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Prayers Answered

Valerie Basham

June 4, 2015

We have made it home from a two week long family vacation! We began by traveling east to see my nephew graduate high school in North Carolina, we then proceeded north to see my in-laws in Ohio. Our trip back to Oklahoma included a visit to Springfield, Illinois, and the Lincoln home and museum.

My heart is full. So many wonderful memories and blessings to share. I will be posting some photos from our travels for our loved ones in the days to come.

Today, I just wanted to share with you that God answered many prayer requests:

1. Pleasant weather. A few weeks ago, we were in a terrible storm while driving. I understand that God is in control, but I cannot help feeling fear, and a lot of it. It was an intense storm but the Lord saw us safely through it. While were away these last two weeks, our home town endured a terrible flood, but we drove through not one drop of water – plenty of cloudy skies, a few patches of fog, but no rain while traveling to or from home. What a great gift from God!

2. Good health. We have had many times of sickness while away from home and it was so hard. I’m so thankful for this blessing from the Lord. Not one of us (seven people!) was ill on this journey.

3. Safety. God blessed us with His protection across 3,700 miles. No vehicle break downs, no car accidents. We were stuck in a lot of traffic on I-40 eastbound in Arkansas, and a bit more near Nashville, Tennessee, but no major delays.

Up until the last minute, I was prepared not to go on this trip. I had asked God for guidance, and I knew the that He might tell us “no”. I would have been disappointed, but I know the “One who holds tomorrow”, and I trust Him. I am so grateful that He allowed us to go on this vacation, and that He poured out His blessings upon it.

With love,

The Results Are God’s

Valerie Basham

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May 23, 2015

It’s not about us. It’s not about numbers. It’s not about “professions of faith”.

It’s not about the “next big day”.

It’s about Christ.

Let’s spread the Word!

It’s Recital Time!

Valerie Basham

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May 22, 2015

Lauren, Mitchell and Leslie competed in the Schubert Festival, a musical competition in our town, on May 2nd. Those who received a “superior plus” rating were allowed to play at a recital the following week. Lauren and Leslie both received this honor. Mitch was a close second, earning a “superior” rating for his arrangement of the song “Let It Go” from the movie, Frozen.

Here are the recital performances, in case our family would like to hear them:

My sweet Lauren was so very nervous. She takes after her mother in that way! This was her first time to play with an audience staring back at her. I was pleased with how she kept going, even after becoming distracted. This was a wonderful experience for her. I wanted to get a photo of Lauren with her teacher, Mrs. Pihulic, but she did not attend the recital.

It was so special to hear my dad’s trumpet being played after all these years. If I close my eyes and concentrate, I can still hear him belting out “A White Sport Coat (and a Pink Carnation)”, “Reveille” and “Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White”. He was able to earn a scholarship to college with his trumpet. I just hope Lauren can receive the same enjoyment from it that he did.

Leslie was less nervous this time around, since she just went through all of this in March for another competition.

Thanks for tuning in,

Leslie’s Party

Valerie Basham

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May 21, 2015

I just wanted to pop in and share the photos of Leslie’s birthday with our loved ones far away. I hope you enjoy them!

Leslie loves chocolate cake with chocolate frosting. She is easy to please!

For the meal, she requested homemade tacos, which we all love.

She wanted to get a 2DS for her birthday, but we don’t usually spend that much money on the kids’ birthdays. Instead, we gave her cash to go toward it. When she combined that money with other cash gifts from friends and family, she had more than enough to get the 2DS. She had her heart set on the “sea green” one.

You may notice that I had to put my hand over Matt’s mouth to keep him from blowing out her candles. He’s kinda sneaky, but I’m sneakier. 🙂

Leslie had a great day filled with friends, fun and food. We are thankful for our sweet Leslie Anne!

A Short Soccer Season {Spring 2015}

Valerie Basham

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May 20, 2015

Soccer is already over for our family. It was a short season because the games were cancelled twice for rain. Lauren and Mitchell will both have to miss their final games because we’ll be out of town that day. It’s been a bummer. Terry’s had a blast coaching the u15 kids. He and Mitchell even went over to the field yesterday and mowed it in preparation for the big game. (Our city has failed to mow the field the entire six weeks of our season!) It was a huge disappointment to have to cancel, but we are thankful for the rain and the cooler temperatures that come with the rain.

I usually snap photos of each child while they are playing their “tournament” game. I wish now that I’d taken some during their regular practices. I was only able to get photos of the U10 game. I pulled out my zoom lens and took a few photos for our family. To all of you non-relatives: thanks for indulging me. 🙂

Here’s a group shot of my soccer players! Leslie didn’t get her jersey until later in the day.

Leslie was on the blue team, Laci was on the red team. I knew I’d have one sad player and one happy one at the end of the day. It would be a good time to teach good sportsmanship and thoughtfulness, which is more important than winning or being a great athlete.

The extremely tall grass, which had gone to seed, made the game quite frustrating. Sometimes it was more like “hide and seek for the ball” than “soccer”. Both teams worked hard and did their best despite this difficulty.

Sister against sister. . . but still friends.

Laci’s team won, but I never heard her brag; Leslie never once pouted or whined about losing. I am thankful that there was no drama for this Mama.

Maybe the weather will be better for the fall season?

Well, we can hope!

The Last Day of School {2015}

Valerie Basham

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May 19, 2015

On May 18, 2015, our school year ended when Mitchell turned in his math test. I snapped a few photos to commemorate the day.

But first, here’s a look back at the beginning of the year:

August 11, 2014

May 18, 2015. Older and wiser?

(I was in such a hurry to snap the photo before Lauren left for work, that I forgot to get Matthew! Oops.)

And now, we celebrate!

The last few weeks of our school year were the most challenging. We dealt with illness and lots of outside obligations which forced me to be flexible with my school schedule (something that is hard for me to do). There were times when I just wanted to call an audible and wrap the year up about three weeks early. I’m glad I didn’t do that, though. It was good for us to tackle our studies in the midst of minor chaos. That was a lesson in “character” for all of us, something that isn’t in our textbooks.

I praise the Lord for helping me and my children get through another school year. I also appreciate my husband’s kind “sanity support” and his financial contributions. 😉

Three cheers for summer break!

What is a Pastor?

Valerie Basham

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May 19, 2015

My Pastor, Terry Basham, II

I mentioned to you yesterday that I have enjoyed listening to sermons on SermonAudio. I wanted to share one that was a great blessing to me this past week. It is probably intended for pastors, but I enjoyed it immensely.

Do you know what a pastor is? I believe Bro. Don Fortner, a pastor in Danville, Kentucky, explains it very well from the Word of God in this sermon:

The Video

The Audio

I’m thankful to have a pastor who strives to constantly keep himself aligned with God’s Word.

With love,

Overcoming Depression Day by Day

Valerie Basham

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May 18, 2015

I have battled depression for many years. I had my first foray into the crazy world of mixed-up emotions when my oldest child was a newborn. She will be sixteen in a few months, and in that time, depression has been just outside my door. And sometimes right inside the living room. Every day, I seek to overcome my anxiety without medication. I am not opposed to medication. I was on Zoloft for nine months following the birth of my fifth child in 2010 and it was just what I needed at the time. But like most people, I try to avoid medication of any kind unless absolutely necessary. I wanted to share some things that are helping me overcome depression, one day at a time.

1. Daily Bible reading. I formed this habit as a teenager, but I admit that I have missed some days here and there. I have now determined not to miss it (unless I am sick with a fever or something terrible), even if I must read it at 11 o’clock at night. Many days – more than I can count, really – I receive just what I need to get through a particular valley. Recently, I was thinking about my emotional struggles, and the Lord gave me Psalm 55 in my daily reading. What a blessing that chapter was to my heart!

2. Daily prayer time. This area is one in which I have not been faithful since my teenage days! Prayer is work. It takes discipline to clear your schedule and have quiet, uninterrupted time to talk to the Lord. I shared last September how my prayer life had suffered. I have since seen my prayer life bear fruit in personal ways. Not only have I worked to set aside a daily prayer time, but also to pray throughout the day. One of the verses that blessed me from Psalm 55 was verse 17: Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.

3. Regular church attendance. My flesh rises up and dislikes church sometimes. That is when I have to do the hard thing, and go against my carnal desires. I have never regretted going to God’s house! I am especially thankful for the loving church family I have. They pray for me, and even though I’m “the pastor’s wife”, they don’t hold me to a super-human standard. They let me be me: fallible, talkative, crazy, Valerie.

4. Regular exercise, preferably outdoors. For years I have done aerobic DVDs and indoor walking DVDs. They are okay for rainy or cold days, but being outside in the sunshine and fresh air in God’s creation just can’t be topped! Nothing is as invigorating as the great outdoors.

5. Keeping my thoughts on the truth as Philippians 4:8 says. I’ve written about this before, and it is still the case today. Reminding myself of what is true, or real, has helped me keep my mind on the right things. To do this, I try to have the following always close at hand:

Good books. I have a list posted on Goodreads of books I want to read. I am constantly keeping my eyes and ears open for recommendations.
Good music. The advent of the iPod, iPhone and all things “i” has made listening to music easier than ever before. I love having my playlists handy and my ear buds with me. For my birthday, my husband bought me a bluetooth wireless speaker that pairs with my iPhone. This has been a great way to listen to music while I do chores or get ready for the day. I have also paired my phone with my van, so I can drive and listen!
Good sermons. Now that I have the aforementioned wireless speaker, I am able to listen to sermons from sermonaudio.com! I listen to my husband’s sermons there, or any preacher he recommends to me. One preacher who has blessed me is Bro. Don Fortner. But there are hundreds – probably thousands – to choose from.

Even when I’m doing all of the above, panic can strike at any time. If it does, I find a quiet place and offer a meager prayer or even a frightened cry to the Lord. Psalm 55:22 says, Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved. I plead for His help, and He has not failed me.

Someday, I’ll be Home and free from depression forever. Until then, I will rejoice that in my weakness, HE is strong. (2 Corinthians 12:9)

From my heart,

Leslie Turns Ten

Valerie Basham

2 comments

May 17, 2015

Leslie, before her big soccer game, last Tuesday.

Today, our Leslie Anne enters the double digits! I cannot thank the Lord enough for adding her to our family. She is the first baby born to us after my dad’s sudden death, and she certainly helped to fill the ache in my heart. Each of our children is a unique gift from God and I count it a great honor to be their mom.

A few things about our girl:

L-oving – Leslie is an adoring big sister. She has always looked out for Laci and Matthew and loved them like a mini-mother.

E-ntertaining– Leslie (along with her trusty sidekick, Laci) loves to plan little “shows” for us. She has done plays, acrobatics, bicycle tricks and piano pieces for our enjoyment. She’s also been known to tell hilarious jokes. 🙂

S-unny – Leslie’s smile can brighten any situation. I remember the myriad of emotions I felt while holding her right after she was born. That was the first time I caught a glimpse of her delightful grin, and I’ve loved it ever since.

L-adylike – Leslie has always been prim and proper. When she was two years old, she began carrying a purse in all of her play. She now likes to fix her hair and come up with cute outfits to wear. I have a feeling she is looking forward to the day she can wear makeup, too, but I hope I have a few years before that happens. 😉

I-maginative – Leslie’s days of playing “pretend” are about over, but she has always had a great imagination. She could spend hours playing with her Barbie dolls or playing dress up when she was younger. I know she will continue to imagine great things, but in a different way now that she is growing up.

E-fficient – Leslie loves to organize and straighten things. Nothing brings her more joy than to see shoes lined up in a row, shirts neatly folded and a closet arranged by item. This began when she was just a tiny toddler. I remember buying some counting bears to help her learn numbers in preschool. She found far more pleasure in placing them in groups by color than in counting them! She is still like that: neat, precise, orderly. She finds the most efficient way to do her school work each day and follows through with her plan. If you have a job that needs doing, Leslie will get it done in the fastest way possible.

My prayer for Leslie, and all of the children, is that they grow in the knowledge of the Lord. This begins with God’s grace in salvation. Leslie was born on May 17, 2005, but she was born again on November 21, 2014. I pray that she walks closely with the God of her salvation all of her days.

Thank you for stopping by on Leslie’s special day!

With love,

Work in Progress

Valerie Basham

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May 16, 2015

Beside my desk is a stack of used textbooks. It seems like yesterday…okay, like last month, that those books were brand new. I’ve been throwing away the empty test and quiz booklets all week. On Monday, Lauren will be taking her final Algebra II test, and Mitch and Leslie will also being taking finals in math. Then it’s over. Laci finished up all of her books yesterday. I am now in full swing in planning our next adventure, I mean, school year.

In the midst of this craziness, I managed to sprain my ankle. On Tuesday, I did my normal morning run around 7 AM. At about 10 AM that day, I noticed sharp pain in my right ankle. I figured I was just sore. But the pain got worse and worse until I could barely walk. The next day it was no better. I headed to the doctor who informed me that I’d sprained it. I told him that I hadn’t tripped or fallen or twisted my ankle in any way. He said, “It’s all just part of seasoning.” That was his nice way of saying, “You’re gettin’ old, sister!” *sigh* The good news is that it should heal on its own if I follow the RICE method: Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation. I’ve been doing it as much as I can. It seems to be improving, though I admit I’ve been afraid to walk on it very much.

Some of you might remember that we were blessed to have our master bathroom remodeled in December. The job wasn’t finished at that time, so the workers came yesterday to start on the next phase, which is the installing of our new door! Here are some before photos:

Here’s the progress from Friday (we hope this phase will be completed on Monday):

This view is from inside the shower area. I’m looking forward to having this wall finished. 😉

The last phase will be completing the tile on the wall and on the floor. It’s getting close!

In other family news. . .

Lauren just completed Driver’s Ed and got her learner permit!

A selfie before her first driving practice!

There she goes! Her first time out was in the rain, so she had a tough fist day. The second day was cloudy, but no rain, so that was much better. Upon completion of driver’s ed, passing a reading test and submitting several forms of ID, she earned her PERMIT!

I’m not sure why she didn’t smile for the license photo. She told her dad it was something about “crushing stereotypes”. All I can say is this girl is ALL Basham! I love it!

She is a careful driver. *insert huge sigh of relief*

The boys got haircuts yesterday. I couldn’t resist snapping a photo. They just look adorable – yes, even my almost-13-year-old boy looks adorable! (Says his completely UNbiased mother. *wink wink*)

Mitch had to get on his knees for the photo since I’ve been limited. I guess he’s trying to crush stereotypes too?

We’ve also been busy with recitals and soccer, but I’ll save those for another day.

Oh! I forgot to share a photo of my Mother’s Day flowers with you. My family is so wonderful to me. They gave me flowers, candy, cards, and Terry bought us all my favorite food for supper – Burger King.