Kids say THE FUNNIEST things!!!

So last week I'm teaching my Bible class about when Peter denied Jesus!!! The kids in class are younger, 5-7 year olds, so they're having a little difficulty understanding the significance of how horrible this event was!!! This one girl is like, WEEEEELLLL Jesus told him that he was GOING TO DO IT, sooooooooo Peter was JUST OBEYING Jesus when he did it!!! LOL

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Sooooo i'm like, NOoooooo Jesus didn't TELL PETER TO DO THIS TO HIM, he said that Peter WOULD DO IT because he wasn't truly strong enough to stand up for him! But Peter told Jesus that he NEVER would deny him, buuuuut only a few hours later HE DID!!!

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Then to really help explain it to them, I'm like, Imagine YOUR VERY BEST FRIEND, and someone asks YOUR BEST FRIEND IF THEY KNOW YOU and YOU are embarrassed of your very best friend and YOU SAY, I don't KNOW HER!!! Wouldn't that make you feel sad??? The kids ALL nod their head very seriously, annnnnd this other girl gasps...her mouth is hanging open...Her eyes narrow...I can see that the light bulb has FINALLY GONE OFF IN HER HEAD and she says...

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MY SISTER DENIES ME ALL THE TIME!!!

Ahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!

Can't say I've never been denied by the sibs either!!!

BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!

♥Mary Frances :)

Please!!!!

Soooooooooo my lil nephew Odin, that came to live with us last January, when he came to my sister he hardly said any words at all, due to the horrible environment he spent the first years of his life in, he was hardly exposed to anything and combined with the fact that he is special needs and diagnosed with autism!!! but in this past year his vocabulary has increased sooooo much he now says so many words, he is very much a VERY LOUD little chatterbox, but I think our favorite was when he finally decided to start calling my sister MOM!!!

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Weeeeeeeellll anyway, we were trying to get him say Stultz for when he'd see Jonathon annnnnd he FINALLY did it the other day! And its sooooo cute the way he says it, like, STOOOOOOTZ!!! LOL  So now when he sees him its like, Stoootz! Stoootz! Stoootz!!!

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So last night we were all driving around looking at Christmas lights, well Odin has this game  he likes to play where he says your name and calls for you until you say, WHAT?! As soon as you say, WHAT?! He goes right to the next person and starts saying their name! So last night he's doing it and then he decides to start saying, Bye Stoootz! Bye Stootz!!!

So Jonathon is like, BYE??? I'm not leaving!!! And Odin is just like, Bye Stootz!!! So Jonathon's like, You want me to leave?! And without missing a beat and with the sweetest tone Odin says,

"PLEASE!"

We were sooooo NOT expecting him to say that!!! We seriously, DIED laughing, it was, THE FUNNIEST thing everrrrrrrr!!! I don't know that I've ever even heard him say please before that and it was in the RIGHT context too!!! ANd WHO says it while asking someone to LEAVE?!?!? AHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! He's such a little crack up!!!

♥Mary Frances :)

Which one has MORE attitude???

Take a wild guess as to which one of these little loves has more attitude????

THE LITTLE ONE!!!

Annnnnd the WINNER IS:

THE ADORABLE LITTLE MISS CHRISTINA!!! She truly puts a picture to the saying, "Dynamite comes in small packages" She totally has that "BIG SISTER" personality even tho she's NOT!!!! I soooooooooo adore her!!!

♥Mary Frances :)

Holy Ghost Part 2016!!!

As usual, our church had our annual Harvest Festival, THE HOLY GHOST PARTY!!! Annnnnnnd I figured I better go ahead and blog about it today since this weekend we're having our youth rally and Thanksgiving Feast on Sunday and I STILL gotta blog about NEW YORK!!!

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Sooooooooo MJ decided to go as Miram and this here below is her precious baby Moses in the river basket, I particularly enjoy the lil sign hanging on his basket...VERY BIBLICAL!!! LOL

Captain America Himself...his dad thought this was HILARIOUS that his son was Captain America when he is half Liberian and half Belizian!!! LOL

I was gonna dress up, Odin was going as Lazaruz so I thought I could dress up and be MARY, Lazarus' AUNT Mary, buuuuuut turns out I rand out of time and just went as AUNT MARY!!! LOL

PARTY TIME!!!

I think everyone's favorite game was Bro. Jimmy's toilet plunger race!!! LOL

The other HUGE FAVORITE this year was Pastor's Hay Ride...screaming throught the streets...we had a GRAND O TIME!!!

Our traditional longest ever going game of THE BALLOON STOMP...every game changes...EXCEPT THIS ONE!!! LPC can NOT have a Holy Ghost party without THE BALLOON STOMP!!!

Annnnnnnnnnnd HERE we are ready for...

THE CANDY RAIN!!!

Time to trample one another for CANDY!!!!

Stultz and Bro. Seth on the roof throwing the candy!!!!

MORE CANDY!!!

ANNNNNNNNND

STILL MORE CANDY!!!

Trying, to take a picture with the kids in the van, they were like ummmmm MARY, we're NOT gonna show up...OH YEAH...I should know this by now!!!

Got it with the lights on now!!! LOL

Crazy, crazy kids!!!

Buuuuuuuuuut I LOVE THEM!!!

Poor girl, trying to block away the boy that likes her...

It was pretty epic he was determined to say bye through the window...

Gotta love Grace, she's always giving the guys a reality check..."Just to let you know, she thinks your ugly and you don't stand a chance and I coulda told you that to begin with!!!"

I'm like, Just keepin it real girl!!! She's like, THATS RIGHT!!!

The really cool thing about this year was that I got to bring a HUGE group of Muslim kids, THESE PARTIES are THE ONLY TIME they are allowed to come to church...buuuuuuut YOU JUST NEVERRRRR KNOW...weeeeellll it was a crazy night, BUUUUUUUUUUT if ONE SOUL IS SAVED IT'S WORTH IT ALL!!!

♥Mary Frances :)

Operation Christmas Box Party!!!

Soooooooooo MJ has been wanting to do this for a while now, you pack a shoe box and send it to a child in a 3rd world country and they'll get it in time for Christmas. Most of the kids that receive these boxes, this IS what they'll get for Christmas this year!!! Weeeeeellll we didn't get it done in time for last year BUUUUUUT this year we did it!!! We got two boxes packed for girls and brought them down to Crossroads Christian Bookstore (I'll do a review on this awesome Book and coffee shop in another post!) at 91st AVE and Olive for their Christmas Shoebox Party that they had yesterday!!!

I Just wanted to take a moment to share with you all about the movement of OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD!!! You fill a box with little toys, toiletries, school supplies and a note from you, you can tell these kids about Jesus, its a Christian based organization, you can pick boy or girl and the age group you want ANNNNND the coolest part IS you can actually track it and see WHO gets your box and even see them open it!!! HOW COOL IS THAT??? I gave the girls I packed the box for my contact info and said lets be friends!!! I just want encourage us as CHRISTIANS to take the time to reach out this Christmas!!! This is a GREAT thing to get your children involved in!!!

 At this party, you just went in an assembly line and filled boxes, their goal yesterday was to fill 400 boxes...MJ LOVED IT, she was filling them for babies!!!

We had a blast doing this!!!

I couldn't help but think about how my mom woulda LOVED participating in something like this!!! She LOVED reaching out to people of all ages and ethnicities!!!

Soooooooo the group that was in charge of putting this Christmas box party together was a group of Christian woman from all over the valley, they meet once a month all year long and make handmade toys and gifts to pack in these boxes, I these are little cd's that were turned into tops, the kids really get a kick out of stuff...Imagine IF our kids could appreciate something as simple as a HANDMADE TOP for Christmas, it really makes you think!!!

I plan on joining these woman this year in helping make these gifts and I plan bringing some of my kids to help out, they NEED to learn to REACH OUT AND APPRECIATE what they have!!! annnnnnnnnnnnnnnd guess what??? SO DO YOUR KIDS!!! Jus sayin...:))))) I'll put more info about that this coming year as I find out about it!!!

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BUUUUUUUUUUUUT FOR NOW...

Participate in OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD!!! GO HERE for all the details!!! It starts TODAY, November 14th and goes through the 21st!!! And once again, don't forget that you can write your child a NOTE, TELL THEM ABOUT JESUS!!!! *Remember, IF ONE SOUL IS SAVED, IT'S WORTH IT ALL!!!

♥Mary Frances :)
P.S. IF you do this, I would LOOOOOOVE to hear about it! Send me pics!!! Maryfranceswriting@gmail.com

Mom's treasure box!!!

Recently I found something that I absolutely adore in my mom's room...

HER TREASURE BOX!!!

I remember when I was a little girl, any chance I had to look in her treasure box, I would. Sometimes I would offer to dust her room, and take extra time on her dresser, just for a peep in the treasure box. Other times I would just sneak in her room when I knew she was to busy to find me. Her treasure box was filled with all sorts of little trinkets, it was just so interesting to me, and I would think, when I grow up, I'm going to have a treasure box, JUST LIKE MY MOM'S!!!

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As I was going through her treasure box now as an adult, I realized that most of her treasures would have no value to anyone else...

Memoirs from her childhood family, travel trinkets, little things to remind her family and things she accomplished...

Buuuuuuuut almost EVERYTHING I found in that little treasure box had to do with family, her children. I remember when God gave my mom the vision of heaven, she was in such absolute awe of what she saw, there was such a longing n her heart to leave this world behind her and go to what she had seen, and YET, I remember her also breaking down and crying. When I asked her what was wrong, she said she wanted to so badly to go to heaven, but she didn't want to leave us...We were THE ONLY THING that she longed to hold on to, the only thing that caused her to hesitate...

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WE WERE HER TREASURE!!!

Recently, out of curiosity I was researching about a certain religion that highly values motherhood. Upon my research, I came across the writings of a disgruntled ex-member of this religion. Now, I don't personally agree with a lot of the teachings, because they do no follow what the Bible says, I DO AGREE on their take on motherhood, however, this previous member did NOT!!! He said, my sister is SO SMART, she COULD HAVE been ANYTHING, but instead of pursuing a career, SHE IS JUST A MOM!!! When I read that, I just thought, WOW!!! It blows my mind that anyone could say something like that!

♥

I am SO GREATFUL for a mom that put MOTHERHOOD over her CAREER, we weren't just a check on her bucket list, she TREASURED US!!! My mom knew the secret of THE ONLY things you can take with you to heaven, SOULS!!! Truly we were THE ONLY treasures she wanted to take with her!!!

"Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." (Matthew 6:19-21)

♥Mary Frances :)

Another cRaZy Wednesday...

So I always like to have a treat to give the kids when they get off the van and go home at the end of the night, its kinda a threat to them to behave on the way home buuuuut I mean, lets be honest, in the ALMOST NINE YEARS I've been doing this, I think I ONLY have actually NOT given them treats like twice...and more than likely it was cuz I was in a bad mood that I ACTUALLY didn't give it to them!

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 Weeeeeeelllll the kids LOOOOOVE Mexican candy, they've requested it many times, therefore, the last several weeks I've been buying the big O bulk bags from Food City and they've been VERY pleased with this!!! Last night in the van on the way to church they were asking me what the treat was this week and I said, CANDY!!! They were like, Mexican candy??? I'm like, YUP!!! They're like, AGAIN??? Its ALWAYS Mexican candy don't you have anything else? I'm like, Nooooo...they're like griping about it...Soooooooo I'm like, OMW, you guys, I just remembered, I DID BRING ANOTHER KIND OF CANDY!!!! They're like, YOU DID??? I'm like, YES!!! I don't IF you guys have ever heard of it before buuuuuuuuut its called...

NO CANDY!!!!

AHAHAHAHAHAHA

AHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

Mary's House!!!

So there are some younger kids in my group that we pick up on Wednesdays that are FINALLY potty trained and old enough to come for Wednesday night Bible School now, So they've been coming for the last several weeks.

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Weeeeeeeellll tonight, when we got to church, the little ones were all like, YAAAAAY! We're here, we're at...

 MARY'S HOUSE!!!

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

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The older kids were all like, this is NOT Mary's house!!! The little ones were like, YES IT IS!!! I was like, UH WAIT A SECOND, You guys think this is MY HOUSE??? They were all like, YES!!! I'm like, THIS IS NOT MY HOUSE...but I wouldn't mind it being my house...WELLLL on second thought it would be A LOT to clean!!!!

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They were like,  BUUUUUT it's Mary's church....cuz that's what kids always say, I'm going to Mary's church are you going to Mary's church??? So i'm like, its MY CHURCH in the sense that this is the church I GO TOO... buuuuut its NOT MY CHURCH... I am NOT the Pastor!!!! BAHAHAHA!!!

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A few weeks ago they thought the church van was MY VAN!!! They were asking WHY I never drive my van??? I was like, I don't have one!!!! They were like, isn't this a van we're riding in??? I was like, well YEAH, buuuuut it is most DEFINATLEY NOT MINE!!! Annnnnnd the reason WHY i'm not driving it is because for SOME ODD REASON...

I'M NOT ALLOWED TO!!! AHAHAAHA!!!

♥Mary Frances :)

My secret!!!

Tonight this boy came to Wednesday Bible school for the first time. He is 13-years-old and from a Muslim family that migrated over from the middle east. The first time I met him, I was with his younger sister at their apartmen and she called him over from the playground, I said, "Hi! I'm Mary! And he said very politely, "YES, I know who you are!" I'm like, YOU DO??? He's like, "YES, ALL THE KIDS AROUND HERE TALK ABOUT YOU!!!" I'm like, REALLY??? He's like, "YES! What is your secret that they all like  you???"

I'm like, weeeeeeeeeellllllll...I don't really know...BROWNIES??? AHAHAHA!!!

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Buuuuuuut REALLY was thinking about it...I don't buy them things like the people from the mega churches do, I mean, candy and a hamburger here and there buuuut NOTHING big, like the church that gives them all bikes for Christmas, or take them shopping for clothes, I don't have the smoke lights at my church and a dance club to offer them...the only thing I really got is GOOD cookies and brownies I make and bring them on Tuesdays, buuuuuuuuuuuut other than that,

THE ONLY THING

 I HAVE IS LOVE!!!

Love, love, LOVE...that's all I've got!!! 

MY SECRET IS LOVE!!! God blessed me with a really big heart and an overflowing ability to love. Never doubt the worth of your love to someone that really needs it! They not act like it, they may not respond when you say that you love them, buuuuuut don't be fooled. They TREASURE LOVE!!!

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They may choose to go to a mega church for a party or some fancy new gadget, buuuuut ten years from now, when the parties have crashed and all the electronic toys have broken, it won't be those things that they remember, it will be YOUR LOVE!!!

NEVER DOUBT THE VALUE OF YOUR LOVE!!!

God, please love THEM, through ME!!!

There is someone waiting for it today...

GO LOVE THEM!!! 

♥Mary Frances :)

5th grader wisdom!!!

I heard on the radio recently that a group of 5th graders were asked to share ONE THING they've learned about God. One boy summed it up by saying that God just tells him,

"Dude, I've got this!"

Annnnnnd I thought, what at GREAT thing to have learned about God!!! He's got it all taken care of and everything is under control! Your job? He's got it! Your children? He's got it! Your home?  He's got it! Your finances? He's got it! How you gonna pay the bills? He's got it! Your relationships? He's got it! Lost loved ones? He's got it! Who you gonna marry? He's got it!!!

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Not that I'm saying we don't need to be doing anything for ourselves!!! Of course we need to do as much as we humanly, possibley can, without breaking any laws of God, buuuuuuuuut at a certain point, its out of your control. You've done everything you possibly can annnnnd NOW you've gotta let God do the rest!!!

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We worry, worry, worry, how is it going happen? We examine! We analyze! We critique the situation! When will it happen? What IF this happens? What IF that happens? What if I lose my job? What if I can't find a job?  What if I don't pass my tests to graduate?  WHAT IF THERE REALLY ISN'T ANYONE FOR ME??? Aaaaaaaaahhhhhh!!!!

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Annnnnnnd I imagine in my mind God just shaking his head saying,

"Dude, I've got this!"

Whatever it is your needing, stop worrying, God's got it!!!

"Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding." (Proverbs 3:5)

 

♥Mary Frances :)

If Jesus was Carmel...

The other day we're at my mom's and MJ comes into the kitchen with a box of Ritz crackers. She's like, Mary look, if Jesus were Carmel they could use these! I'm like, huh??? She's like, IF Jesus were carmel they could use these crackers!!! I'm like, HUH??? Now she's getting flustered with me, she's like, IF JESUS WAS CARMEL they could use these crackers!!! I'm like, use the crackers for WHAT??? Oooooooh you mean for COMMUNION??? She's like, YES!!!

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IF JESUS WERE CARMEL THEY COULD USE THESE CRACKERS FOR COMMUNION!!!

Ahahahahahahaha!!! I was laughing soooo hard now!!!! She's like, YOU KNOW because its supposed to be Jesus' body!!! I'm like, YEAH, I know! Now that you say it, it makes PERFECT SENSE! I'm like, annnnnnnnnd YOU KNOW what??? Jesus ACTUALLY WAS CARMEL!!! She's like, WHAT???? He was REALLY? I'm like, Yeah! Well he was Jewish and according to what Bishop Abbott has always taught us, and of course none of us really know FOR SURE, buuuuut most likely Jesus was a medium shade of brown...which is CARMEL!!! Mary Jo was like, Wow! I didn't know this! No one ever told me! Jesus was carmel, JUST LIKE ME!!!! I'm like, YEAH GIRL!!!

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Then she pauses and is like, WAIT!!! So then WHY do they use the white crackers for communion??? I'm like, Uh, IDK!!! She's like, OKAAAAAAAAY, its supposed to be Jesus' body and he's carmel! Those crackers they're using are NOT carmel, they're WHITE!!!

 

THEN She's like, Oh Mary, do you think maybe Pastor doesn't know about Ritz crackers??? I'm like, Ummmmmm...UH...maybe...She's like with such concern, we should let him know Mary...Maybe you should text him right now...I'm thinkin OR we just let Sis. Abbott know when she reads my blog and she can pass the message on to her hubby!!! AHAHAHA!!! Soooooooooooooo Sis. Abbott FYI: MJ wants you guys to know that...

 the sell RITZ CRACKERS!!!

FOR COMMUNION!!!

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

#ILovemyniece

♥Mary Frances :)

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Borrowing some Jewels!!!

"The most precious jewels you'll ever have around your neck are the arms of your children." ♥ I saw this quote today and just LOVED it!!! It's soooo true!!! Then I was thinkin its kinda a TOTAL bummer that...I don't EVEN have any  Jewels to call MY OWN!!! :(   BUT then I was thinking, I may not  have any Jewel's to call my own, HOWEVER, I do have a TON of RICH friends AND family, that let me borrow theirs!!! :)

Thanks to ALL the RICH people...

 that let me BORROW their Jewel's!!! :)