Hear + Obey = Blessings

My family has been tired ... and cranky ... I did not set my alarm for church today. (We slept in and missed church last week, too.) We do read the bible daily as a family, we read as individuals, and we attend bible studies as often as possible, so missing church every so often doesn't cause me any anxiety and sometimes we attend church more than once/week so I figure that makes up for the missed weeks, right? Hmmm.
Anyway, God woke me at precisely the right time for all of us to casually get ready for church (without rushing or yelling a lot, or killing each other in the process, which is how it is when *I* am in charge of waking the family). The sermon was awesome and inspiring. I love studying God thru Moses. He is a person I can truly identify with and relate to in my own life's struggles.
After church, we usually just get our donut and coffee and leave. We know no one at this church, like I said, and it hasn't been one of the most outgoing churches we've been to. No one has approached us to welcome us, get to know us, or connect with us in any way, which was always what pulled us into other churches, although an attendee here and there have told us they were glad to see us at the church from time to time when we are told to greet our neighbors. It's pretty hard not to notice the big white lady with the 8 hispanic kids in tow.
Today after service I was told to sit. I obeyed. I ate my donut and drank my coffee and ... waited. For what, I had no idea. I waited, feeling silly, questioning what God had in store for me and *almost* complaining (a habit I'm trying to break away from) about how awkward I felt just sitting in the entranceway of a church we've visited only a few times surrounded by people we don't know (still a bit insecure despite the outpouring of God's love on me in my life).
The kids, each in turn, asked, "What are we doing?" "Are we leaving?" "Why are you just sitting there?" "Aren't we going to McDonald's to eat/drink and do Xtramath online?" I didn't know how to answer. I didn't know why I was just sitting but, being the leader in the family, I knew I had to give them something. "I'm sitting. Just chillin'." Lol. That was the best I could come up with. My children are great. They accepted that answer at face value and ... waited. Then, it began.
A gentleman stopped to chat, we did introductions. He said our family caught his eye. (ok, that, in and of itself is not a surprise.) We chatted. He was very impressed by my family's faith in God and their desire to minister. He got that in the first 2.5 seconds of speaking to us. He led us around, introducing us to other pastors in the church, his family, etc. Each reader in my family (I have 2 nonreaders) was able to tell this man what their favorite book of the bible is, why, and what they've learned from that book in their own life. We met his family and they brought us to the rear of the church, where church goers are able to jump for free for a half hour after services are over. The kids had a blast. The man also honed in on Daniel's love of basketball and made note to hook him up with a team where he could participate. The man also recommended us to the church's spiritual gifts class so we could each learn more about what our spiritual gifts are and how we can use them to teach others about Jesus. Then, he said it was a blessing to him to meet our family and he had to go. What a blessing to this family, as well. I know at least some of my children were blessed by the encounter. One son, who always hates his hair & wants to change it, was given a note by a random girl walking by us that had a picture of him & the note said, "Hi, I'm Autumn you have nice hair." Maybe now the boy will believe me when I say he has great hair??? If I hadn't sat and waited, we wouldn't have had free fun jumping time, we wouldn't know about the basketball team or the spiritual gifts class, we wouldn't have gotten confirmation of our choices and lifestyle, and we wouldn't have met these brothers in Christ.
I am thankful my God is alive and He chose me, called me, and is with me always. I am thankful that He loved me enough to sacrifice His Son, Jesus, to take the wrath for my sins. I am thankful Jesus willingly gave His life so that I can be with God forever. I am thankful He speaks to me daily. May I become the person He always meant for me to be and spread the Good News joyfully until He calls me home.

Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. Hebrews 2:1
Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith- Galatians 3:5
Let me hear what God the Lord will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, to his saints; but let them not turn back to folly. Psalm 85:8
It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. John 6:63
For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. Romans 8:14
The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,... Romans 8:16
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 1 John 1:7
Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.” John 14:21

Slow and Steady Wins the Race

We have been on the road for 1 month as of yesterday. If I had to describe it in one word, it would be ... stressful. The entire 18 hour drive from NJ to FL was ... stressful. Driving the motorhome wasn't very stressful. I've done that many times. Towing the minivan? Now THAT was stressful. The van slipped off the dolly within a mile on the road. We drove through ice, snow, and rain (my favorites ... not). I paid 2 tow truck drivers $20 each to check my dolly: once after the van slipped off and once in VA when I had to unhook the dolly in order to get air in the RV tires as the garage couldn't accommodate both vehicles together in the parking lot. Once we ran out of gas and barely made it coasting into a Flying J. The entire drive down I kept repeating to myself, "Slow and steady wins the race." We left NJ with just barely enough time to get to FL for the homeschool field trip to Legoland. We didn't make it anyway. We overslept. =/
We have been sorting, organizing & cleaning out the junk we tossed into the RV before we left NJ. I went to Lowes, Home Depot & Ikea and have been adding storage space since we arrived in FL. Remodeling the RV is hard when you're actually living in it. Even though most of the remodelling was done before we left, I'm constantly finding more places to add storage space. Now that I have, the kids are whining and complaining less. We're settling in. We're starting to have a good time ... I think. We've been to the FTF rally, state parks and playgrounds, and swimming. We've attended church services, Bible studies, and youth groups near both TTO and Peace River. TTO also has a service in the family center at TTO at 8am, a bible study Monday nights, and a women's bible study Tuesday afternoons. We also really like FCCLive in Clermont. Sometimes pastors make us cry but, this Sunday, the PASTOR even cried. Very moving.
Homeschooling looks a bit different now. I don't carry my own Internet yet so we rely on TT Internet at the family center. It was down in Orlando for several days so, instead of doing Xtramath, K12reader, and Easy Peasy, they read chapter books, wrote summaries of a chapter each day, and the bigger boys used their Life of Fred math books while the littles worked on counting money and telling time. Some days we roadschool, finding interesting state parks, monuments, and museums to visit. One challenge has been that my kids complain about other kids who are unschoolers and "never have to learn anything, they just play all day." Hmmm, well, we unschooled for a year and we liked it; however, mine are mostly special needs, they don't pick things up easily, they've always lacked basics due to moving around in foster care, and I just feel better giving them some structured learning targeting their weak areas while building on their strengths. I thought I'd cave in to their "let's play all day, too" desires many times but I prayed about it and felt that wasn't enough, altho I try not to put so much pressure on them and myself about schooling.
Two of my boys are loving every minute of this life. The rest of us? Well, we've all had (many) days where we felt like quitting. Leaving the road. Going "home" to the s&b house while we still have it but, the more I accommodate their storage and space needs, and the more we do fun stuff and involve ourselves in ... FTF, community ... life, the less they whine, complain, and bicker. The other day I commented on one boy's negative attitude and my other boy said, "Mom, living on the road is stressful. You know it is. Just the other day, you wanted to quit." Yup. I did. Over what? I don't even remember. As my kids played the other day, I heard one saying to the other, "Slow and steady wins the race." I guess the key is to slow down and be more flexible. My type A, controlling personality finds that difficult to do but I'm learning to trust God and seek His will always.

silly kids, building relationships with other FTF teens

Don't look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. Philippians 2:4

Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always. 1 Chronicles 16:11

The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him, my father's God, and I will exalt him. Exodus 15:2

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10

This is what the LORD says: "Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength and whose heart turns away from the LORD. Jeremiah 17:5

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Romans 12:12

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;  in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6

If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. John 15:7