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Books

The Whale Tells His Side of the Story: Hey God, I’ve Got Some Guy Named Jonah in My Stomach and I Think I’m Gonna Throw Up! - The boys and I are in love with this hilarious, comic-book style book telling the Jonah story from the whale’s perspective! There are more of this type of book in the works from B & H Kids and we can’t wait to check those out as well!

The Growly Books: Begin by Philip and Erin Ulrich - The very first night I started this brand new chapter book with the boys, it received the highest compliment it can get from them: “Keep reading, Mommy!” And that went on chapter after chapter until we had read for much longer than any of us had planned! The characters, the setting, the adventure – we are all enthralled and can’t wait for more!

Sammy Experiences God: An Experiencing God at Home Storybook - The Experiencing God series has been a powerful series for adults longing to have a deeper relationship with God and now there is a wonderful storybook for kids to help do the same! As you read about Sammy, the book has activities and discussion questions to help you as a family experience God together!

Bibles

My Learn to Read Bible: Stories in Words and Pictures - We have stacks of Bibles for the kids to choose from to read during Bible time. This is the on Little J {4 1/2} has been stuck on for a while. He is a reader already, but this Bible combines pictures with words to help kids explore and expand their reading vocabulary!

Brave Knight Bible {KJV} - We’re not a big King James family, but this is a COOL Bible for boys! I love any book or Bible for boys that highlights godly strength and courage! And I am a big fan of having several different translations in the house for reference and study!

Which of these books and Bibles for kids would your family love?

The post Books & Bibles for Kids: May Edition appeared first on Home With The Boys.

I’ve shared my running journey with you, but The Hubby has been on quite the running journey as well. In fact, he is the reason I started running at all.

The Beginning of the Dream

It all began in January of 2012. The Hubby started running and working out to be a better healthy example to his patients. He lost over 40 pounds in the process and discovered a love for running. Within a few months, he had run his first race – 10 miles – and a half=marathon less than two months later!

I was pregnant when he started running, but as soon as I was cleared to start exercising, I decided to give it a go. Running became something we both enjoyed and I worked my way through races, upping my distance slowly along the way.

We ran a half-marathon {my first} together in November and I would not have made it through that crazy course without him.

The Dream Grows

His running dream got a whole lot bigger after that – in fact, it doubled. He signed up for a marathon and got to work training. Marathon training is no joke, my friends. People should get a medal just for making it through training.

When race day arrived, anticipation was high. The boys and I had signs ready and spots picked out along the course to cheer him on. We yelled and screamed and caught the long sleeve shirt he threw at us at mile 6.5, and then cheered on several friends running that day at the same spot before we moved on.

And then he called. He should have still been running, so I was worried right away. He had turned his ankle at mile 9 and finished at the half. It was a major half PR for him, but it was still devastating. I was so proud of him, but I knew it hurt badly to see that dream slip away.

But God wasn’t finished with that dream.

I was all signed up to run my second half-marathon just two weeks later, and when The Hubby’s ankle was feeling better the day after the race, we decided he should register for the full marathon at the same event. He was still in training mode. Two weeks was just the perfect amount of time to try again.

We were blessed that my parents were willing and able to watch the boys so we could make this all happen. We dropped them off Friday afternoon and made our way up to Fargo!

The weather was stormy, which made me more nervous than The Hubby, but thankfully the storms moved out overnight and there was just a light drizzle when my race began. The full started 45 minutes after the half.

Although neither of us knew anyone along the route cheering us on, it was such a cool feeling to know we were both doing this at the same time. This race was my second half, but it was my first solo race, and knowing The Hubby was running twice as far as I was gave me a lot of strength when things got hard.

My first 7 miles were great – humid and warming up, but really fun. Fargo knows how to put on and support a race. The crowds were awesome, the course was flat, I was on a high…until mile 9. I had set three goals ahead of time, and I was still on track with two of them at that time, but the weather and my breathing forced me to adjust the last goal at that point.

I struggled through my last few miles, but I crossed the finish line with a new PR by over 22 minutes: 2:03:23!

And then I collapsed on a volunteer. It wasn’t pretty for a while after that – my lungs and the humidity had battled the whole race and I had given it everything I had and my body needed a little help to recover post-race. The medical volunteers were AMAZING. I am so grateful for their help and smiles and great attitudes.

But all I cared about was where The Hubby was and how his race was going. I am so thankful for friends and family who were able to update me on his progress when the map wouldn’t update on my phone. I said a prayer of thanks when he passed the halfway mark.

And then I waited. The finish line for all of us was in the FargoDome and the atmosphere inside was SO fun – a great distraction! When you see the running community together like that – people of all shapes and sizes and abilities but ALL runners – it is truly inspiring and emotional.

I knew The Hubby’s goal, but I also knew the weather had heated up considerably {anything over 60 makes it harder on runners and it was up to 75 at that point}. My best friend called me to say he had passed the 25 mile mark and I started crying. He was almost done.

The FargoDome had big screens up, two showing the runners as they came in from outside and two showing the finish line. My teary eyes were glued to the screen for any sign of him…

I snapped this picture of the screen and then pushed my way to the finish line just in time to yell and scream my heart out as The Hubby finished his first FULL MARATHON in 3:55:47!!! {It was loud in the dome, but he said he heard me loud and clear as he crossed – mission accomplished!}

DREAM REALIZED.

And now I’m crying again.

I couldn’t be more proud of this guy. The way he trained, the way he rebounded from a setback, the way he persevered through the heat and humidity. And he humbled me by celebrating my race even more than his afterwards. I am blessed beyond measure.

And I can’t even tell you how much it meant to go through that day together. We did separate races, but it felt like it was OUR thing. And there are few things quite as powerful and bonding as supporting each other all the way through to seeing a dream happen and knowing God was directing every step.

And the finisher medals  have Hebrews 12:1 on the back, the coolest reminder ever of just how we came to see the dream realized:

Honey, YOU are a rock star. I love you. What’s next?!

I would love to hear your story about dreaming with someone! How did you support one another? How did it improve

It was also part of my dream to raise money for Operation Christmas Child running as part of Team Samaritan’s Purse! We didn’t quite make our goal, but we still raised $238! Thank you SO much to all who donated and prayed for this race! YOU are part of the dream, as well, and a blessing to me!

The post A Dream Fulfilled Together appeared first on Home With The Boys.

Find out more at The MOB Society today!

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Set a timer and just write. Don’t worry about making it just right or not.

For me? An exercise in letting go and letting words flow. Five minutes only. {yes, I do set a timer and it quacks like a duck at 5 minutes, which totally makes me smile}

Today’s prompt: Song.

And go…

I’ve been messing with my playlist for months and tomorrow we’ll see how it serves me. Each song has been handpicked because of its words or beat or peppiness {is that even a word?!} and tomorrow those songs will keep me company as I run 13.1 miles.

I went back and forth about planning the order of the songs or just hitting shuffle as I cross the start line. I know certain songs get me more fired up than others and maybe if I put them at just the right mile, it will be enough to help me meet my goal.

But The Hubby said the best thing to me last night when I asked him what he would be doing.

“I figure God can put together a better playlist order than I can.”

Amen, dude. So I will let Him direct my steps and direct the songs and trust that He knows just the song I need to hear and just the right time.

Isn’t that how it works in the every day for me as well? Let go. Trust Him. Let Him sing into my life. It’s always more perfect when it is in His timing and not my own.

The surprise of that perfect song when the legs ache or the miles drag on – I can’t wait to see what song He picks.

Stop.

*****

Tomorrow, I will run my second half-marathon. I’m excited and nervous and just want it to be here already, but I’m especially honored to be running to raise money for Operation Christmas Child with Team Samaritan’s Purse! We’re almost halfway to the $500 goal, but the hours are dwindling! I would love your prayers for the race and any help you can provide to support Operation Christmas Child! Thank you for praying, donating, and sharing as you feel led!

And take a few minutes to read the song-filled words of many other writers linked up over at Five Minute Friday today!

The post Let Him Pick the Song {Five Minute Friday} appeared first on Home With The Boys.

I have actually had people say the words, “Your life is so perfect,” to me before and it made me upset for two reasons.

1. My life is NOT perfect.
2. I don’t want it to ever come off like my life is perfect.

Here’s where I get into a dilemma.

I am an extrovert who likes people and sharing life and wants people to like me…

AND I want other women and moms and Christians to know that I struggle with the same things they do…

BUT I don’t want to come off as a complainer or downer…

AND I don’t think everyone needs to know ALL of the mud and slime I’m working through as I walk with Jesus…

So…

Where do I draw the line?

How do I “be real” with others, but not dwell on the yuck?

How do I show the world the countless ways Jesus has blessed me without coming off as having a “perfect,” unrelatable life?

And what about building up and protecting my family and friends with my words – does choosing to talk only positively about them make people think all is perfect?

This is what I’ve come to as my answer to this conundrum:

When I write here, there is no false front being put up. I’ve written about my struggle with yelling and shown you my dirty dishes. I’m keeping it real here.

But I also feel like this is my place to celebrate the blessings of God, especially our families, so that’s where my focus is going to be! I don’t write a whole lot of deep posts about the hard stuff because that’s just not me – just ask anyone who has met me in person! I LOVE a good, deep talk with friends {small talk is NOT my thing}, but I am generally a pretty positive person all round, so what you read here is what you get in real life.

I have plenty of days when my run didn’t go as well and the kids wouldn’t stop complaining about chores and the little one is STILL sick – those days DO happen. Just yesterday in fact.

And the negative was all I thought about, until God sent The Hubby and a good friend to basically say the same thing – “Yep. That stuff stinks. I hear you. But it was just one day. And a lot of things you are upset about are not in your control. And God still loves you and He is GOOD.” {my own paraphrase}

So that’s where I’m dwelling. Not in the perfect life, but in the perfect God.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things. ~Philippians 4:8

And if anyone approaches me with that dreaded line about a perfect life again, I know just what to say…

My life isn’t perfect, but my God is. I choose to dwell on His blessings, not my imperfections.

The post My Life Isn’t Perfect appeared first on Home With The Boys.

Today I’m thinking about music, and I have several playlists to share with you! First, I’ve found some GREAT Christian music to run to recently!

Here are my current favorite Christian running songs:

1. The Proof of Your Love by For King and Country

2. Awake My Soul by Chris Tomlin & Lecrae

3. We Won’t Be Shaken by Building 429

4. Middle of Your Heart by For King and Country

5. Lord, I Need You by Matt Maher

6. God’s Great Dance Floor by Chris Tomlin

7. Me Without You by tobyMac

8. All This Time by Britt Nicole

9. You’ve Got a Home by Christa Wells

10. Do Everything by Steven Curtis Chapman

My list isn’t final for the half-marathon this weekend yet, so tell me…

What are your favorite Christian songs for running?

And don’t forget there are only a few days left to donate as I run for Team Samaritan’s Purse and Operation Christmas Child this Saturday! Praying God will bring together $500 in these last days! Thanks for your donations and prayers!

Linking up to We Are That Family’s Works for Me Wednesday fun!

The post 10 Favorite Christian Running Songs {May 2013} appeared first on Home With The Boys.

I sat down to write and my mind was pretty much blank, mostly from being tired in all the good ways that involve playing and sunshine and long runs and family and much more!

But that also means at this very moment I don’t have a lot to say. I have a lot swirling around in my mind and I know it will come out at some point, but right now, I’m good with letting it process while I get attacked by light-sabers and toddler slobber!

Don’t worry – I’m not sitting in front of a computer frustrated! I’ve been keeping plenty busy, especially with these two things:

1. Summer Bucket Lists

The Hubby challenged each of us – minus Double J, obviously – to make up “summer bucket lists” with all the fun things we want to do this summer. The boys made lists of 50+ items each {including building a Lego city with all of their Lego sets as seen above}! The Hubby and I have 100+ on each of our lists. They involve travel and games and food and dates and all sorts of other things! A lot of fun ideas for the boys’ lists came from KidVentures and Fifteen Minutes Outside: 365 Ways to Get Out of the House and Connect with Your Kids. Mine also includes some projects I want to do around the house and a whole lot of this…

2. Reading

I pretty much just want to sit on the deck and read all day long. I have SO many good books waiting to be read on my Kindle! This past weekend I finished 24/6: A Prescription for a Healthier, Happier Life {which is only $2.99 for Kindle!}. It’s about the importance of a Sabbath and I found it very refreshing and inspiring! I’m over halfway done with Start by Jon Acuff, the first book I’ve read by him. I now must read everything else he has ever written because he is freaking hilarious AND motivating. I have a bajillion other books I want to read this summer as well, so I’m sneaking in reading time whenever I can! I’ll keep you updated as I check them off my list!

One other thing has kept me a little distracted from writing this week and that would be the little old half-marathon I’m running this weekend. No big deal. But since we’re talking about it, would you please say a few prayers for me and all others running, for the weather to cooperate {storms in the forecast}, and for the fundraising I’m doing for Team Samaritan’s Purse and Operation Christmas Child?!

We only have a few days left and we still need over $300 to reach our goal! I would so appreciate if you can donate any amount and any help you provide in spreading word about our fundraiser!

There you go! A little update on life here at Home with the Boys!

What’s happening in your neck of the woods? What things are keeping you the busiest these days?

The post Reading, Writing, & Summer Bucket Lists! appeared first on Home With The Boys.

Sometimes Mother’s Day just sneaks up on you, doesn’t it? Just because you forgot about a gift for mom until RIGHT NOW doesn’t mean you can’t get her anything at all! That’s the beauty of our digital world!

Here are five great last-minute Mother’s Day gift ideas to grab for that special mom in your life, even if it IS Mother’s Day morning… 

1. Sparkly Green Earrings: Catching the Light at Every Turn - A great ebook can be sent right to her Kindle or Nook in a matter of seconds! I just grabbed this one by Melanie Shankle the other day and it is lovely motherhood memoir! Other great motherhood books include The Mission of Motherhood by Sally Clarkson and Hope for the Weary Mom by Brooke McGlothlin & Stacey Thacker.

Go the extra mile: Run to the store and pick up a pair of sparkly green earrings to give with the book!

2. A subscription to a meal planning service. Plan to Eat is THE BEST meal planning service I have ever come across and the only one I actually signed up with when the free trial period was over. It makes meal planning, recipe storage, and grocery shopping so easy once everything is set up!

3. Membership to a local zoo or museum. My sister bought a zoo membership for us as a gift last year and as a mother it was one of the BEST presents because we used it ALL the time! It’s good to get out of the house with the kids, but admittance fees to zoos and museums can get pricey! A membership can often be purchased quickly online!

Go the extra mile: Tie a little card or note telling about the zoo membership around a stuffed animal!

4. A magazine subscription. I know everything has gone digital, but I still enjoy flipping through magazines! You grab a subscription to just about any magazine on Amazon in a matter of minutes! My favorites right now are FamilyFun, Runner’s World, and Taste of Home!

Go the extra mile: Pick up the latest edition of the chosen magazine at the store and tie a ribbon around it!

5. The gift of helping another mom. Some women just want to be remembered on Mother’s Day but would rather not have a lot of money spent on them. Instead, donate the money you would have spent on a gift to a program that helps moms in need such as the Child Survival Program from Compassion or Mercy House, a maternity home in Kenya!

Go the extra mile: Make a card or certificate telling of the donation in her honor so she knows how much she is appreciated!

And don’t forget the easiest, cheapest, most powerful gift you can give anyone: your words of appreciation! A phone call expressing your love and gratitude will mean more than any gift ever could! Tell that mama in your life just how much you love her!

What is the best Mother’s Day gift you ever gave or received?

The post REALLY Last-Minute Mother’s Day Gift Ideas! appeared first on Home With The Boys.

Set a timer and just write. Don’t worry about making it just right or not.

For me? An exercise in letting go and letting words flow. Five minutes only. {yes, I do set a timer and it quacks like a duck at 5 minutes, which totally makes me smile}

Today’s prompt: Comfort.

And go…

I’m going to keep it real here: When I heard this week’s word was COMFORT, my mind went right to food. Comfort food. And then I made a batch of popcorn on the stove.

It’s not that I need food to give me comfort, but there has always been the comfort of family and home attached to food in my life.

My mom always talks fondly of “Saturday night hamburgers” made on the farm when she was growing up. The hamburgers WERE very yummy, but I think it was more of the family coming together over those hamburgers that produced such warm memories…such comfort.

And she went on to bring that same level of comfort in our home. Tuesday night tacos before Girl Scouts. Large batches of BBQs {sloppy joes} when extended family was in town. Chicken chili, stove-top popcorn, sugar muffins, the list goes on…

It was all YUMMY, but it wasn’t really the food. It was the love being put into the food. The comfort of a mom who cared about home and warmth and love more than perfection or presentation in that food. The food was never more important than the family or company sharing it.

I hope to be passing on that same comfort my mom gave me with our Saturday morning donuts and first day of school chocolate chip scones and… you get the idea.

Comfort can be found in food and home and family…and you gave me all of that, Mom, and still do. We love you dearly!

Happy Mother’s Day!

Stop.

And now I’m off to link up this post with the fabulous Five Minute Friday community! You MUST take the time to read the words of these BRAVE writers!

The post Comfort Food {Five Minute Friday} appeared first on Home With The Boys.

• A teething baby
• Needing to take multiple trips to the grocery store because these boys eat a lot and we’re always running out of those favorite foods
• Following through with consequences EVERY TIME someone is disobedient or disrespectful
• Juggling meals and bedtime when we have activities three nights a week and The Hubby is on the night shift

Your list may look very similar to mine or very, very different. Sometimes these things can seem like the end of the world in the moment, right, moms? Any number of factors can amplify each problem to make stress levels soar. But when I wrote down these rough patches from my week, I realized pretty quickly how normal these problems are to most families. And how small they are on the “big problem” scale.

Now, this mothering job is not the place to get in to a comparison game. Your stress and my stress as moms will not be the same. Even our own tough situations may change from week to week. If you think that “thing” in your life is hard and trying and stressful, then it IS.

Comparison is not our friend on this motherhood journey, but perspective can be.

I stepped out of the house yesterday to get the mail, which is part of a group mailbox up the street from our house. The uphill walk to the mailbox is not far and not too steep.I was thankful for a break in the rain and a little fresh air. I was also pretty thankful to have a minute of quiet {keeping it real}.

My mind was on food. I had just added milk, cheese, and apples to my grocery list AGAIN. Didn’t I just buy all of those things two days ago?! As I reluctantly planned out another trip to Hy-Vee, I was captured by the thought of Samson’s mom.

No, not Samson from the Bible. Samson, our Compassion child in Tanzania.

I’ve never met his mom. I’ve never talked to his mom. I only know about her the few general facts in Samson’s Compassion profile and a mention or two from Samson himself – he’s a 7-year-old boy writing to people in a different country so there’s not a whole lot of detail {but his drawings are lovely}!

I know Samson’s mom and dad live with him. Both parents are “sometimes employed” as farmers. These things are a blessing in themselves, but as I was walking to the mailbox, I thought about the logistical blessings I enjoy as a mom – and usually take for granted.

When someone utters the phrase “nothing to eat” in our house, I need only hop in the van and drive less than five minutes to a grocery store to remedy that problem. And “nothing to eat” never actually means “nothing.”

What does Samson’s mom do when there is nothing to eat? Where does she go? How far does she have to walk? Do they have the means to restock food when they need to?

Loading up all three kids and taking them to the grocery store isn’t as bad as we make out to be when I ponder what women in poverty must deal with when there is nothing to eat. ACTUALLY nothing to eat. Grocery store trips are a blessing.

The ability to buy and make the food we need whenever we need it has been taken for granted and replaced with disdain for grocery store trips and meal planning. I’ve lamented the fact that my boys are “always hungry” but hardly ever stop to consider how I would feel if they were hungry – little-food-in-days hungry, malnourished, starving…

My mom heart can hardly stand that suffocating thought. I walked back with several envelopes and packages in my hand and opened the door to find The Hubby had given our boys an afternoon snack. I thanked God for His provision and prayed the same for Samson and his family.

And I said a special prayer for Samson’s mom…that she would know God’s love for her…that she would know He cares about her and her family…that she would know He is with her through the good and the bad…and then I asked the Holy Spirit to fill in the prayers I don’t even know to pray for her…

In His Divine Goodness, He brought this photo to mind…

I had forgotten I had this picture of her. The goat was our Christmas gift to their family that year through Compassion. I cried all over again at the smile on her face, the way she is looking at Samson, the picture of a loving mother who has been given a gift that will help provide nourishment for her family.

I need this perspective held close to my heart. I’m keeping this picture taped to the side of my fridge, especially for those times when the kids ask for a snack for the gazillionth time or I start to dread yet another trip to the grocery store.

This mom gig IS hard – for all of us – but I know when our next meal is coming. And this Mother’s Day, as I thank God for my own mom and other mothers in my life, I will also be praying for each mom who feels the extra weight of knowing her children’s basic needs are not being met…

Lord, You know each and every mom’s heart, from here in Nebraska to Tanzania and beyond. You have blessed us with children as a gift from You and entrusted them to us as part of Your Divine Plan. Thank You for each and every child. Help us to view our children as gifts, even on the hard days, and give us guidance to mother them well. Come alongside us in our everyday, whether it be carpooling and laundry folding or walking to market and drawing water from a well. Renew our strength and calm our hearts when the baby won’t stop crying and the food has run out and the day just won’t seem to end. You are our safe place, our refreshing spring, our Strong Deliverer. Thank you for the blessing of being a mom and turn our hearts always toward You as we walk this motherhood path. We love you, Lord, and lift up the needs of every mama today, especially the ones only You know… In Jesus’ name, Amen.

I hope you will join me in praying for moms raising children in extreme poverty, but could we also do something tangible to help them?

We can honor and support mothers who are living in poverty, through support of a Compassion Child Survival Program.

The Child Survival Program helps save the lives of babies and mothers in poverty by utilizing local churches to assist mothers of at-risk infants and toddlers. Mothers can give their children a fighting chance for healthy development with the supplies and training provided by the donations to this program.

Please consider making a one-time Mother’s Day donation or signing up for ongoing support of a Child Survival Program. We may not ever physically walk with these moms, speaking words of encouragement and understanding as we go, but our financial support can be just as powerful a blessing.

Happy Mother’s Day, Samson’s mom and all moms. You are doing God’s work and you are loved.

The post When I Think This Mom Gig is Hard… appeared first on Home With The Boys.