Biblical Homemaking

a school room update + back to school

2018-07-20T10:10:00.000-05:00

I'm happy to say, we're back in the schoolroom and getting in a routine again! :)

After three full months off from school (April- June), even some of the kids were ready to get back to work! :) We dove back in a couple of weeks ago, but since we just bought our new Masterbooks early this year we haven't transitioned to new grades quite yet. Instead, we're doing double lessons in Math and English to try to use our books before we figure out what to do for the next school year. I will have a kindergartener and a freshman and three in between! Life is flying by, I tell you.

We did do our massive schoolroom clean out right before we started so we could feel a little fresh coming back though. :) Here are a few pics from our current schoolroom as it's set up now:

With six students at desks these days, we were having trouble fitting in our old configuration. To create more space, we bought the cheapest IKEA desks and chairs we liked ($39 and $12.50) and turned them sideways on the wall. :)

We also moved the big IKEA desk out and bought a small filing drawer and two small tops to make this double desk:

We already had the legs on another desk, and we are using a dining chair for me. So far I really LOVE this setup. It's fun working side by side, and it saves us so much space.

The littles love having their own workspace now too:

I bought these figurative language posters for the big kids and as I hung them on the wall, I realized I actually LOVE writing and grammar. It's so much fun!

I think we have at least one aspiring writer in our brood, and I'm not mad about it at all. :)

For our last day of summer, we enjoyed our traditional ice cream for breakfast:

They've grown up so much since the first time we did it:

I'm just going to go cry now. :)

just open the door (week 6: the uncomfortable yes)

2018-06-21T09:17:00.000-05:00

Welcome to our final week in the Just Open the Door study on Biblical hospitality! We are using this Bible study workbook by Jen Schmidt, and this week we're covering Week 6: "The Uncomfortable Yes."

Here is this week's video (about 26 minutes):

(link here)

And here is a summary of what I shared in the video about our reading this week:

Hospitality won't always be easy. Sometimes it will include difficult people and difficult situations where we are called to love as Jesus loved us.
As hard as they are, difficult situations refine us and turn us to the Lord.
We look forward to the great wedding feast at the end of time foretold in Luke 14.
God is inviting everyone to the feast, but not everyone wants to partake.
The danger we all face is that we dishonor Him by choosing two good things instead of God: work and family. If we choose to pursue them over the mercy and generous invitation of the Lord, we won't be able to enter into God's great kingdom. (Luke 14)
The quote I referred to:

The greatest enemy of hunger for God is not poison but apple pie. It is not the banquet of the wicked that dulls our appetite for heaven, but endless nibbling at the table of the world. It is not the X-rated video, but the prime-time dribble of triviality we drink in every night. For all the ill that Satan can do, when God describes what keeps us from the banquet table of his love, it is a piece of land, a yoke of oxen, and a wife (Luke 14:18-20). The greatest adversary of love to God is not his enemies but his gifts. And the most deadly appetites are not for the poison of evil, but for the simple pleasures of earth. For when these replace an appetite for God himself, the idolatry is scarcely recognizable, and almost incurable. John Piper

We have the chance to extend an even more beautiful invitation- the good news of Jesus' great love with each invitation we give.

And that marks the end of our study of Biblical hospitality! I am so thankful you went along with me on this journey! I feel like I learned so much, and gained a new perspective on the Scriptures. I am so grateful for this study and all the time and effort it took to write it. Thank you, Father, and thank you Jen Schmidt for being obedient to your calling. :)

just open the door bible study (week 5: at the table)

2018-06-13T15:04:00.001-05:00

Welcome to our sixth week in the Just Open the Door study on Biblical hospitality! We are using this Bible study workbook by Jen Schmidt, and this week we're covering Week 5: "At the Table."

Here is this week's video (about 30 minutes):

(link here)

And here is a summary of what I shared in the video about our reading this week:

While there are so many ways to offer hospitality, one of the most natural and effective ways to show it is to share a meal around a table.
Jen points out that eating a meal is mentioned over 700 times in the Bible, and over 50 times in the book of Luke! (I still find this astounding).
Acts 2:42-47 gives us our example of living in community and what an amazing impact it has on the proclaiming the Good News.
My favorite section of Scripture that has been with me for 23 years (so far).
Hospitality wages war on evil and brings light to the darkness. Jen shares on page 120: "We expand God's kingdom as we share the truth around the table... All those excuses, all the reasons we try and convince ourselves that opening the door is too much of a hassle, should be viewed as part of the battle."
This article was one of my favorites, and I was excited to read one of my favorite quotes from it for Day 3.
This week reminded me of Luke 14, when Jesus tells us why we should invite the poor instead of those who can repay us.
Ideas on how to live an open-doored life in our busy, tightly scheduled North American culture.

If you're studying along with me, we'll do our last chapter next week! Complete your assignments, and if the Lord allows, we'll get together to discuss it next Wednesday, June 20! :)

just open the door study (week 4: when hospitality is a challenge)

2018-06-06T16:52:00.001-05:00

Welcome to a new week in the Just Open the Door Bible study on Biblical hospitality! We are studying this thought-provoking workbook by Jen Schmidt, and this week we're covering Week 4: "When Hospitality is a Challenge."

Here is this week's video (about 24 minutes):

(link here)

And here is a summary of what I shared in the video about our reading this week:

When we base our obedience on man's opinion or approval, we aren't serving Christ. (Galatians 1:10)
What are you filling your life up with? Or to paraphrase Jen, what do your calendars and receipts say about what you value most?
What would you do if you only had one week to live? What does the Bible tell us?
If God calls us to do this hard thing, He most certainly will equip us. (Hebrews 13:20-21, Philippians 2:12-15)
One thing I'm probably trying to avoid showing you when you come to my house. ;)
If a friend in your life models hospitality well, try to pay careful attention and learn from their good works. We can learn so much from others!
What is one baby step you can take toward opening your door this week? (My answer).
A few ideas for easy, no-fuss hospitality.

If you're studying along with me, we'll do Chapter 5 next week. Complete your assignments, and if the Lord allows, we'll get together to discuss it next Wednesday, June 6! :)

I'd love to hear your thoughts!

just open the door (week 3: the power of one)

2018-05-30T18:41:00.000-05:00

Welcome to our fourth installment in the Just Open the Door Bible study on Biblical hospitality! We are using this awesome book by Jen Schmidt, and this week we're covering chapter three: "The Power of One."

Here is this week's video (about 30 minutes):

(link here)

And here is a summary of what I shared in the video about our reading this week:

Hospitality can start with you: just one person being purposeful where they are.
In the Bible we see that ordinary women doing ordinary things right where God placed them can sometimes bring much glory to His name! (I loved filling out a table about this in the book!)
You can start by using the gifts and opening up your home and heart to people in your life now.
It won't be easy, but it will be worth it.
According to Jen, Biblical hospitality serves three big purposes.
Why wouldn't we want to share the best news ever?
What I would do if my favorite fast food chain were giving away free chicken sandwiches for a month. :)

If you're studying along with me, we'll do Chapter 4 ("When Hospitality is a Challenge") next week. Complete pages 85-105 in your book, and if the Lord allows, we'll get together to discuss it next Wednesday, June 6! :)

I'd love to hear your thoughts!

six things that have happened lately

2018-05-29T14:59:00.003-05:00

I don't know why time seems to go by so quickly in the summer, but I'm pretty sure it has something to do with having fun. ;) We are enjoying each day so much that I before I turn around it seems to be bedtime again. :)

Here are six things that have been going on around our house these days:

1. Paint colors still haven't been decided for the den. :)

I am drawn to the bottom one, while Robert prefers the top. So what happened after we painted these on? I decided we need to try one more shade of blush, of which we have yet to buy a sample. :)

2. The garden is taking shape.

I need to make its progress a post of its own! The plants are growing faster than our kids. :)

3. We made a trip to IKEA.

IKEA is always a fun place for me. This time, we let the kids pick out their own bag of candy in the cafe, and we hadn't gotten a minute away from the register when Ivy started choking on a piece. Praise be to our Father in Heaven, she gagged it up and was fine after a few tears. Nothing stops my heart like choking, and she's given us a few scares with candy. I would be 100% fine if she never had another piece! I'm so thankful she was okay, and IKEA stayed a happy place. :)

4. I apparently tried to blind the kids for a photo op.

The sun and the temperatures here have been crazy high for this time of year. I have a feeling it's going to be a scorcher. We're already watering the grass!!

5. I started reading this book:

My friend Ruth at The Better Mom sent me a copy of her new book (along with the cutest little air plant!), and I've really enjoyed it so far. I've known Ruth through blogging for many years now, and I am loving getting a little glimpse of her life. She shares so honestly about the struggles and thoughts we moms all have that I have found myself nodding in agreement right along with her. It's so much harder to be a mom than I ever thought, and yet it's so much more wonderful than I ever thought it would be too.

I love how she shares an encourages us to give up ourselves and die to our own desires. This is the truth that Jesus died for us to be able to see, obey, and live! I haven't finished it yet but I know it will be good. It's already been an encouragement! :)

6. We have been in a season of high discipline.

Maybe not the picture you'd expect with that title, but having a 4-year-old, a 2-year-old, and a 10-month-old has been keeping me so much busier these days. Littles are a rowdy, messy bunch who like to push the limits of pretty much everything. :) It was a tough season when I had just three littles, and it's still a tough season when I have teenagers, middle kids, and those three. ;)

The challenge for me is to remember just how precious, sweet, and tiny they all are in the midst of the crazy, and I think these kinds of moments when they randomly decide to hold hands give me the perfect opportunity to do just that.

Oh, how I love those little babies. :)

What have you been up to lately?

just open the door (week 2: Jesus, the model)

2018-05-23T16:04:00.002-05:00

Welcome to week two of our Just Open the Door Bible study on Biblical hospitality! (If you're just joining us, we're studying this book by Jen Schmidt.) This week we're studying the model of hospitality, Jesus Himself! :)

Here is this week's video (about 25 minutes):

(find the video here)

And here is a summary of what I shared about our reading this week:

Jesus is the ultimate model of hospitality.
I share a story of when I thought I lost one of our babies, and the many emotions that followed.
Because God pursues us, He gives us the love and desire to pursue others in the same way.
Jesus had no home, yet He offered hospitality wherever He went. We can do the same wherever we go!
Jesus is the model of sacrifice (Ephesians 5:1-2) in coming to do the will of the Father, and offering up Himself as the ultimate food and drink to anyone who will partake. (John 6:35-40)
Our sacrifice for Him in giving up our own will and lives is worship, and we can worship God by praising, doing good, and sharing what we have. (Hebrews 13:15-16)
We can also serve others by bearing their burdens- physically, emotionally, and spiritually (in prayer). (Galatians 6:2)
How I would like to improve in hospitality toward those in my home.
Our assignment this week: look for a way to show love to someone in our daily path and then do it. :)

So awesome, right? We have such a great opportunity to joyfully share what the Lord has done for us! What an exciting thing it is to love and invite others into His kingdom. :)

just open the door (week 1: why hospitality?)

2018-05-16T18:07:00.001-05:00

Welcome to week one of the Just Open the Door Bible study on Biblical hospitality! :) I hope you have been enjoying your study if you're following along. :) I know I have been grateful for how deeply we've dived into the Scriptures this week in our first chapter called "Why Hospitality?"

I am just loving this book so far, and I am so glad Jen Schmidt invested her time in discipling us by writing it! :)

Here is this week's video (about 25 minutes):

(link here)

And here is a summary of what I shared in the video about our reading this week:

Hospitality actually begins (and ends) with God; He created the world and provided man with food and a place to live. (Genesis 2:8-9)
After the fall of man, God provided a sacrifice and a way for us to be restored into His fellowship through His Son, Jesus.
Jesus stands at the door and knocks, waiting for us to hear His voice and open it to Him. (Rev. 3:12)
One day, after Jesus returns, the Lord will again provide for us and host a marriage feast for His people-- another example of sharing a table together in fellowship.
When we are believers, we love others because He first loved us (1 John 4:19).
There are many examples of hospitality in the Bible, with even God Himself providing for His people in the wilderness. Romans 12:13(b) also calls us to pursue it.
Jen shares that there is a difference between entertaining and hospitality. One focuses on yourself, while the other focuses on loving God and meeting the needs of others in love.
One part of hospitality I need to work on specifically. (~14:15)
Jen's quote on why we need to stop apologizing. (about 16:40)
Our "homework" assignment she gives us this week. (22:34)

I can't wait for Week 2. :) If you're following along in the book, read pages 35-55 and start on your assignment. ;)

I'd love to hear your thoughts: what mental hurdles do you feel like you need to overcome before you invite someone over? What keeps you from opening your door the most and why?

another teenager in our house

2018-05-12T18:53:00.001-05:00

I can't believe this guy turned 13 last weekend:

Birthdays keep getting more and more interesting around here with every passing year. As part of his gift, Elijah made Noah a treasure hunt by hiding these clues all over the house:

I don't know how he came up with them, but here was one of the last ones that led Noah to find Heidi on the shelf:

I was super impressed with his treasure clue skills. :) The hunt was even fun to watch!

Two teenagers!! They told me it would go fast, and it is.

Before you know it, the boys will both have mustaches like this:

Oh, the laughs we got from the costumes my dad gave Noah. I haven't laughed that hard in a long time! :) It kills me. He's the perfect 80's movie police officer!! :)

After his dinner of choice (chicken, mashed potatoes, and salad), we watched the premiere of their latest film, The Greatest Love (Not A Romance Story):

This one was almost exclusively an action film where the main character gives his life for the princess (John 15:13). There was no romance involved, the boys assured us before it started. ;)

We're venturing into new territory with another teenager in the house. The jokes and the appetites are both endless. :)

One thing is for sure: life around here is never dull. :) We are thankful for this guy and the love and care he shows for everyone around him. What a blessing Noah is to us!!

just open the door (introduction)

2018-05-09T16:25:00.002-05:00

Welcome to the introduction of our Just Open the Door study! :) I'm so excited to learn about what the Scriptures teach about being hospitable!

Each Wednesday, if the Lord allows, I plan to post a video here (and live here at 12 p.m. CST), and the highlights of what we're talking about each week. :)

Here's the introduction video to our study: (~15 minutes)

(link here)

And here are few thoughts from the video, in summary:

Biblical hospitality is so important because God commands us to offer it in His Word. And as believers, we are called through love to obey God's commands.
It's important to let God's Word transform our view and change our hearts toward hospitality.
Jesus commands us also to love Him, and love our neighbors as ourselves. (Matthew 22:36-40)
With our tired seasons, busy lives, and house projects, we may be missing the chance to love our neighbors the way God called us to. (I know I have been!)
I tell a personal story of spiritual/pride battle that happened to me just last weekend.
Hospitality gives us the chance to build up other believers, and show unbelievers the truth of God's love, and the invitation He offers them into His kingdom.
If we can focus on the bigger, eternal picture of hospitality as God shows us in the Bible, the temporal, earthly things will become less important, and loving others will become more important.

If you're following along with us in the book, complete Week 1: Why Hospitality (pages 11-33) and we'll come back together next week right here and on Facebook to discuss it together! :)

a day of recovery + goals this week

2018-05-08T15:48:00.000-05:00

a new morning feels so good.

After a busy weekend hosting two dinner parties and attending a college graduation, we unintentionally took Monday completely off. It felt so great! :) My to-do list was still waiting for me today, but I felt much more capable of tackling it after a day of recovery.

Here's a glimpse of what I would like to do this week, if the Lord allows:

read my Bible (usually with kids present) + pray (with kids present + alone) daily

blog 3x

exercise 5-6 hours

go on one family walk

work on Mother's Day gifts

order wood for house projects

buy bamboo + construct bamboo trellis for garden

buy paint for den

make one new Magnolia Table recipe

practice music 15 min/day

clean house (focused) 30 min/day

Tomorrow, Lord-willing, I'll be sharing the introduction to the Just Open the Door Bible study, if you want to come along with me! (Week 1 will officially start on May 16, so you won't need a book until around then). I plan to do a shorter live video on Facebook Live tomorrow (Wednesday) at 12 p.m. if you want to join me. I would love to see you there!! :)

the new magnolia cookbook + plans this weekend

2018-05-03T14:08:00.004-05:00

I was thrilled to find the new Magnolia Table cookbook for sale at Sam's Club a couple of weeks ago. (and early, no less! I was so happy!) The kids and I love to look through new cookbooks and imagine which recipes would taste the best.

The first one the kids decided to make was called "The Best-Ever Fluffy Pancakes," and even with a baker's mistake, they were the best ever! This morning I made our third batch, actually using the buttermilk the recipe called for, and OH my, they are absolutely delicious.

I added water to the recipe (quite a bit), because I like thin and light pancakes, and I used butter in place of vegetable oil (an option), and I can't say I've ever tasted a better pancake:

I'm really hoping to try a new recipe from it each week and record our favorites here. :) These pancakes were definitely a family hit, though. So much so that I made four double-batch pancake mixes today:

I'm more than enjoying our slow mornings. Today may be the last one for a little while- tomorrow is Noah's 13th birthday, so we are busy from this afternoon through the weekend with birthday and other hosting plans. I have to make a list for myself to remember everything I need to buy and everything I need to get done. Grocery shopping, house cleaning, yard mowing, haircuts, gift wrapping, a lesson, exercising, cooking... our house will be bustling tonight. :)

Pancakes this morning were the perfect way to celebrate his last day of young boyhood. Tomorrow, believe it or not, I'll have two teenagers!!! Two nearly-grown boys. Somebody stop it, please.

I may need to add a box of tissues to my list. :)

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

James 1:17

our first trip to NASA + the ocean

2018-04-27T12:39:00.002-05:00

For one of our big summer 2018 activities, we headed to Houston with the kids for the first time they can remember:

As they say, everything is bigger in Texas, but did you know that the food also gets even tastier as you travel south?? :)

Breakfast at our hotel was awesome:

We totally surprised the kids by not telling them where we were going until we got there. Only Elijah had even a guess as to where we were going and he didn't tell, thankfully: :)

We took all the kids on the 90-minute trolley tour, and it was SO cool.

I'd been there at least twice before as a child, but I don't think they had the actual Apollo 13 room like they do now!! (I can't remember it, anyway.) It's now a national monument!

We also saw the astronaut training facility, and I think I appreciate it even more than I did when I was in junior high. :)

After we left the space center, we took the kids to the ocean (a bay, really, but it looked about the same). Most of them had never seen one before!

They were excited to see the water, and the giant seagulls:

As I was setting them up for a picture, I was giving the older kids a hard time about the roller coaster they were about to ride (their very first), and as I was taking pictures, Elijah threw a piece of leftover food at the seagulls. An entire flock of hungry birds flew our way:

No sooner had the teasing left my lips before the birds flew over my head, and you can almost see from their faces what happened next:

Poop. I got massively pooped on. Right on my head.

And the kids- OH my, the big kids just died laughing. I'm not sure I've ever heard so much instantaneous hooting and hollering!! Oh, the Lord loves my kids too!! They thought it was SO funny their mom got pooped on. I think their Heavenly Father must appreciate a good joke. :)

And I have to say- I'm going to watch out the next time I play up a scary rollercoaster! (I'm pretty sure I'll never say anything like that again ;) hahaha)

They took off, and two minutes later they came back windblown and unsure if they ever wanted to ride another one. :P One of them said something like "by the end it almost felt like a panic!"

We finished the day off with a delicious dinner at a steakhouse on the water:

My children and I have been blessed with such a good dad and husband. Before we decide where to go, I'm always (overly) worried about the price of everything on the menu, or how much money we've spent on this or that already, but he's like, "it's no big deal, it will be fun," and then we go and have the most wonderful, memorable dinner. And I'm always so happy we did it when it's over. In the end, I don't even remember the cost of anything- just that we got to eat at a wonderful place the kids have never been, and we had an ocean view at sunset.

I don't know why the Lord grants us such grace, but I am so grateful for days like these.

the cutest bed making ever

2018-04-26T17:13:00.001-05:00

The other night I came upstairs to find my bed had secretly been made:

I still haven't found out who did it, but whoever it was....

a) they were really short and

b) they made their mama's night. :)

just open the door (summer study announcement)

2018-04-25T13:47:00.002-05:00

love this sweet reminder (c/o Jen Schmidt)

There are no coincidences in God's kingdom, and I felt all the more certain of that fact when my blogging friend Jen from Balancing Beauty and Bedlam kindly sent me a copy of her new book and study released this month called Just Open the Door. (*affiliate link profit from this post goes to missions).

It seems the Lord has been pulling on my heartstrings over the last several months to increasingly offer up my home and table as a way to love others and tell people of His wonderful invitation for them, and then these books with this very message show up in my mailbox. Chance? I think not. :)

I've only scanned a few pages and already, I'm seeing the truth and love of the Gospel!

And I love how she dives deeper into why hospitality is so difficult:

The Bible study takes you into the Scriptures yourself, and the book has even more of Jen's own story and practical tips for hospitality:

I want my vision of hospitality transformed through the Scriptures. It is such an important part of Biblical homemaking, and I want to be better at showing His love using what He's given me. :) I am going to be doing this 7-week study on my own from May 9- June 27 and posting my thoughts each week here on the blog and Facebook if you want to study it along with me!! :)

I also have some exciting giveaways for you coming up in the next couple weeks as we round the corner into summer- the perfect season for being hospitable and sitting down to a meal around the table (that's a hint, by the way!)!! :)

Here is the link to the Just Open the Door Bible study book I'll be sharing about here on the blog in two weeks! I hope you'll join me as we learn how to use our homes to proclaim the wonderful news of our redeeming Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! :)

(all profits from these affiliate links will go to HeartCry Missionary Society).

our first real garden + bearing good fruit

2018-04-23T16:12:00.001-05:00

We are on week three of summer break, and we're loving it (possibly too much? ha!). Last weekend we had the chance to build two raised beds in the forest that we cleared:

Since we live in on a very wooded acre and we didn't want to dig up our already-paid-for sod in the middle of the yard, we placed the garden in a lower area near the tree line for late morning sun and used dirt from our property to level and fill the 4x8 boxes. We aren't sure how well the plants will grow, but we're hoping they'll do well since it seems like good soil.

After hours and hours of manual labor, here's what the garden looked like:

The boys are digging up and transplanting the smaller trees behind, and I hope to make a nice pathway to walk down for the chicken coop on the left:

Digging up a tree is way harder than anyone would think (we learned this the hard way at our first house 15 years ago, but obviously we must like hard work because we keep coming back for more!):

I've planted romaine, watermelon, tomatoes, squash, and onions so far:

The chickens were never far from the party (and the rooster is plain mean which causes every girl in our family all kinds of grief):

On Saturday we got the plants in the ground just in time for a spring thunderstorm.

And to commemorate the end to a productive day, we added a little fun to the mix:

When we ate dinner that night, we asked the Lord to bless our garden, because He upholds everything and brings life to the dead and food for the harvest. We plant dry seeds and somehow these tiny pods planted in April turn into large plants that bring delicious food for our family in July. We can only marvel and praise God for the miracle.

It makes me think about the day we will see the fullness of God's kingdom like we see our plants heavy with fruit in summer. Oh, that we will be ready and bearing good fruit at the harvest:

26 And he (Jesus) said, “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground. 27 He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how. 28 The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. 29 But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.” (Mark 4:26-29)

Father in Heaven, please produce a hundredfold harvest with our lives. We look to you for all things.

we have babies + God's sweet provision

2018-04-06T15:50:00.003-05:00

Last week I shared that we were expecting ;). We have great news again: last Thursday we went out to the coop to find 12 new baby chicks!

After losing most of our original pets, God gave us more than double than the original six we started with. :) We had 12 chicks hatch out of 14 eggs, and while we lost one the next day, we still have 11 chicks, 1 hen, and 1 rooster- more than double the number we started with in September! The Lord is so kind to my children!

We have been loving having little babies again, and it's even more precious to see the mama hen and the rooster protect the chicks! I am in awe of God's power. How does the hen know what to do? How did we end up with brand new chickens from a dozen eggs? I am amazed by the Creator.

Another thing that humbles you and reminds you of God's great power is watching trees fall:

Even small trees quickly get bigger when they're on the ground!

While the men were working on cleaning out the forest on Saturday, I was in the kitchen making a red velvet cake for Sunday. It's hard work to clear land, and I was feeling grateful to be holding babies and making cakes instead of pulling out briars. :)

We didn't get any good pictures on Sunday, but our crew is definitely growing as you can see from our free ice cream shot at Dairy Queen the other day:

Elijah is taller than me, Noah now has a bigger foot size, and Isabella was wearing my clothes in that picture. :) What is happening?

It seems like it was just the two of us yesterday:

And now we have very big and very little kids all at once. :)

Like the dozen chicks, God often surprises you by giving you more than you ever expected. Then He provides for you by generously giving you everything you needed and more to take care of what He gave you.

And sometimes that sweet, abundant provision looks like Dairy Queen giving your large family $20 worth of free ice cream :)

the first one of seven

2018-03-28T17:40:00.000-05:00

I made popcorn for the kids the other day, and unbeknown to me, Ivy-loo dispensed her own garlic salt on her portion. She only used a little of course... ;)

Here she is another day after begging her daddy for a piece of bleu cheese:

She likes strong flavors (garlic!) but I'd say she wasn't quite ready for the cheese. :) She is not at all shy, quiet, or afraid to try new things. Believe it or not, Ivy-loo is our first really extroverted little one! Maybe it's because she is our sixth-born? :)

bright walks + spring chickens

2018-03-27T16:56:00.002-05:00

I love both spring and fall- I'd be hard-pressed to choose which season I prefer more when it comes to weather. :) Thanks to the warm temperatures this month, we ventured out on one of what I hope to be many more walks this year! :)

I do believe Naomi loves being outdoors as much as the rest of the family:

I'm pretty sure the rooster would go with us if he could. I think he believes he's our dog! :)

Sadly, we are down to just one rooster and one hen after the neighbor's dog went hunting in our yard. :( Turns out chickens are probably the worst first pet you could give your children. But thankfully, in His mercy, the Lord has spared us both a rooster and a hen, and she is sitting on her first brood of eggs as we speak!!

The kids have marked 21 days out on the calendar, and the chicks are due to hatch tomorrow! I do hope we get one or two babies at least. This is an exciting week! :)

We made our getaway and quickly left the rooster behind so he couldn't follow us...

With so many stroller riders, we all alternate between riding and walking or running:

Now that the time has changed, we are going right before dinner while frozen food cooks in the oven. Less than an hour later, the food is ready and waiting for us!

Ah, spring. I am so thankful the Lord let us see it in 2018. :)

a surprise parents' day // 3.14.2018

2018-03-22T17:15:00.001-05:00

Last week the kids surprised us with a "Parents' Day" lunch and presents! The older kids thought it up all on their own and declared that "Pi Day" meant Parents' Day at our house. :) I went to the gym during the lunch hour and came back home to fresh chicken caesar salad, french bread, and chocolate chip cookies!

They also had all of my drink choices ice cold and waiting... :)

The kitchen was clean, and they set the table for us and made our plates. (!) It was delicious and relaxing- they even waited on us like servers and ate after we both finished. :)

Then we opened presents, and found they had made us gifts. :) Sweet, sweet Ava surprised her dad with a $20 bill (a good percentage of the money she has saved). The very love of that gesture went straight to her daddy's (and mama's) heart.

Our children are truly teaching us that the promises of God are true:

Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,
    the fruit of the womb a reward.
4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior
    are the children of one's youth.
5 Blessed is the man
    who fills his quiver with them!
He shall not be put to shame
    when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.
Psalm 127:3-5

They are a blessing, a heritage, and a reward. And already they are our best little friends. :)

crazy (fun) spring cleaning + finding rest in hard days

2018-03-10T13:04:00.001-06:00

Every March, when the weather turns sunny for half a minute, I suddenly get the itch to clean every dusty corner and crevice in my house. :) All those spring cleaning endorphins must have made me a little crazy this time because in the middle of pulling out everything, cleaning out old clothes, ransacking the lego closet, reorganizing the bookshelf, cleaning out the office, and rearranging the living room, I also decided it was time to potty train Ivy-loo! These kind of productive spring days feel so great.

I think (maybe?) this means I'm rounding the 8-month postpartum corner and getting my second wind (or at least catching my breath, anyway! Yay!) It feels amazing to have more energy again!

Here are a few shots of the household mayhem as it's been happening:

After I worked on cleaning for a long while yesterday, I opened the windows and took advantage of the breeze to air out the house. It felt SO good:

I repurposed a jar we had on the shelf to be a vase for the flowers Robert bought me:

And while we're working, the littles are always nearby these days (especially the toilet-training one!):

Zane is such a good big brother, he peeled two oranges for his potty-training sister to enjoy while she sat. :)

This little puppy dog is growing up fast:

She likes to be right there with me in the kitchen while I cook:

And our love-bug is growing up too. She is becoming quite mobile so we have to keep her busy and away from small objects now! We all take turns with her (another reason why it's AWESOME to have lots of older kids!).

Even with many helpful hands, I would say these days with 7 kids (14 and under) definitely don't fall in the easy category. :) This is a super challenging time in our life (for many reasons). But the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable, and what He starts, He will complete! :) He gave us this work to do, and He will supply the strength we need to do it. What rest we find in Jesus! He gives us so many opportunities each day to learn how to rest and abide in Him. :)

I am sure He will help us, lead us, and teach us every step of the way. And thankfully, He will work in us what is pleasing in His sight! :) He will do it!

somehow this keeps happening to me

2018-02-28T16:21:00.001-06:00

I think I've probably shared about it a time or two :), but I really love the E-meals/Walmart pickup combination. It's been one of the most timesaving additions to my homemaking routine! It's so much a part of our life now that I'm not sure if I can even walk into Walmart or stand in a line anymore. :)

There's only one thing that trips me up almost every time I shop for groceries online: the size of the items I'm purchasing.

I think a 1 oz. bottle of vanilla should be pretty big for $6, so I select it, only to get home and find it fits inside the palm of my hand. I should know better by now, but somehow no matter how hard I try, the same thing keeps happening to me! :)

Just last week I ordered corn tortillas for tacos, and I couldn't help but laugh out loud when I pulled out the tiniest tortillas I've ever seen in my life:

tortillas almost as big as her paci

I tried to get another reference point because they are so hilariously little-bitty:

I think the kids are going to have fun making them, but I have a feeling they won't be quite as filling as I hoped. :P The name sold me (street tacos sound good!), so I didn't even consider the size when I went to buy them! :)

It seems strange to me, but I think we experiment way more than usual thanks to online shopping (because I find options I would never consider when I search digitally). Of course, the nature of experimenting means the results don't always land in your favor (hello, underbuying!). You never know what you're going to get when you try something new. It's always an adventure! :)

I do enjoy surprises, but when it comes to buying groceries online I think I may have to start looking more closely for item measurements. :)

the sweet gospel study // week 13: walking in joy with an eternity mindset

2018-02-21T19:16:00.000-06:00

This week we are celebrating 13 weeks of studying the Gospel together! After studying together for a quarter of a year, I feel sad that our time in this study is coming to a close!!

Here is the link to this week's video or you can read below for a similar summary! :)

the end lies just ahead

Like we mentioned last week, we have been traveling down a timeline from the beginning of creation, through God's redemption plan, to our present day and how we live for Him. This week we are finishing our study with our eyes on the future: the end of our earthly race and what is to come.

Eternity.

Eternity is forever, from now on. If you put your faith in Jesus Christ, He promises you will never die (John 11:25-26). When your flesh is taken off in this first earthly death, your soul will be saved to be with Jesus forever, and your body will be raised to life again when He returns to the earth. (1 Corinthians 15)

All who believe in Jesus look forward to this day! This day when He returns, and death, sorrow, and sighing will flee away (Isaiah 51:11), and we will be able to see the face of our Master and be with Him forever in His kingdom.

The Lord promises that nothing between here and there can separate those who believe in Christ! Even death here cannot separate us from God. Romans 8 tells us:

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can bei against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written,“For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:31-39)

So no matter what happens to you, from now into eternity- even if you lose your life, you cannot be separated from the love of God in Christ Jesus!

That's why we can walk in joy.

walking forward in joy

Because we rest in what God has done for us in Christ, we can leave behind anxiety, fear, and despondency and actually rejoice in the Lord no matter what happens. If God did not spare His own Son, what would He hold back from you? You can take great joy in the fact if you are saved, your Father cares for you and knows all things!

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:4-7)

Sometimes it's difficult to feel joy when we're in the midst of suffering, but we can preach the Gospel to our hearts and in the Holy Spirit we can remember that God is fully in control of our lives and that we can trust Him. When we relinquish control (or thinking control is in our hands), we find such joy because we can rest in His work and grace. God has already done the work, and we are not in charge! What a relief to give up our will for His. What peace we have when we fully trust in God.

walking with eternity in mind

We have to think in terms of the long range. What is coming just around the corner? Life with Jesus for eternity!! Jesus will return for us, and before we know it, this life will end and we will all be bowing before Him.

My prayer is that we will be faithful until the end.

The Bible warns us about the seriousnesses of this race and holding our confidence firm to the end. The Bible calls us to endure the race that is this life, looking to Jesus, the reason for our faith:

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. (1 Corinthians 9:24-25)

Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end. (Hebrews 3:12-14)

If we don't hold our confidence in Christ, and we don't finish the race with Him, we can be sure we didn't have Him to begin with, because He is faithful to complete the work that He begins (Philippians 1:6).

We must cling to Jesus with all our might- we must abide in Him, and live in Him. This is what God does in the life of a new person who is born again- He becomes the most precious, wonderful prize, worth more than life itself. (Matthew 13:44)

We look to Jesus, our joy and our only Savior from the wrath of God that we deserve:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1-2)

And God is so good to His children that He gives us a guarantee of our salvation until we see it- the Holy Spirit:

In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. (Ephesians 1:11-14)

So we walk with our eyes ahead on Christ, our Savior, and we trust and walk in joy that God is going to do this work in us- that it doesn't rely on our ability to be good enough, but our salvation relies on the faithfulness of the One who promised it to us:

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. (Hebrews 10:19-23, bold emphasis mine)

And this is the very good news of the gospel: the blood of Jesus washing away our sins, giving us new hearts that truly worship God! Because of Jesus and His work on the cross, we can be confident that we are God's children and that He will complete His work in us. We can be confident that one day we will see Him and will be with Him forever to worship Him, the very thing our hearts long to do! He is our Lord and Savior, and we have nothing good apart from Him.

That's the long range vision. Eternity with our Father in Heaven, worshipping at the feet of Jesus, where we will see our One True Love. (Revelation 22:3)

This is the joy, this is the future for those who believe.

Jesus is worthy of everything.

We set our eyes on Him. When you know His love, there is nothing else that can satisfy your soul.

you can experience the goodness of God

I can tell you all about the gospel; indeed, we've talked about it for 13 weeks, but I can't give you the experience of knowing the One, True God. He alone can give you that, and I plead with you- if you haven't known Him, please seek after Him with all your heart. Ask Him to show you Himself, and who He is. He promises He will answer if you search for Him with all your heart.

I long for you to taste of His goodness too. Oh, what mercy the Lord offers us!!

What a sweet gospel it is.

Thank you for joining me on this journey through the gospel- I am so thankful that you were with me for these three months of studying God's Word!! Please let me know if you have questions or if I can help you in any way. You can message me on Facebook here, or email me at mandy @ biblicalhomemaking.com.

our v-day, a special moment + goals

2018-02-20T20:58:00.002-06:00

How is February almost over? I don't know how it happens. We had a great Valentine's Day as a family last week! I made cinnamon rolls (from a can) in a heart shape for breakfast:

And then we had a little exchange. :) When I was a kid, we made Valentine's mailboxes for our school party, so we did our own homemade/homeschooling version this year. The kids had fun putting each other's cards into their boxes:

I didn't make a box, but the kids found a basket to deliver ours to: :)

I had no idea they made presents for each other! Noah made rainbow crayons for the little kids using his sister's hair dryer:

And Ava made me a necklace!! I think she used a tag from something we bought, and a few stones and beads she had! I loved it!

Noah made the girls bracelets for their dolls:

We did school, filmed the video for last week, and then we went to lunch together as a family and dropped the kids off at my dad's. I love that Papa gave his girls Valentine candy: :)

They were SO excited. :) I remember my dad doing the same for me when I was little! It was super special. :) We had the chance to grab some coffee alone, then we went back home to work, and back out for a quick dinner with just the baby. It was so nice to have a few hours of quiet and a chance to go out on a date!! :)

My mom came to visit and our weekend flew by in a happy blur. A new week begins so quickly around here! Does it for you too? Our days feel very full right now!

Here are my goals for this week if the Lord allows them to happen:

personal:
Bible reading (daily)
pray alone (daily)
exercise or stretch (crosstrain 2x, run 3x, free day/stretch 2x)
listen to 1 sermon
practice 20 minutes a day
read 1 hour/week

homemaking:
sweep under couches + mop floors (1x week as a family)
clean master shower
inventory freezer + make a list
finish cleaning out 2 kitchen drawers (didn't finish this one yet, I did about 1/2 of each!)
make bread 3x in breadmaker (the kids are doing this one now!)
reorganize linen closet
change sheets

errands:
get car aligned
pick up Walmart order
return library books

homeschooling:
kids recite Psalm 27:5-6
kids- walk/run 1 mile (2x week)+ 40 high knees / 30 jumping jacks / 20 squats/ 10 walkout worms M-F

blogging:
study/ prep/ film Sweet Gospel Week 13
edit 1 video for YouTube (I haven't done this yet)
blog 3x
write email

MasterBooks curriculum review + pictures

2018-02-19T17:32:00.000-06:00

Last June we switched to a computer-based curriculum, and after six months of using it, I was feeling pretty certain it wasn't a good fit for us as a family. I liked the affordable price and the independent style of the work, but it was difficult for the younger kids and I had a hard time monitoring how well they were all doing with it each day.

We talked over the options at the midyear point: we could pick a new math curriculum for the children, or possibly go with another printed workbook system where we could easily see how they were doing with each question. We definitely knew we didn't want to spend a ton of money since we'd already purchased so much for this grade year.

After going back and forth about it, I prayed that the Lord would help us make the right decision, and that we would be wise and know whether we should stick it out or if He would help us find a new curriculum that would work better for the children.

Not long after that, I hopped back online to look at my cart of curriculum ideas when I saw a recommendation below it for a Masterbooks worktext (at a really good price!). I had never even heard of MasterBooks before, but when I looked it up and saw what they were all about, I felt like the Lord had led me to them and that this workbook style was the answer to my prayers. (literally!)

After showing it to Robert and telling him all about it the next morning, he liked it and thought it would be worth trying too. It was really affordable, so we ordered an entire set for each of the five oldest kids about three weeks ago. It was an exciting day at our house when the boxes arrived!

Just to give you an idea of what the daily work looks like, here is our 5th grader's Apologetics question:

And here is an exam question for our 8th grader:

Can you see why I LOVE this program? I have never seen a more Gospel-centered, evangelistic curriculum!! :) In our 7th grader's math, he was instructed to copy down verses from Hebrews and Jeremiah while studying how math points us to an Almighty Creator.

Each workbook lists the assignments for the day, and most of the "textbooks" are books my kids would read for fun:

8th grade Christian History

7th grade science

This kind of schoolwork makes me more excited about homeschooling than I have ever been in my life! We have a lot more daily questions to answer, and a lot more grading to do, but I love it so far. I really enjoyed the style of Classical Conversations and this feels similar to their big-picture style of learning (especially Challenge in regard to apologetics), but simpler with all their printable work, answer keys, and lesson plans in one book to make it easier for me as the teacher. :)

I am not good at homeschooling. I would say it is definitely not my area of special gifting, but God put it in the hearts of this publishing company to write a God-centered, simple curriculum I could only dream of putting together on my own. Of course I've only used it for two weeks, but I'm excited because this is the kind of thing I want to teach them about the most. I couldn't be more thrilled to find something that makes it possible- even easy- for someone like me to help them learn this way during this stage of having littles, preteens, and teenagers all at once.

Homeschooling is one of the hardest things I've ever done. It challenges my patience (daily) and sometimes even brings me to tears, but year after year, I see more of how God helps us, guides us, and never leaves us to fend for ourselves! How kindly He leads us when we seek Him! Oh, that every single thing we learn and every single thing we do would be for the glory of God! What a blessing it is to freely be able to learn about Him together all day.

This review was in no way facilitated by or paid for by MasterBooks. I just wanted to share what the Lord found for us. I had no idea it even existed until last month! :)