Pictures-Weekend High

No need for drugs or alcohol at our house to get high or drunk. The God-given joys of life are enough for me. Weekends are just what the soul needs....and this past weekend was no different. Topless little girl always makes me smile. A lunch date with my Mama and some "oh-my-goodness-yummiclious" Butterfinger cream pie!!!

Morning sun lighting up the face of our handsome JUST TURNED 4 year old boy!!!!!!

Baby giggles and splashes during bathtime

Enjoying the musical-A Suessical-put on with my hard work and time by hubby and students. Good food, desserts, laughter, fun, and hugs with big and little friends both ;)

*sigh* God is so good.....yes He is.....I am still on my weekend high and it's Tuesday night ;)

Growing Tips for Your Child

• Water: Encourage with sincere praise.

• Shape: Love the child always while addressing the behavior with calm, consistency, and reasonable consequences.

• Prune: Be honest about unhealthy parenting patterns that affected you as a child that continue on in your home. Replace unhealthy patterns with those that produce stability.

• Harvest: Look beyond the now (feelings) to the end result. Your child is a work in progress.

Consistency will produce fruit!!

~Proverbs 31 Ministries

Faith to Begin

God doesn't require you to have the faith to finish, just the faith to begin.

How comforting is that? God doesn't ask us to have the faith of an oak tree, simply that of a mustard seed. He is the author and finisher of our faith (Heb 12:2). He only asks that we take the baby steps of faith to accomplish the dream that He has placed in our hearts.

~Pastor Steven and Holly Furtick

Pictures

Build Our House, Lord

Psalm 127:1, "Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain." (NIV)

Who's the contractor/boss at your house?

Our Identity

"Giving people easy access to dethrone our identity and devastate us is not healthy. Deep in our souls there must be an inner chamber where only Jesus resides. It's in that place where Jesus sits on the throne of our lives. By His very presence there, we are made, and continually made whole. He has already decided our worth, so it must never be up for grabs again. Since we belong to God, we can rule in the midst of our enemies (See Psalm 110:2). Some people are just plain mean; and others, misguided. We can be kind to these people but we don't have to let them (or their words) in. Others might be on to something when they point out our flaws, but if they possess no fear of God, we must confidently leave their presence and bring ourselves before the Lord. In that safe and holy place we confess our sin, admit our need for more of Him, and then throw ourselves on the mercy of heaven's court."

~The Uncommon Woman(p. 111) By Susie Larson

Dr. Paul E. Clark Jr.

Dr. Paul E. Clark Jr., 69, of Pontiac, IL, formerly of Watseka, IL, passed away on Sunday, April 25, 2010 at ASTA Care Center in Pontiac.

Visitation will run for two hours prior to the 3 p.m. service on Sunday, May 2. Rev. Paul Copeland will officiate. Burial will be in Metropolis, IL at a later date.

Mr. Clark was born March 7, 1941 in Metropolis, IL, a son of Paul and Lilly Melcher Clark Sr.

Survivors include special friends, Jason and Laura Strough of Forrest, IL and two cousins, Mary Ramsey of Metropolis, IL and Robert Gowins of Reidland, KY.

He was preceded in death by his parents and one sister.

Dr. Clark, who many affectionately called “Doc”, worked for the Donovan School system for 38 years as a chorus and social studies teacher and chess team sponsor, as well as the business manager. He served as the pianist for the Watseka Methodist Church and worked with the Watseka Show Choirs for many years. He also spent time working with the Iroquois West and Prairie Central Choirs. Dr. Clark spent his time writing and performing music as well as instilling music into the hearts and minds of the young people he came into contact with.

Memorials may be made to the Dr. Paul E. Clark Music Scholarship or the American Diabetes Association.

Arrangements by Segur-Knapp Funeral Home in Watseka.