on removing the goo that has become a semipermanent fixture on both the storm and sliding glass doors, even braving the chilly temps outside to get both sides clean. Hudson also chipped in by sweeping the eating area and helping unload the dishwasher. Never mind the fact that Thad created as many fingerprints as he wiped away and Hudson simply scattered the crumbs further away from the eating area. They contributed, without a fight. They were proud of their work. I got to do some cleaning of my own while they were working. Mission accomplished. Now I must go wipe down the doors and sweep the floors while they are napping so they don't see Mommy coming behind them to finish the task..

Early Morning Fun

2008-10-22T22:08:00.007-04:00

So, many of you know that for various reasons, I am "home schooling" Thad versus sending him to formal preschool. We are definitely keeping a loose schedule and trying to catch learning opportunities in everyday living. Thad loves to have books read to him. He goes through phases of obsession with one or two books that we read EVERY night. Hudson has recently begun bringing books to me and climbing in my lap to have them read to him. One such occurrence was just this morning as I was working on uploading photos. Hudson slammed one of Thad's favs on my lap. I told Hudson to take the book to his brother, hoping that Thad would buy me some time on the trusty laptop. Little did I know how well he would handle the situation. The following video captures the moment (thanks to the digital camera that also takes short videos!)

...

So, just kidding - still working on the video posting thing. Not a really happy camper right now. That's okay, we will just keep you in suspense! Hopefully I can get it up soon.

Surely we can do this...

2008-10-17T10:36:00.003-04:00

I have recently discovered that I am pretty good at getting really excited about something and slam full of great intentions, but not so hot at the follow through. I dream of all the the cards I will make and send to my friends, cool field trips I will take the boys on, organization projects I would like to undertake, you know, good stuff. Those things just roll around in my head and never find their way out. But, I really thought we were ready for this blogging thing. I mean, all of our friends are doing it, we have plenty of toddler mayhem to share, and precious pictures of our kids. So, what is the probelm? I guess the fact that I am still sitting with the same cold cup of coffee from 2 hours ago, yelling at my 3 year old over the screen of the laptop, trying to convince my 17 month old that mommy needs just a few more minutes before she can "clo" (his sweet way of saying close) the computer, and Jason and I had to try several logins to even get access to the page, hinders the flow of great blogging.

I am still convinced it is in us to do it. Somehow, someway. So, here we go with attempt number two or three or whatever, to get this up and running again. I ask your forgiveness ahead of time as my writing will probably lack finess, humor, and correct grammar. However, I will do my best to record the hilarious goings on from inside our home.

Insights from the Life of Jonah, part 3

2008-01-27T21:36:00.000-05:00

In the 4th and final chapter of the book of Jonah we find the prophet alienated and angry with God for His audacious display of grace and forgiveness of the Ninevites. Jonah is so upset with the Lord that he actually wishes that God would take his life from him! Jonah has just witnessed one of the greatest displays of mercy yet reacts in bitterness. In this reaction we see Jonah's heart, and it isn't a pretty picture. Jonah's response to God arises from his prejudices against the Ninevites and his lack of compassion for them. Since he is a Hebrew, Jonah has experienced and knows the love of God and His gracious provision and he is also secure in the covenant God has with the Hebrews. When he sits atop the hill outside the city of Nineveh he looks on in the hopes that God will still treat the people with justice and not show them the same mercy that the Israelites have received. When he realizes that God has extended amazing grace to the 120,000 inhabitants of Nineveh, he reacts in anger because not only does he desire their demise as enemies of Israel, but he is haunted by the possibility that he would be seen as a traitor by his people for taking this saving message to the Ninevites.

As Jonah sits on the hill in a deep state of pouting, God does something that catches even the casual reader by surprise, He appoints a plant (gourd) to grow and relieve Jonah's discomfort. Why would God provide Jonah comfort in the midst of his racial tirade? God is still trying to teach Jonah about His character. Jonah is extremely happy about the plant God provided, even though he had nothing to do with it. Jonah nods off and God yet again appoints something in Jonah's life, this time He provides a worm to devour the plant then He immediately provides a scorching heat to beat down upon Jonah's head; needless to say Jonah was not quite as happy about the appointment of these things. Much like His activity in our lives, God is trying to remind Jonah of exactly who He is. As we look back on the book of Jonah we see that God appointed several things in the life of Jonah, first He appointed a storm, second He appointed a great fish, third He appointed a plant, fourth He appointed a worm, lastly He appointed the scorching heart. The only commonality is that God appointed all of these things in Jonah's life for a singular purpose. God is teaching Jonah, as He has to do with us, that He is the one who is in control of situations and circumstances and His purpose will never be thwarted. God knew exactly what Jonah needed in each season of His journey and appointed what was needed for that time period. Like Jonah, we are happy when the Lord provides us with a plant, or in our contemporary terms, God bestows blessing upon us, but we recoil and pout when God appoints things to discipline us.

There are many things to glean from the life of Jonah in that He is a prophet that most everyone can find common ground with. As I reflect on what the Lord has taught me through this study, one truth seems to resonate more than others. Do I truly thank God for the worms He appoints in my life as much as I thank Him for the plants? In our consumer -driven society we often get caught up in the pursuit of acquisition and and that carries over to our spiritual lives as well. What we have to realize is that God knows us and loves us intimately and although we think we know what is best in any given situation, God in His sovereignty and omniscience is able to appoint precisely what I need in every season of my life. We are told that "My thoughts are not your thoughts, and My ways are not your ways (Isaiah 55: 8-9)," and the sooner we come to terms with that reality the sooner He is able to mold us into the children of God that we are called to be. My personal prayer in my life and the life of my family, is that I (we) will be able to truly trust the Lord in each and every circumstance and be able to say, like Job, "the Lord gives and the the Lord takes away, blessed be the name of the Lord (Job 1:21)."

Insights from the Life of Jonah, part 2

2008-01-22T15:48:00.001-05:00

Chapter 3 begins with some really refreshing and assuring words, in that the "word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time." The reason this is so encouraging is that God did not give up on Jonah and after Jonah repented of his selfish behavior and realized that His life is in God's hands, God graciously spoke to Jonah a second time; in other words, He is giving Jonah a second chance. I am so thankful that God is long-suffering and that in spite of our mistakes and rebellious ways He still seeks after us and gives us 2nd, 3rd, 35th, 50th, and 100th chances. This time when the Lord tells Jonah to go to Nineveh he does not hesitate but takes off, the actual Hebrew for the phrase, "Arise and go," literally means "go now." Jonah was obedient and went to Nineveh to take the message that the Lord wanted Him to deliver. Jonah began to walk through the great city of Nineveh and only proclaimed 8 words to them and implored them that in 40 days they would be overthrown. Knowing the evil and nefarious nature of the Ninevites surely it would take more than 8 words (5 in Hebrew) for them to repent of their torturous ways. In an astounding response we see that the Ninevites believed in God and even the King put on sackcloth and sat in ashes as as act of repentance. Wow! It is amazing that week in and week out people sit in churches under the direct teaching of the Word and hear the Gospel and yet do not fall under conviction nor repent for their sins and it only took 5 words for the Ninevites to believe. The interesting thing to note in Jonah's prophetic message is that the word "overthrown" can be defined two different ways. The first meaning "overthrown as to destruction," and the second is "overthrown to change." The Ninevites were either going to be destroyed or be changed; they chose to believe and be changed by God.

At the end of Chapter 3 we see just how gracious God is. "When God saw their deeds, that they turned from their wicked way, then God relented concerning the calamity which He had declared He would bring upon them. And He did not do it."(NASB) It doesn't matter how sinful we have been or what we have done, when we truly repent for our sins and trust in the sacrificial atonement that was made for us through Christ, even the vilest of sinners can be saved. God is a loving Father but also a God of justice. You would think that after seeing such an awesome downpour of grace and the Ninevites being wrought with conviction that Jonah would have rejoiced. In the 3rd and final installment of these insights we will see just how Jonah does respond, and my guess is that we will once again find ourselves not so far removed from that of the reaction Jonah.

Ezekiel 18:30-32- "Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, each according to his conduct," declares the Lord GOD. "Repent and turn away from all your transgressions, so that iniquity may not become a stumbling block to you. "Cast away from you all your transgressions which you have committed and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! For why will you die, O house of Israel? "For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies," declares the Lord GOD. "Therefore, repent and live."(NASB)

Insights from the Life of Jonah, part 1

2008-01-21T00:50:00.000-05:00

I have had the blessing of being raised in a Christian home and in a Christian family so I have pretty much attended church for the entirety of my life. Thru the years I have heard and come to deeply love the good old Bible stories from the Old Testament like Noah and the Flood, Joshua and the city of Jericho, Gideon, as well as Jonah. For about the past year I have been reading the Bible through and have come across many passages, characters and stories that I did not remember ever really reading before. Additionally, I have reread many cherished stories like the aforementioned. Every week I have the privilege of teaching God's Word to an awesome group of youth and I prayerfully seek to find a passage of Scripture that God would use to change hearts and bring insight into His will. Two weeks ago I was reading on a Monday morning, unsure of what God may want me to teach, and then I opened to the little book of Jonah. I felt led to read this great story again even though I felt pretty certain I had already gleaned all I could from it. As I read through the 4 short chapters I was deeply convicted, challenged, encouraged, humbled, and filled with joy all at the same time. These past 2 weeks I have taught thru the first 3 chapters and the Lord has really been personally speaking to me through this little book.

In the life of Jonah we see a prophet by profession given a specific mission, which is to go to the city of Nineveh and teach about God. Jonah's response, like many of ours, is to do exactly opposite of what God asked him to do. He hopped on the first ship he could and sought to go 2500 miles off course to Tarshish. Jonah wanted no part of God's plan because he didn't believe that the evil Ninevites deserved God's grace and mercy. We find Jonah in the belly of a boat that is being beaten and bruised by a raging sea, surrounded by pagan sailors, and he is fast asleep. God sent the storm to get Jonah's attention and Jonah took a nap! After being aroused from his slumber by the terrified sailors, Jonah finally admits he is at fault for the impending calamity and they reluctantly toss him overboard. At this point in the story we all know what happens next; Jonah is swallowed by a whale and then the whale throws him up 3 days later. Well, that is what happens, but that is not the end of the story. Jonah was swallowed by a great fish, personally sent by God, and finally at the lowest and most desperate point of his life, in the belly of a smelly fish, Jonah finally reaches out to God in prayer and remembers all that God had done for Him. It only took a massive storm, a huge fish, and a couple of days in the guts of that fish for Jonah to come to His senses! The bottom line is that God WILL get our attention and He will use whatever means necessary to remind us of our desperate need of a Savior. At the end of chapter 2 Jonah ends his prayer with this statement, "Salvation is from the Lord." Once Jonah realizes exactly who is in control and who is calling the shots the living God appoints the fish to puke ole Jonah out. Jonah sought to run from the Lord, God passionately pursued Him, now Jonah is back where he started. I wonder if God will give Him a second chance?

Boys will Be Boys

2008-01-15T09:55:00.000-05:00

The Greatness of Tarheel Basketball

2008-01-14T17:19:00.001-05:00

As I travelled through the darkness and gloom that accompanied this years UNC football season I remained faithful to the Heels and still optimistic as to what my man Butch is going to do for the Carolina football program. I would aliken my optimism to that of the fabled phoenix as it rises from the ashes- there will come a day when UNC will be a football contender (at least I hope). With that being said, like many of my UNC brethren I waited with baited breath for the true Carolina sport to begin this past fall, that is the machine that is UNC basketball! As most fans, this year came with great anticipation for another possible title run due to the return of an amazing nucleus of players; ranging from one Tyler Hansbrough to the unforeseen contribution of Danny Green. From the first tip off of the preseason until this past weekends "behind the shed tail whooping" of NC State, I have been highly impressed with UNC's ability to find ways to win ballgames. They have had their share of blowouts, but they have also been tested by teams with programs on the competitive horizon like Davidson, UNCA and the Purple Nurples from Death Valley. The one thing that has stood out to me about this years team is that in any given game any of a plethora of players can step up and lead the Tarheels to victory. We all expect Psycho T to get his numbers game in and game out, but I have been so impressed with the rise of Danny Green as the 6th man as well as the awe-striking performance that Wayne the Duke of Ellington put on against the Tigers. This team has proven to be unselfish with the ball and genuinely play as if the names on the back of the jerseys are insignificant in comparison to the name on the front. The Heels are off to a 17-0 start and Roy has the boys poised for a clear title run like a well-oiled machine. I am realistic and think that the Heels may hit a snag and drop a game or two during the tough ACC schedule, but I firmly believe they are the most well rounded and complete team out there. I will give props to Memphis and Kansas because they have some skills, but the Heels seem to be a rung higher on the ladder. As long as the Heels keep being team centered and seek to distribute the wealth and the glory come March I see ole' Roy snipping another net and the Heels putting another National Championship banner in the Dean Dome.

Ohians, Pfifers and Mares Oh My

2007-12-28T09:27:00.000-05:00

Well, we have succumbed to the pressure of creating a blog to proudly display our family and our going-ons. It is interesting that the real reason we create such blogs is to tell everyone stories of what our kids are doing because we don't get to see all of you enough to tell you in person. We are currently wrapping up our 10 day traversing of the beautiful state of NC during this Christmas holiday and have been blessed to see the lions share of our families as well as some of our closest friends. It has been a productive time in that Hudson has now learned to crawl and play pee-pie with his "bip" on his head and is rapidly honing his skills in order to reek havoc upon his big brother. Thad is taking it all in stride but I don't think he fully understands the magnitude of his brother's new found mobility (nor do we :). As I write I am wrapping up at least my 4th viewing of VeggieTales, "The Wonderful World of Ha's," hence the title of this blog, as well as getting ready to pack up our stuff and head back to the Wonderful World of Pfafftown. I hope that I can adequately give a glimpse of our lives via this blog so that each of you will catch the thrill that comes with being a part of Ma Ledford & the Boys.