Past or Future?

Well my last post before heading home to my kids!   To be quite honest, I have had a whole lot better time than I thought I would!  Don't get me wrong, I like spending time with my husband but it is hard for me to be away from the kids.  However I seem to have gotten over that!  I'm thinking it probably won't take me 16 years to go alone to another conference or vacation!  It helps that I trust Steve and our nurses to care for the children.  Of course please know I OWE Steve and will OWE him forever & ever.....he already has his weekend (that he believes will start on Thursday) planned out!  And it includes my car and my debit card!  I can guarantee that we won't be seeing him much!!!!  LOL

Last night we went to a bookstore and I loaded up on mysteries!  I bought the new Rhys Bowen's "Heirs & Grace"  I love her books, funny, yet a little scary-set in the 1930s  England.  I also got "Tippy toe Murder" by Leslie Meier and a Carolyn Hart book "Dead by Midnight"  I like all three of the authors and have read all their books.  I couldn't believe there were one of each of them that I hadn't read!!!   After that we went to supper at Olive Garden.  Woohoo our wild night on the town:)

I also got a little something "Dr Who" for Steve who is a Dr Who fan.  I've started liking the show, I think it is the British accents that I like LOL!

If you had a time machine would you go forward into the future or back into the past???   I'd go back to the past.  I'd love to experience life during certain times in history.     From about the end of the civil war through 1960 is interesting to me.  Of course I'm a huge WWII buff so that whole time period is most interesting to me.  But I couldn't be like the people in Dr Who, I'd tried to change the past so everything would be perfect for everyone.  I'm too big of a fixer:)

The future is so unknown to me, well and to everyone else too for that matter.  But I have no desire to see the future.  Last night we passed a psychic store and were talking about that very thing.  Personally I do not want to know the future.  I'm good with going day by day! 

Well I do know my near future will consist of many baby hugs:)  I foresee that Sarah will want me to hold her and Sam will give me kisses!  Steve will run out the door and Shad will tell us a blow by blow description of all that happened (told in the best light possible!) 

NO on amendment 2!!!

Listen I could get used to living in a hotel!   Nothing sooths my soul like QUIET!  I don't indulge in it very often as I have too many people needing me all of the time but I LOVE being alone.  Jon got out of his seminar early and I guess I offended him when he walked in so he got changed and went for a jog LOL  I have missed being ALONE for a long time.  And take out has become my friend! 

There were things I worked on today.....
We have some friends in Ukraine who are interested in emigrating to the USA.  They pastored a Pentecostal church.  I have made probably a billizion phone calls today, leaving messages on various numbers...  If YOU have ANY contacts with Ukrainian Pentecostal churches in the USA would you please contact me at theclanton5@aol.com    Thank you!!!


http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/10/21/ukrainian-girl-in-lucky-escape-as-shelling-hits-donbass-arena-_n_6021738.html  I saw this article today of damage done to the soccer stadium in Donetsk.  We drove by their several times and by coincidence I am wearing my 2012 Championship Tshirt today .... how odd is that?


I was going to save this for closer to the election but......NO on amendment 2!!! 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-N5JtEY8EBg  

This is a rant from John Morgan of Morgan & Morgan-a law firm.  He is the Chairman of the "Yes on 2" the amendment to legalize "medical" marijuana use in Florida.  He had just finished a debate with Grady Judd the sheriff of Polk county.  THIS is the man who wants us to have "medical marijuana"  Does it look like it is aimed at sick folks????   Does it look like they want to legalize it so that the dying can have some relief?????  No, of course not.  That is not what legalizing pot is about.  BTW if I ever have an automobile accident I will not be calling Morgan & Morgan....

So if you are wondering how we will vote on Amendment 2 on election day....it will be NO!!!!!

For way too many years Jon and I have worked with people who took that very first step into drug use by smoking pot.  I do not believe I've ever met a cocaine, heroin, meth or any other kind of drug user who did not FIRST start with pot (and usually alcohol too) Now I think I have the authority to say that marijuana is NOT something to be used lightly.  I know all the sob stories and how it "might" help someone.  It might help a dying person but .....watch the video....not too many dying folks on it (actually they are but don't know or understand it)    That's the folks who will use it.  And the way the amendment is written, it is very very lax.  Not good for Florida!



http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Featured-Waiting-Child---Lana.html?soid=1101855940262&aid=gKAJcMQpv7M
this little girl is a waiting child with several grants on her.  please contact them if interested!!!!!

Well tomorrow we are back to our reality!  No one cleaning the bathroom and making our beds!  LOL

Life is short!

So to set a record....Jon and I went by ourselves to a conference this week in Orlando!  This is what greeted us when we drove up to the resort.....Gosh we could have just stayed home and visited some relatives to see this....LOL JUST KIDDING FAMILY!



Then the gorgeous view of I-4 from our room......

 

 

the "Upside Down House" from a distance



 

At least the garden is nice.

 

 

 

it's a conference Jon has to attend.  I have to say it is a step up from the last one we went to about 8 years ago.  That one was held in a dusty old church conference camp.  It was in February and I was freezing the whole time.  I had all the kids with me all day in the little dirty room.  I was TICKED off to say the least.  I'm not sure if I'm over that trip yet! 

 

I don't do conference very good.  I'm not a "rah rah" person who wants to be a part of the big group.  I'm the one sitting in the back rolling my eyes out of my head.  So...we don't do many conferences.  I came this time for Jon's sake, for some reason he likes to go alone with no kids LOL.  I'm not required or even wanted at any of the meetings and that is good for me!

 

When we first got here (after I finished laughing at the toilet) I really thought about going home for the kids. They would enjoy this place.   A few weekends ago was the first time we'd gone anywhere without them for over 16 years.  So this makes TWO times in one month.  The anniversary trip was ok for me, since I felt like it was good for us.  This trip is also good for us and is relaxing for me but I feel guilty even tho we'll only be gone for a little over 48 hours from the kids. 

 

It's the hardest for me to leave Sarah, she is a "mama's girl" and gets upset if she doesn't have me!  Can I admit that makes me happy:)   But since she doesn't understand when I'm not there, it's hard for me to leave her.  Steve promised me he'd put her next to him the WHOLE time he watches tv....she should be ok!  But somedays if I'm busy and don't' sit with her during the day, she calls out for me with a little noise that has a question mark sound on the end.  She doesn't say "Mama" -she uses that for me sometimes when I hold her- but it's a sound like "where's my mama?" and when she does that, I drop whatever I'm doing and hold her for a little bit.  Sarah is such an easy child, and asks so little that I really try and meet her emotional needs when she shares them.   So it's hard for me to be away from her!  Obviously Steve and Shad are good to go and probably like it a bit too much and Sam is happy as long as he has Steve....and FOOD!  I bought  enough food to survive a Zombie Apocalypse! 

 

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Today as I was walking about, waiting on some take out (all by myself) I checked FB and say that a ministry friend who just lost her husband to cancer, now has lost her son.  She had posted a beautiful picture of her husband embracing their son at some airport.  It was heartbreaking beautiful ....and in the caption she wrote how Steve her husband was welcoming their son home.   I can not even imagine how close heaven is to her today....  Please pray for the Hill family.  They have been faithful to God in ministry for many years.  They will continue to be faithful, of that I have no doubt but please pray for God's grace.

 

 

After reading that, it impacted me in several ways.  One thing I thought of is how short life is and how long eternity is....   Life seems so chaotic right now in so many ways, it's easy to forget that we are only passing through.....  Secondly I thought how so many times it is easy to look at a family, a couple, a ministry and think "boy I wish I was where they are".....Just remember, everyone has mountains and valleys.   Don't wish to be in anyone else's shoes, as you do not know what the future holds for them and what God will require them to walk through.   Third, I though "I hope our children are prepared to meet God" 

 

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Yesterday our friend preached & his three points ( I LOVE 3 point sermons) were

No Reserves

No Retreats

No Regrets! 

 

That's how I want to live my life

no reserves (nothing but GOD to fall back on)

No retreats-not going back

 

NO regrets!

 

He said there was a study done with a group of elderly folks and the one thing they wished they could change about their lives were that they did not take enough risks!  I want to be a risk taker for God.  Life is short.....

 

 

 

 

 

 

Friends

Last night we joined some friends and church members for the Annual banquet for the Zephyrhills Pregnancy Center.  I've always thought highly of the director and of this ministry but never knew to what extent it reaches our community.  Loved hearing the stories and talking to some of the families last night.  It's great to be PRO life- but being pro life is so much more than just being ANTI abortion.  Pregnancy Centers provide support, training education and counseling for families for Years!  Several of the moms there had  been involved with the Center for five years or more.  This center provides GED classes, parenting classes, clothing and all kinds of assistance.  It was a good night!

This morning one of our "old" friends preached in our church.  TJ is a college friend and actually used to be the youth pastor at our church years ago-before our time.  He is now Doctor Kimball and is a Christian counselor as well as an advocate for special needs families.  He and his wife, Liz, have three boys, one who has Down's Syndrome.  They have a ministry called Joshua's Friends https://www.facebook.com/JoshuasFriendsOrg  to help other parents and have many plans to expand that ministry.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Jon and TJ have been good friends for over 20 years.

 

There is one thing about being in the ministry, that is hard.  We have close friends all across the nation and overseas that we only get to see in passing.   Some we went to college together, some we've worked with in various ministries, some we've met briefly and just "clicked with".....we get just a few hours here and there to see each other and then it's back to our places of ministry  Since college, we've only had a chance to see the Kimballs a few times.  We have so many dear friends like that....one thing I think about is that ONE day heaven will be so sweet when we get to spend time together and share how God brought us through life....

After church I just had to take some pictures of my ballerina before she changed.  Is she just precious or what???   Sarah dances on her knees during church, she ONLY responses to Christian music, Sesame Street does not interest her.  What is so beautiful, to see, sometimes Sarah will clap her hands as if in agreement with a specific song or a part of a song.  It always is so appropriate  when she does it.  I don't know what she understands but when she does her little dancing twirling, I believe she is giving praise to God.  (and I'm not big on dancing in church LOL)

 

 

 

 

Hope you all had a great weekend!  It was busy here, but good! 

Walls are UP!

 

 

 

The first walls are up!!!!

 

 

This morning the Habitat for Humanity staff and volunteers from Florida Hospital Zephyrhills met to start the work on the house!

 

We were able to be there, along with all the kids.  We started with a word of prayer that Jon was asked to give, then Habitat's director shared a little history and the philosophy of HH...

then the work started!

 

 

 

 

 

Sarah didn't like getting ups so early! Neither did Selah!

About 2pm the work was finished for the day.  The room that will be our storage room had the walls up!  Here is the "after" picture!

 

(we are in the middle I've got on the Capri jeans) 


This past week there has been lots of rain and the main part of the house does not yet have its' foundation.  Work will start on that this week:)

We stayed out there for a little while, then took the kids home.  After I cooked and fed everyone a "brunch", Jon and I went back out to work.  Jon turned out to be a good nailer.  Me?  Not so good.  All two of my nails had to be taken out LOL.  It is harder than it looks! 

We got to meet and talk with the volunteers from Florida Hospital Zephyrhills.  It was great to get to know them.  Jon was just at a community workshop yesterday with some of them, he didn't know they'd be working on our house the next day!

Today was a FUN day~ so exciting to see the house being built.

Thankful Thursday

Tomorrow is the big day-the walls go up on our new home.  We will have a ceremony at 8 am with the Habitat for Humanity staff and volunteers.  How exciting for our family.  We plan on having the whole family there, maybe even Selah.  If you want to help work on the house or give towards the materials, you can click on here to sign up  https://www.mymissio.com/missio/the-clanton-family-habitat-home



I got an update on the baby boy- the mom decided to keep him, her family is supporting the decision.  In the domestic adoption world, things like that sometimes happen.  There is an older special need child that is being placed, if you are interested contact Janna janna.adoptionadvisors@gmail.com for more details.





Here is the little girl Angela who we sponsor through Life2Orphans  This picture was taken over the summer at Druz Orphanage (the one we raised money for their well)  She is STANDING!!!!!!

 

Here is me and Angela while she was in Torez Mental Institution.  We had just started sponsoring her while we were in the process of adopting Sarah and Selah.  Both of my girls had a sponsor for which I was eternally grateful.  So I had asked L2O if there was a child we could sponsor to "pay it back".  they told me about Angela and that is who we picked.  Getting to meet her was very emotional for me.  I cried for her.  Even with a sponsor it was a hard place to be. 

 

 

I was able to play with her on several occasions.  She was brought out to us.  We bought her some toys before we left. 

 

Many people sponsor kids and never get the chance to meet them.  We were lucky but it was very hard emotionally to meet her.  I felt guilty for not adopting her also but at the time, we felt she had so many needs that we could not take care of her.  She was not mobile and it was doubtful she could ever walk.  We felt like we could not adopt a child that could never walk.  We knew Sarah couldn't and Selah didn't walk good but we thought both would improve.  Now, we know we could take care of a child that can not walk.  Who knows....one day if the war ends over there......  In the meanwhile we support her and her caregiver and we are raising funds for the orphanage during their time of crises.  Pray that God will protect this sweet little girl!!!!

 

 

http://www.life2orphans.org/cms/node/83

 

here is where you can donate to this wonderful project to help the children of Ukraine.  We are still working on the Druz project,  to help pay for beds for the kids.   Still need about $3000 to buy the beds and mattresses for all the extra children who have been brought in from other orphanages. 

My World....

In my happy little world, things are good.  Selah is on top of everything and is becoming the most consistently responsive than ever!  She looks great and is happy.  We can tell if she is happy, because she makes faces when she is not:)   The schedule/nurse change has worked out really good for her. 

Right now the other four are outside in this beautiful late summer day ( can't call 80 degrees Fall-even in Florida)  Sam and Sarah are on the swing set, Steve is watching them, listening to music and Shad is playing.  My husband is at the prison, doing a job he loves.  I'm getting ready to cook supper and look forward to another night together with my family, watching something on TV.......but that is just in MY little world.

But in America, we have another Ebola patient, one who was on a airplane less than 24 hours before becoming sick....   We have a CDC who refuses to close our borders, when we can not even keep the few patients we've had from infecting others. 

For the record, all three of our adoptive kids HAD to be tested for TB BEFORE being allowed a visa to come to the USA!  I've heard of families, that their newly adopted kids tested positive and the families were stuck in the countries they adopted from while the child was getting treatment.    When you adopted internationally after you finished with that countries paperwork THEN you go to the American Embassy and the child has a physical including a TB test, if there is a reaction, then the child has further testing, if truly positive, the child is NOT allowed into the USA.  

When we adopted Shad the Bird Flu was rampant in Asia.  Many people wore masks.  I was told before I left that if I got sick I would not be allowed on an airplane to come home.....  We were screened at the airports.

Why am I telling you all of this?  I feel our borders need to be closed from admitting people in the affected areas.  Give humanitarian aid but close our borders.  Already England and France have stopped commercial flights to the affected countries.  WHY don't we follow?  It is not about being cruel or racist....it's about stopping the spread of this disease as best we can.  Quarantine has always been used to try and halt the advance of disease. 

Now we are having "mysterious" diseases that hit children.  A boy died last week just a country over from us and there still has not been a clear diagnosis.

Also have you heard about what is happening in Houston Texas?    http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2014/10/15/pastors-to-mayor-dont-mess-with-texas-pulpits/
Five pastors who have spoken publically about a new law that would allow men and women to use the same restrooms at the same time .....it's really about much more than that but it's been called the Bathroom Bill" have now had their sermon notes, emails etc subpoenaed.  Clearly a separation of church and state....where the state is trying to control what the pastors say....

Then I think of the border problem we had BEFORE Ebola....and all the many issues and scandals rocking our government within this country. 

Then there are all the dangers from without....
ISIS.....
Russia......
North Korea.......

Outside of my little world, there is so much going on~some of these things could soon affect my world.