Raising Them for the Lord

Loving or Selfish?

2014-11-06T16:46:00.000-08:00

With sadness and regret, I remember back to the days when I would hoard baked goods or sweets for myself. After baking a batch of cookies, I’d devour far too many, and limit my kids to one or two each; mostly because I wanted more for myself, but under the guise of being a good Mom and making sure my kids didn’t eat to many sweets. A box of Honey Buns were reserved for me, alone…all six of them! And many more sweet treats can be added to the list, far more than this article need contain. I was, in a word, selfish. But I didn’t see it that way, I saw it in the light of being older, I deserved more. I was the mom, after all! Who would dare suggest that my desire to keep more for myself and limit my children was bad? My kids didn’t need all the sweet treats, really. Duh…neither did I! This past year I have taken myself on a journey. Limiting my sweets, as well as those for my family, so that I could find what healthy was for me. I have refrained from baking sweet treats of any sort for about six months to prevent the temptation. I knew I could not resist once they were in my house. One day my daughter asked if we could make cookies again. Then it hit me that I had been depriving my family of any homemade treats because I was afraid to force myself to be under control. I didn’t trust myself! But for the love of my family, I knew I needed to find a way to return to baking homemade treats for them, or they would be forced to find treats elsewhere that were much less healthy (a topic for another article). I began slowly, with things I liked - banana bread. Sadly, it was not a favorite of my kids, so too much was left for me as a temptation. I gave some of it away for others to enjoy. Then I made oatmeal raisin cookies, you know, to be healthier. Again, not a favorite with my kids, but it was getting closer. There were not so many cookies to tempt me, but more than I needed. These also were shared for others to enjoy. Today, I made chocolate chip cookies – just a small batch of a 16 so we don’t’ have too many on hand as temptation. I ate three (and about a tablespoonful of the dough), and I can honestly say, I’m satisfied to not have another; I’m actually a little overloaded with the sugar. My body doesn’t need the sweets to fill a void. I have been planning my daily meals to make sure my body is properly nourished, but allowing occasional treats will help me from binging and crashing back into my old ways. When my kids come home from school today, there will be a treat for them. They can enjoy a couple and save some for after dinner tonight. But I won’t be limiting them because I want more, or feel entitled to more. If I get another after dinner, I get one. If not, then I probably didn’t need another one anyway. I am determined to control my desires, listen to the cues of my metabolism, and not eat treats until it is they gone. I’m nowhere near the end of my journey! After all, I had some cookie dough and three cookies today. I probably should have stopped at two cookies and left the dough for more cookies to be made another time! But I’m a work in progress – forward progress. I know God is faithful to give me a way of escape when I’m tempted to overeat on any foods. Are you struggling with your diet? Do you need help staying accountable to your menu guidelines to reach a goal? You are not alone! Find help and support here. Message me for more accountability and support.

Wake Up Call

2014-09-27T17:41:00.001-07:00

Do you have a wake up call picture that kick started your healthy journey?

I remember that as a mom of a one and two year old that I had done pretty well with my eating and I could run around with them while they played, so I must be healthy and in shape.

Then THAT picture gave me quite a start!! Who was that girl next to my husband? I remembered buying that dress and thinking it was so cute. Looking at the picture made me cry. How had I let myself go?

I knew I had to do something, especially if I wanted to have another baby, cause my track record to losing baby weight was pretty bad. So I spent some time stalking friends' Facebook pages when they talked about their workout programs. Some friends were walking or running outside, but in the middle of summer in Arizona walking outside was the last thing I wanted to do! So I joined a gym, tried two personal trainer sessions, and went only a couple of times because I didn't have childcare for my kids.

Then another friend mentioned a program called Walk Away the Pounds with Leslie Sansone. I went to the library and checked out her book with a DVD included. I was hooked. I could do this at home while the kids napped, played, or sometimes walked with me. I was a confirmed workout at home Mom and I was moving (physically and across the country).
We moved to another state, but my walking workouts came with me. Now I had to contend with snow instead of heat, but I was still able to keep moving. I got more walking DVDs and walked myself off the couch!! But I knew I needed more. I tried Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred, but it was HARD, and I had no one to keep me accountable to the journey. In walks my friend, Danielle. She was doing something called ChaLEAN Extreme. That scared me, so I stuck with my Walk Away the Pounds when she asked me to join her accountability group. I knew I needed the accountability, but I also knew extreme was out of my comfort zone. I'd dabbled in P90X workouts and got discouraged and quit in the past.

I was more consistent in my workouts while in the accountability groups. I was able to complete Slim in 6, P90X3, and T25. But it was not until I started leading my own groups that I started learning that there was more to getting healthy than just exercising. I needed to cut back on the sugary, processed foods I was eating.

I admit it, I'm cheap and couldn't justify throwing away food we had spent our money on. I started slowly by not replacing processed foods when we ran out. My coffee was made with two scoops of sugar and a dump of Coffeemate flavored creamer. I began cutting back on the sugar and creamer, and over the course of nine months, got down to a splash of half and half. I also started buying more whole fruits and veggies and made them a part of my daily meals as well as learning how to make some of the processed meals from scratch to avoid added salts and preservatives. Funny, my family preferred many of the the less processed foods I made from scratch; and I was afraid they would refuse the new foods.

I'm not yet at my dream weight or size, as that seems to change. But I have reached several smaller goals along my journey: completed four workout programs from start to finish, gotten down to my wedding dress size, run at 13:30 mile without walking breaks, removed sugar from my daily coffee, bumped up my hand weights from 3lbs to 10lbs, and many more I've forgotten to write down.

Your story will be different than mine, your wake up call will be as well. You may also have bigger, faster goals; but of you are ready to take on your journey, I would love to walk with you and keep you moving forward. Are you ready to go?

Visit my website for more information here.

Is it worth the cost?

2014-09-25T14:21:00.002-07:00

Maybe you don't have the money right now to get purchase a new workout program or nutrition plan. That's okay. I'm glad that you've set yourself up for success by not agreeing to go into more debt to get healthy. There is no point in doing something unhealthy for your finances just to get started on your healthy journey. I've been there...thought I NEED to get that program NOW! Charge it. Well, unless that money charged was in the account to cover the charge, then it was WRONG.

Before taking the plunge to buy something now because it's on sale or someone REALLY wants you to buy it, decide if you have the money. If not, please don't just pull out the plastic. If you truly feel that it would be a beneficial help to yourself and your family, then set aside a little each paycheck until you have the money saved to cover the purchase. In the mean time, you can still make healthy choices to start you on your journey, and they don't have to cost you more than you've budgeted for your groceries and physical activity - just a little more planning.

Here are some great tips that you can start using today to get you started without having to pull out your credit card!

Willow Ridge - A Review

2014-02-08T18:25:00.002-08:00

Willow Ridge by Jen Cudmore is a western novella set in a nineteenth century Oregon gold rush town, Willow Ridge. It weaves the tale of the people who settle this emerging mining town. Lives of outlaws, Indians, businessmen, and townspeople intersect in this gold rush era. Tales of survival, love, and faith bring this story to life.

I enjoyed watching the characters find common ground and I was drawn to continue reading. The author does a good job of painting a picture of a booming mining town and creating realistically human characters. I had a hard time putting the book down once I got into it, and I look forward to the next in the series to learn more of the people in Willow Ridge.

I was given a free copy of this by the author. I was not required to post a positive review, just give my own opinion.

You've got a friend in me

2013-05-28T10:43:00.002-07:00

Two are better than one, Because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, For he has no one to help him up.
- Ecc 4:9-10 NKJV

Have you ever started on yet another fitness journey only to throw your hands up in defeat when the tough times hit or you don't see results fast enough? Why did you give up? I'll tell you why....you had no one to support you and encourage you when the going got tough!

How about joining a healthy living challenge group? In this group you will find other people, just like you, who are working on their fitness and personal health daily. They stumble and fall, just like you. They have victories, great and small, that can encourage you along your journey. Just like you, praise for victories and encouragement for those little hiccups along the way are truly appreciated and may be just the little nudge needed to keep taking the next step - to do the next scheduled workout - to pass on that sweet snack that's sitting there calling your name. When one challenger falls, another is right there to help them back up and get them back on track. When one challenger hits a goal, all challengers are there to praise the accomplishment and encourage setting the next goal.

On the first Monday of every month, there is a new challenge group starting that you can join. Let friends help you stay accountable to the goals you have made. Use your talent of encouragement to lift up others who are ready to make a change for a healthy lifestyle - just like you.

How about it? Are you ready to make a change? Do you wonder what you need to do to get started? Want to have accountability along the way? Just curious for a little more information on this challenge group idea? Let me know, I'd be happy to share with you how this can change the way you view fitness and healthy living. Friend to friend!

The Road to Fitness

2013-04-15T10:07:00.000-07:00

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. - Hebrews 12:1-2

You started an exercise program, huh? You probably have several friends who know you started exercising and eating healthier, but for whatever reason did not join you on this journey. Know this, they are watching you. They want to see if you can be any more successful at this “exercise thing” than they were the last time they tried it.

The Plan

1. Lay aside the weight you have been carrying around for too long

2. Replacing the poor food choices with healthy fuel for your body

Once you have these two objectives in hand, you can run (sometimes literally) with them to your goal of a healthier life.

Is it going to be easy, will people mock you, will you slip up along the way. Probably. But Jesus set an example for us to follow. You see, he knew death on the cross was the only way to provide you and me with a way to spend eternity with him in heaven – the joy that was set before him. Did he enjoy the pain, the shame, and the mocking crowds? Not a bit. But he endured it because he knew the end result of his suffering and death would be eternity with his creation that he loved. He went through all of that for a beautiful eternity he knew was only possible through his suffering.

Your better health and fitness will not come easily either. You will have hurt, you will be mocked, and you will have to die to yourself. But endure the pain, and you will reach the goal you paid the price to enjoy – a healthier you!

Are you ready to get healthy?

Stumbling into Grace - Book Review

2012-10-03T17:38:00.001-07:00

Bible studies can be hard to relate to at times. However, when the author creates a feeling of sitting down to coffee and chatting with a good friend, while getting deeper into a relationship with Jesus at the same time: what better format for this women’s Bible Study book, Stumbling Into Grace by Lisa Harper.

Each chapter is a new study that begins with a story from Lisa’s life. The stories cover a range of emotionally poignant stories with which most women can empathize. Next is a scripture reading; followed by a section that relates the Bible passage to her story. Finally application through group discussion or personal reflection closes each chapter with plenty of room to write in answers and journal.

I enjoyed “getting to know” Lisa through her witty life anecdotes. As a national women’s conference speaker, at first glance Lisa appears to have it all together; yet her stories prove that she is human and stumbles through life like most women working through their Christian life. While she was able to make me laugh or cry along with her, she was also able to bring to life the point of the Bible passage studied.

I was given a free copy of this book as part of Thomas Nelson’s BookSneeze program. I was not required to post a positive review, just give my own opinion.

A Place Called Blessing

2011-07-25T17:23:00.000-07:00

A Place Called Blessing by Dr. John Trent and Annette Smith is a story illustrating the blessings outlined in the book The Blessing that he co-authored with Gary Smalley. The story is written in first person about a boy named Josh who grew up in the foster care system. He is misunderstood and incorrectly labeled while in the Social Services system, and when he aged out at 18 he went out to make a life for himself. What he found was a family that took him into their house and unconditionally loved him no matter his past.

This story is riveting and an excellent weekend novel. The narration in first person brings the reader right into the mind and heart of Josh; and I wanted to keep reading to find out what would happen next. After completing this story, I find myself drawn to read the book it was based upon: The Blessing. I have been challenged to find ways to bless others around me, especially those who seem the least deserving of my love and attention; as well as reminded that we can make a difference in someone else’s life by our actions and attitude toward them. I would and have recommended this book to other Christians.

I was given a free copy of this book as part of Thomas Nelson’s BookSneeze program. I was not required to post a positive review, just give my own opinion.

Unleashed by Erwin Raphael McManus

2011-06-14T15:27:00.000-07:00

Jesus trained his disciples to share the gospel with an untamed spirit – to face ridicule, persecution, and even death in the pursuit of spreading the good news. In our modern, civilized world the heart of Christianity has become civilized. Very rarely will a Christian abandon all the comforts to which they have become accustomed in order to follow Christ; they have lost the Barbarian spirit they first experienced when Christ saved them.

Unleashed by Erwin Raphael McManus caught my attention and piqued my interest in exercising my faith even more. Erwin used Biblical examples of “Barbarians” that God used to spread the Gospel: like John the Baptist, the disciples, and early church martyrs. His use of incredible word pictures and personal stories bring the message alive and encourage readers through his example.

The word “Barbarian” did seem to go a bit far in my mind, as there were also civilized yet effective couriers of the gospel of Jesus Christ like the Apostle Paul. The term is more appropriately used in reference to a spirit of barbarianism rather than a complete lifestyle. It does, however, make one reevaluate if they have become comfortable in the rituals of modern Christianity or if they would be willing to follow the call of the cross to the ends of the earth.

I was given a free copy of this book as part of Thomas Nelson’s BookSneeze program. I was not required to post a positive review, just give my own opinion.

Do All to the Glory of God

2011-06-13T10:55:00.000-07:00

I Corinthians 10:31- Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

Recently I have heard this verse used in reference to several different topics: drinking, working, eating, etc., because they are directly referenced in this verse. While I've not had to struggle with alcohol and no longer work outside the home, I have tried to apply this more to my eating habits. But that is not what God has been convicting me about lately with this verse. It has been about taking care of my home and family for the glory of God.

It is easy to take the privilege of being a stay at home mom for granted.

I am home all day, so the dishes and other housekeeping can wait.
I am busy checking my favorite blogs, I can read the kids a book later.
My Bible isn't going anywhere, I'll do my devotions later on...maybe while the kids nap.

And there are many more things that I can take for granted. But are the tasks I am avoiding for the moment the very reason God allows me to be a stay at home mom?

Am I creating a haven for my husband to return to after a full day at work?
What am I telling my children by procrastinating with these tasks?
Most importantly...Am I doing it to the Glory of God?

It I cannot honestly answer any of those questions with a YES, then I am disobeying I Corinthians 10:31. What a wake-up call in this world of Me-First! Not that I should neglect myself, but that I need to prioritize some things in my daily life.

How you are doing all to the Glory of God?

What's to Eat - This week's experiments

2011-05-20T23:14:00.000-07:00

This week we tried four of the recipes in my new favorite cookbook What's to Eat - The Milk-free, Egg-free, Nut-free Cookbook - Herb-Roasted Potatoes, Honey Dijon Salmon, Tomato Basil Halibut, White Birthday Cake. Since the cookbook is under copyright, I cannot share the recipes online; so I will have to tease you with recipe titles and my reviews.

HERB ROASTED POTATOES
The recipe calls for thinly sliced potatoes, so I pulled out my food processor to make the task go quickly. Then cook for about an hour at 400*. Well, I didn't take into account that a food processor slices much more thinly than most people slice by hand. Just shy of an hour I checked in on the potatoes, and we ended up with some yummy, healthy (although a little browned) chips. Ooops! But now I know next time to either hand-slice my potatoes, or cook them shorter since they are so thinly sliced by the food processor.

HONEY DIJON SALMON
YUM!! This recipe was quick prep at 5 minutes. My four-year-old ate much more salmon than ever before. The Dijon was not too overpowering as I've noticed in previous attempts at Dijon anything. This is a keeper recipe, for sure!

TOMATO BASIL HALIBUT
Six hour marinating time made me put off this recipe because I kept forgetting to prep early enough for dinner. The basil was overpowering to me, but everyone else at the table enjoyed it. Again, my four-year-old cleared her fish! (Now to find a salad she will eat as enthusiastically!) I may just reduce the basil next time, but the overall taste was pleasant.

WHITE BIRTHDAY CAKE
Happier about this than my attempt last September at an egg-less chocolate birthday cake for Bubba. The sponge on the cake was nice and almost comparable to the two box mixes I made earlier that day. The taste was so good that I found myself sneaking bites as I was turning the cakes into cake pops. It did take an extra 10 minutes from what was listed in the cookbook, even though my oven tends to cook on the fast side. Note: Just because there are no eggs in the batter, don't eat it...vinegar. Eww!

With the positive results from our new recipes, we will be planning more menus around the other recipes in this book. As I test them, I will try to post my results and comments.

Have you found any successful Egg-free, Milk-free, Nut-free recipes lately?

What's to Eat? - The Milk-Free, Egg-Free, Nut-Free Food Allergy Cookbook

2011-05-17T00:55:00.000-07:00

Our two boys have been diagnosed with food-induced eczema. This would be a breeze if they would just both be allergic to the same foods. But, alas, we have a varied array of non-overlapping allergies. The main culprits are eggs, nuts, and dairy. What a blessing to this mother to find the book What's to Eat? - The Milk-Free, Egg-Free, Nut-Free Food Allergy Cookbook.

The day I received the book in the mail I sat down and read the cookbook, cover to cover. Desperate to find a solution to dinner (and other meals), I was pleasantly amazed to read over 100 recipes for salads, soups, main dishes, breads, side dishes, and desserts. In addition, there are some suggested menus for special occasions.

Finally, I can plan a menu we can all enjoy without planning two or three meals per meal time. The ingredients are not obscure, and they are either in my kitchen already or I have seen them in my supermarket on a regular basis. For the next four days, I have set up a menu from the recipes in the book and have made a list of seven ingredients that I do not already have in my pantry, mostly herbs.

I am looking forward to testing these recipes and finding a freedom in our meal plans that does not include stops at the local fast food restaurant. In our home we can begin to eat our way - every day!

Taking a Breath

2011-05-17T00:33:00.000-07:00

Raising children for the Lord is not for the wimp! It takes time.

Time...well, I do believe we all have the same 24 hours in the day. It is just a matter of taking the time to "train up a child in the way he should go." In this day of fast-paced living and endless technology, I often find myself caught up in the things that are "important" to me and fail to spend the quality time necessary to train my chidren for the Lord. What a convicting admission, but one I am working on correcting.

When my children come to me and I tell them I am too busy right now to read them a story, play outside, or just cuddle, I am telling them that they are not the most important physical gift God gave our family. Not only are we sinning against our children, but also against God who commanded us to "train up our child in the way he should go..."

Satan wants to use whatever obstacles he can find to keep a Christian parent from training their precious Gift from God. Technology is a tool that can help us or hinder us from being successful in that process. So I am not suggesting that we remove ourselves from the gadgets we've become attached to; but rather take a breath from them, for our children's sake, and spend the quality time God has given us with our children before they are grown and gone.

Getting ahead of myself

2011-05-13T23:59:00.000-07:00

Well, week two of 31 Days to Clean is done. And I actually feel ahead of myself. Boy does my kitchen feel inviting, along with my living room. Having guests over really helps motivate me to do a thorough cleaning of the common areas of the house; but I had a whole lot less cleaning to "worry" about since I had been taking baby steps to cleaning my home.

Since we had guests over this Friday, the house is currently in a state of complete peace. Only because, for the past two weeks, I've been systematically cleaning whole sections of the kitchen. The idea of cleaning and reorganizing all my cupboards, drawers, and pantry was overwhelming; but by following the Martha challenges to clean them out and reorganize them one at a time each day of the week, I found the task did not take very long at all. I enjoyed seeing progress, especially in places I avoided cleaning because I figured no one else was going to see in them anyway. With the successes of accomplished tasks throughout the week, I was able to tackle the rest of the house in an afternoon while preparing for guests.

Now, on Friday evening, I am basking in the serenity of my living room knowing that my dishes are done (thank you, Honey!), and I am headed into the weekend of rest before I dive into week 3! I've not been focusing intently on the Mary Challenges as I felt that my home was WAY behind on the Clean deal; but I believe that I will do another 31 days after these are done and focus on the Mary Challenges while redoing the Martha Challenges, which should be much easier since they will be maintenance details rather than in-depth cleanings!

Have you put off getting started on your 31 Days to a Clean? If so, please know that it is SOOOO worth the effort. Not only are you able to reclaim your home, but you are also encouraged to reclaim yourself through the daily Mary Challenges.

OBEY RIGHT AWAY, THE RIGHT WAY

2011-05-05T16:22:00.000-07:00

I’ve said that to my children many, many times; as a matter of fact, just this morning I said it to my oldest two. Only this time, I was convicted myself. How many times have I looked at the kitchen counter and thought, “I really need to do the dishes,” and yet they remain there, dirty, for a few more hours (or days).

UGH! What a hypocrite I’ve been in front of my children. No, they didn’t hear anyone telling me to clean the house, or know that I refused to obey the prompting and try to rationalize my disobedience with things like the following:

• I don’t feel good today; I’ll do it tomorrow when I’m feeling better.

• I let it go too long already. I feel overwhelmed by it, and I just can’t handle that feeling right now.

• Maybe if I leave it until after my husband gets home I can make him feel sorry enough to do it for me.

• I don’t want to do it now, just because!

Whatever the reasons, they cause me to not obey right away, the right way.

That’s just for the chores that I should do daily. Well, I had committed to take on the 31 day challenge with 31 Days to Clean. I even tweeted about the eBook and challenge in order to get the eBook for myself and join in on the challenge that was set to begin on May 1. Well, here begins the excuses I have already made to not follow through:

• I didn’t get the eBook until May 1, so I didn’t have time to prepare and get organized before day 1. (Me, get organized, hah!)

• Day 1 - I’m sick, so I don’t think I can handle the first big Martha task of cleaning the refrigerator and freezer, so I’ll skip and start on challenge #2 tomorrow. Plus I just did nine loads of laundry today anyway, that counts, right?

• Day 2 – I’m still sick, and, well, I’m behind already, what’s the point?

Well, Days 3 and 4 went by with no attention to my commitment to the 31 day challenge, other than reading the eBook to see what everyone else was supposed to be doing and checking Twitter to see what Sarah Mae had to say for the day. She even encouraged on Day 3 to join in the online forum she created and connect with others who had gotten a late start. Did I take on that challenge? NO! I did my regular house cleaning; even had a friend over for coffee, so the house had to be in order for that. But I refused to think about the challenge because it seemed too hard to take on.

Here I am, Day 5, nothing of the challenge done; when I find myself disciplining my four-year-old for not obeying right away with the right attitude. How many times did I fail to follow my advice this week? At least five times, I counted one for each day, and that’s obviously low. Well, I went to the kitchen for a respite from my children and began praying and asking God to forgive me for failing to obey and follow through on the challenge. I finished the dishes I was praying through, and began the challenge for Day 4 since it was the last entry I had read. Well, my oven and microwave were cleaned relatively quickly, to my surprise; so I went to the eBook and began the first Martha challenge on the refrigerator.

I’m happy to report that my refrigerator, microwave, and oven are clean, in addition to my daily tasks! Now on to catch up on the freezer, dusting the tops of refrigerator, clean and shine outsides of cupboards and drawers; then to read Day 5 and see what’s next on my list. Keeping the attitude right when doing these tasks is hard, but my goal is to use that time as prayer and meditation time. Maybe then my attitude will be off my pity party and on God and others.

A Year With God - A book review

2011-04-08T09:08:00.000-07:00

A Year With God by R.P. Nettlehorst is a 365 day devotional based upon the wordsand promises of God contained in the Old Testament books from several versions of the Bible, including NKJV, NASB, and NRSV. Each day contains a passage from the Old Testament and then a brief, thought-provoking application of the Bible passage to present-day life. The table of contents is split into ten broad topics with each daily reading given a poignant title. Each daily entry is a quick, one-page entry that can easily be read in a few minutes and guides the reader to some often overlooked passages from the Old Testament.

This paperback book is sturdy and paper is thick like that found in fiction books lending to a relaxed reading experience. Each Bible passage is printed in the upper section of the page in a formal typeset, and the devotional passages are printed below in an informal typeset allowing one to easily transition between the two sections. The topical table of contents made it easy to select a section based upon what life situations. Since the entries were numbered rather than assigned a date it took a little more work to determine where to start in order to read the devotional through daily, as I began the book in the middle of the year.

As a resource for those looking to know God deeper, this book is a great beginning - exposing one to Old Testament passages without becoming overwhelmed with genealogies. Those who prefer to stay with one version of the Bible for study would be frustrated with the daily switch between the numerous versions referenced.

I was given a free copy of this book as part of Thomas Nelson’s BookSneeze program. I was not required to post a positive review, just give my own opinion.

Master Closet Decluttering

2011-03-11T10:42:00.000-08:00

I Corinthians 14:33 says "For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace..."

I have been challenged by many of the blogs that I follow to start Spring cleaning early this year and work on it in small steps. In addition to my regular housekeeping, which is getting better and better with flexible time management I talked about in my last post, I have determined to tackle one hot spot each week. SimpleMom.net has begun a series called Project:Simplify and this week we are working in the Master closet. On Monday, I took before pictures of my closet and began decluttering my wardrobe, including the maternity clothes that still lingered from December.

Here are my before pictures. As you can see, my hubby has a fairly organized closet, so I'm not even going to touch his goodies! Now to purge my side!!

And here are the items that I have ready for garage sale time this spring.

Time Management

2011-02-21T13:04:00.000-08:00

Here I am, admitting it to the world. With a newborn, ALOT of housekeeping slides in my house. I just didn't see how I could make myself stick with a rigid schedule when Little Man didn't keep anywhere near as rigid a schedule as I thought was necessary to be successful.

Today I was encouraged by a post by Life as Mom. She reminded me that setting flexible guidelines still creates structure for things to get done while giving you the opportunity to (as I see it) breathe. The rigid, time-set schedule I wanted to follow was suffocating me to the point that I gave up on daily tasks getting done because the clock had passed the time I had set aside to get them done. My escape, sad to say, has become the television. It has taken my mind off the things that need to be done while wasting the precious minutes I could be spending, here and there, turning my home into a place of peace instead of upheaval.

Now I am working on determining the amount of time each day I will spend doing daily tasks, whether housekeeping, personal care, or childcare; and when I'm not needed by my Little Man, I will be setting about getting my house out of CHAOS and back in peaceful order again.

How much time do you set aside to do each daily task?

God is Faithful

2010-12-07T10:36:00.000-08:00

I Corinthians 1:9 "God is faithful..."

Don't we all need a reminder of this every now and then? I sure did, and I'm so thankful that God chose today to remind me of His faithfulness. With so much happening this month, it is easy to get overwhelmed and wonder how it's all going to work out.

*A new baby coming - God is Faithful

*Surgery and recovery - God is Faithful

*Making it through a Christmas pageant three times before this baby comes - God is Faithful

*Family arriving safely - God is Faithful

*Kids staying healthy - God is Faithful

*_______________ - God is Faithful

Thank you, God, for proving to me so many times in the past that you are truly faithful, and reminding me today that you will continue to be faithful to me in all the things coming into my life.

How has God been faithful to you in the past, and how are you depending upon Him to be faithful today?

Trying something new

2010-12-06T22:50:00.000-08:00

With a new baby coming shortly and family coming to visit for the occassion (and Christmas too), we are going to have Sister and Bubba bunk together for two weeks. Today the daybed (future crib for Lil' Man on the Way) was assembled for Bubba, and the kids wanted to have a trial night sleeping together in the Bubba's room. This will not only be a test of their ability to sleep together without annoying each other or playing all night, but also a test of my ability to stick with the plan and help them learn to adjust to the upcoming sleeping arrangments.

This will be a great opportunity to work on my prayer life and my patience, to be sure. However, I believe it will be better to work on these new things before I'm completely sleep-deprived and caring for a newborn as well.

What are some adventures your family has encountered while going through the growth stages?

There is none that doeth good

2010-11-30T11:07:00.000-08:00

Romans 3:12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

How many days do I feel that way as a stay at home mom? Too many to count. I'm sure there are others who can relate to this feeling of futuility while raising children for the Lord. But just as Romans continues to describe the hope possible for a person, what an encouragement that there is hope for our children as well.

There is no hope for man in his natural condition, but Christ made the ultimate sacrifice to make a way for us to go to heaven. He died for our sins and took our place of punishment; and when we accept that gift, we are made profitable to God and good in his sight again.

Becoming a parent and choosing to raise children for the Lord is a sacrifice. A sacrifice of our time, treasure, and patience. What makes a parent make that sacrifice? LOVE! Even when my kids are at their worst, I still love them and use that opportunity to reflect Christ in me. I may fail terribly at times; but with God's help I pick up the pieces, appologize, and teach them how to live and act as they should.

What are some ways that you help your children learn to live right?

Happy Thansgiving

2010-11-25T10:02:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving to all my faithful readers. God has blessed us with so much, but today I'm especially thankful for the beautiful family He has given me. The Bible says that "children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward." (Psalm 127:3) I look forward to the privilege to shape that heritage to be a godly example to the world around us.

God bless you as you endeavor to do the same with the treasures He has given you; whether they be your own children, grandchildren, or "adopted" as we were for six years (I am planning to write on that next week).

God's Precious Gifts

2010-11-23T11:19:00.000-08:00

My kids are a wonderful gift from God, and I'm so thankful for the opportunity to raise them for Him. There are many different facets of raising children, and one that I'm often reminded of is the physical. That's easy, right?!? Not always.

If you have a perfect child with no physical hurdles to jump, then count your blessing and remember to thank God for that wonderful blessing. I have two totally different children, so far. One has no physical hurdles; but what she lacks in that area, she makes up for with attitude and strong will. The other has a sweet spirit and is very tender heart; but we have just recently discovered that he has allergy-induced eczema. The eczema has been around for a while, but when we had him allergy tested, we learned that by eliminating eggs and nuts from his diet we could reduce the severity of his eczema outbreaks.

Eggs and nuts...I know, they are in almost everything at least in trace amounts. Eliminating these ingredients from Bubba's diet required reading all the food labels in our house and removing some very favorite dishes from our menu. The first trip to the grocery store also took almost three times longer than normal since I needed to read every label while looking for alternatives to our favorite meals and treats. Now, almost three months later, we are getting into a good routine, and Bubba knows and identifies the foods that give him an allergic reaction.

Now we are in the wonderful phase of educating those who care for our children. The church nursery workers have been good about checking with Mom before giving Bubba any of the snacks. Family have become more aware of what they are offering him for snacks and meals. However, there are always those well-meaning goodie-givers who are oblivious to any allergies. Today, I was shown a cute sticker that warns those who want to feed the wildlife to ask Mommy first!

For those of you who may be in the first frightful days of dealing with childhood allergies, or those seasoned and looking for tips and recipes for different allergies, check out an excellent blog called Allergy Free As Can Be.

Teachable Moments - Part 3 Doing your Part

2010-11-19T16:54:00.000-08:00

Acts 5:42 And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.
Deuteronomy 6:7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest us.

We have been reading to our children since long before they could talk. Stories like Dr. Seuss, The Poky Little Puppy, as well as Bible stories like Jonah and David and Goliath. Now that they are older we are beginning to apply lessons - Biblical lessons - they should be learning from the stories we share with them. Recently I read a story to Sister about a train that left its track because it was tired of the same thing every day. It wanted to do something different than it was supposed to do. What happened...it ended up in a pond - stuck! It's passengers (toys) had to push it out so they could return to the track and do what the train was supposed to do. Because the train did what it wanted to do, instead of what it was supposed to do, it hurt itself and put others in danger.

Since we've read the story, Sister has been talking about doing what she is supposed to do and not just what she wants to do; even making what she is supposed to do what she wants to do. We saw someone run a red light, closely followed by flashing lights atop a police car!! I used that example to remind her that when we do what we want to do instead of what we are supposed to do we can expect consequences.

The Driver:
1. Put other cars in danger by running the red light
2. Will have to pay for disobeying
3. Could have avoided it all by doing what he was supposed to do

What teachable moments are you taking with your children?

Freedom of Religion

2010-11-16T20:52:00.000-08:00

In America, the land of religious freedom, no one likes to think about being persecuted for faith in Jesus Christ. But the Apostles were persecuted from the very beginning. They were told by religious leaders, who had physically seen and heard Jesus teach, no to teach and preach in Jesus' name. But the Holy Spirit was with the Apostles and gave them power and strength to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The religious leaders hoped to see this new zealous group fizzle out as others had done before. One wise leader said in Acts 5:39, "If it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God." Seriously, how far can you get fighting against God? He has unlimited resources, and has proven that He can lift up another to preach in place of one persecuted and even killed in his service. God is on our side; are you on His side?