Alice McGee

1921-2015

My grandma

What We've Been Up To - Summer 2015

     It has been such a special summer!  Since March, I've been able to fly up to Chicago twice to see my grandmother for week-long visits as she rests at-home in Hospice care. My sister and I have rejoiced in the opportunities God has given us to share the Lord with her as we treasure the precious time we have left. I've also greatly enjoyed visiting my uncle while there as well. The girls also officially registered for college and begin at the end of August.

    In Scott's family, we recently had a family reunion where we celebrated his brother, Brian's recovery (and birthday!) from a bone marrow transplant after a grueling fight with cancer. We also celebrated three other birthdays in his family the month of June at the reunion. God has shown Himself faithful and involved in our lives again and again.

My husband, Scott and his four older brothers at their family home on James Island. Can you imagine all these clowns sharing one bedroom growing up? We praise God for Brian's recovery (center front). Love these guys (especially the one on the far right!) Every kid needs a bunch of crazy uncles. As for my kiddos' summer:  I'll start with......

The Boys

 Harrison takes a picture with Pittsburgh Steeler quarterback Tajh Boyd at the Ellington Elite Football Camp.  Younger brother, Samuel photobombs.

 About 1000 young people line up by age to do warm-ups.

Harrison does a cone drill.

      Today my three boys are sore. Yesterday, my husband, Scott took our kids to an annual summer event at the Berkeley High School football field in Moncks Corner. Last year, Ellington cousins Bruce (wide receiver - San Francisco 49ers) and Andre (runningback- Arizona Cardinals) began a free football camp for kids ages 6 to 16. The cousins grew up in Moncks Corner and graduated from Berkeley High School. Bruce graduated from USC and played for the Gamecocks. Andre graduated from Clemson and played for the Tigers. Both were drafted a year apart for the NFL.  

Bruce Ellington

Andre Ellington

      A couple of years ago, while shopping at the local Moncks Corner Wal-Mart, I was standing in the baking aisle looking for my particular brand of bread flour. A woman standing next to me was also looking for the same brand. We got into a conversation and she casually mentioned that she had to have her particular brand of flour so she could bake her son's favorite sweet potato pie.  He was attending USC. When she mentioned his name and that he played football - something in my memory banks clicked.  Hmmm, Bruce Ellington. Could this be THE Bruce Ellington my son mentions (uh, excessively) as a rabid Carolina Gamecock fan? Could this be an opportunity for some Mommy points?  This lady seemed SO NICE. Surely she would understand that my son was a fan. After an unusual request, I dialed our home on my cell phone and told Harrison I had someone who wanted to speak to him. She introduced herself to an amazed and delighted Harrison. He somehow managed to get a little closer to Bruce by proxy.  I mean, she did give birth to him, right?

      The next summer, Scott heard about the camp from a co-worker (another relative of Bruce's) and signed up the boys. The camp consists of calisthenics, football drills, autograph opportunities, and lunch with professional players and coaches. It is a teenage boy's dream come true.This year, as my menfolk arrived at the five hour camp, a sweet lady passed them by and said "Thank you for coming" on her way out. Scott thanked her for putting it on. She then mentioned she was the mother of Bruce.  Scott asked her if she remembered an encounter with a lady at the Wal-Mart and a phone call request a couple years ago. She did and got to meet and hug Harrison in person.  He has yet to hug Bruce. Maybe next year.........Thank you Ellington family.  We love you!

And then there are Legos......

Sammy in his "Sammy jammies" presents Scott with his "card".

 The boys created a Nerf gun/Lego shooting gallery with high point values for their tinier targets.

Next week soccer practice begins for Harrison. I do manage to corral the boys at least once a day for some school work.  I have this obsession with finishing textbooks even if the school year is technically over. I also don't want their brains to get dull. It is amazing how much they forget after a few weeks off.  "What do you mean, 'What is a preposition?!'"

The Girls

Aw, her first carrot.......

Emily's garden has been doing quite well.  Her most successful produce this year: tomatoes and peppers (I have nine large, green peppers waiting for me to dice and freeze as I write this) . The mad scientist has also extended an honors anatomy project to do research of her own. Emily has been fascinated with genetics and decided to compare the eye colors of family members to test her researched theories of inherited eye color. Aunts, uncles and grandparents have faithfully emailed her close ups of their eyeballs or allowed Emmie to take a picture herself for an eye color family tree.

My sister, Beth's (Emmie's Auntie Booper) beautiful, blue eye. Trust me, it is not flattering taking a huge close-up of your eyeball. Every wrinkle, eyelash, and eyebrow hair looks gi-normous. (Seriously, how does this girl not have a wrinkle?) Emily is then applying her data to a previously completed research paper on the subject.

She has also continued sketching. And writing.  As I type this, she is preparing her Pinterest story board for a novella she has in mind.........

Her latest creation: "Miss Pole" from Cranford

Speaking of writing.....

   
     Here Hayden is in a still shot from her attempt to record her answers for a vlog (video) interview for the promotion of Five Enchanted Roses (note: click on title to read early reviews on Goodreads. Scroll to the bottom of the page to "community reviews". Remember, there are five different novellas in the collection, so Hayden's story, "The Wulver's Rose" is usually mentioned last in each review). Video as well as written interviews of the five authors will be on the Tales of Goldstone Wood blog at the end of July. As you can see, the picture above is not very clear, so she is still working on it!
     Hayden is also currently writing two new novels and a novella, so she is continually on her laptop writing (I think she looks like Schroeder from Peanuts).  I also frequently find her hunched in her favorite corner reading a book to review, or cleaning or relaxing with her earbuds listening to music on her iPod.  She and Emily have also starting attending a weekly adult Bible study at the home of some dear, family friends.
     Hayden celebrated her 21st birthday in June. Not only did she get to celebrate at the Wand family reunion and get generously blessed by aunts, uncles, grandparents, and cousins, but then my mother took the girls and I out to Olive Garden for a lunch a few days later. Hayden loves pasta and this is one of her favorite places. Another one of her favorite ways to celebrate is to have a day in downtown Charleston. Scott and I happily obliged and took her to her favorite spots the following week. She loves to walk through the old slave market, look at the lovely items for sale and sample the fare up and down Market Street as shop owners pass out samples of fudge, pralines, and nuts (Hayden favorite sample is in the slave market where she gets to sample dips with pretzels. Mine is the sweet and crunchy dried okra). The smell of sweet grass baskets and horses from the carriage tours fill the air. A downtown trip wouldn't be complete without a trip to the Charleston Place hotel to get her free birthday Godiva truffle and an eight piece box from her parents. Scott and I used to work at the Limited (it isn't there anymore) at Charleston Place when we were in college oh so many years ago.  He worked stock and I was the "pacesetter". We met at the College of Charleston thirty years ago when I was eighteen and he was nineteen. sigh.
    Finally, we went to lunch at California Dreaming where I had also been a waitress during my college days. As we ate our lunch, a storm blew in and we watched a brief, but tiny waterspout form right on the water in the window in front of us. Diners gathered to watch a small sailboat break free and drift toward the bridge until authorities came on the scene to retrieve it.  It was an exciting, fun day!

Five Enchanted Roses will be available for purchase on July 27th. You can pre-order the book (or purchase it on that date) as well as her first novel Hidden Pearls on her website here.

     What about me?  I have been digging into God's Word and seeking His face with more effort as I see the Day approaching! In addition to the daily doings (laundry, people!), I've been emailing with my sister, Beth, to exchange Scriptures, articles, and relevant Youtube videos as well as updates about my grandmother. I've also been meeting with my good friend and prayer partner, Linda, to pray for the church (to wake up!) and for anything else as the Spirit leads. In addition to our family devotionals, my family is also on the lookout for current events being fulfilled in the Scriptures. (For example, my husband observed that the recent surge in shark and coyote attacks could be an example of Revelation 6:8c). We continue to pray for the Lord to move His people to be better equipped and positioned for the dark days ahead without neglecting to serve and share Him NOW.  If you haven't read my entry about my tsunami dreams a few years ago, I encourage you to check it out! Simply scroll to the labels section on this blog, and click the link "dreams". As time progresses, more and more folks are having similar experiences.  It is interesting and ironic how many who are seeking to "stay awake" spiritually are having divine dreams while they sleep! May the true remnant of God's people be strengthened and united as we seek to save!
For God did send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved." John 3:17
Although it is hard sometimes not to grieve and complain about the growing apostasy of our world, I believe it is best to remember and emulate Jesus' words above.
Blessed is he who reads and hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those those things which are written in it; for the time is near. Revelation 1:3

Stay in the Word, on your knees, and in fellowship, my friends.  Abide, abide, abide!
"Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.  I am the vine, you are the branches.  He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you." John 15:4-7

Happy Birthday, Hayden!

                                                         

21 beautiful years!

Pow Wows and Priorities

    

 When we moved last year, we had to prioritize what we would store and what we would have to let go. The boys made this plane together a few years ago, but we simply didn't have any room  for it. Scott took a final picture of their creation before saying good-bye and disposing of it. Our family had to prioritize what we could keep in our smaller home and what we could not. Some things were not easy. Emily had to sacrifice her piano, but we found a good home for it!

    At the beginning of spring, Emily had to make a lot of decisions concerning one of her passions, gardening. She had limited space and had been given a budget. She had to prioritize which plants she thought we needed the most. She had to plan her garden carefully (she always draws a map).  Here, she shows Joey where she wants everything. Today we are enjoying some pretty terrific tomatoes and a variety of peppers.  We've also enjoyed her radishes and lettuce. 

      A Pow Wow typically refers to a gathering of North America's native people. It is usually a large fellowship that includes much celebration. It comes from the Narragansett word powwow which means "spiritual leader". As a little girl, I was never a Brownie or a Girl Scout. I lived my first twelve years in the Midwest and was a member of the YMCA's "Indian Princess" program (My brother was an "Indian Guide"). This father-daughter club allowed us to take turns visiting each others' homes, making crafts and going on camping trips. I am not a Native American (I'm a fourth generation Pole and third generation Dane), nor do I practice their traditions, but the word pow wow was always used to mean a "meeting" in my family as a little girl and now I use it in mine.
     Usually at least twice a day our family has a meeting. Sometimes Scott and I call everyone for a "pow wow" or some simple table talk over lunch (like we had today). These meetings are important for several reasons: it allows us to set goals for the day or week, pray, have devotional time, or address concerns. These meetings are such an important facet of our family life, I can't imagine not having them!  I could say that this is especially important for a large family like ours (at least it is considered large to some folks); but I would have to deny that only larger families need such events. This is a wise idea for any sized family - or even a couple. We know that unity is especially important to our Lord within His church, and His church is made up of many families as well as individuals. If families are in unity and harmony, this contributes to the peace and progress of the entire church body. If families are stressed out and at odds, this will also be reflected in the body because "if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it..." (1 Corinthians 12:26). God prefers order, and this should be reflected in our homes.
     Before Scott and I call a meeting, he and I have a little meeting of our own. Usually one of us will feel impressed to address something. I particularly remember once when he felt very strongly that we needed to discuss "filters". He wanted to explain to the children that it was wise and important to "filter" what comes out of our mouths with thinking before speaking. I scrambled to label coffee filters with questions such as: "Will this hurt someone's feelings?", "Is this interrupting?", "Is this person busy?", "Will this embarrass someone?", etc. and glued them to chart paper to make a poster. We sat the kids down and took turns explaining what a filter actually does (strains out the stuff you don't want so you can keep the stuff you do.  They "clean out" impurities, etc.).  We shared our observations of our family's strengths and weaknesses in this area, applied Scriptures, shared my filter poster, etc. Now, when someone says something or begins to say something that is not thoughtful or poorly timed, the simple whisper, "filter", reminds him/her to stop and think before continuing.
     Today I wanted to discuss the concept of "Priorities" with our kids.  What are they?  How do we sift and sequence them? As we make decisions, our priorities become clear to those around us. What we choose to address or tackle first when there is much to do reflects our maturity, concern for others, and dependability. Should I finish that report or draw a picture? Should I do my chores or read a book instead? Should I get dressed first or begin my schoolwork in my pajamas? What is rationalization? What is procrastination? How are a Christian's priorities different from someone who does not consider God? We discussed all these things today and challenged the kids to be more conscious of the decisions they were making and to sequence their activities with more wisdom. We want them to be more thoughtful and less impulsive with their time. The days are short and time is running out.  We must use our time wisely after all.

See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.  Therefore do not be unwise but understand what the will of the Lord is. Ephesians 5:15-17

   
     In the throes of school, there have been many times I have had pow wows with my kids without Scott (He usually awakens after we do because of his schedule). The kids and I set goals, read Scripture, and pray about our day and for those we know need prayer. I share with Scott any discussion I have had with the kids after he awakens to promote unity or to make any changes if Scott had plans I wasn't aware of. The kids and I meet again before bedtime.We just restarted singing a few praise and worship songs in the evening before beginning our bedtime meeting. We used to do this, but then stopped for some reason. As we read Revelation 2:5 one night, conviction hit and I felt that we needed to "repent and do the first works". The Lord is disappointed when we shrink back and lose ground (Hebrews 10:38).  How sweet to sing together for the Lord before bedtime! Why did we ever stop?
     The most important meeting of the day, however, is the one we have with the Lord. How are Scott and I supposed to know what direction to shepherd our family if we don't consult with our own Father?  As I look to my husband for his leadership, I must also pray consistently for him. It is not easy being responsible for seven people and I want him to have wisdom and peace while he does so.
     I share this with you because these meetings have been such a blessing to our family. These little pow wows, if you will, have been a true priority in our day and as a result, have made ordering the rest of it much more successful. I highly recommend them!

Happy Family!

"Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint...."
Proverbs 29:18a

More Graduation Pictures!

Received these pics today from a friend!

Thank you, Mary!

The big moment

Congratulated by her brothers

A scrapbook from a best friend

A hug from another

A sweet group of young ladies!

More gifts and cards at the restaurant

Opening a gift from another best friend

A treasure box filled with another box, and another. The smallest box was filled with pictures of their adventures.

 Thank you to her mama for sending me these pictures!

A friend loves at all times, And a brother is born for adverstity.
Proverbs 17:17

The Lowcountry Heritage Ball

Today I posted some pictures and details from our spring Heritage Ball on our other blog, "A Kettle In the Kitchen". Check it out!

Emily Graduates From High School!

Hooray! 

Lowcountry Christian Home Educator's Association's 2015 graduates (LCHEA)

Emily is in the top row. The pictures should enlarge if you click on them.

Shaking hands with our (hilarious) keynote speaker, Senator Tim Scott. A stole and cord were worn by members of the National Honor Society.

Emily plays her banjo during the Senior band's performance of "Multiplied" 

(by NEEDTOBREATHE).

There was also a keyboardist and drummer who didn't fit in this photo.

Emily plays her tin whistle at the conclusion of the song.

Emmie and big sister Hayden enjoy a fun evening with extended family after a yummy meal at Athens restaurant. The restaurant had reserved a private room for 27 members of our family and a few friends.

High school and college graduates being recognized at church the next day.
Emily will begin attending a local college (with her sister) this fall to major in biology and minor in art.

 At least I have one sweet child (Hayden). As you can see, two of my boys are on their best behavior during the graduate reception AT CHURCH. 

I don't have a video from graduation yet, but below is a link to a senior band rehearsal for graduation.

The mic set up still needed some tweaking before the big day, but you can get the idea. The girls managed to refrain from dancing during the actual performance. Watch it on full screen to be able to see!

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight , and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 

Hebrews 12:1-2

~Jennifer