Czech Republic Overview.

Ben and I just got back from a trip to the Czech Republic to encourage some friends that are there.

I don't know where to start when talking about this trip.

There is so much that we took in, I imagine it will take a while to process it all.

Not only did we get to see pretty much every site there was to see, but we also got to spend an enormous amount of time with our friends and their kids.  We lived with them for 10 days.  We very much enjoyed it.





General facts:

-We flew into Vienna and got to spend our 5 year anniversary in the city.
-Then we traveled to Brno, CZ which is where we spent most of our time.
-The first day we went out with the Dostals on our own I got injured.
A week and a half later my black eye is almost gone, and I'll only have a small scar on my forehead.
-We attended both churches they attend.
-We met almost all their regular contacts and had meals with several Czech families.
-We didn't get lost and didn't get stuck on any trams (some of them did break)
-We saw the busyness of their lives (even on their school break)
-I was shown love by having Abram ask to sit by me and hold my hand at most chances.
-I learned how difficult it is to communicate.
-We spent a day and a half in Prague.
-Learned how to grocery shop, go to the pharmacy, ask where a public restroom was, pay to use a restroom.
-We walked (almost) everywhere, even if we had to carry kids or groceries.
-Learned you can't hide your nationality when kids are with you.
-Paid for dozens of tram and bus tickets and never showed them to anyone.
-We hiked, ran, walked, played soccer, built forts, climbed stairs (often), walked,played some game with hockey sticks and a ball, carried kids, walked and climbed on cool playgrounds.  Lot's of walking.

Overall we had a lot of fun, learned a lot about living in the Czech Republic and a lot about the Dostal family.

It was a good trip for us, it has given us insight and encouragement; hopefully we were able to encourage the Dostals also.

Saved from...

Luke 7:36-50 the story of Jesus anointed by a sinful woman.

Jesus says that who much is forgiven there is much love.
7:47-Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.

Those of us who haven't had 'as much' forgiven.  How can we cultivate love for Christ?  When we campare ourselves to a perfect Holy God and recognize our sinful nature, then we can grow in love.  Our debt is greater then we imagine.  We forget how sinful we can be, we forget how unlike God we are.  We think "we're good", but we aren't.

I love Jesus much, not because I sinned much, but because I have been saved from my sin!  Because Christ is in me and changing me, I have been prevented from so much sin (through the conviction of the Holy Spirit).  I now realize when I see others sinning that that could be ME!  If I give in to sin I have the same capacity for sin that others have.  My heart was/is as fallen as others, the only reason I don't sin is because Christ transforming power at work in me.  His power saves me from sinning.  Those that don't have Christ don't have that power, they can't stop sinning.  That doesn't mean they are with excuse.  Christ understands our weakness, but he did something about it by becoming a man and dying for us.

For the first time I am thankful that my sin nature was not removed from me at salvation... My sin nature shows me what I am truly like and shows me that I am no different in myself (in my power) from the rest of the world.  Christ living in and through me is the difference.  He is the one that raised Himself from the dead and with that power changes me and keeps me from sin (when I submit to him).  The more I submit the easier it is to submit, the more I love, the easier it is to love.  Praise God not letting me forget what I have been saved from!  My conscience is clean and I am so thankful!

God saved me, Michelle Sprague, the wretched sinner by nature.

No more Monkeys jumping on the bed.

Although I am getting tired of that phrase, it seems a fitting title for this post.

Let's rewind a few days...  last Thursday the kids and I were reading books in my room on my bed.  Well Naomi somehow wasn't interested in reading the book I was readin to Josiah.  So I heard her bouncing and flet it.  I though she was being a frog (since we had a Forg and Toad book).  Next thing I know I head *thump* and crying.  Our kids get hurt often, but it's never been very serious so I wasn't concerned.  It's amazing how resilient God made our bodies.  So Naomi was really hurt this time.  She landed on her shoulder.  I decided a good nap without moving might cure the hurt, so I tuck her in laying flat and she is out in just a few minutes.  After nap she still hurt, but we made her go along with out plans.  Then Friday she was still screaming in pain and crying at certain movements. So... Mama called the doctor and the doctor said... bring her in.

After 1 pediatrician, different office for x-rays waiting to hear about the x-rays...  To make a long story short she broke /fractured her collar bone.  I though maybe dislocated shoulder,  but didn't think anything was cracked or broken.  Well 5 hours driving to and fro and talking with different nurses doctors (which all had the same remark about the monkey) all she has is a sling.  She'll heal on her own and after a few days won't even hurt anymore.

She is going to wear the sling.  At this point the sling is more for me then her.  She remembers which movements hurt, but I forget.  Tonight I let her take it off then went to pick her up to put her in a cart at Target... I made her cry.  So even though the sling in no longer necessary, until I can pick her up under her arm pits without making her cry a sling will be worn.

She looks so fragile in her sling, but is already wanting to run at full speed and play roughly.

For those at Grace:
Don't worry, I'm not.

Naomi and Josiah

Recently I've really gotten to see their personalities emerge.

Naomi is such a talker/communicator.  She LOVES learning... she reads some words and has some books memorized.  She loves letters, numbers, carrying things in bags, pretending to be a mom, pretending to be a princess, etc.  Recently she has started to ask about everything... While reading books she'll stop to ask what something is:  what is a cliff?  why are there hearts?  what does that mean?  So inquisitive!  I love my little learner and am excited to do more formal pre-schooling this year.

Josiah is just bursting with cuteness and he is much more imaginative then Naomi was at 2 (24 months) .  Driving his little steering wheel around.  He'll often join in on Naomi's pretend games and rescue her, slaying dragons or bad-guys.  He loves puzzles and seeing how things work.  So mathy and a puzzle lover like me.  He looks at things a lot, has great patiences for repeating experiments.  Opening chairs and looking underneath.  Spinning wheels on his cars and tractors.  Most things he does at full speed.  He is just two and runs to do everything unless some little something catches his eye on the way.  He has focus like Ben, I've noticed that from early on.  He can sit (when HE is interested) and do something for an hour.  But his attention span only stays as long as he chooses.  I can't contain his energy for long when he isn't focused.

I love them both so much!  Teaching them and training them is a challenge at times but is so filled with joy!

Chiropractor, Migraines, and Liver Cleanse

So I've been going to the Chiropractor for several months now.  It's amazing how much better I feel.  A few months ago I had 2 migraines back to back... I went to the Dr. and he said I should record more data.  I prayed that God would take these headaches away.  I started having them in my teens, 10 years of migraines that might have been prevented...

I week later I was walking in the Knoxville mall and some lady said I could have a free massage and even bring my kids.  I was looking for something to do so I signed up.  I went had my free massage and even got some free x-rays.  I knew they would find 'something' otherwise they wouldn't offer 'free' stuff.  Well after realizing that not taking care of my spine after my daring childhood and teens (including breaking things) was not so good.  He guessed that ALL or MOST of my headaches were caused by a misalignment of my neck.  My neck had a reverse curve.  So back here in KY I found a chiropractor.  I haven't had a migraine since (almost 3 months so far) and haven't even had an average of 1 headache a week.

So I trust my chiropractor more then my doctor because he has fixed something that dozens of doctors and a few hospitals missed.  I took a class one evening at Dr. Hay's (my Chiropractor).  He talked about liver cleanses.  One of the side effects are weight loss, but the main goal is to clean your body of toxins.  I went with this fancy expensive name brand, but I am convinced that now that I know the process I can duplicate it.  Water and lots of it does most of the work.  I've been drinking more than is required but ranging from 100 to 160 ounces a day.  I actually feel thirsty every few hours now.

Now for the liver Cleanse results:  I lost 10 pounds and didn't even gain any back during my week long vacation and not0quite-so-healthy eating.  I'd say that is real weight loss.  I added up all the calories and should have lost 4 pounds by simply eating less calories.  This means that I loss a bonus 6 pounds that were probably fat stored in my body containing toxins.  I have more energy and run faster too.

If you want to do a cleanse I recommend going to ebay and buying poor man's cleanse.  You buy instructions on how to buy your own equipment for a cleanse.  But if you have more money then time do a Isagenix Cleanse.  That is the one I did, but in the future I'll be doing the poor man's version.

Home and home.

I started this post back in March after our month in Tennessee, now it's finished.



Temporary living is hard, but has given us some insights to this other temporary living.  For those who don't instantly know what I mean I'll elaborate.

Heaven.  This is not our home.  God created us to be with Him in heaven.  Before I go and paint this beautiful picture of Heaven, my home, I want to say Heaven isn't everyone's home (more on that later).
I've longed for heaven most of my life.  It'd be so plesent to not have to fight the curse anymore.  No more pain or sorrow....  So many of the feelings and longings I flet while in Tennessee for a month have reminded me of the temperary nature of our lives here.  Knoxville was fun at times and hard at times.  This life on earth is that way.  We have taste of good and evil.  And one day we will be permanantly placed in a home of either good (with God) or evil (without God).

God made a beautiful perfect creation.  He made it for His own glory and enjoyment.  Then something we call sin entered the world.  Sin and God cannot be completly togather so he cast out the sinners from their perfect home. Since 'the fall' the Earth has been cursed, desise, cancer, earthquakes are all a result of that curse.  Pain in childbirth, desires to rule, and desires to be lazy are all part of that curse.  I can't wait til I am freed, completely and eternally, from the curse.  God gives me power to fight the curse and every time I do something right it's because God has freed me from sin and the Holy Spirit is aiding me to do right.  Nothing I do in my own strength is right, it's all Christ in me and His power that allow me to do right.


Coming soon, Pride and God's goodness.

Tennesssee

So we just moved to Tennessee, Knoxville to be more specific.  We live west of the city and Ben works north of where we live.  Knoxville seems a little small compared with Cincinnati, but it might just be more spread out.  I guess I've grown to be a city girl.  I do love Cincinnati!

Our apartment is nice, we have everything we need.  When we first walked in it felt like a nice hotel, but I've come to realize that it is much nicer then a hotel.  I've just grown so use to a house that moving in to an apartment is a little depressing.  My allergies have been crazy since we moved and it's been warm (high 50s).  I'm guessing that they've used lots of cleaning supplies and I am breathing them, it's even upset my taste.  The chemicals will wear off some so I hope this allergy/cold will.  

The kids have adjusted pretty well, the first day was a battle.  Part of the problem was not having established play areas and rules in general.  Josiah had to relearn 'don't come in the kitchen' and Naomi had to relearn, 'don't play with doors'.  We've gotten a membership to Children's Museums and so we have a new place to explore and get out some energy during the winter coolness.  

Naomi has stopped sucking her fingers so we've let her have nail polish on them again.  She loves nail polish now!  She even wants to watch when I paint my nails.  

I got my hair chopped off.  It's up to my shoulders and strangely I like it already.  I think this is probably the best hair cut I've ever had.  I do like longer styles most of the time, but my hair actually will stay flat with this style.  Normally I can't do a medium length because my hair is so thick.  Maybe I'll keep getting it cut to a medium length.  I did spend $40 which is more then I normally spend, but since we are getting paid a bit extra I went ahead and went to a salon that had great reviews online.  

I joined the choir at our local church.  It's more formal than I'm used to but I love singing with them.  The main reason I joined so quick was because they are singing my favorite choir piece at the end of the month.    John Rutter's Requiem, we are singing it with UT's choir on Sunday Feb 20th at 6:00pm for anyone interested.  I actually had never attended the church when I joined the choir, but it was fun to jump in so quick.  Hey I'm only living here a month so if I don't jump in, I'll never really have lived here.  The church is different then what I would normally seek because I very much agree with Grace Fellowship's distinctives, but the church is sound and a good diversifying experience.  The body of Christ is diverse and I don't see anything wrong with some people preferring a church with every available ministry to a church who promotes just one ministry.  I'll always prefer the focused church, but I have to admit I'm going to miss singing with the choir when we go back home.  I'm singing alto for the first time and it's fun to make a full sound by not singing melody all the time.  

Unfortunately we are not getting any tax benefits from living in Tennessee.  We are actually getting taxed more!  We are being paid from Ben's Cincinnati office and having taxes taken out there, but also having to pay higher taxes on purchases.  Oh well they compensate us in other ways.  

We'll be back in KY for the weekend to attend a Barnabas team meeting and to go to a check-up appointment.  No update on Josiah, I've called the doctor's office and somehow they don't have the results yet.