I just can't help but reminisce about my awesome, good-looking son of ours. God blessed us with Clayton for nearly 15 years. He will always be a big  part of us. Tomorrow now it will be 6 months that he has left our home and went to be with the Lord.
  This time last year I was taking him ( Clayton ) out hunting  about every other morning, and then again in the evenings, as well some days. He loved deer hunting and last fall of 2016 he manged to get us 3 deer. He was pretty pleased with him self! 
  He would get up early and do some school work,. Then we'd eat breakfast, and hurry out when it was just coming light and go to his favorite spot and look for deer. We made different of those trips with no luck, but he was determined just the same and on other other occasions we did better!

  We would drive in at our spot bumping along over the field ruts on our way. Him scanning the tree line and ridges in the field on the out-look for deer, and me holding my big growing stomach with one hand and steering with the other. I did not exactly enjoy it, being a good 6 months pregnant with our newest baby. But some how I was o.k with it, and it was a nice time  just the same all in all. 
  A new day would come and he would be all smiles and like, "Ready to go hunting mom?" I would reluctantly say, "I guess so." And off we would go again. I did not enjoy it as much as he did. But am I ever glad and thankful for those memories now. I guess God knew what it would mean to mean later.
  He would see a deer, and if we were driving, I would quickly stop,  h'ed jump up standing on the seat and out of the window, hold his gun out across the truck roof take aim, and shoot! What a kid!! What a hunter! Other times we would just sit in the truck together talking while we waited for a deer to come in to view.
  Then when we were done, depending where we were in the field if he felt that I was not as good at navigating out way out again he would offer to drive us. And so we would change places and off we would go, with me holding my stomach even more so! :) I was trying hard to be a lot more careful. But all so good of memories now!

     How some people seemed to be used by God more than others.  
   This has been something I have been thinking of lately how some people seemed to be used by God more than others. I had talked to my oldest son about that too. I asked him," Why do you think it is some people are used more by God than others.?"

I think the answer for that lies in the individual. Are we making our selves available to God for His use? How willing are we to lay down our lives, our plans, our desires, and our wants, for His will and plans instead? Are there some areas in our lives that we do not let him be apart of, or some things we just flat tell God that we can not do?

  For instance, earlier this summer I had an opportunity to share at out local Bible Camp about our son Clayton, who passed away this spring, and a message God put on my heart to share about the hope we have in Christ. Now speaking in front of a crowd is certainly not my thing, yet here it was something on my heart to do and the more I thought about it the more excited I became. Though I also at times I seriously had my doubts on it, and did feel like telling God, " It is great idea, but I have a difficult time talking in front of a crowd and a group of senior highs no less. So sorry God, but I just can't do it." I could have said no. But if I had I would have lost an opportunity for God to work through me, to be an encouragement and blessing to the young people. And a blessing to my self as well. I came away the second time from speaking at camp on a high! After sharing my message they all prayed for me and my family, and it was such a amazing moment.

    My prayer is that I am always a ready vessel for His use no matter what it is. Even if it takes me way out of my comfort zone. I want to be used by Him in every way I can and at every opportunity possible. In doing this He will make us a more usable vessel for His service. Then He can use us for what ever He wants.
~ May we all make our selves more available for God's use.
In Him, Mae

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   Talking over the day I find  to be very important, if not I find things that need to be talked about and dealt with further get dropped and forgotten.

  When issues arise, like the children fighting between themselves or with me, I deal with the incident the moment it happens to an ex-stint, like punishment, time-out, etc... But often, more is needed. Talking over the matter, discussing a better way for the child to have reacted, praying about it, child apologizing, etc... For little ones this can be better done at the moment while it is still fresh on their minds... But for the older ones I find it is much better and more effective to wait until they have cooled down a bit, both of us. And they are no longer mad at me, or at the other child, and can think more rationally, and see the bigger picture of things.

  I usually do this at bedtime since I already try hard to go to each of their rooms and pray with them before they go sleep.

  At the moment something happens usually it takes force to make them stop the bad behavior , and that is good for the time being, but your still left with more problems to deal with. Heart issues, bitterness, anger, selfishness, thoughtfulness, ect... Important things that need dealt with and worked out. Such as how the child should have reacted or how they should feel towards the other child or the parent. Or these things will happen again and again.

  Also when you deal with something at the moment can be hard not to react with anger, so later if you talk about what happened with that child they can see and feel your love and care for them and for the situation. And more often than not we moms need to apologize to the child to for how reacted in the situation as well. Especially if we handle a situation in haste we will mostly likely regret it later.

  So discuss the day at the end of the day, and make right the wrongs, make peace, keep the communications lines open, as well as showing them your great love and care.

  ~ IN Him, Mae
   P.S I also have done little meetings with the children ever so often. These meetings involved a few of the children at time. Last winter of 2016-2017 I had a few of these meetings and they were really special. I held a separate meeting for the younger ones and one for the older three. I would talk about certain issues that recently had arose with them, maybe squabbles they had had together, as well certain things I wanted them to improve on. These meetings were lighthearted and enjoyable for them. I had a notebook and took notes of things we discussed, and then we would review these at the next meeting, seeing how they had improved on the different things. They really enjoyed it. And it did seem to be effective way to talk with them. We video recorded a couple of these meetings and one in particulate was a really hoot. Mostly likely because it contained our now deceased dear son Clayton. That video will be a real treasure now. And it was done only about a month before his passing. Only God.

   How awesome we serve a loving and merciful God! He hears our cries, feels our heart aches, and delivers us from all our troubles and sorrows!! He gives us comfort. He gives us peace. He is full of compassion and full of mercy! There is no god like our God! Praise the Lord!
 No matter what we are going through in life He is greater than all our problems. Lets turn to Him, and trust Him. And rest in Him. He is on duty!
   In Him, Mae

Notice: There has been a change of dates for the ladies retreat I am planning.
 The dates have been changed from the first weekend in Feb. to the first weekend in March.
I hope this is not a problem for anyone, but hoping that we can count on better weather in March and therefore make it nicer for more ladies to travel and attend.
 For all the details please visit the retreat page.
~ Mae