Wonderful Tips and Ideas

 

How do you manage to homeschool, take care of your house and have young children without the house looking like a toy store, art store and grocery store blew up? -Jessica

Great question, Jessica!
I think many people have this unrealistic picture that I just sit around in this perfectly clean and organized home and do geography lessons, hands-on science experiments and read for hours on end with my three children with nary an interruption or mess.
Truth be told, we have plenty of messes. There are days when I never make it out of my pajamas and it seems like while I’m cleaning up one mess, the children are in the other room making an even bigger mess.
I love being a mom. I love homeschooling. But that doesn’t mean that it’s easy. Not by a long stretch. There are days when I want to pull my hair out. There are many days when I feel so overwhelmed with the responsibility of training and raising three children. There are days when I just want to give up and give in.
But, I’m slowly learning and growing as a mom. Learning what works and what doesn’t work. Learning to rely upon the Lord more. And, most of all, learning to let go of my expectations and my perfectionism.
There are many moms who are much farther along in their mothering journey who likely have much more wisdom to share, but here are a few things I’ve found to be tremendously helpful:

1) Accept the Fact That It Will Be Never Perfect

One of the quotes from The Sane Woman’s Guide to Raising a Large Family that I loved was, “Embrace the Chaos”. This has helped me so much.
Children are being raised, trained and nurtured in our home and this means that it’s not going to be perfect — or even close. Messes, spills, sticky peanut butter fingerprints are inevitable. When I let go of perfectionism and accept that this life of mine isn’t going to be all neat and tidy all the time, I’m a much more relaxed and cheerful mom.

2) Ask God for Patience

Many days, I feel overwhelmed and incapable of doing this mothering thing. It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done and it forces me to my knees on a very regular basis to ask the Lord to help me. I try to start each day with time reading God’s Word and praying asking the Lord to please give me patience, love and joy as I teach and care for my children. I need His help and grace every moment of every day!

3) Have a Plan

I’m not a fan of rigid, regimented schedules. They just don’t work for this fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants kind of girl.
A routine, however, is a lifesaver for me. Having on paper set blocks of time for our main priorities in each day has been very beneficial to me. We get more done, life is more organized and instead of having to worry about what we’re going to do next, we just do the next thing on our routine list.
We’re always tweaking our routine (and that’s the beauty of it!), but here’s how our summer schedule currently looks for us:

I wake up sometime between 5:30 and 6:00 a.m. I read my Bible, pray, read for 10 minutes from my current book, exercise, blog for a bit, take a shower and get dressed.
Our day “officially” starts at 8 a.m. Sometimes the children wake up before then and, if so, they have free time until 8 a.m. At 8 a.m., we have breakfast, read our Bible devotional together and work on our Bible memory verses.
8:30 all the children take baths, get dressed and get their hair fixed.
9:00 is chore time. This is when I do the bulk of the house cleaning. I have daily chores that I do on a daily basis (clean the kitchen, wipe down the counter tops, clean up my room, etc.) and day-of-the-week chores that I do once a week.
The girls are responsible for their room and bathroom, plus they help out with emptying trashes and vacuuming. Once they get their chores done, they can play until 10:00.
10:00 is homeschooling time. We do My Father’s World, Math, Reading and Penmanship (we’re already finished with History, Art and Science until the fall) around the kitchen table.
Kaitlynn and Silas listen in and work on busy bags, coloring, bean-scooping, etc. I have a big tub with activities that I rotate for them to do. They usually only stick with one activity for 10-15 minutes, so I stop and get them set up with something else as needed.
Kathrynne usually doesn’t finish up all her work during this time so she’ll work on finishing it up after lunch.
11:00 is read-aloud time (during the school year, we bump this time to the afternoon and continue homeschool time here). I read a few picture books and then a few chapters from our current read-aloud book. The children often play with Legos on the living room floor while I read. I’ve found that they seem to listen better when their hands are busy.

11:45 the children can go outside to play in the backyard while I switch the laundry, make lunch and check in on blogging stuff.
12:30 is lunch time. If we’re still in the middle of an exciting part in our read-aloud, I’ll often read again during part of lunch.
1:30 is quiet time. Silas goes down for a nap, Kaitlynn reads books in her room (usually falling asleep) and Kathrynne reads or plays quietly (or finishes up her school work). I do most of my blogging during this time. In the fall, Kathrynne will be working on finishing up her homework during this time, plus reading.
3:00 (or whenever Silas wakes up) is snack time. If the children have all their chores and Kathrynne has all her school done done, they are free to play until dinner. They sometimes play very nicely, other times, it’s complete chaos… we’re still working on that. I get dinner made, pick up, fold and put a load of laundry away and finish up any blogging/computer tasks if I have time or need to.
6:00 is dinner time. We usually take our time around the table, talking about the day, getting into rousing discussions, etc. Dinner sometimes lingers until 7:30 or later. After dinner, we quickly clean up, the children get their jammies on and teeth brushed and then we have our family Bible Time. After that, the children go to bed.
8:30 is our time as a couple. Sometimes, we have an “at-home date night” complete with a movie and some sort of treat. Sometimes, we both have projects to work on so we’ll just hang out in the same room with our laptops (the glamorous life of both being self-employed!). Other times, we just talk.
10:30 to 11:00 is typically lights out. Yes, we’re “early birds” like that — and sometimes I konk out soon after the kiddos go to bed! (I’ve always wished I could be one of those people who thrives on 5 1/2 hours of sleep. But alas, I’ve learned need at least 6 1/2 to 7 hours every night — preferably a little more! — to function well.)

4) Focus on One Habit at a Time

It’s so easy to want to change our homes and selves overnight. But that’s entirely unrealistic.
We all have areas we need to grow and improve in. We all have things we want to instill in our children. But none of us can do it all at once.
One thing I’ve found to be very helpful is to make a list of all the areas I want to work on and then just choose one area to focus on for three months. Instead of trying to get up earlier, make healthier meals, exercise, read more and learn how to knit all in the same month, pace yourself and pick the highest priority goal first. Once you feel like you’ve somewhat mastered it, add in something else.
Slow and gradual improvements tend to be much more long-lasting — and much less exhausting!

5) Give Yourself Grace

Superwoman is a myth. No woman does everything and every woman has her areas she struggles with.
Having a plan for our day has helped me tremendously, but nothing ever goes perfectly according to plan. There are always unexpected interruptions, messes, children with bad attitudes and many, many disruptions to each day.
I used to beat myself up that I wasn’t as organized and efficient as I wanted to be. But I started realizing how unproductive this was as it only served to discourage me.
I’m slowly learning to give myself grace. When I’m tired, I’m learning to choose sleep over a spotlessly clean kitchen. When I’m feeling burnt out, I’m learning to let myself not worry about blogging or laundry for a few hours and just go do something fun with the children, with my husband or with a friend.
Life is meant to be enjoyed and savored not run through at breakneck speed. Take time to stop and smell the roses, even if it means fewer things get crossed off the to-do list!

Originally written on moneysavingmoms.com

Selfish Marriage



This is a wonderful article. The topic of selfishness, and what the bible says has been on my mind for quite some time. This entry speaks of the selfishness in marriage, and how it will destroy your marriage and your life! I pray you are blessed by this. That your heart is softened. That your marriage is changed.

Many Blessings

 

 

 

By Dennis and Barbara Rainey
Maintaining harmony in marriage has been difficult since Adam and Eve. Two people trying to go their own selfish, separate ways can never hope to experience the oneness of marriage as God intended. The prophet Isaiah portrayed the problem accurately more than 2,500 years ago when he described basic human selfishness like this: "All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way"  (Isaiah 53:6).

Selfishness is possibly the most dangerous threat to oneness in marriage. It affects how we talk to each other, how we divide responsibilities in the home, how we resolve conflicts, and even how we spend our time. Men stubbornly ignore the needs of their wives. They prefer fishing or hunting or playing golf, or even spending an extra hour or two at the office. I once met a pastor who frequented Christian bookstores and libraries for the sole purpose of avoiding his wife. And I have counseled women who spend countless hours shopping, not for their families but to avoid responsibilities at home and to gratify themselves.

Just how do we avoid reaping the bitter fruit of selfishness in a marriage?

Surrender is the key
In our first years of marriage I (Dennis) was more than a bit selfish. After being single for 25 years, I was skilled at looking out for my own needs. But when I took Barbara as my wife, I assumed a new responsibility—loving Barbara as Christ loved the church. That demanded death to self, but my “self” didn’t want to “die.”

After we were married, it didn’t take Barbara long to learn about my genuine 14-carat tendency to be lazy, which was closely linked to my enjoyment of television. I thought Saturdays were mine to thoroughly enjoy as I pleased. Following the pattern I’d learned from my dad, I would get soft drinks and chips, crawl into my chair, and settle down to watch hours of baseball, football, tennis, golf—it didn’t matter what the sport. I just wanted to become a giant amoeba, a blob of molecules with flat brain waves mesmerized by hours of boob tube gazing. What was wrong with this picture? Barbara needed my help in doing tasks and running errands.


Read more at Growthtrac Defeating Selfishness in Your Marriage, Christian Marriage Articles - Growthtrac http://www.growthtrac.com/artman/publish/selfishness-marriage-1317.php

Marriage offers a tremendous opportunity to do something about selfishness. Someone may say, “There is no hope; I can’t get him to change,” or “What’s the use? She’ll never be any different.” Barbara and I know there is hope because we learned to apply a plan that is bigger than human self-centeredness. Through principles taught in Scripture, we have learned how to set aside our selfish interests for the good of each other as well as for the profit of our marriage.

Willing to be last
We have seen the Bible’s plan work in our lives, and we’re still seeing it work daily. Barbara hasn’t changed me nor have I changed her. God has changed both of us.

The answer for ending selfishness is found in Jesus and His teachings. He showed us that instead of wanting to be first, we must be willing to be last. Instead of wanting to be served, we must serve. Instead of trying to save our lives, we must lose them. We must love our neighbors (our spouses) as much as we love ourselves. In short, if we want to defeat selfishness, we must give up, give in, and give all.

If we live our lives for ourselves, thinking only of our selfish desires and interests, in the end God gives us exactly what we want: ourselves.

Marriage provides the opportunity to live life for someone else and to avoid this terrible conclusion: “All I’ve got is me. I can’t depend on anyone else.”

The parable of the porcupines
What we need the most is to be in a relationship with another person who accepts us as we are and doesn't reject us. But the closer I get to Barbara, the more she becomes aware of who I really am and the possibility of her rejecting me grows even greater.

A well-known story catches the pain of the human dilemma when it compares relating to each other to the predicament of two porcupines freezing in the winter cold. Shivering in the frigid air, the two porcupines move closer together to share body heat and warmth. But then their sharp spines and quills prick each other painfully and they move apart, victims once more of the bitter cold around them. Soon they feel they must come together once more, or freeze to death. But their quills cause too much pain and they have to part again.

Many marriages are just like that. We can't stand the cold (isolation from each other) but we desperately need to learn how to live with the sharp barbs and quills that are part of coming together in oneness.

The key to dealing with the barbs and quills that come from selfishness is learning you have to depend on someone else because you have no other choice. To experience oneness, you must give up your will for the will of another. But to do this, you must first give up your will to Christ, and then you will find it possible to give up your will for that of your spouse.

Unless you can give up your will and learn to depend on each other, selfishness will disable or destroy your marriage as you face the difficulties that are bound to occur.

Thought "Provoking"

Here are 25 ways parents provoke their children to anger:

1. Lack of marital harmony.

2. Establish and maintaining a child-centered home.

3. Modeling sinful anger.

4. Habitually disciplining while angry.

5. Scolding.

6. Being inconsistent with discipline.

7. Having double standards.

8. Being legalistic.

9. Not admitting you're wrong and not asking for forgiveness.

10. Constantly finding fault.

11. Parents Reversing God-given roles (ex:wives leading homes).

12. Not listening to your child's opinion or taking his or her 'side of the story' seriously.

13. Comparing them to others

14. Not making time 'just to talk'

15. Not praising or encouraging your child.

16. Failing to keep your promises.

17. Chastening in front of others.

18. Not allowing enough freedom.

19. Allowing too much freedom.

20. Mocking your child.

21. Abusing them physically.

22. Ridiculing or name calling.

23. Unrealistic expectations

24. Practicing Favoritism

25. Child training with worldly methodologies inconsistent with God's Word.

Enjoy your children! Cherish them as the blessings God has so graciously given to you! I know the above is a lot, and quite overwhelming to read; but I challenge you all (and myself) to look at these things. Are you honoring God with your mothering?

Coming Soon

(I love this painting)

The Lord has blessed us yet again!!!!

We will be adding another precious blessing. The due date is TBA, but I am thinking sometime around late February or March!!! We are so so excited. Thank you all for your prayers and support!!!

Many Blessings!!!

Humble Washing



Our VBS (Vacation Bible School) is under way and going so very well! I want to share a sweet sweet story with all of my readers!

Yesterday I taught on Love. One of the stories that was told was from a passage in Luke 7:36-38,44-48. This story is familiar to most. It speaks of a woman (Mary) who loved Jesus so much. She washed His feet with sweet smelling (very expensive) oils and perfumes. She showed so much humility and so much love. I have always enjoyed this story, simply because it challenges me to love deeply.

While in class, we (the co-teachers and I) set the stage to show so much love to these children (children who may not even know who Jesus is) We filled large bowls with soapy, warm water, and played soft music. As the music played each one of us bent down and began washing "feet" (hands for time sake) Praying aloud for each child. I made sure to tell each precious one how much Jesus loved them, and how much I love them too! By the third hand washing, I was weeping! This exercise was such a blessing to me, and I pray these children remember this, and know the love of Christ, and the love I and the other teachers have for them all!!! Many blessings to you all

Words that Heal



“The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.”
Proverbs 18:21 (NIV)

I was searching in my husband’s sock drawer when I found a familiar thick white envelope. I put on my glasses, sat at my vanity and started reading.
Tears followed.
“Dad, you are my hero.” Ryan penned these words the day my husband, Richard, finished graduate school. The words in the three pages revealed a young man who was not afraid to open his heart and let his dad see inside.
Reading the letter once again made me want to write a letter to my son. I wanted to tell him that I remembered when he was a little boy and he offered drive-by kisses as he ran past. I desired to tell him that when I was an exhausted mother to three toddlers his lopsided smile and Kermit the Frog belly laugh made me happy to be a mom.
I longed to tell him that I remembered when he walked behind me, trying to gain my attention with “Mom, Mom, Mama!” I wanted to share that I was sorry when I wasn’t as patient as I should have been.
Most of all I wanted to let him know how proud I was of him as a man and how I saw many of the same beautiful traits of his father emerging in him.
Why do we leave such precious words unsaid? Words that heal. Words that share the way we feel. Words that become treasures one day when words are all that remain.
Today’s key verse from Proverbs 18:21 reminds us that the power isn’t in the tongue as a muscle, but in the words that fall from the tongue. We often talk about the negative words we should hold back, but what about the words that we can freely offer to those we care about?
Those are powerful words, indeed.

Dear Lord, scripture is filled with words that remind me of Your love. May my tongue be used to affirm, to encourage, to lift up, and to share simple words that say “I love you” to the treasured people You put in my life.

Shared with you by: Proverbs31 ministries

Praying for Our Children



Jesus prayed to His Father. Jesus prayed for His disciples. Jesus prays for you and me. How much more should we pray for our children.

I will pray for my children:

1. That they will know Christ early in life. Psalm 63:1; 2 Timothy 3:15

2. That they will hate sin. Psalm 97:10

3. That they will be caught when guilty. Psalm 119:71

4. That they will be protected from the evil one in each area of their lives; spiritual, emotional, physical. John 17:15

5. That they have a responsible attitude in all their personal relationships.
Daniel 6:3

6. That they will respect those in authority over them. Romans 13:1

7. That they will desire the right kind of friends and be protected from the wrong friends. Proverbs 1:10-11

8. That they will be kept from the wrong mate and saved for the right one.
2 Corinthians 6:14-17

9. That they, as well as those they marry, will be kept pure.
1 Corinthians 6:18-20

10. That they will learn to totally submit to God and actively resist Satan in all circumstances. James 4:7

11. That they will be single-hearted, willing to be sold out to Jesus Christ.
Romans 12:1-2

12. That they will be hedged in so they cannot find their way to wrong people or wrong places and that the wrong people cannot find their way to them. Hosea 2:6

You can see there are 12; one for each month. Within a year, you will have consistently prayed this entire list or you could also just pray for all twelve daily. Print this out and keep it somewhere you could pray for them---in your Bible, on the fridge, etc.

(Source by Carl and Audrey Broggi)

What's the Big Deal About Dwelling on the Past?



“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing!”
Isaiah 43:18,19

The writing below is wonderful! It reminds me to focus on now not dwelling on the past! It was borrowed from http://www.proverbs31.org%20i/ am sure you will be blessed!

A young married woman unloaded her marriage frustrations on a radio call-in show. Her husband had forgotten what the word romance meant. He never thought to bring her a sweet card or to plan a date. He didn’t thank her or even notice her hard work, like laundry and keeping the house clean, along with working full-time.
I suspected her thoughts were leading her to a dangerous place. Sure enough, the young wife confirmed this with her next statement: After two years of marriage, she wondered if she’d made the right decision about this marriage. Maybe she should have married the guy she dated right after college, the one she regretted letting slip away from her.
Her fantasies of what might have been were leading her to a dangerous place of dwelling on the past. Thoughts of the past, or as today’s Scripture puts it, “former things,” can bombard our marriage mindset in damaging ways. See if any of these thoughts ring a bell:

• I wonder if I made the right decision about my marriage?
• I wish my husband were romantic (attentive or understanding) the way he was when we were dating.
• What happened to the great listener I used to have in my husband? Now all he wants to do is play sports or watch TV.
• Even though it was years ago, I just can’t forgive the way he hurt my feelings.
• This isn’t what I imagined marriage would be. What happened to all our dreams?

How can dwelling on the past damage our marriage? When we dwell on the past, we’re robbed of the treasures of the present. We don’t see the gifts God’s given us right now in our husbands and marriage. Maybe he doesn’t bring you flowers anymore, but he works hard every day to provide. He doesn’t thank you for the clean laundry because he’s busy with a house project he hopes will make you smile. He knows he made mistakes in the past, but he’s trying hard to change.
The young wife on the radio found the world’s answer to her marital frustrations. The radio hostess agreed that this husband was clueless and this young wife should question staying in this marriage.
I wanted to scream, Stop right there! You’re going down a dangerous path! Maybe he wasn’t a good husband. But I suspect he was just a human husband, one with flaws and shortcomings. Just like the husband had plenty to learn about marriage, so did this young wife.
God has a better answer for what to do when we find ourselves dwelling on the past in a detrimental way. He says, “See, I am doing a new thing!” (Isaiah 43:19) In other words, God asks us to redirect our focus to the good things He can and will do in our marriages. As we continue in Isaiah we come to a question we need to ask ourselves, “Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?” (43:19).
God’s is asking, Do you see the good things I’m doing right now… in your life or marriage? Pay attention or you’re going to miss out!
To redirect our focus on the new things God is doing in our marriages, we can pray about our marriage mindset, asking God to help us see the blessings, not the drawbacks. We can choose to think about how our marriage has gotten better, and look forward to the future we have together.
Reading this devotion may have triggered thoughts of some unresolved issues in your marriage. This isn’t meant to minimize the bigger issues you might be wrestling with in your marriage. These issues may need to be resolved before you can move forward. Pray about it individually and as a couple, talk with your spouse, and seek godly counsel. These steps might be necessary before you can see God “making a way in the desert” (Isaiah 43:19).

All Pride Aside-If and Then

"If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land." 2 Chronicles 7:14

Do you feel as if your prayers, your repentance, your pleading doesn't reach the ears of our Father? If this is a feeling that is truth for you, you are not alone. I too, have, at times felt this very way. When we pray it should be a loving conversation, a yearning, a want to, to have that intimate time with God. Sometimes the conversation seems one sided, and my words never reach Him.

I find the above verse to be very interesting in so many ways. Lets explore what God says, in His word!

Our prayers so often are a laundry list of what needs to be done, our wants, our desires. We acknowledge we have done wrong, repenting of our evil ways. Are we doing this out of ritual? Do we REALLY want to relate with Jesus, to walk with Him, talk with Him, share our lives with Him......... A better question? Do we want to listen to what He has to say?

The words if and then in 2 Chronicles really have spoken to me involving this passage, and our lives in general. IF...We humble ourselves....seek His face....TURN FROM OUR WICKED WAYS...

Are we humble when we pray? Do our hearts long for a word from God? Do you find yourself asking for and repenting for the same things over and over and over? Have you turned from wickedness? This passage says If we do all of these things mentioned then I will hear from heaven, forgive and heal!!! Whew, That's GOOD stuff isn't it? The God of this universe, the very one who cared enough to die on a cruel cross, and rose again for YOU and for ME wants to also heal and forgive, dare I say on a daily basis? That is really hard to wrap my mind around most days. I am so so in love with this Savior; the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords! Don't you want to be healed? forgiven? listened to? Let us cast all of our pride aside, humble ourselves before the Holy God of heaven. Know that apart from Christ you are nothing. Without Him and the Love that He so graciously gives, all things are impossible! Right now stop.................................and go love on your Savior; Tell Him how much you love Him!

Without the IF there is no THEN!

A Drink for A Thirsty Soul



A dear friend is serving our Lord in Kenya right now. This is something she shared with me a few days ago, and I, in turn want to share it with you. This is so very simple, but, is causing me to evaluate the precious blessings God has given to us, with so much grace!!! 

John 4:14 Says: but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”  I am thanking our Lord Jesus today, for all of the blessings he gives. For new life, and for living water!


Written by: Susan Clark

I will never think of water quite the same again. On Wednesday we passed out water to an endless line of people. At times I could not pour it fast enough for the children to drink. Something as simplistic as water and people were standing in line for hours just for a cup of fresh clean water. I thought to myself how many times in a day I leave the water faucet running while I'm cleaning off the counters in my kitchen, or how much water I used just to water the few plants on the porch. Or the times in a day I fill the water bowl for the dogs on a hot afternoon. We have an endless supply it seems of water at home and yet water here is such a precious gift of life to so many. This sweet little boy who walked home from school today in the heat and when he reached the center he could not seem to drink enough water. He was so incredibly thirsty and I wondered how long that day he had gone without a cool cup of water to quench his thirst. Water is such a gift that we take for granted daily as Americans. Oh God my father please may I never forget to be grateful for the simply things in life!

Tired Robot!



As mothers I am sure there are times when true exhaustion sets in; When the thought of yet another load of laundry, sweeping the floor, or doing the 3rd round of dishes for the day makes your head spin!!!

We all have days like these don't we? Some days I feel like a robot, doing the same things over and over and over again; When, sometimes I just want to play outside with our children, read a book with them, or even... TAKE A NAP with our little ones.

Matthew 11:28-30 says:
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

I take so much refuge in the above scripture.



I love being the wife, mother, and friend that God wants me to be, but He knew I would get tired, and feel burdened.

Isn't it wonderful that we serve the one true God? That takes on our burdens as His? I am rested when I curl up with the Master of this universe. I feel burdens lifted when I converse with and trust in the Creator. I have faith, that being the wife, and mother that He would have, is kingdom work... and suddenly, I don't feel as much like that robot I described.

Be encouraged, dear sister! Don't lose heart... He will lift your burdens, He will carry the load... There is no heart too heavy for the arms of Jesus to hold!

Many blessings

From Everlasting to Everlasting

“Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. A thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night.” Psalm 90:2,4

Well Rested



How was your week?  Were you involved in countless activities and programs centered around your children? Did you have any time alone with God? Were you up at dawn and down at midnight [or later]? Are you Tired?  If any of these things apply to you and your life then listen up!!!

I have some valuable tips for making your sabbath (Sunday or otherwise) a true day of rest.

I have the tendency to make our day of rest my "catch up day." Doing countless loads of laundry left from the weekend. Sweeping and mopping muddy floors tracked by little toddler toes; But, lately I have been evaluating what my day of rest should look like, and also what I can do to make resting easy for my family! Refocusing our minds, bodies, and hearts on our Lord!

Lay The Clothes Out- Some of you have already put this into practice in your own homes, I think it's fabulous! I always decide what everyone will wear, including socks, underwear, shoes, and any jewelry or hosiery I need to complete the outfit I choose for myself. The night before church we are all prepared!

Pack All The Bags- We have three children, so this means three different bags. Do you have extra clothes for the little ones? Are there snacks and sippy cups in each bag? Did you remember coloring pages and crayons for those coming into "big church?" This preparation makes for much smoother sailing come time for your church service.

Make Ahead - I love cooking, so I try to do that during the week, and save all my wonderful crock pot meals for Sundays. The night before, I try and prepare all that the dish requires, this includes making any sides or dessert too. Sometimes we go out to eat so all of this is void at that point, obviously ;)

Fine China- This is one of my favorite tips. PAPER EVERYTHING.  We use "regular" plates, cups, and silverware during the week, but we save the "fine china" for Sundays. We eat on paper plates, use plastic cups, forks, knives and spoons! This means no dishes after lunch. Love that!!!!

Be Intentional- Plan out your "rest." If this includes reading a good book, napping, or having some much needed alone time with you and our Heavenly Father, then plan all of this. Lay your book out near where you will curl up, brew some coffee and settle in. Make sure your bed is made so that when you kick off your heels you can climb onto nice, crisp sheets. If quiet time is what you need, have a note pad, and your bible handy, so that you will not have to search for it last minute.

We love spending time as a family on this day of rest too. After we all are well rested, we rejoin for a movie, or time outside.

Celebrate this day that our Lord has blessed us with. He knew that we would need this. Take your sabbath, and rest!

Higher Standard

I have come to find, that as a wife (of the most amazing man on the planet, may I add;) it is not always easy to follow! Do some of you feel this way?

Sometimes it's easier to blurt out answers, be "snip snappy" and want to do it our way, or no way! Sometimes, when your husband disciplines do you want to interrupt? take over? or say things like "your doing this wrong" or "this is how you should do it." I can't be alone on all of this!!!!

The world has, for some time, been calling for feminism, undermining the love and respect we should be giving our husbands, and dare I say submitting to the leadership they provide as well. By the worlds standards we should be independent, and have an "I don't need a man" attitude. We should bull doze our way around, knocking everyone over, including our husbands, to get ahead, and have our way; God calls for a much higher standard to live by.What does the  bible say about this?

In James 1:19 it says we are to be slow to anger.  " My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry." This seems to be a struggle for me most days. With my buoyant (a kind word for loud) personality it is hard to remember to listen before speaking, and that my opinion is not the only one that counts! Ask your husband for his opinion, and when he gives it, listen and heed his advice, or suggestions.

I was reminded recently by an altercation with one of my dear friends that love covers a multitude of sins; also, love keeps no record of wrongs. (I was not doing this well at all)
1 Peter 4:8 "Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.
1 Corinthians 13:5 [Love] "It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
We should love, as God commands, especially our husbands!

Fathers day is coming up soon. I am praying that respect, love, and biblical submission avail in my marriage, so that our children will see a model of what our Lord commands us to do as wives; so that one day, they too can look for and be the biblical example given in scripture.

Dying to Save- Living to Love

At the  age of 33,
Jesus was condemned to the death penalty.  

At that  time crucifixion was the "worst" death. Only the worst criminals condemned to be crucified. Yet it was
Even more dreadful for Jesus, for unlike other criminals condemned to death by crucifixion, Jesus was nailed to the cross by His hands and feet, rather than tied...
  Each  nail
Was 6 to 8 inches long. 
The  nails
Were driven into His wrist.  Not
Into His palms  as is commonly
Portrayed. There's a tendon in the wrist that 
Extends to the shoulder.  The Roman guards knew
That when the nails were being hammered into the
Wrist, that tendon would tear and
Break, forcing Jesus to use His back
Muscles to support himself, so that He could breathe.   

Jesus endured this
Reality for over 3 hours.  
Yes, 
Over 3 hours! Can you imagine this kind of
Suffering? A few minutes before He died,
Jesus stopped bleeding. He was simply pouring water
From his wounds.  
From  common images we see wounds to His hands and feet and even the spear wound to His side... 
But do we remember the many wounds 
Made to his body.  A hammer
Driving large nails through the wrists, the feet overlapped
And a nail hammered through the arches, then a
Roman guard piercing  His side with a spear. And...
Before the nails and the spear, Jesus was whipped and
Beaten.  The whipping was so severe that it tore the
Flesh from His body. The beating so horrific that His
Face was torn and his beard ripped from His face. The
Crown of thorns (two to three inch thorns) cut deeply into His scalp. Most men
Would not have survived this torture.   

  
He had no more blood
To bleed out, only water poured from His 
Wounds.  The 
Human adult body contains about 3.5 liters
(just less than a  gallon) of blood. 

Jesus  poured all 3.5 liters of his blood;
He had three nails hammered into His
Members; a crown of thorns on His head and, beyond
That, a Roman soldier who stabbed a spear into His 
Chest.. 
All  these without
Mentioning the humiliation He passed after carrying His own
Cross for almost 2 kilometers, while the crowd  spat in his
Face and threw stones (the cross beam was almost 30 kg of weight, to which His hands were nailed).  

 
Jesus had to endure this experience,
So that you may have free access to God. 

So that your sins can be "washed" away.
All  of them, with no exception!
Don't ignore this. 
JESUS 
CHRIST DIED...FOR YOU!   
Accept  the reality, the truth, that
JESUS IS THE ONLY SALVATION FOR THE WORLD.  

I think we, even as Christians, tend to glamorize the brutal crucifixion of Christ. While His death was the most beautiful act of grace, mercy and love it was also painful, humiliating, and I am sure emotionally draining! But, praise be to our Lord that it didn't stop there!!!

HE'S ALIVE!

God has special plans for YOU!
Really think about it! 

Searching!!!



". . . if you cry out for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver
and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear
of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom . . . "
- Proverbs 2:3-6 (NIV)

How much time do we, as women spend looking for that perfect piece of jewelry, or that amazing shoe that goes well with the beautiful dress we have had forever??? Or dare I ask, how much MONEY do we spend getting our hair done, or Mani/Pedi combos?

Tonight, I am challenging you to search for understanding and for the wisdom only Christ can give; as if searching for these things mentioned! I am sure you we will be blessed!