whispers in the the silence

3 gifts on thursday: sweet strawberry love

2012-02-09T11:23:00.003-05:00

Ever notice how strawberries emulate the shape of heart? Which makes them a LOVEly thing to give, and eat, on Valentine's Day.

For previous 3 Gifts installments, click here. If you would like to have a "gift" featured in this series, please see the bottom of this post for details.

1. the gift of muffins

Whether for breakfast, a snack or paired with a warm drink (tea for me!), muffins put the comforts of home in the palm of your hand. We've been eating a lot of Morning Glories lately, but I came across this recipe for Meyer Lemon Strawberry Muffins which may greet the kids at breakfast on Valentine's Day.

picture source: my baking addiction

2. the gift of hidden treasure
I discovered Radical Culinary on etsy last week when I saw this yummy item favorited by someone in my circle:

Hidden Treasure Strawberry Cupcake from Radical Culinary

While the strawberry-in-cupcake would be a delightful treasure, reading Sam & Carey Walker's profile and see the other yummy treats they cook up is equally a pearl.

3. the gift of fruit like candy
Instead of giving more candy and sugar...how about something just as sweet but so much healthier...freeze-dried strawberries (organic is best)? Here are a couple of links to online sources of organic freeze-dried strawberries: North Bay Trading & Just Tomatoes. Trader Joe's also carries packets if you have a store near you. (though I can't remember if they are organic)

If you have a "gift" you'd like me to consider wrapping into a 3 Gifts on Thursday package, please email me the details. It can be anything you are hosting or have heard about: from a giveaways to service projects, household/parenting tips, resources, promotions/coupon codes, items such as books, music, movies, etc (ones available for purchase online). If I choose to incorporate your gift suggestion into a 3 Gifts post, I will email you to let you know when it will be featured.

valentine's day: "cards" for school friends

2012-02-08T14:37:00.000-05:00

I'm always faced with a dilemma around every card-giving season - do I spend money on something that most likely will be tossed in the very near future or do I find another way to express the sentiments fitting for the occasion? The alternative way most often wins out. Probably because I tend to toss most cards rather than keep them. Though I'm trying to find ways to amend that. But images of our children sifting through mountains of paper after we've dearly departed and wondering, "Why did she keep that?" float through my head.

Knowing Reese's class would be passing out Valentine's next week again posed this dilemma: Do I buy the box of Valentine's for him to sign or do I think of something more useful, practical and less wasteful of paper? The practical side again won out and here's the result of my brainstorm:

Because, who doesn't love new crayons? (or in this case, just one.)

Here's what you do:
1. Buy some crayons (one for each of your child's friends)

2. Download this page from my scribd account and print it out. There are 16 tags on one page. If you're really frugal and eco-conscious, conceivably, you could print this on the blank side of a pre-used page. Just make sure it's wrinkle free and free of sensitive information. (Note: for some reason, the font looks different on the scribd screen than in the original PDF. When I downloaded it from Scribd, however, the text appeared the same as my original copy.)

3. Cut out the tags. I used a paper cutter, but scissors work too.

4. Using a glue stick, apply glue down the length of the blank side of the tag. I had Reese do some, but in the interest of glue conservation, did most of this myself. ;)

5. Bring the ends of the tag together, aligning them and then press to seal the paper. Be sure to leave a loop opening big enough for the crayon to go through. Depending on your child's age, they may be able to do this part themselves. I needed to help Reese.

6. Have your child select a crayon (Reese loved this part!) and insert it into the loop. Then press to seal.

7. Once the glue dries, your child can sign their name on after the "xo" portion of the tag.

And here's what it looks like on each side:

the saving and the sacrifice

2012-02-06T14:00:00.000-05:00

Back in December I began dream-praying about a family tradition for Lent because it finally struck me that we were without one.

Easter for me has always held greater significance than Christmas. And by always, I mean when I began believing Jesus was more than just some guy who did something that people seemed to like. I love the Easter season because it's not filled with the hoopla which accompanies our remembrance of His birth. I love the quietness and contemplation and the wild joy of again celebrating the day when life conquered death.

I began by thinking what I loved about our Jesse Tree tradition - the daily readings, candies from a tree, eating by candlelight, the kids looking forward to this event each year - and I re-imagined what it might look like for Easter.

And what took shape was this:

picture source

A devotion for each day of Lent and a special section for Holy Week. One which looks at God's saving stories and His stories of establishing in the "old" what would and will be shadows of the "new." It's a devotion meant for all ages - one meaty enough for an adult but with the ability to be scaled back for young children without losing meaning and significance.

And instead of daily candies, there are seeds or coins. The seeds idea planted by Ann Voskamp's Advent tradition and the coins imparted by the rector of our church.

If you would like a copy of "The Saving & the Sacrifice," please email me and I will gladly send you a PDF file of it. Lent begins February 22...

Linking with:

100th day...now

2012-02-04T11:59:00.000-05:00

This week the kids reach their 100th day of school. Dave though that went by fast. ;)

And through these weeks, I continue to count the gifts of knowing this is where God would have them, in spite of my feelings and fears. The gifts of:

Brianna and Reese consistently saying they had a good day at school
giving them the choice whether or not they want to do their homework/study we strongly suggest it, but they get to make the choice - something I could never have done while homeschool, tempting though the thought
their teachers choosing that profession - especially when that profession means they must bravely enter a classroom of coughing, sneezing, runny-nosed children
crossing guards who look out for other people's safety
the bookends of walking to school most days in spite of the struggles to do so
resting in the framework the school routine provides - a framework not of my creating

This isn't to say I may enter into serious doubts about this choice when we face difficult challenges which may come with a public school system, which is why I must record this now. The trusting that God spoke clearly in want them here, now. Maybe not forever, but for now, yes.

And here's the way I helped Reese mark this 100th day of school:

I gave him some suggestions and this Lego theme is what he chose. Lego seems to be a theme lately. I provided the art direction, but he gathered the Lego, set up the men, helped take the pictures and had to check and recheck our count was correct. (We cut and pasted the pictures into Publisher after Pickniking them and printed this on a standard letter-sized paper - the back of a school paper, in fact. I love recycling.)

SweetHeart Love on a String Tutorial

2012-02-03T06:00:00.000-05:00

A couple of weeks ago I was contacted by a writer of Sustainablog to do a tutorial for Valentine's Day. As God would have it ;) I had just put a little something together as an extra gift for customers at my shop in mid-January to mid-February featuring upcycled fabric scraps.

I hope you will join me over here, for the tutorial.

3 gifts on Thursday...

2012-02-02T07:00:00.000-05:00

...will be back next week. I'm working on a devotion for Lent (which I'll share about in the next week) and need a little extra time to polish it off. In the meantime, you can click this link to see previous 3 Gifts posts.

today (photo journal)

2012-02-01T19:08:00.000-05:00

It's been an uncommonly warm winter and though I love the snow, I've also enjoyed the reprieve from the long weeks of teetering between rainy slush and the take-your-breath-away cold. (Side note: it boggled my mind yesterday to learn that there was an almost 100 degree F difference between here and Fairbanks, Alaska. Their thermometer read -49 degree F! Yes...minus 49)

It was a day inviting walks to be taken and sun to be soaked up. And so we did, the two young ones and I...

stairway to heaven?

a mini-Gandolf?

and Ben doesn't look so sure about this doorway

when things are broken and ugly

2012-01-30T19:17:00.003-05:00

I realized something about blogging today...it's hard to do so when things don't feel very pretty. That is, it's not easy to write about things that really matter...the matters of the heart. It's no problem to post about fun ideas, endeavors in the kitchen or happy photos - the "Fine" responses to the question, "How are you doing?"

But to post when you feel overwhelmed, uncertain, and the uncleanness of your heart seems to spill out unbidden? Not such an easy thing to accomplish.

For the past few days, however, this post has been writing itself in my mind and I'm sharing the unprettiness because maybe it will encourage another. God's way of turning the ugly into the beautiful.

So often these past few months, in the times when the chaos and intensity of raising children is at fever pitch I feel like I want to take a good long vacation, to run away, to leave what robs me of feeling like "me." This usually happens when I am at a loss as to how to deal with our children's disobedience and when I feel like yelling is one of the few and unfortunately effective ways of getting them to listen. I maybe understand why women leave their children. It's not a pretty thought.

And no question if they were in peril, I would be on my knees begging God for deliverance and if something worse happened to them, my heart would break and these unlovely thoughts be a torment in my grief. And there is no question I do not want this thought to persist or stay because even in our disobedience God still loves us.

I've often asked Him these past few months how He has the ability to be so patient with us, His children born of His love. How He can love what hates Him or worships worthless, dead idols over His living glory. Sure He sent a flood at one time to wipe out all but eight people on this planet because of their sinful ways, but then He promised never to do it again. Even though, in a very short time, they were right back at it. And so are we.

Yesterday, though, He whispered something to me and it's really the something I desire to share, but His Words mean so much more when you understand where I've been in my flesh these past few months...

I stayed home from church with Reese and Ben due to some mild sickness. Reese was playing with Lego in his room and I decided to join him, giving him quality time with me - his love language. If you have boys of Lego- age you most likely will identify with this next part, and if you are from an all-girl world as I once was, this will be a fascinating insight into boy-world..

For some reason, the boys LOVE to take apart their Lego guys...heads, arms, legs, hands. When my sisters and I played with Lego this thought never entered our minds. We occasionally mixed things up, but we always kept body parts in tact.

So I had it in mind, as I was playing with Reese that we would go on a rescue mission and put all the Lego men back together as best we could (some body parts having been lost to the vacuum cleaner).

It's always distressed me to see these Lego men in pieces and I as put them back together I realized how much I enjoyed putting broken people back together.

And that's when God whispered, "So do I."

Oh, how good it did me to hear His voice softly reminding me that though I am broken, He enjoys the process of piecing me back together and perhaps this is the secret of His patience...knowing these shattered pieces of our souls take time to be made whole. But He who is out of time has all the time in the world to work it out. And for that I praise Him. And on that I hang my hope.

To God be the glory! Amen.

The gifts:

brokenness...so He can fix me
His patience...so I might have more
restoring Lego men to wholeness
time spent with Reese
hearing "Step by Step" on the radio...and God ordering mine

Sharing with (SDG on Tuesday):

something new

2012-01-28T11:57:00.002-05:00

Despite my hesitations, I'm jumping in with both feet to the social media pool by setting up a Facebook and Twitter account which combine the names of this blog and my shop: Whispers of Grace. You can find Whispers of Grace here on Facebook and here on Twitter.

Personally, I feel overwhelmed by the amount of information that gets shared in these two forums and I'd rather communicate by email and really, the only One I want to really "follow" is Jesus, but I'm exploring whether these will be a better way to share any updates from both the blog and shop. Mostly, I'll be sharing updates along with new items added to my shop, shop announcements and occasional giveaways and promotions.

(And, something new for Valentine's Day... I have a couple of these listed in the shop:)

thinking outside the (chocolate) box

2012-01-27T14:30:00.000-05:00

I love chocolates and flowers, but I also love thinking outside the proverbial box, especially when it comes to giving gifts. If you're looking for something a little different to give this Valentine's Day - or for any other occasion - here are items from a treasury I put together Etsy along with a few additional items and suggestions for accompanying messages. All images are sourced from the owner's shops.

"You Bring Color To My World"

Gift idea: crayons, colored pencils, paints or other art mediums
Perfect for: children and budding or full-fledged artists

crayons pencil crayons

"We Make a Great Pair (or "Pear")"

Gift idea: mittens, pear-shaped/imprinted household items, pears, socks
Perfect for: anyone!

pear art pear wall clock upcycled mittens

"We're Birds of a Feather"

Gift idea: bird seed, bird pictures or notecards
Perfect for: bird fans

bird seed hearts bird art

"I Dig You"

Gift idea: gardening tools
Perfect for: avid gardeners, children

source

"Sow Seeds of Love"

Gift idea: seed packets
Perfect for: anyone

source

"You Make My Heart Sing"

Gift idea: ipod holder, itunes gift card, personal CD mix, whistle
Perfect for: anyone

ipod case whistle key chain

"You Light Up My Life"

Gift idea: candle, flashlight, key chain light
Perfect for: ladies (candle), anyone (flashlights, key chain lights)

source

"Your Love Warms My Heart"

Gift idea: travel mug cozy, tea, coffee, scarf, sweater,
Perfect for: adults (mug cozy/tea/coffee), everyone

mug cozy freeze dried strawberries for tea scarf

"You are Written on My Heart"

Gift idea: pencils, pens
Perfect for: anyone

source

"You are Always on My Mind"

Gift idea: headgear
Perfect for: anyone

men's hat girl's/woman's hat headband

"We Go Together Like Salt & Pepper"

Gift idea: salt & pepper shakers/servers
Perfect for: adults - especially newly engaged couples

source

3 gifts on Thursday: love never fails edition

2012-01-26T07:00:00.000-05:00

The next three weeks of 3 Gifts on Thursday will have a Valentine's Day theme. This week I'm starting off with one of my favorite things to do - incorporate Scripture into everyday life. So this 3 Gifts post focuses on the passage in 1 Corinthians 13 which describes the attributes of love.

For previous 3 Gifts installments, click here. If you would like to have a "gift" featured in this series, please see the bottom of this post for details.

1. the gift of finding it on etsy

In looking through etsy, I found a number of beautiful items which contain some or all of the words in this love passage. Here are some of my favorites (all pictures are sourced from the owner's etsy shops):

Framed embroidery from PA Country Crafts

Typography print from Define Design

Coasters from The Gracious Home

Metal wall art from The Word Within

Large wall art from Empire City Studios

2. the gift of making it yourself
Though I posted this back in October, it's worth sharing again, especially if you'd like to make a 1 Corinthians garland for yourself and/or for someone else. Please read this post for the instructions on what to do.

3. the gift of song
I love how songs help us remember information better than speaking and here's a song that's a recent favorite of mine and one I happened to be listening to this morning. God's grace in helping me think of a third gift for this post. ;)

crafting love: Valentine's Day idea #1

2012-01-24T14:51:00.000-05:00

I originally posted about this idea last year, but am refreshing it for Valentine's Day. (I need to give credit to Tee from Sustainablog for reminding me of this tutorial and suggesting it be used for Valentine's Day - thanks Tee!). I've created a link at the top of the blog for the Valentine's Day ideas I'll be sharing over the next couple of week. Or you can access it, by clicking here.

Because I'm usually opt to toss rather than keep for nostalgia's sake, I have very few cards on hand, except a large stack from our wedding which I dug into for this tutorial. Which come to think of it, does go with the love theme. ;) But I much prefer to re-purpose items where possible, which makes this idea perfect for a heavy card-giving occasion. (If you're a tosser like me, this idea may need to wait until this Valentine's Day is over...then you'll be one step ahead for next February 14th.)

Step 1: Collect Valentine's/love theme-cards and select one of them to use as a template. You may want to use a smaller rectangle - choosing a larger one may mean your template won't fit on the smaller cards. Unless you want to create several different sizes of triangles.

Step 2: Make your template. Tear the card in half along the crease mark. Like this:

Then, using the back half of the card (the one with the main message), fold it in half. Like this:

Next, using a ruler, draw a diagonal line from one corner to the other. Like this:

Cut along the diagonal, unfold, and...voila! your template.

Step 3: Cut out your pennant pieces. Using your template trace around the colorful front of the card and cut out. At this point, you may want to write on the back who the card was from, who the card was for, and the year. Also, you may want to play with the order of the pieces to get a pleasing pattern.

Step 4: String your pennant pieces together. Punch two holes at the top and thread string, ribbon or raffia through the holes. Holes small in diameter are better than larger ones unless you are using a thick material to string the pennants - you want to be able to slide the pennants along and adjust their position easily.

Step 5: Hang up on the day of the celebration and enjoy. Tuck away for the next Valentine's Day and add to it as you collect more cards.

abuzz with love (and photos from the weekend)

2012-01-23T14:15:00.004-05:00

Unlike my as-of-late tendency to think of gift ideas in the week before the occasion, lately my mind has been buzzing with Valentine's Day ideas. Perhaps an answer to my prayer to be intentional and take my time over creating gifts. So I thought it would be fun to share these ideas over the next couple of weeks interspersed with my other posts. Mostly, I've been trying to brainstorm fun, yet practical ways to say "I love you" beyond the usual cards which are destined for the recycle or toss pile.

And in my shop, I'll be stocking some special Valentine's Day items in the coming week, Lord willing. I already have these hand-sized pit packs listed:

...and I'll be listing these cloth sacks soon:

And some pictures from the week which began and ended with sledding at one of our favorite spots. I'm having a time of it trying to get Ben to keep his mitts on....after I took this picture, he started dragging his hands in the snow as I pulled him on the sled, lost a mitt, but kept right on trailing his fingers until I noticed what he was up to!

3 gifts on thursday

2012-01-19T07:00:00.000-05:00

For previous 3 Gifts installments, click here. If you would like to have a "gift" featured in this series, please see the bottom of this post for details.

1. the gift of rewards for frequent purchases

As much as possible I try to buy organic. Which can be pricey. So whenever I find ways to save on organic products, I celebrate. Last year I discovered Stoneyfield Organic has a rewards programs for its customers. If you buy Stoneyfield (I love their Yo Baby Yogurt), look for the rewards code on their product and then go here to sign up and enter the codes. According to their site, they are doing the reward program through June of this year, but I'll be praying it stays around for much longer. :)

2. the gift of soy milk coupons
Ever since I became lactose intolerant, I've tried to find alternatives to cow milk. Soy milk is now my "go to" product and makes a great substitute when milk is required for a dish or recipe (soy cheese, however, is not...I have yet to find a suitable replacement for that). If you are lactose intolerant, allergic to milk or just trying to cut back on fats and cholesterol, try soy milk. If you visit the Silk Soymilk site, you can find a printable coupon here when you sign up (it's free). Note: I've heard that if you're going to buy soy products it's best to go organic. And, if you're using it in recipes, getting the unsweetened version is best.

3. the gift of a great cookbook
I checked this book out of the library a few weeks ago on a whim. Reese loves looking at cookbooks and I thought he might enjoy this one given his love of apples. Turns out I rather enjoy it too and it has some yummy recipes. So far we've tried the blue ribbon apple pie (Dave made that one), sweet potato and apple latkes (delectable...the only down side was the house smelled like latkes for a few days afterwards) and morning glory muffins. One of my favorite parts of the book is the guide to apples and the stories behind some of the recipes.

If you have a "gift" you'd like me to consider wrapping into a 3 Gifts on Thursday package, please email me the details. It can be anything you are hosting or have heard about: from a giveaways to service projects, household/parenting tips, resources, promotions/coupon codes, items such as books, music, movies, etc (ones available for purchase online). If I choose to incorporate your gift suggestion into a 3 Gifts post, I will email you to let you know when it will be featured.

wonder: snow...prints

2012-01-18T16:18:00.000-05:00

image source

Today it's snowing. White feathers, shaken gently from the sky. The most perfect kind of snow fall.

Back when I didn't believe God existed, I failed to see the miracle in this seasonal occurrence. At the advent of junior high and biology and a "natural" explanation for the creation around us, I took the faulty leap to believing these natural "explanations" explained away the need for God. I couldn't have been further from the truth.

As I watched the wisps settling on the ground, I thought about how each snowflake is unique. Isn't it mind-boggling to think about how much snow has fallen through the millennium and not one flake is like another? Which reminded me we are like that too.

And it's even crazier to think that no one is an exact duplicate of another...not even "identical" twins.

Dave bought the kids a book on the human body this past weekend and one of the facts pointed out that everyone's fingerprints are unique to that individual. Even "identical" twins grow fingerprints of different patterns.

Though believing in God must be a leap of faith, surely that fact must provide some evidence at His existence. For how else can you explain two individuals split from the same cells to end up with different fingerprints. And this doesn't just happen with one set of "identicals"...it happens with them all!

How wonderful of God to give us tangible, visible proof that He does not see us as numbers, but as names. Not one like another. Each uniquely special in His eyes. Each created out of Love to be loved by Him.

When you have a moment, peer at your hands. Notice the fingerprints. God placed them there. Chose that pattern specifically for you. Your prints are proof that you were meant to be. He had you in mind before you came to be. Amazing.

immersion

2012-01-17T14:27:00.001-05:00

The golden week at the cottage, on the shores of Lake Huron near Goderich, Ontario, is one we anticipate each day we are not there. It's a try-to-make-it annual event, but pregnancy, babies and other excursions creep in between times.

For nearly three decades our family has sojourned there, a tradition started by my grandparents...my English born and bred grandmother loved the water.

It's the water which draws me too. Occasionally bone-chilling even mid-summer. Sometimes stirred up by wind and storm, God's washing machine and we are the laundry.

Though the water memory which holds me fast is the sensation of water closing over my head as I dip beneath the surface, raising goosebumps at liquid shock. Then... the cooling of sun-warmed skin, the lifting of hair, the pulling through the water, exploring. It is the immersion which beckons and perhaps we never really forget the nine months spent in a fluid embrace.

Today, I realized it's immersion which my spirit is crying out for - another glimmer of light God sheds in the fog of the past few months. And I think it's why I turn jittery, anxious, edgy when I have too much going on in my head and in my surroundings. I want to sink into the moments, fully immerse myself in them and immersion is impossible when splashing from one puddle to another. I recently read about this sinking into time idea in One Thousand Gifts and it makes so. much. sense.

Which is why I want share about something I'll be doing for this season of Lent which begins February 22. I've been praying about this for several weeks, asking and re-asking God for confirmation. But I think He just wants me to take the plunge. So here goes. Deep breath.

From February 22nd through Easter I'm going to fast, with God's strength and mercy, from the computer. For 47 days I'm going to put it away, bury it somewhere in our house and immerse myself in life apart from the laptop. I need this fast on so many levels, but it seems rather daunting given how much our lives are bound up in technology...even simple things like communicating.

It will take some preparing between now and then and I wonder if those 47 days will seem like months or years. I wonder too if I will feel more apart of the world or separate from it. Questions which can only be answered on the other side.

I wonder if this is something God may be inviting you to do too, whether it is for the complete 47 days or only a portion. An invitation to immerse yourself. Give yourself fully to another area He may be calling you to. A baptism of Spirit to spirit. If you do take up this invitation, will you come back and let me know that we may pray for another to guard against temptation and to open ourselves to receive what God may have in store?

In the next week or so, I'll also share about something I'm working on for Lent, another way to immerse, prepare, receive the gift of Christ's dying on a cross for us.

Linking with:

hot chocolate

2012-01-14T08:07:00.002-05:00

It was a hot chocolate kind of day yesterday...at least it was for Luke and Ben. I chose apple cider, while Brie and Reese were sipping up knowledge at school.

It was well earned after fighting to get the iced sliding doors of the van open while racing against the clock to get the kids to school in the nick of time, then braving the wintry weather to go grocery shopping.

And I was surprised last night at how quickly the week flew by...could it really be Friday already? It seemed we must have one or two more school days before us.

We have fallen into this new routine with an ease that bears the mark of God's grace. It could be nothing else. I struggled to find a like-slipping-on-new-skin schedule for the first part of the school year and it never quit fit just right. There always remained a bunching here, an irritant there and seams falling out of place.

Yet there is an ethereal strangeness to this season. A jumble of peace and wrestling, joy and deep sadness, a lost and findingness. It's God working out His purposes, answering prayers, setting a captive free. It is bitter, but it also is a hot chocolatey kind of sweet.

3 gifts in thursday

2012-01-12T07:00:00.000-05:00

For previous 3 Gifts installments, click here. If you would like to have a "gift" featured in this series, please see the bottom of this post for details.

1. the gift of joy

I've almost finished reading Ann Voskamp's One Thousand Gifts - a profound book that encourages the reader to live out the thanking of God for everything and rejoicing in Him always. And this year, she's adding a new twist to the gift list...counting 1000 gifts in one year and providing 3 specific gifts to look for each day. Dave and I are doing this together with the kids - reading the daily treasure hunt in the morning and sharing about the gifts we found in the evening. Here's the link to her post on the Joy Dare.

2. the gift of tantalizing recipes
I found this blog a couple of months ago. Beautiful photographs, yummy foods to try and a little bit of life mixed in...like this peppermint hot chocolate:

photo source: The Pastry Affair

photo source: Positively Splendid

3. the gift of simple, cheap organizing #2
Last week, I shared this tip in the category of simple, cheap organizing. And last week I was excited to discover this tutorial at Positively Splendid a) because we still are buy diapers and b) because I can always use beautiful ways to organize and stash things. Now I'm kind of excited to buy our next box of diapers, but not 100% excited because I still have to pay more money than I'd care to on something that will end up in a landfill.

verses

2012-01-09T14:24:00.000-05:00

I laugh as I think about how the annual verse God gave me two years ago continues to apply today. The living and active Word which takes on flesh, a child growing, features forming, but it's the eyes, the windows to the soul of truth which stay the same.

Two years ago (2010) in a hard season, I asked God for a word to carry me through the year. This is the one He gave me:
¹¹ The LORD will guide you always;
   he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land
   and will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
   like a spring whose waters never fail.
¹² Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins
   and will raise up the age-old foundations;
you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls,
   Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.
(Isaiah 58:11-12 NIV)

We were in the thick of a rehab of new-to-us but old-in-age rental which meant the "ancient ruins," "age-old foundation" and "Repairer of Broken Walls" references particularly appropriate. Then we had an indoor flood in one of our other rental homes a few months into the new year of 2010 to add to the entire stack and sewer system which needed replacing at the new/old house so we definitely felt well-watered. (At that point, I specifically asked God if these unfailing waters might stay within the pipes for all of our houses.)

Sigh. I still bear the scars from that scorching-hard year and know I still need the Lord's healing from all that we went through. But He did bring us through it.

This past weekend, I realized this verse continues to bear truth for us because Dave started his new job last week with Habitat for Humanity and the rebuiling and repairing and restoring takes new definition. Glorious. God-given.

And my verse for this year? Same as last:

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you. (Psalm 32:8 NIV)

Thank You Lord, for Your willingness to teach me and your patience as I err and wrestle for control. May You be glorified for Your instruction. In Jesus' name, Amen.

first week and photos of the week

2012-01-07T16:12:00.001-05:00

Two words to sum up this week: guilt and joy.

The deep breaths which I began to take Wednesday inflate my soul still. A weight lifted from my chest - one I didn't realize pressed down on me. The joy in the intentional, the slowing down, the peaceful quiet. The joy in unexpected answers to prayers.

Yet, the guilt creeps in. It started with the "I'm not going back to school," assessment of the day from Reese when I when I picked up him and Brianna. (Brianna, on the other hand, emphatically stated she was going back and that was final ;) ). It's not surprising really given this was his first foray into a school system and his like-me tendencies to be shy and hesitant to approach others. He's also had 6.5 years of large bouts of freedom during the day to do where his boy-heart leads.

The two remaining days of the short school week met with the same comment and yesterday he said he cried when no one was looking because he wanted to go home. And my heart breaks (and aches) for him.

Logically speaking, three days is not enough time for him or I to assess if this is going to work. I know we need to give it time and trust God that this is where they need to be because He made it so clear that continuing with homeschooling would be the breaking of me.

But the guilt remains and I question why I couldn't find joy in the craziness of homeschooling, in the intensity that comes with siblings who are around each other frequently and why it seems to make more sense to have a perfect stranger pouring things into my children's heads instead of me taking on that role.

Which is why these murky images make sense now and why God has promised to walk through this with me. He knows what is on the other side and I have to trust Him and cling to faith and Hebrews 11:1 starts to be lived out in the flesh.

And I am grateful He is having me read this book and learn the discipline of thanks in the discomfort, the questioning, the guilt and the pain of not knowing how it will all turn out.

So I will thank Him for:

a new routine set apart from me
learning to trust when I do not know
answered prayer - promise of near-daily walks to school
Brianna's joy at being back at the school
the lessons we will learn in this new season
slowing down time
hours spent with Luke and Ben

And the photos of the week:
Monday:

using a garbage can to mold a snowman's body

Friday:

snow almost gone, joyfully swinging

3 gifts on Thursday

2012-01-05T07:19:00.004-05:00

There's something about a new year which must inspire us to want a fresh start...clean, simplified, spacious. Which is probably why January is named "Get Organized Month." If you're in the mood for a little organization, here are a few gifts for you to unwrap.

For previous 3 Gifts installments, click here. If you would like to have a "gift" featured in this series, please see the bottom of this post for details.

1. the gift of great handmade tools

In preparing for this post, I created two treasuries on etsy each featuring 16 items to help you tame the clutter.

The first treasury features upcycled items: The Up(cycled) Side of Organizing.Here are a few samples from that list:

The second is an assortment of items featuring new materials: GO (Get Organized). Although some of the items are sold on this one, if you click on the shop name, you can see other comparable items available from those shops.

2. the gift of small bites
I heard about One Bite at a Time: 52 Projects for Making Life Simpler by Tsh Oxenreider on Courtney's blog last year as she shared the dent she made in her list of simplifying life. Though I haven't read it yet, it's on my "to read" list when I feel the nod from God that the time is right. If this book might be an answer to prayer Tsh is giving away 10 free copies of her e-book through the Bloom Book Club on (in)courage - no end date/time for the giveaway was listed, but the winners will be announced tomorrow. If you're reading this after the entries are closed, you can get get $1off the book until this Tuesday, January 10 (type in the code HAPPYNEWYEAR) .

3. the gift of simple, cheap organizing
A few years ago, after losing track of food staples stored in bags in my cupboards, having them fall out of the cupboard as I dug for the bottom bag and spilling their contents in the cupboards and on my counter from small tears, I knew I needed a better system. The solution? Mason jars.

Easy to keep organized. Perfect for tracking when I get low on an item. Budget friendly. And they provide an excellent cover for items and appliances tucked behind them. ;) The only thing they can't do is prevent random items from appearing where they should not be - like on the bottom shelf. Ahem

breathing again (and a recipe)

2012-01-04T14:41:00.002-05:00

As I type this half my children are upstairs resting and the other half are at school. It marks a new season for us...the reentry into the public school system after 2.5 years of homeschooling.

Since making the decision at the end of last month, I've run the gamut of emotions from doubt and fear to anticipation and excitement. I sincerely thought I'd be homeschooling for much longer and I know I will have many moments of questioning if this was indeed the Lord's will, especially on days when our children face refining challenges.

But for the first time in a long while I feel like I'm breathing again. Deeply. Filling my lungs with the freedom the Lord brings. Freedom from the expectations I put on myself. Freedom to explore the creative bent our Creator knit into my marrow. Freedom to be just "mom" and not "teacher-mom." This tug-of-war stretching my fibers thin is over and I await the Lord's molding of me. It is only in hindsight that I am seeing what God already knew.

So to my grateful/gifts list, I add:

breathing deeply
God knowing me better than I know myself
praying for our children in a new way
focused time with Luke and Ben
schools
other-than-parent teachers
chocolate/white chip & dried cranberry cookies, warm from oven, melting on tongue
trans-fat free white chocolate chips

And on those last two notes...what would be a first day of school without the proverbial chocolate chip cookies awaiting our young scholars when they return home? Here's the batch Luke and I whipped up while defending the cookie batter and chips from Ben's quicker-than-lightening fingers:

Chocolate/White Chocolate Chip & Dried Cranberry Cookies*
1 c. soy butter (or regular butter), softened
1 c. firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 1/4 c all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 - 1 1/2 c. dried cranberries
semi-sweet chocolate chips
white chocolate chips (recommend Trader Joe's brand)

Combine the butter, sugars and vanilla and mix thoroughly. Beat in eggs. Add in flour, baking soda and salt and mix until well combined. Stir in dried cranberries. If desired separate batter in half, stirring in semi-sweet chocolate chips to taste in one half and the white chocolate chips to taste in the other half. Or just put all the chips together in the batter. Spoon onto ungreased cookie sheets, place in a 375 degree over and bake for 8-10 minutes. Cool slightly on pan before moving to a cooling rack.

*This recipe was adapted from the one on the back of a Trader Joe's brand semi-sweet chocolate chips (which lactose-intolerant me likes since they are milk free). And I about shouted "Hallelujah! Amen" to God when I discovered Trader Joe's now carries trans-fat free white chocolate chips. I think Dave felt the same way when I told him I baked with them today. ;)

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photo journal: 2011 in pictures

2011-12-30T16:38:00.001-05:00

The older I get, the faster time flies and the more I forget much of what happened in the previous 365 days. Which makes it all the more fun to go back and pick one picture from each month to capture "what we were doing when..." I did this last year on my other, now-private-rarely-updated family blog and found it gave me pause for reflection and a second chance to celebrate what God gifted us in one year.

January

epic sled hill

February

happened 2 minutes after getting to my parents house on Super Bowl Sunday

March

courtesy of Reese...I often find these types of pictures on my camera ;)

April

someone turned 6 and celebrated by trying out his new stomp rocket

May

I became a citizen AND registered voter :)

June

Ben turned two and got some new wheels with a handy push handle for D & I

July

getting ready to march in the 4th of July parade - a first for us

August

Isaac & Luke at Goderich - so hard to pick a favorite from this vacation!

September

our traditional trip to a county fair

October

my favorite picture of Brie with my sister and nephew at a new park we discovered

November

our hike where Luke lost his shoe in the mud

December

the family tree and a Christmas Eve-day walk

Farewell 2011!

3 gifts on thursday

2011-12-29T07:00:00.000-05:00

The gifts for today's post are themed around making New Year's resolutions, though, typically, I don't make them myself. At least, not all at the beginning of the year for the entire year. My resolutions take the shape of dreams and goals - some long held, some just born - and grow through the annual dance of days. A few of these goals I will seek hard after, while others I'm more patient to achieve.

Here are three gifts which reflect my not-resolutions ;) for this year and the ones to come. And, if you'd like to share, I'd love to hear a few of your resolutions, dreams or goals for 2012.

For previous 3 Gifts installments, click here. If you would like to have a "gift" featured in this series, please see the bottom of this post for details.

1. the gift of guidance

A couple of years ago, I felt God nudging me to ask Him for an "annual verse" - a specific Word from the Bible to encourage and guide me through the upcoming year. If you've heard about asking Him for a life verse, this is the same idea only for a much shorter span of time. Last year I again prayed He would give me a word to sustain me through 2011 and I'm asking Him again this year for this gift. Since beginning this practice, it's helped hold me fast to His promises and keep trusting Him for the future. I know He will be faithful for you too if you ask Him for this gift.

2. the gift of keeping up with the kids (a.k.a. staying in shape)
With four exuberant children, my energy level for chasing after them hovers often around the "boy, that couch looks inviting" level. However, when Dave and I were training for a triathlon earlier this year, I learned the difference between working out and working out. The latter being an amped up version of what I used to do which lead to an increase in my energy levels.

This year, Dave wants to add something new to the usual workout routine...something which increases agility, foot speed and reduces proneness to injury - three important attributes when outnumbered by children 2:1. Something called "plyometrics." You Tube has many videos on plyometric routines and you can google it for more information. Here's one video we watched and one we tried - so much harder than it looks.

3. the gift of not misplacing ideas
Here's something I'm going to try this year ...using my online calendar and other technology to capture ideas and remind me of them at the right time. Perhaps you'll find this useful too, if, like me you constantly get ideas for things you'd like to try out, especially ideas centered around holidays or special occasions, but forget about them or start on them too late. My idea is to capture the idea somewhere, whether in MS Word, through bookmarks or even low tech pen and paper, then create a reminder in my online calendar referencing the idea and where I stashed it. (I don't "pin" so I'm not sure if Pinterest has a built in reminder for working on pinned ideas - but if it does, please let me know and I may be convinced to finally sign up for it.)

Christmas in song

2011-12-23T07:00:00.000-05:00

One of the things I love best about the Christmas season is the music. Maybe it's because they are songs saved for this particular month or maybe it's all tied up with my memories and experiences of the other parts of Christmas.

And while I love many of the Christmas/seasonal songs I hear on the radio, I wanted a mix which reflects the changes within me - knowing we celebrate the God-birth, made all the more poignant by His death and resurrection we remember and celebrate a few short months from now.

I created the following play list this week and am sharing it with you in case, like me, you're always on the hunt for a good song to capture a moment.

The progression of this mix reflects the days we expect the advent of Jesus' birth through the telling to the shepherds of the miracle, contemplating that holy night, then rejoicing and telling the whole world what God has done for us. And I threw "The Holly and the Ivy" in there because I love this arrangement by George Winston.

Before I share the list, here's a youtube video of "Come Thou Long Expected Jesus." If you have a moment, press the play button, close your eyes and let your heart soar with the song to God's throne. I love the clear enunciation of each word, the way Christ Nockels takes the time with each note, not rushing, but praising.

1. Gabriel's Message - Jars of Clay
2. On Jordan's Banks the Baptist Cry - Choir of St. Edmundsbury Cathedral
3. Come Thou Long Expected Jesus - Chris Tomlin with Christy Nockels
4. Hark! A Thrilling Voice is Sounding - John Fenstermaker and Grace Cathedral Choir
5. Angels from the Realms of Glory - Massed Choir
6. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing - Amy Grant
7. This Must be the Place - The Marshalls
8. The Shepard's Gift - Mychael Danna
9. What Child is This? - Faith Hill
10. O Come Let Us Adore Him - Matt Redman
11. O Holy Night! Faith Hill
12. Song for the King - Michael W. Smith
13. All Through the Night - Lifescapes
14. Silent Night - Martina McBride
15. All is Well - Michael W. Smith
16. Messiah, Part the First For Unto Us a Child is Born - Robert Shaw Orchestra
17. Joy to the World - Casting Crowns
18. Do You Hear What I Hear? - Andy Williams
19. It's True - Sara Groves
20. Go Tell it on the Mountain - David Crowder Band
21. The Holly and the Ivy - George Winston

3 gifts on Thursday

2011-12-22T07:25:00.003-05:00

I prayed about this post today, wrestled over the gifts to give on this Thursday before we celebrate God's immortal-clothed-in-mortal entry into this world. After toying with a few ideas, I realized there are no gifts I can give which are greater than the ones He already has given...the gifts of His Word, telling the story of this God birth. (And isn't it funny, that though there are four gospels, perfectly three of them tell this natal story...perfect for a post which gives three gifts.)

So I invite you to take some time in the next few days to slowly unwrap what He has given. If these stories are well familiar, consider reading one or all in a new translation or ask God to give you one line to savor. If these straight-from-the-Bible stories are newer to you, take some time to read what He actually says, forgetting what you think you know happens from all those Nativity stories and plays told through the years - the experience is eye-opening.

The links within these gifts are to the NIV 1984 edition of the Bible (my favorite as it was my first encounter with God's Word) at biblegateway.com if you like reading online and love checking out other translations. May God give you new revelation of Himself this Christmas...rejoice!

For previous 3 Gifts installments, click here. If you would like to have a "gift" featured in this series, please see the bottom of this post for details.

1. the Gift of Matthew

Reading for Chapters 1-2. Have you ever noticed how Matthew's genealogy names five woman? Reading their five stories is a blessing too.

2. the Gift of Luke
Reading for Chapters 1-2.

3. the Gift of John
Reading for Chapter 1:1-18.

on the wings of peace: a printable

2011-12-21T08:06:00.000-05:00

In case you are looking for one last little something to give this Christmas and if, like me, the desire for peace within and without beats strong, then I hope you will enjoy this printable and craft idea.

To make the garland:

Visit my scribd page for the download and print. I suggest 2 copies.
Cut out the doves (the image was from the Microsoft Clip Gallery). Cut around the outer most edge - it will leave you with one side pure white as pictured above and one with the gray lines showing.
Punch two small holes in the doves' wings about 1" from the wing tip, or in the first ruffle of the wing
Thread the doves on the medium of your choice - I used raffia, but satin ribbon also would be pretty.

Individually, the doves also would make pretty gift tags or in a card and tucked in a small sack, they make a lovely gift...

letting go

2011-12-20T17:40:00.000-05:00

So we've decided to send Brianna and Reese to our local public school come January.

A big change and a tough decision and I'm all a mess with crushing weight of carrying a heavy burden for two years - the burden of trying to do it all and be all. Yet, I can see how God orchestrated these events for a time such as this...

...my continued prayers to shower focused love attention on Luke and Ben - the attempts to incorporate them into our school day falling far short of what I envisioned.

...the reduction in out-of-home activities - outlets needed for them, for me, yet not seeming to fit into the first season of the school year

...the promise of joining a homeschool coop in January slipping through the cracks

...my continued tinkering with the shape of our days leaving me feel fragmented and frazzled and frustrated why finding a rhythm eluded me

...seeing many of our days dissolve into lessons in discipline and it feels like sandpaper, smoothing the rough edges yet leaving us raw in the process

I see now I also was fighting two parts of myself - the part that wants to fully immerse myself in motherhood, focusing on bringing up our children in instruction of the Lord while imparting knowledge for navigating the ways of the world. Then there's the other part - the creative one where I want to write and sew and craft and give myself to the making of a home.

Though I see this and the promise school away from home brings, a part of me feels the bite of failure. Of not finishing out the school year. Of not being able to focus fully on the kids and lay my other interests down. Of feeling overwhelmed by the intensity this parenting stage. It's a serpent's bite to the flesh and a whispered lie but my spirit feels its sting nonetheless.

Writing helps. Tracking the lies and the Truth in black and white.

See God's goodness and answer to my prayers, though not in ways I expected.

Expectations.

I heard or read recently, though I forget where, that expectations kill relationships. Especially with God.

So I'm learning to let go. Of the homeschooling, of my expectations, of what I believe God expects of me. I feel unsteady, yet I know the ground is firm beneath me. It always is when we let go and let God.

And because He is faithful, He gave me glimpses of what was to come for it does feel like the images He gave me. If you need to be encouraged, perhaps reading what He spoke here and here, may bolster your faith that He never leaves you, He's always with you and is never surprised by that which may catch you off guard.

Linking with:

reap to sow: the end

2011-12-19T06:30:00.000-05:00

Now we really have reached the end of Reap to Sow discussion for The Power of a Positive Mom: Revised Edition by Karol Ladd.

If you have a chance, and are not too overwhelmed with final Christmas preparations, we hope you have a chance to read the concluding chapter. It was so refreshing to read the seven principles Karol outlined on pg 265 as it quickly reminded me of the territory covered within these pages.

Which leads me to the gift I mentioned on Friday...If like me, you read a great book then life continues to happen and you forget much of the wisdom in the pages of your recent read, then I hope you find these two printables a blessing.

The first is a bookmark and the second a 4x6 notecard which can be tucked in a Bible, a journal, your purse, another book, or any nook or cranny which lends itself to these helpful tools. The front of each features a watercolor of a mother and child cradled in God's hands, encompassed in His love along with the words which recall the major points we learned within these pages. The back of both remain blank, to be filled by you with whatever needs spilling onto the canvas of white - be it a Bible verse, a prayer, a word from the Lord.

If you would like these printables, please leave a comment with your email address or email me and please tell me at least one point from these pages or our posts which most encouraged or challenged you in your journey to positive motherhood. I will then email you a PDF of file which you may print and trim for your own personal use.

Here are two ares which most challenged me ...
In the chapter on encouragement, it struck me how often our children hear negative messages and how we must work to pour positive words into them - not the surface "great job, honey," but words which speak to their spirits and deeply afirm who they are.

In the chapter on living lessons, I was convicted of the number of times I try to parent with words and without action.

a badge of love and encouragement: liebster award

2011-12-17T07:41:00.000-05:00

Earlier this week, I had a lovely surprise from Jenn at Little Homeschool on the Prairie - she wanted to pass along the Liebster Award to this blog. I always love reading Jenn's blog as it's a beautiful example of how learning can be as simple and natural as breathing and she's provided much encouragement to me through her comments here.

What is the Liebster Award? It is typically given to dear, favorite, or beloved small blogs (ones with less than 200 readers) as a way to recognize and encourage one another.

I admit to feeling awkward at receiving an award, because anything good found here is of God and so the honors go to Him. Yet, a warmth floods my heart at the same time, knowing He is using this space in some good way and because it is given by a new found friend.

But onto the fun part...now I have the opportunity to pass along this award. I hope that you too will find them dear.

Here are four beloved to me for awhile:

A Work in Progress

The Story of Us

The Remodeled Life

The Stanfield Journey (since it's just a smidge over the "200 reader benchmark" I'm boldly including it)

And here's one which is newer to me, but equally delightful:

Our Nest in the City

P.S.

Liebster is the German word for "love" which I chuckled over this morning because I believe God is having a little fun with me.

Back in college I decided, despite my lack of aptitude in foreign languages, to take German for the first time ever - I had a smattering of "survival" words stored up from a recent trip to Germany and Austria so I thought it would be great to expand my German vocabulary. Bad idea. In college, they seem to think I could learn a foreign language in the same amount of time it took me to learn a healthy dose of French between grades 4-9. Every time I needed to translate an English word into German, my French override button kicked in. I can't even remember the German alphabet. I can, however, remember the words for 1, 2, 3,...but I think that has more to do with hearing those words sung repeatedly during Oktoberfest celebrations.

soaking and sowing

2011-12-16T07:55:00.001-05:00

It appears we've arrived at the end of our Reap to Sow discussions. Sniffle.

I've so enjoyed the past couple of months, especially being able to work alongside Courtney in the harvesting and planting of what we learned from the book. Which is why I couldn't bear to just end it here...and because the concluding chapter of the book is just as rich as the previous 20.

Sooo...please come back here on Monday for a special wrap up post and because Courtney and I have a little gift for those of you who've have worked the fields of these pages with us.

Here's a sneak peek:

Now on to sowing from Chapters19 & 20. (To read what I reaped from these chapters, please see Monday's post. For a link to previous discussions, please click here.)

Chapter 19
I love the "Do" Power Point of this chapter - an invitation to soak in God's love. It's something I have a hard time receiving. In my head I know that God loves me, but often that knowledge gets stuck up there in my head and has a hard time trickling down into my heart. It's an area God's working on with me. And here's something He's using to help me get at that heart knowledge:

Chapter 20
I'm working on the "Choose" and "Do" Power Points - getting to the heart of the matter and helping them understand the "3 D's" (I thought of a fourth "D" too...Discontent).

Yesterday, the Lord provided a perfect opportunity for me to put the "Choose" point into practice. Brianna was complaining about the impending dentist's appointment that morning and resisted getting out of bed. Usually I take a no nonsense approach of "you're going and that's final," but the words of this chapter came back to me so instead I sat down and talked with her about why she didn't want to go. I'm not sure if it made a difference or not - she still did not want to go, but maybe it was a kernel of a beginning...something the size of a mustard seed...and you know what Jesus says we can do with something like that.

How about you? What Power Points are you working on? If you watched the above video, how did it speak to your heart?

(BTW...if you like the message on the video, it's from Jonathan David Helser's album, "Awakening," which also is available through itunes. Just listening to snippets from this CD ushered me into God's presence)

3 gifts on thursday: cold edition

2011-12-15T06:30:00.000-05:00

The sniffling, sneezing kind of cold. Because I have one right now. And its the season for them. For previous 3 Gifts installments, click here. If you would like to have a "gift" featured in this series, please see the bottom of this post for details.

1.Gift of Nourishment (a.k.a. Chicken Soup Secrets)

Old wives tale or medical fact aside, nothing comforts like a warm bowl of soup to a body run down by a cold. Here's my recipe along with a few secrets I've discovered to a good bowl of soup:

Secret #1: Make your own broth base. It's healthier and easy. All you do is buy a whole chicken (organic tastes best), making sure to remove any of the giblets or any other extras included in the chicken's cavity. Put it in a large stock pot, cover completely with water, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. I like to "cook the cackle" out of my chicken, i.e. cook it until the meat falls off the bones which takes about 2 hours.

Secret #2: Skim the fat. The easier way to do this is to remove the chicken from the pot once it's cooked. Refrigerate the meat for later use. Then place the pot with the stock in the refrigerator over night. In the morning, you should see a nice layer of solid fat floating on top of the stock. Use a spoon to remove the chunks of fat - now you have an even healthier, lower fat stock.

Now you're ready to make the soup:
1. Bring the stock back up to a boil, then add a few drops of lemon juice (Secret #3) - it helps keep the liquid clear vs. cloudy.

2. Add your favorite ingredients once the stock in boiling, then turn back to a simmer. Here's what I add to mine: 1 diced onion, 1-2 garlic cloves (Secret #4), diced celery, chopped carrots, diced tomatoes, dried or fresh parley, salt and pepper. (The only "chicken" I have in my soup is what's in the broth - I like using the cooked chicken in other recipes - Secret #5) These are all to taste which is the great thing about soups. Experiment until you find your favorite combination. I've discovered it's wise to start with 1 tsp sea salt per 6 cups of water then add a little more salt as needed.

3. Here's the final and my best secret: wait until you are ready to eat the soup before adding peas and noodles.Until recently, I always added my noodles and peas along with the rest of the ingredients. This always resulted in sickly pea-green peas and mushy huge noodles if I ate the soup over several days or froze some for later use. By waiting until the day/meal when you're going to eat the soup to add these two ingredients, you will have lovely bright green peas bobbing in your bowl and firm noodles. So much more appealing.

2. Gift of No Coughing @ Night

Here's something to try that's weird but works. If you put vapo rub (I use Olbas Oil instead because I like using natural oils) on the bottoms of your feet at night, it helps suppress nighttime coughing. I don't know why it works, but most of the time, when my kids have had nighttime coughs and I've done this, they seem to make it through the night with no or very little coughing.

3. Gift of Scaring Away the Germs
The best gift of all is kicking a cold before it gets a foothold. At the first sign of a sore throat or cold symptoms and as symptoms persist, try gargling or drinking a diluted solution of apple cider vinegar (ACV). A brand like Bragg's is best and if you check out their website, you'll see a number of health benefits of ACV. It's an acquired taste, but I'll take it over a scratchy throat and foggy head any day.

If you have a "gift" you'd like me to consider wrapping into a 3 Gifts on Thursday package, please email me the details. It can be anything you are hosting or have heard about: from a giveaways to service projects, household/parenting tips, resources, promotions/coupon codes, items such as books, music, movies, etc (ones available for purchase online). If I choose to incorporate your gift suggestion into a 3 Gifts post, I will email you to let you know when it will be featured.

Linking with:

wellspring

2011-12-14T13:06:00.000-05:00

Normally this is something I'd share in a 3 Gifts post, but as I already had this weeks gifts planned out and I didn't want to let one more day go by, I'm sharing it now.

Please check out this page on Joy's Hope blog for the details on Project 320 - a fun initiative to raise enough money to build a water well for people who currently without access to safe, clean water.

I just learned this past Saturday at a church service that we use more water in a 5 minute shower than many people in the world use in one day. (This church was raising money for a water project in Haiti - God continues to drip drop awareness of this water issue into my life ;) ). Can you imagine?

So, if you can spare a few minutes, please check out the above links and may we all continue to hunger and thirst for righteousness.

reap to sow: gleaning from Chapters 19 & 20

2011-12-12T07:21:00.001-05:00

If you're just joining us (and we're so glad to have you along!), we're taking two chapter per week from the book, The Power of a Positive Mom: Revised Edition by Karol Ladd. This week we are reading and discussing Chapters 19 & 20.

On Mondays we focus on reaping: What are we gleaning, discerning from the reading?

On Fridays we focus on sowing: What actions from the Power Points can we apply in our lives in order to become more positive mothers?

(For a link to previous discussions, please click here.)

"At first glance you might think you don't need to read this chapter," opens Karol in Chapter 19.

My thoughts exactly.

But every notice how the teeniest speck of pride gives God an invitation to turn things on their head and show you exactly how that speck has blinded you to reality? Kind of like being hit with a plank in your eye. ;)

Thus I reaped and gleaned and threshed from Chapter 19, perhaps more so than all the others.

The section on love, anger and forgiveness spoke most to my heart. I had always prided myself (ahem) on my ability to forgive, because the message that God gives us forgiveness and expects we extend this same mercy to others strikes deeply in my heart. It's always been a no brainer - you're wronged, you forgive, you move on.

But I think I skipped over an important step before the forgiveness part in many past situations...recognizing my anger and hurt over a situation and processing it. Recognition is the first of the 4 R's dealing with anger which Karol outlines on pgs. 247 and 248. After recognition comes releasing, then relying on God to aid in forgiveness and healing, and lastly is to replace anger with love. But it's hard to replace what you haven't acknowledged in the first place.

I need to pause for a moment to give praise to God. So often on this Reap to Sow journey, He has brought forth events or an awareness within me to coincide with the chapters I would be discussing. He let me experience the concepts of this book in my life and not just in my head. I know some people, including followers of Christ, question whether God really knows what is going to happen and what choices we are going to make. But He knows, people. He knows.

Before I go on to Chapter 20, if you love the passage from 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 which Karol included in Chapter 19, here's a link to a post I did which includes a printable of that verse if you'd like to make your own Banner of Love to hang in your home.

Onto Chapter 20...

"Wouldn't it be great to have a flow chart that could lead us through the issues of parenting and discipline?" asks Karol on pg 252.

Yes, please! Sign me up.

Sadly (sigh) such a chart does not exist. Or rather, gladly, because we are not robots responding to commands. We are beings made in the image of God. And that is a fearful and wonderful thing.

In lieu of a flow chart however, Karol provided wonderful insight and food for thought when it comes to lovingly disciplining our children.

I especially reaped aplenty from the section on the 3D's where Karol discusses three areas of negative behavior which need addressing in our children, and in our own lives, too. I love the simplicity of remembering them: Disobedience. Disrespect. Dishonesty. I'm prayerfully considering how to use these concepts in our home and I hope to share these glimmers of thoughts with you when we sow on Friday.

Until then...

If/when you have a chance to read these two chapters, I'd love to hear what you reaped from them (and on Friday, what you will be sowing in your knowledge). Please consider leaving a comment or emailing me - I always love a good book discussion. :)

photo of the week (and homeschool journal)

2011-12-10T15:23:00.001-05:00

How Luke went dressed to church last Sunday...

(What a ham! Dave said people thought he looked ready for law school)

***************************************

I think God might be having me in a season of readjusting my thoughts on what school "looks" like, i.e. more hands on, less seat work. Maybe. Either that, or He wants us to put the kids in public school because the struggles I've had lately are making the grass look a whole lot greener on that side of the fence. In the meantime, I'll continue to tweak until I feel a knowing and a peace about the path of education God desires for our children.

So in addition to our usual workbook activities, the highlights of the past couple of weeks:

went to a friends house for an alphabet scavenger hunt, snowman garland craft and to enjoy fellowship
constructed a gingerbread house for a contest (Brie read and helped make the recipe, cut the templates and dough shapes, iced together the house and decorated it. Since we wouldn't be eating this one - it would be on display for a few days leading up to the contest - I suggested making a birdhouse gingerbread construction and decorate with some items birds might like to eat and other dried beans and seeds.)
read books on snow and the beach
listened to a vintage Christmas tape which includes songs, stories and a guessing game
painted some wooden letters as part of the Christmas decorations on our house (and learned why we must thoroughly clean paint brushes after each use ;) )
listened to a children's story program on a Christian radio station
played veterinarian/animal rescue
played "Indians" - e.g. Brie was a squaw and Ben was her papoose
watched a DVD on African animals
explored outside to witness the changes winter brings (e.g. ice, snow on the ground, chipmunk holes)
went to church for a family night and to watch The Polar Express - discussed how the end of the movie is a good parable for how it might be when we get to see God for the first time
colored another picture from our Australian Color and Learn book - one which showed underground houses in a mining community - had the kids draw pictures of what their own underground house might look like. Both drew windows (the real underground homes don't have windows) and explained they could look out them to see the animals - the burrowing kind.
Reese drew more superhero pictures and storylined about them. He also made new words out of the words, "peace" and "candy cane"

Looking back, it's a real hodgepodge of activities - not one you could tie up in a nice theme-y bow as I tend to do, but I realize these were among the most enjoyable moments for the kids...and for me.

sowing @ Courtney's today

2011-12-09T07:22:00.001-05:00

Please join me at Courtney's for our continued discussion on Chapters 17 & 18. If you love to read and share about books - especially the Book- this discussion is for you. :)

(For a link to previous discussions, please click here.)

3 gifts on thursday: baby edition

2011-12-08T06:30:00.000-05:00

Because we'll be celebrating the birth of a very special baby soon (Jesus). ;) For previous 3 Gifts installments, click here. If you would like to have a "gift" featured in this series, please see the bottom of this post for details.

1.Gift of Keeping a Diaper On
We often say Ben looks like Luke but acts like Reese. When Reese was Ben's age, he took his diaper off when it was dirty - an experience I'm sure most parents face unless their child miraculously is potty trained before the 18 month mark. Now Ben is at that stage. A decidedly messy and panic-inducing one (do you clean up the child or the mess first?!). The solution? Wrapping clear packing tape around the diaper to cover the tabs. With Reese, we had to make sure it was taped at the back so he couldn't pull at the tape ends. Ben requires less. You may need scissors to cut the diaper off your child - kind of disturbing to do at first, but for the sake of keeping everything in its place...

2. Gift of Natural Wooden Toys
I discovered Smiling Tree Toys while putting together this treasury list on etsy for items linked with charitable donations. I've always loved the idea of wooden toys for their durability and eco-friendliness and, as an extra bonus, Justin and Kathleen donate to youth development projects for every toy sold. In addition to their etsy shop, you also can check out their blog for a behind-the-scenes look of Smiling Tree: all about natural parenting, our journey towards rural sustainable living, the happenings in our woodshop, new toys, giveaways, and inspirational food for thought. As an extra bonus to you, they are offering you a 10% discount if you purchase from their shop between now through December 14, 2011. Just enter 10off4wits in the coupon code box. (They no longer are taking orders for Christmas, but you can read their shop announcements for what they can do for instead if you are intending this for December 25.) Here are some of my favorites from their shop:

3. Gift of Upcycling Baby Blankets

I saw this idea in Family Fun magazine a few years ago and tried it out for a St. Nicholas Day gift for Brianna. I can't remember the issue and couldn't find a link to it on their site - it was an idea submitted by one of their readers. Instead, here's a tutorial on making a pillow with a double sided blanket Or, as I did, take two coordinating baby blankets, trim as necessary to make them the same size, pin with right sides together and stitch leaving a 1-inch gap. Turn blankets right side out, stuff with fiber fill and stitch the opening closed. (I know these instructions are very brief - if you want more detailed instructions, please let me know and I'll do a more in-depth tutorial.) Granted, this is an idea to use after your baby has outgrown the blankets, but if, like me, you received a bazillion more blankets than you could ever use plus hate to part with fabric which contains so many fond memories, try it out.

If you have a "gift" you'd like me to consider wrapping into a 3 Gifts on Thursday package, please email me the details. It can be anything you are hosting or have heard about: from a giveaways to service projects, household/parenting tips, resources, promotions/coupon codes, items such as books, music, movies, etc (ones available for purchase online). If I choose to incorporate your gift suggestion into a 3 Gifts post, I will email you to let you know when it will be featured.

details

2011-12-07T07:03:00.001-05:00

I have been praying lately that I would see God in the little things of each day. It's a prayer born out of love for reading or hearing about the times when God shows up in the lives of others. It's also born out of a jealousy to have those same kinds of moments - but I think this might be the kind of jealousy God is okay with - the kind where we are as jealous for Him as He is for us.

I want to have a radical walk with God - one where I believe Him for the big things, but also know He cares about the incidentals - the details of my day. In the devotional I do with the kids most mornings, this verse struck me: "The steps of the godly are directed by the Lord. He delights in every detail of their lives" (Psalm 37:23 NLT, emphasis mine). I love that - God delighting in every detail.

And in inviting Him into every detail, I begin to see Him in every detail...

Sunday:
I stayed home from church on Sunday with under-the-weather Reese and Ben. It turned into a lovely two hours of reading to and napping with Ben. A gift.

Later that afternoon, I took Luke swimming after feeling a nudge from the Lord to do so (Dave usually is the one to do these kinds of Sunday-afternoon activities because I take my "day of rest" literally. ;) ). Another gift.

Both moments an answer to my prayer for having more one-on-one time with my two youngest as much of my time during the week is focused on school with Brianna and Reese.

The swimming also was confirmation about my choice not to shower earlier that morning. Silly, perhaps, to pray about that - but it's a detail and the Word tells me God delights in these.

So I will continue to pray for God to be in the details of my life and that I would see Him in the details...in my day, in His creation and in the lives of others.

If you would like to share a moment of God in the detail of your life here, please do. :) I would love to rejoice with you over God revealing Himself to you in the details.

linking with Chatting at the Sky and with:

thus ends an era

2011-12-06T06:21:00.001-05:00

Last week I combined pulling out our Christmas decorations with purging unnecessaries from our basement. Among the cast offs - the car seat which cradled each of our children in the car for the first year of their life.

As Ben is 2 1/2 and the car seat almost 9 years old, you would be right in thinking I might have pitched this item long ago. But it was so. hard. to. do. Despite common sense glaring me in the face, in the back of my mind played the tape, "maybe it will come in useful someday." Wistful thinking.

Finally, I faced up to reality and decided to let it go. Into the discard pile it went at the bottom of the basement steps awaiting its date with the garbage truck.

As it waited, Ben wandered in and joyfully set about playing in it. It was a good way to keep him amused and out of my crazy sorting piles and Reese and I enjoyed telling him it was his seat when he was a baby.

Fast forward to yesterday - garbage day for us.

Ben in his seat circa 2009

The car seat was on the tree lawn and Ben was at the window watching the garbage truck activity on our street. I stood with him for a few moments then returned to the kitchen to finish the breakfast chores.

Minutes later, he entered the kitchen, crying and uttering something undecipherable. I could make out a few of the words - seat, huh-dah (his word for truck) - but could make no sense of what he was trying to tell me. It wasn't until I left the kitchen and saw the car seat gone from the lawn that I finally understood.

I stooped down, looked in his eyes and asked him, "Did the garbage truck take your car seat away?"

"Yeeeeaaaah," he wailed, starting a fresh wave in tears.

I chuckled and hugged him and we repeated the tragedy of seeing the garbage truck taking away his seat several times over in his language.

And God spoke to my heart about this episode...

In Ben, I see myself. I see myself at a window watching God cart away something I no longer need, but something I enjoyed. It could be something He gave me for a time to delight in. It could be something I never needed in the first place. It could be an object, a season of life, a sin. At first, I may be upset with Him for taking it away because leaving can hurt. But as He stoops to look in my eyes and kiss away my tears, He reassures me of His purpose in removing it. He may not tell me why but He asks me to trust that His purposes are always good, always right, always exactly what I need.

Do you find this too? Has there been something you've watched God take away, something you weren't ready to part with?

linking with Chatting at the Sky and with:

reap to sow: Chapters 17 & 18

2011-12-05T06:09:00.001-05:00

I can't believe we're almost done with The Power of a Positive Mom: Revised Edition by Karol Ladd! How time does fly.

Please wander over to Courtney's today...she's leading the discussion on one of our favorite topics - books (the theme of these chapters).

(For a link to previous discussions, please click here.)

an oops corrected

2011-12-03T07:00:00.001-05:00

If you tried to download the "Immanuel" letters, which I posted about on Thursday, only the first page appeared in my scribd page. Not sure what happened. Anyway, I re-uploaded the document and now all three pages appear to be there. Here's the link again. If you try and download it and it still isn't working, please email me and I can send you the document that way. Sorry for the glitch.

sowing: worn out knees and planting seeds of tradition

2011-12-02T06:45:00.001-05:00

If you're just joining us (and we're so glad to have you along!), we're taking two chapter per week from the book, The Power of a Positive Mom: Revised Edition by Karol Ladd.

On Mondays we focus on reaping: What are we gleaning, discerning from the reading?

On Fridays we focus on sowing: What actions from the Power Points can we apply in our lives in order to become more positive mothers?

(For a link to previous discussions, please click here.)

To read what we reaped for Chapters 15 &16, please see Monday's post.

Reading Karol's stories about the two moms on pages 192 and 193 convicted me. I often do as the Mom-who-used-her-voice did - trying to get my words to do the work for me. But, oh, how much kinder, gentler and Jesus like it is to be the Mom-who-gets-on-her-knees.

I often feel my husband does a better job of this...I tell the kids to clean their room and then leave to go about other tasks. My husband will sit in the room with them and help direct their focus. A Martha/Mary (or in this case, maybe it's Martin?) story played out in our home.

Since reading this chapter, I have tried to be more intentional about getting on my knees and helping my children with their tasks, and in the reverse, to have them help me with mine. And God had me notice something in one of my on-my-knees moments...my jeans. Specifically, the knees. Almost thread bare. And I felt a whisper to my spirit that this is something He loves to see. Clothes worn out from loving and serving and giving and getting right in there to tough it out with the ones He loves. The knee on those jeans finally gave out yesterday. They were always my favorite pair - now even more so. While I'm now in the market for a pair of new jeans, I want to hang on to the old pair as a reminder of the message in the worn out knees.

Paging over to Chapter 16...
So far this week, I've written about a Christmas tradition that wasn't and shared yesterday about my favorite tradition we started with our own family...the seeds we began planting several years ago. It's only fitting today, especially given the title of this book, to share another day our children look forward to...St. Nicolas Day (December 6).

In a nutshell, it's the day when the kids get their "stockings." I put stockings in parenthesis because I don't really use them. Instead, depending on the gifts for the year, I set them up in different ways. One year I used my riding boots from bygone days. It mixes it up a little and keeps them guessing. :) Up until this year, the kids always were surprised by the day itself. Now that Brianna and Reese are learning about the concept of time, I don't think I can sneak it up on them.

Why St. Nicolas Day and not the traditional Christmas morning?

It's an attempt to share the joy of giving and receiving gifts while wanting to keep the focus on God's gift to us on Christmas.

You see, when I was growing up I loved the whole Santa and getting presents thing, especially the stockings - 99% of the time I was the first one to wake up every year. And, although we went to church and I knew about Jesus, I didn't know Him. Christmas never was about Jesus for me. So it wasn't too hard to justify celebrating Christmas as an atheist. Also, I was impacted a few years ago by the Christmas memories my brother-in-law shared. He grew up in a family who actively knew Jesus. His memories? Not one centered around the toys he received. Instead his family choose significant ways to help those in need.

This history and knowing all my fond Christmas memories revolve around the stuff I got, cause me to pull back from those childhood traditions and anything less than a focus on God. It's a big part of why I wrote this post.

For our children, my hope is that, as adults, they will look back on St. Nicolas Day as a time we rejoiced in giving gifts to one another and Christmas as a time we rejoiced in a baby in a manager who would grow up to die for us so we might live.

Now it's your turn...how have you sown seeds from the chapters this week? Any memory makers you'd like to share or ones you'd like to try? Please join us in this discussion by leaving a comment. If you blogged about it, please leave a link to your place so we can find you there.

3 gifts on thursday

2011-11-30T16:49:00.001-05:00

***If you previously tried to download the "Immanuel" letters and got only the first page, I corrected the mistake. Here's the link to the revised document. If, for some reason, it still does not work, please email me and I can send you the document that way.***

For previous 3 Gifts installments, click here. If you would like to have a "gift" featured in this series, please see the bottom of this post for details.

1.Gift of Tradition

In a week of sharing about traditions (see this post and this one), I wanted to share my favorite tradition for this time of year: The Jesse Tree. The tradition gets its roots in Scripture from Isaiah 11:1 and usually involves reading highlights of the Bible from Genesis through the Nativity stories in the season of Advent. To simplify, we do our readings December 1-25. I like consistency...it saves brain cells. ;) As you read each story, an ornament or picture is hung on your Jesse tree (or branch) symbolizing the story's significance. A couple of years ago, I modified this and made 25 paper cones and filled each with candy. The idea was for the kids to enjoy their candy (and reduce the wiggles) during our readings and remind them that, while the candy is sweet, God's word is sweeter.

For subscribed readers of Ann Voskamp's blog, you can receive a PDF of a Jesse Tree devotional and ornaments. Please see this post on her blog for details. Or, here is a link to one we enjoyed doing a couple of years ago.

2. Gift of a Giveaway
Through Courtney's blog, I found out about this giveaway which will happen tomorrow at Simple Living Media (actually it's five giveaways in one day!). They hosted two other giveaways this week, featured 5 charities on Tuesday and are hosting a q&a party today.

3. Gift of a Printable
I love thinking of ways to creatively have Scripture displayed throughout our home - it feels like we are soaking our rooms in the Word. I was inspired by this banner to think up a word to capture the spirit of this season. "Immanuel"- God with us came to mind along with the opening verses of John's Gospel which are among my favorite Words.

The result of this brainstorm? A printable to share with you. It features the letters in Immanuel and, within each letter, Scripture from Isaiah, Jeremiah, Luke and John in the NIV 1984 version. Here is a link to the letters on my scribd account. For personal use only please. :)

Use this as you feel led...in a banner, in a card, on a wreath (my plan for them - I'll share when it's complete) or however your creative mood strikes. My only request is that you prayerfully consider how to use them. While this is a way to imitate the creativity of our Creator, it also is His sacred Word (which is why I just didn't photocopy pages of the Bible and cut into them - the words are spaced to avoid being spliced apart).

If you use these letters, I would love for you to share a picture of the results with us. If you blog and post about it, please leave a link in the comment section so we can all see what you did. Or, email me.

If you have a "gift" you'd like me to consider wrapping into a 3 Gifts on Thursday package, please email me the details. It can be anything you are hosting or have heard about: from a giveaways to service projects, household/parenting tips, resources, promotions/coupon codes, items such as books, music, movies, etc (ones available for purchase online). If I choose to incorporate your gift suggestion into a 3 Gifts post, I will email you to let you know when it will be featured.

linking with: KoJo Designs Friday Fun Finds

the Christmas tradition that wasn't

2011-11-29T07:00:00.000-05:00

As promised in yesterday's post, here's a story about one of my crazy attempts to "create" a tradition for our family...

This past Sunday marked the first Sunday of Advent. During this season, our rector (that's the title for the priest/pastor at our church) reminds us that Advent is a time of preparation, one where we aren't supposed to know what to expect, i.e. Jesus' birth, but we are to get ourselves ready for what God has in store for us.

Essentially, we are to forget what we already know. Which means we are jumping the gun with all the Christmas carols, decorating, gift buying, etc.

Our family tried that a few years ago. No decorations, no Christmas CDs. Just our Jesse Tree readings (which I'll share about on Thursday) and Handel's Messiah. But I do admit to buying a few gifts and getting some decorations ready...it was all part of the preparation theme. ;) The idea was to make it Christmas Day, go to church and then launch into a 13-day celebration of Jesus' birth (to end on January 6, Epiphany).

What ended up happening was this...

Christmas Day arrived. We went to church. We rushed home to decorate the house (and by "we," I mean mostly me since the kids were too young to really assist with this part and Dave was mostly busy keeping the kids busy while I dashed about the house to get everything ready before gathering as a larger family). Then we spent the next two weeks trying to feel all festive and Christmas-like.

It was a complete bust.

After all, everyone else in the Christmas-celebrating world had moved on to prepare for the New Year. Christ's birthday had come and gone once again. The decorations still decked the halls, but the Christmas-minded spirit disappeared with the season's songs on the radio.

Instead of celebrating Christmas, it felt like we were trying to resuscitate it. Not the fond tradition-making memory I was going for.

So this is what I've learned from the Christmas tradition that wasn't: Traditions cannot be thought up, planned out or creatively packaged in an I've-got-all-my-bases-covered kit. Traditions are organic. They grow over time and evolve with us. They become traditions because they envelope us in a love-dance born of our need to celebrate and fellowship together...to experience a commonality we can share a rejoice over.

Since that Christmas several years ago, our Advent preamble to the big day continues much of the quiet reflectiveness we first sought. But we carry with it a joyful expectation of what is to come. A knowing of how this story will begin and end. And we look forward to celebrating along with everyone else and preparing our hearts and our home for the One whose birth would kindle our rebirth. Jesus. Immanuel. God with us.

Thursday, I will share on a tradition which has grown to be my favorite part of this season, and Friday, I'll share a tradition the kids excitedly anticipate (especially now that they begin to grasp the concept of time).

reaping...gleaning from Chapters 15 & 16

2011-11-28T06:01:00.000-05:00

On Mondays we focus on reaping: What are we gleaning, discerning from the reading?

On Fridays we focus on sowing: What actions from the Power Points can we apply in our lives in order to become more positive mothers?

(For a link to previous discussions, please click here.)

Chapter 15 felt like a heavy burden at first. After reading just the first two pages, my mental tape went something like this, "Oh great. Now I to try even harder to a be perfect mom. It just doesn't seem fair to place this much of a responsibility on me." Apparently, I'd forgotten to decline the invitation to Chapter 9's pity party along with the uplifting message of Chapter 1.

More importantly, I forgot that God does not expect me to do this on my own. Thankfully, Karol reminds us of this fact: "Trying to be a good example in our own power leads to eventual failure, but abiding in Christ brings fruitfulness and hope." (pg 191).

She also points us to the branch and vine analogy and I love where she said, "...as it stays connected to the vine day be day, the fruit begins to grow naturally. (pg 191, emphasis mine).

I love the natural part best. It suggests an ease and of God bearing the heavy burden for us.

The mental image which came to mind was one of a mother duck with her babies in line behind her.

She may be quacking for them to go this way or that, but at the end of the day, they're going to fall right in line behind her. That's the scary thought. Because, like it or not, broken-flesh-me is going to lead them down the wrong path once or more a day. I'm still learning to follow too.

So God gave me a better image. This one:

Much more encouraging, yes? When we follow Him and our children follow us then they, too, learn what it is to walk in paths of righteousness.

Let's ~~waddle~~ walk over to Chapter 16's field and glean from there...
I continue to chuckle at God's timing. So fitting that this chapter of traditions should fall smack in the middle of one of the biggest tradition making times of the year.

Knowing Jesus and following Him has been the biggest influence in setting our family traditions. Though I grew up in a "Christian" home, it was not a real living-breathing-actively-following kind of faith, one built on a steadfast relationship with Jesus. (Thankfully, that has changed and you can read more of that background here.) So much of the traditions I grew up with were more influenced by culture than Christ and once I knew Jesus, I knew I wanted that to change.

Quickly I discovered what Karol points out on pg 200: "A family tradition can't be forced. In fact, we can ruin a potential family memory by our overzealous efforts to make sure everything is "just right."

I'll share more this week about some of the ideas we tried that did not turn into tradition (I still laugh over one of my attempts) along with one that has become one my favorites for our family for this time of year. And of course, I'll meet you back here on Friday to sow these seeds we've reaped today.

if you are shopping this holiday season

2011-11-26T17:00:00.000-05:00

It seems that the more over the top the consumerism gets at this time of year, the less I feel like doing...anything...to celebrate ~~Christmas~~ the day when God quietly slipped into this world to save us. And after seeing the disgusting displays of materialism that happened the minute the clock ticked to November 25, I feel ashamed and embarrassed to be part of it (i.e. I have a shop and I sell stuff).

Over the past several weeks I have teetered between burying that talent deep in the earth and working harder at the gifts God purposed me to use. Currently, the working harder side is winning out.

Which brings me to the point of this post...my solution to my struggle with obviously wanting to sell the items I made but hating to contribute to the culture of spending around this time of year. So here it goes...

~~On November 28 and December 1-3,~~ For the month of December, I will offer free shipping if you make a purchase at my shop (my gift to you). You can find the details in my shop announcements section. Or, you can choose to pay the shipping and I will donate the equivalent of that cost to World Vision, specifically to purchase a sewing machine for a woman in poverty. Here's a link to that gift on World Vision's website so you can read about it.

Even better, DON'T BUY an item from my shop and instead gift an amount equivalent to your favorite item to World Vision on behalf of the person you're shopping for. If you do this, come back here and tell me about it and I will send you a note card created by me for you to print out and give to the person you shopped for and let them know about your donation. I'll be working on the design of the card this week and will share when it's completed, but here's a peek at the picture I did for one of the designs:

OR, if you'd still like to give a gift from my shop to someone you love, consider making a donation to World Vision for the same amount as the item you purchased, come back and tell me about it and I'll include the donation note card along with your item.

This may be crazy, it may miss the mark completely, but I hope it may lead to our being able to help lift a woman out of poverty.

a sweet short school week

2011-11-26T08:00:00.000-05:00

My original plan was to take the whole week off for the Thanksgiving holiday, but I felt God's nudge to put in a couple of extra days. As my Principal, I trust that He has some great purpose in asking me to do so.

I continued in a more relaxed, unschool style but had Brie and Reese do some workbook activities. I used these two days to recap our 10 weeks of spelling words and think I will do this every five weeks or so - especially important for Brie with the challenging words she needs to learn.

We also:

colored more pictures from our Color and Learn Australia book, focusing on the Aborigine pages
watch videos on Aborgine boomerangs and corroborees and read some more pages from the Australia and Its People book
continued reading "Bless This Mouse" by Lisa Lowry
practiced with the multiplication flash cards (Brie)
completed a bar graph chart on the number of cars spotted by color during one of our outings
discovered some online "how to draw" sites - Brie and Reese did a great job following the instructions and turned out several masterpieces.
played games including "Go Fish" (and Brie and Reese taught the game to Luke!), "Connect Four" and "Mastermind"
went on walks and hikes

a day to sow (@ Courtney's)

2011-11-25T07:34:00.001-05:00

I hope you will join me over at Courtney's today to read how she applied the concepts in Chapters 13 & 14 and to share what seeds you are sowing.

(For a link to previous discussions, please click here.)

3 gifts on thursday

2011-11-24T10:37:00.001-05:00

I debated about whether to post today, given the Thanksgiving holiday, but after further contemplation it seems fitting to give these gifts on a day when Americans are intentionally giving thanks.

For previous 3 Gifts installments, click here. If you would like to have a "gift" featured in this series, please see the bottom of this post for details.

1.Gift of Multiplied Giving

Since Thanksgiving weekend here in the US also is the kick off to the great holiday buying extravaganza, I wanted to share a treasury I put together on etsy of handmade items which have a charitable component. If you are looking for unique items and love to support businesses which help others, check out this list for some ideas.

2. Gift of a Great Coleslaw Recipe
Coleslaw is quickly becoming a tradition at our table when we gather as a family and is my specialty. And although it's probably too late for you to add it to your Thanksgiving menu today, it will be here for next time. Note: I use organic ingredients because they taste better and are healthier, but the "regular" versions work well too.

1 head of organic cabbage
2-3 medium organic carrots
2-3 Tbsp minced organic onion

If you have a food processor, shred the cabbage and carrots, otherwise cut in shredded pieces, about 1/4" wide. Add the minced onion and toss together.

Dressing
1 scant cup of Helman's mayonnaise (because it's the best)
1/2 tsp sea salt
dash of pepper
dash of paprika
2 Tbsp white vinegar
2 Tbsp milk (regular dairy, but organic unsweetened soy milk works well too)

Mix dressing ingredients together and pour over cabbage mixture. It's best to make it at least one hour before eating to let the flavors blend. Sometimes, if I know I'll be pressed for time, I'll prepare the veggies and dressing separately the night before I need it and then mix the next morning.

3. Gift of Giving Thanks
I'm learning the value to giving thanks in all circumstances - to dig deep and find those nuggets of gratitude nestled amidst the most trying of times. Here's a link to a post on Ann Voskamp's blog on the beauty in counting the gifts of today. Every day.

reap to sow @ Courtney's today

2011-11-21T07:11:00.001-05:00

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If you're just joining us (and we're so glad to have you along!), we're taking two chapter per week from the book, The Power of a Positive Mom: Revised Edition by Karol Ladd.

I hope you will join me over at Courtney's today for our discussion this week on Chapters 13 & 14...and to discover how the image at the right
fits in with one of the topics.

(For a link to previous discussions, please click here.)

homeschool journal

2011-11-19T16:38:00.001-05:00

Experimenting with an unschool format is creating chaos. At least it feels that way. Perhaps it's because I find comfort in routine and I have yet to figure out the "routine" of unschooling. Which is probably why I'd better quickly focus on what we learned so a) I don't forget what we did, and, b)don't get discouraged.

For math...

Continued working in Horizons workbooks
Played Yahtzee (good for adding and multiplying)
Learned about importance of earning and spending money: we played Post Office (sorting clothes was our "mail" and putting them away was delivering them). The kids "earned" money based on how many clothes were sorted and put away. Then we played store where they could spend what they earned. Reinforced adding and making change concept for Brie and budgeting for Reese.

For language arts...

I continued to avoid using our Learning Language Arts Through Literature, though I may try and pick out some pieces that can enhance our lesson
We're reading "Bless This Mouse" and "Mandie and The Cherokee Legend" and listening to "The Sign of the Beaver" in the car
continued with workbooks in spelling and copywork (and grammar for Brie)
Reese continues to write and illustrate stories, mostly iterations of books he's enjoying. He loves to read and does well reading aloud with expression

For social studies/science...

began watching "From the Earth to the Moon"
starting learning about the peoples and history of Australia through reading books and coloring

In other areas...

worked with Brie and sewing a bag
had Brie help make pumpkin bread (she read the recipe and helped add ingredients)
Brie and Reese helped assemble items for Operation Christmas Child

reap to sow discussion day

2011-11-18T07:02:00.001-05:00

***In case you missed the 3 Gifts on Thursday post yesterday, check out The Macs blog for a week filled with giveaways - the final day to leave an entry is tomorrow.***

If you're just joining us (and we're so glad to have you along!), we're taking two chapter per week from the book, The Power of a Positive Mom: Revised Edition by Karol Ladd.

On Mondays we focus on reaping: What are we gleaning, discerning from the reading?

On Fridays we focus on sowing: What actions from the Power Points can we apply in our lives in order to become more positive mothers?

(For a link to previous discussions, please click here.)

"I will learn to grow through my challenges and teach my kids to do the same."

Chapter Eleven's "Choose" PowerPoint. It gets to the heart of this season for me.

In the midst of a challenge, especially one I did not ask for, I tend to enter the land of doubt. In that Land, I begin to cast about searching for sure footing in its swampy terrain, taking a step but feel the mud pull at my feet, trying to anchor me down and suck me in. So I test another spot, but find it also starts to give way.

Staying in this Land, I forget to trust God has me exactly where He wants me. I forget to ask Him what I am to learn in a time of challenge. I forget He is purposing me to grow.

Which is why the choice of Chapter 11 is a powerful antidote to my perpetual amnesia. I must remember to choose trust in God and ask Him to show me what He is teaching me in adversity. When I stop in do this, I take my focus off the adversity and place it on the One who brings me to solid ground.

Somehow I always find this principle easier to teach my children than live out myself.

Several weeks ago, when my daughter was again near tears because of her math lesson (it's not her favorite subject), I gave her an analogy to help her see the good in the midst of her challenge. I reminded her of the doorway where we mark the kids growth on their birthdays and how, throughout the year, we like to see the comparison of their current height to most recent mark. I explained that her math lesson was like these marks. Each lesson learned is a mark on the door. To help her grow, however, the next lesson needs to add a new challenge. Sometimes this growth is painfully hard and sometimes everything seems to fall into place and the growth feels effortless. But when we look back, we can see the purpose in the difficulty we faced and how that step was needed to get us to our current spot.

Switching gears to Chapter 12...
I loved the reminder of the "Do" PowerPoint and my husband and I were able to go on a date last week. I was craving some time alone with him away from the house after a couple months of having most evenings and weekends focused on retaining his spot on City Council. Since we often are conscious of connecting over a conversation, a movie or games, I tend to forget the importance of having time alone together outside the house. It brings a freshness into our marriage which keeps that fire smokin' hot.

A seed I'd like to plant in the future is Karol's idea on pg. 165 to make a holiday tradition involving only Dave and I. But tradition is not an idea you can think up and then act upon. It is something that grows over time, which is why this seed analogy is perfect. Though I don't know what this tradition will be, I know that God will take this seed-prayer and begin to provide the water and light until I see the tender shoots of a tradition appear above the soil.

How about you? Which PowerPoints did you choose this week? How do you approach a challenge? What sparked your interest in Chapter 12 and what seeds to you hope to sow into your marriage in the coming weeks and years?

We'd love to hear how these chapters apply to your life. If you've written a blog post on these chapters and would like to share your thoughts, please include a link to your blog in the comment section.

3 Gifts on Thursday

2011-11-17T07:04:00.001-05:00

Welcome back to the 2nd installment of "3 Gifts on Thursday." For previous 3 Gifts installments, click here. If you would like to have a "gift" featured in this series, please see the bottom of this post for details.

1.Gift of Encouragement
For a couple of years, I've been reading the CaringBridge journal of Kate McRae's mom. Kate was diagnosed with brain cancer and valiantly has been fighting an extremely tough battle. Thankfully, they learned yesterday that her MRI scan remains stable...good news in this tenuous fight. And, as only the Lord can do in the midst of great challenges and pain, He showed the McRae's how to bring light into the lives of those warring against cancer. Two years ago, they began the "Kate's Crazy Cool Christmas" project - a way of getting gifts to kids in the cancer ward. This year, the family also will "adopt" families facing pediatric cancer.

Here are some of the details from the McRae's journal for how you can participate, but you also can check out their journal here for continued updates (you might have to sign up- it's free though).

1. Donate new toys, movies, or games. Everything must be new.
2. Donate gift cards to grocery stores, gas stations, and various stores - many of these are needed.
3. Follow the link to Sign Up Genius to sign up to donate a very specific item for a family - items will continue to be added in the coming weeks. www.SignUpGenius.com/go/requested1/238

ALL items can be sent to Kate's Crazy Cool Christmas @ PO Box 2200 Higley, AZ 85236. If there are questions or difficulties in mail contact the family at kateschristmas@gmail.com.

picture from the Macs blog

2. Gift of a Great Giveaway
I've always enjoyed reading Jess's blog, especially the way she writes about her children.This week, she is hosting a week of great giveaways. There are 5 separate giveaways which will end on Saturday, November 19. If you like sock monkey's you'll especially love Tuesday's giveaway. Happy entering!

3. Gift of Great Eco-Friendly Wrapping Ideas

picture from the Upcycler's blog

Often I spend so much time creating a gift, that I fail to leave time to wrap it. Which often means I dig through my now-dwindling stash of store-bought gift bags, trying to find one that matches the occasion and isn't (too) wrinkly.

But after seeing these ideas on the Upcycler's blog, it has inspired me to think beyond the proverbial gift bag and search around the house for other sources of wrapping material.

If you have a "gift" you'd like me to consider wrapping into a 3 Gifts on Thursday package, please email me the details. It can be anything you are hosting or have heard about: from a giveaways to service projects, household/parenting tips, resources, promotions/coupon codes, items such as books, music, movies, etc (ones available for purchase online). If I choose to incorporate your gift suggestion into a 3 Gifts post, I will email you to let you know when it will be featured.

happy day project: day 1

2011-11-16T16:30:00.001-05:00

Since I only learned about this project last week, I'm a little late to the game, but have decided to do what I can, when I can.

Day One's challenge was to bring a treat to a neighbor. We went a little further afield than our street, but I think "neighbor" still fits.

I settled on making pumpkin bread (and here's the recipe I used), but with a twist. Instead of packaging up the loaf, I placed it in a small mason jar.*

Complete with spoon.

And roasted pumpkin seeds. Yum!

Then I packaged it up in a cloth gift bag - a sewing project which doubled as a homeschool lesson for Brie.

If you want to join in the fun of this project, here's the link to The Happy Day Project.

*I have seen this idea done on other blogs with cake batter baked right in the jar. I toyed with the idea of trying to bake the bread in the jar, but didn't want to chance it not working out. So I settled for cutting the bread into circles.

linking with: KoJo Designs Friday Fun Finds

one day left...

2011-11-15T13:59:00.001-05:00

Just a reminder that you still have 1 day left (through Wednesday) to save 10% at my shop. Please use the code: 3giftsthursday and, in case you missed it, you can see why I chose this code for the discount.

I'm really excited about the three gifts I'll be sharing this week, too.

reap to sow: Chapters 11 & 12

2011-11-14T06:53:00.001-05:00

If you're just joining us (and we're so glad to have you along!), we're taking two chapter per week from the book, The Power of a Positive Mom: Revised Edition by Karol Ladd.

On Mondays we focus on reaping: What are we gleaning, discerning from the reading?

On Fridays we focus on sowing: What actions from the Power Points can we apply in our lives in order to become more positive mothers?

(For a link to previous discussions, please click here.)

Wow! We're half way done already. A couple of items before I reap from the fields of Chapters 11 &12: I made a slight, but extremely important revision to this post on Chapters 7 & 8. Also, a reminder to let us know if you'd like to join in a Reap to Sow Prayer Group (it would be through email). Please leave a comment indicating your interest or you may email me.

"Life would be more enjoyable if only..."

Karol invites us to fill in that blank early in Chapter 11, but this is no call to dream of the perfect life. She uses it as a challenge to turn these "if only's" into an opportunity to invite God into a challenging situation and ask for His help. She also reminds us to apply what we learned in Chapter 10 - to give God thanks in all circumstances.

God continues the theme of having me live these principles out before sharing with you...He is good in the way, yes?

I've been experiencing a season of challenges on many fronts...a polishing me of the dirt and grime collected from years in this world. One of the challenges is coming at me from the direction of my children... (positive mom theme continues strong here : ) ).

Ever experience a time when, if you have more than one child, most or all of them seem to decide it's once again time to test out those boundaries you thought were so firmly fixed? I am in the thick of one of those...at least I was last week. Since it's early Monday morning, it's hard to gauge whether God's brought us out yet. I'll know once the kids get up. ;)

When I go through these times, I often get frustrated because I feel at a loss as to how to effectively and permanently correct the problem. Funnily enough, my mentor helped me see exactly what Karol pointed out in this Chapter...I needed to invite God into the situation and ask for His help. So simple, yet so profound.

As I've done this over the past few days, I discovered that God is faithful to come to my side when I ask Him to be there in my challenges. It doesn't always change the situation, but it does change my heart.

And from Chapter 12...
I loved the "Fire Builders" from this chapter, especially #3: "Enjoy Him."

Maybe it's because I already know about the loving and respecting, but sometimes I forget to be intentional about the "enjoyment" part. Don't get me wrong, I've always enjoyed my husband and am thankful God chose him for me. But there's something about being purposeful in that enjoyment...

The image which keeps coming to mind is a gift. What if, every day, I saw my husband as a gift to be unwrapped. The anticipation of discovering the treasure that lays inside. The delight in discovering he is exactly what I needed. And wanted. And then the thrill of experiencing the gift as part of my life.

Hmmm...

I wonder if sometimes we forget our husbands are gifts to be treasured. I know I do, especially when we don't see eye to eye on a matter.

So I'm thankful for the seeds gathered from this chapter - the reminder to keep the home fires burning by kindling it with love, respect, enjoyment, and above all, a committed relationship with God.

and the gift theme continues...

2011-11-12T15:09:00.001-05:00

When I was preparing for a craft show back in October, I put together several packages of "fabric ribbon."

The idea came to me when, earlier this year, I helped with a clean up at a local beach. As I picked up the garbage I noticed many bits of plastic-type ribbon (the kind used to give the extra flourish in gift wrap). Since most of it was green & red, I guessed these remnants were from Christmas gifts. The ribbon-destined-for-the-garbage-dump didn't seem like a very honorable way to recognize Christ's birth.

That thought, combined with the ever-growing mountain of narrow fabric pieces from my sewing projects prompted me to put together these packages.

I finally listed these two items on my etsy shop today...just in time for the great gift-giving season. (However, these also are great for scrapbooks, homemade cards and other craft projects, as party decor (see this idea at KoJo Designs) and in the garden (a colorful way to tie up your tomatoes).

I also wanted to make them extra special by packaging them with recycled materials to fit with the theme. I decided to wrap the fabric ribbon around recycled cardboard boxes (e.g. from cereal) and glued on watercolor pictures the kids had done. The artwork of the birds and nest on the tags was done by me. :)

And a reminder that you can still save10% off all items in my shop through Wednesday, November 16, 2011. To redeem your coupon, please enter the following into the coupon code section: 3giftsthursday. It's an extra little gift for you. :)

reap to sow: discussing chapters 9 & 10

2011-11-10T18:58:00.001-05:00

'Tis a day for sowing and Courtney has the seeds for us.

To see what she's planting, please join us for the discussion on Chapters 9 & 10 over at her place. I'll be curious to know what you thought the flamingos were doing... :)

(For a link to previous discussions, please click here.)

3 gifts on Thursday (new series)

2011-11-10T10:34:00.001-05:00

I have a gift for you.

source

Three gifts, really.

source

Every Thursday.

Weekly they will differ. Some will be for your heart. Some to uplift your spirit. And some may be a few links or resources I want to share. A few will be tangible..ones you can hold in your hands. The gifts may come in the form of tips to freshen your life. Or they may offer you ways to help others and experience the joy of giving and serving.

But what ever these weekly three gifts may be, they are given with joy.

So here you go...I hope you enjoy opening them.

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Gift of Serving
1. The Happy Day Project
I just learned about this yesterday and it's exactly what God has been laying on my heart lately. Although the project started this week, I'll be praying about how it can shape our days in the week(s) to come. Check out Joy's blog, one of the Happy hosts. :)

Gift of Gifting
2. KoJo Designs is hosting a series on gifts for guys.
Yeah! This always is a challenge for me because I like to get more creative than a gift card, so I'll be tucking ideas away for future use. Here is the fruit of one of the gift idea I came up with for my dad back in September. Oh...and the best part is the giveaways for a number of guy-geared items.

Gift of Awareness
3. Delicate Fortress Creations

There's no light or easy way to share about the issue Karen addresses through Delicate Fortress Creations (DFC). The Lord has made her a warrior in the fight against human trafficking - it's modern day slavery and particularly targets women and children. DFC raises money and awareness for this issue through their store. Check on the blog to learn more about this issue and to see an example of a new artisan group they are working with.

A little extra gift

To celebrate the start of this series, I'm tucking in something a little extra...10% all items in my shop which will be good now through Wednesday, November 16, 2011. To redeem your coupon, please enter the following into the coupon code section: 3giftsthursday.

If you have a "gift" you'd like me to consider wrapping into a 3 Gifts on Thursday package, please email me the details. It can be anything you are hosting or have heard about: from a giveaways to service projects, household/parenting tips, resources, promotions/coupon codes, items such as books, music, movies, etc (ones available for purchase online). If I choose to incorporate your gift suggestion into a 3 Gifts post, I will email you to let you know when it will be featured.

the Lord knew, part 2

2011-11-09T16:11:00.002-05:00

In case you missed it, please read Part 1 first...the rest of this post will make so much more sense. :)

I completely forgot one of the best parts about this story. (And wouldn't you know the Lord was trying to tell me this before I hit the "publish" button this morning. But did I listen. Noooo. I chose to impatiently cross this post off my list instead of waiting on Him. Grrr. Guess I still have a lot to learn.)

It turns out that of the Ward seats available for our city, Dave's was the only contested race. The rest of the Ward-specific council people were running opponent free.

But I believe God used this as training ground for David. By his own admission, the presence of an opponent encourage him to press in and press on as councilman. Not that Dave does things by half measures, but he may have taken it a leetle bit easier if he knew he was running uncontested

Just recently, as I've been viewing more of Graham Cooke's messages on You Tube, I came across a story he shared. To sum it up, God showed Graham how He was using his opponents to mold him. Watch the video here to get the full story:

And He whispers the proverb about iron sharpening iron. This race...His Word...living and active. A reminder that in our times of adversity, our adversary is allowed to come close to refine us and mature our faith.

"Consider it pure joy," He breathes.

He reminds me of this today as He collects my tears shed over the intensity of the spiritual battled wages within and around me.

Consider it pure joy. The testing over when the work, My masterpiece, is complete. Perseverance. Your faith matured. Lacking nothing.

the Lord knew

2011-11-09T07:52:00.000-05:00

Earlier this year I shared a little about becoming an American citizen.

Yesterday, I voted in an election for the first time in my life. It just so happens the Lord chose this exact time for a joyful purpose...so I would have the privilege of voting for my husband to retain his spot on City Council for our ward.

Only He knew Dave would be appointed earlier this year as councilman - the same year my residency status was up for renewal. He knew I would need to choose citizenship and He whispered this to me back in August of last year.

It is with great joy that I share this you because...he won!

We found out at 4 a.m. this morning. We celebrated the Lord's will being done, regardless of the results, last night over frozen yogurt at Menchies (although we all were hoping he would be chosen to represent our Ward).

And now I'm glad we were celebrating Dave's retainment. :)

P.S. See part Part 2

it never runs out

2011-11-08T06:00:00.000-05:00

It thundered toward our house across the scape of lawns.

"Look," says my mother-in-law.

I turn from my distraction of catching Ben in my arms and setting the table for dinner. Through our side window I saw it...the antlered deer running.

"Look, Ben," I say and move closer to the front window to catch a glimpse of his magnificence as he passes by.

Then I notice the blood.

I move to the front windows, pressing close to validate in my mind what I think my eyes are seeing, but the glass stops me. I am left with impressions in my mind of the blood on his muzzle, his wildly flicking tongue trying to stem the hurt, and his frenzied run. Trying to outrun the pain.

What I want to do is run outside, scream stop, ask him what happened and try to stop the hurt. Of course, it's a ridiculous desire. Deer can't talk and I'm no deer whisperer.

So I do the next best thing and look down the street to see if anyone is following. Someone who can explain.

But there isn't. And so I pray and I cry because it's all I can do and it doesn't seem to be enough.

As I write I wonder at what God wants to whisper in what I witnessed.

Is it about the deer, blindly trying to outrun pain. Fleeing from painful circumstances instead of coming to the One who can heal our hurts?

Or is the lack of explanation about these painful circumstances which gnaws at me? An age-old question we ask of the One who can make it all go away but sees a greater purpose in allowing it to remain. For a time.

Writing sometimes helps me untie the knots of my thinking, and though I feel no resolution, the Spirit nudges me to wonder if this message is intended for another. As I write, I have words to a song running through my mind. Words which affirm the strength and might and essence of our God. So if you are trying to outrun the pain or crying out for a Word from Him who can explain, perhaps these words are intended for you...

"[His] love...it never fails, it never gives up, it never runs out on [you]."

(And here's the song in its entirety:)

Linking with:

reap to sow: chapters 9 & 10

2011-11-07T07:26:00.002-05:00

If you're just joining us (and we're so glad to have you along!), we're taking two chapter per week from the book, The Power of a Positive Mom: Revised Edition by Karol Ladd.

Courtney is hosting our discussion this week. Please hop on over to her blog as she reaps in contentment and gratitude - the messages of Chapters 9 &10.

(For a link to previous discussions, please click here.)

the shaping of our (homeschool) days

2011-11-05T17:47:00.001-04:00

Restlessness always leads me to tinker. And only two months into the school year, I already was experiencing the restlessness that usually comes in March.

So I've been doing a little tinkering with our days, experimenting within the realm of unschooling. I don't think we are a 100% unschool family, but I'll take a 50/50 cut. ;)

My experiments so far have resulted in:

Beginning with a "worship dance party" before we get ready for the day - I'm praying that this will help fill up our spirits and give us the enthusiasm we need to tackle the day's challenges
Lingering through breakfast and pre-school day chores (I think I need to cut back on the lingering, however...it seems to push EVERYTHING to later in the day)
Taking more time to read to the kids
Using trips to the grocery store to teach the kids about estimating and budgeting
An impromptu discussion on taxes and why it's important to pay them...this came about after listening to the story, "Stone Fox"
Playing games
A picnic and story time outside
Hikes in the woods
Mixing together glow-in-the-dark sidewalk chalk and drawing on the sidewalk (ftr...our street must be too brightly lit because the chalk didn't exactly glow...but it was visible)
Using our creativity to make gifts
Cooking
Plus the usual workbook activities tucked in during car rides, quiet afternoons and a few concentrated seat work hours in the mornings

Oh, and, one lost shoe.

Well, it's not lost really. We know its location, but we were unable to retrieve it from the quicksand-like mud.

Plus a lesson about why we don't walk near the edge of the bank of a river.

Thankfully, it was a soft landing for Luke and he didn't get wet. He just landed in the mucky lower bank of the river...a four foot drop from the path. In the effort to get back on solid ground, his one shoe that had fallen off in the mud got buried deeper into the mire and despite my best efforts to dig with a stick, I came up empty handed.

This meant Luke had to complete the hike half-shoeless which he did uncomplainingly. It also meant our very next stop was to buy him a new pair of shoes.

P.S.
On today's hike, though we didn't lose any shoes, Ben wandered into several inches of leaf-covered stinky water. About 30 seconds after I warned the kids about the quagmire to the left of the path. I'll put that one down to his being only 2.5 years. Thankfully I had extra socks for him in the car. Next time, I think I'll be packing a small suitcase.

I believe the theme for our week was, to quote a favorite song, "On Christ this solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand..."

on the cusp

2011-11-04T17:36:00.000-04:00

at least he can't drive...yet!

(If you haven't had a chance to check out today's Reap to Sow discussion post, here it is)

I'm so not ready for this. For my "baby" to not be a baby any more but to enter fully into little boyhood.

Admittedly, Ben has not been a baby for over a year and despite my attempts to eke it out, he is determined to grow up...and at a quicker rate than his siblings. ;)

Already he is wearing clothes that I'm certain Luke grew out of just earlier this year. He has conquered gates, all the non-locking, non-boy-proofed doors in our house and, just last night (sob), he began climbing out of his crib. This is the first time in four children that our child outgrew the crib before I did.

Brianna and Reese were put in big girl and boy beds out of necessity (the arrival of siblings!) and Luke gained that privilege when I wanted to cuddle with him during our before bedtime story.

So, before he is solidly on little boyhood ground, I'm indulging myself with capturing my favorite Ben moments here:

Current movie favorite: Finding Nemo (or, "Memo, Memo" in Ben speak)
Still calls all vehicles bigger than a truck, "huh-dahs." Horses are "neighs", sheep are "baas", Brianna is "Mia," Reese is "He He," Luke is "Goo-tee," Jack is "Gaa," Lauren is "Aunt Nora," Tim is "T"
"Daddy car" is a favorite outdoor "toy"
Loves the book "Brown Bear, Brown Bear" - either being read to or reading it himself. It was one of the thing he retrieved last night when he ventured out of his crib
Still sucks two of his fingers when in need of comfort
Is practicing grimacing and loudly (!) making his desires known
Loves to join in with his sibs on recounting movie lines and telling knock knock jokes and only a parent call guess at what he's saying
If we don't repeat back to Ben what he is trying communicate, he will repeat it until we say it back verbatim
Likes to join us at the school table to color
Loves to sing and dance
Ben and I adapted the "Wheels on the Bus" song to fit with things on Daddy's car
He can recognize when we're close to Grandpa and Nan's or Jack's house
Loves playing hide and seek and chase, especially with B, R & L and their friends

Sigh.

I'm going to miss this time, but I know there is much to look forward to...though it still may be another month or two before the crib is gone from his room. ;)

sowing...seeds from Chapters 7 & 8 (revised)

2011-11-04T07:23:00.000-04:00

If you're just joining us (and we're so glad to have you along!), we're taking two chapter per week from the book, The Power of a Positive Mom: Revised Edition by Karol Ladd.

On Mondays we focus on reaping: What are we gleaning, discerning from the reading?

On Fridays we focus on sowing: What actions from the Power Points can we apply in our lives in order to become more positive mothers?

(For a link to previous discussions, please click here.)

As I mentioned in Monday's post, God has been drawing me more intensely to a place of prayer. It is a season of intertwining. A living out of the vine and the branch. God, the ~~branch~~ vine is calling me to this place. To choose to adore, confess, thank, deposit - the choice in Chapter 8's Power Point. A ~~vine~~ branch, I must choose to accept this invitation. To welcome the embrace of the vine which bears the fruit ~~wrap myself around the Branch which gives stability and the ability to sustain life~~.* To choose trust over worry (the choice in Chapter 7).

Our prayers themselves are the seeds. And as we drop each prayer-seed one by one in the hands of the One who purposes to see them grow - or in the case of our worries, gently crumbles them in His fingers and says "no more" - we can look forward to a bearing of fruit and a bountiful harvest in our life and the lives of those around us.

Before we close for this week, I have a seed I'd like to sow among this group. It relates to the "Do" Point in Chapter 8 - the idea of prayer partners. Would you like to see a Reap to Sow prayer group? It could be as simple as prayer request via email or connecting people with a prayer partner. Please indicate your interest in the comment section or email me. If there is interest, we can provide more specifics in the coming weeks along with guidelines (confidentiality being one of the most important).

*As you can see, I got the vine/branch analogy backwards, but thankfully, my sister pointed it out. Which is a good reminder to always refer back to the word and check it to make sure our recollections of what it says are correct (and to make sure what others are telling His Word says is correct). This is just one of the many times when God has called me up short on my assumptions about what His Word says. May He use this experience to remind me to handle His Word with greater respect and with a holy fear that these Words breathe life and are not to be tampered with.

loved outrageously

2011-11-02T06:30:00.000-04:00

I've been listening to this Graham Cooke video lately called "The Inheritance." It's a message I need to hear over and over again. To get it firmly fixed in my heart.

The idea of God loving me, no matter what, I understand in my head and nod in agreement to when someone mentions it or I come across it in the Bible. But to understand it deep down. To let it settle in my spirit. To let it change the way I see myself, God and others...that is another matter entirely.

And so I watch this when the ways of the world threaten to overwhelm. When I am feeling defeated by what feels like a stagnation in my spirit and my life.

And I pray that you too, may watch it and believe that Someone loves you outrageously.

grow where He plants you

2011-11-01T06:00:00.000-04:00

I'm going through my first Kay Arthur study which I'm totally loving. It's her guide on the book of Jeremiah in The New Inductive Study Series (or, the "15-minute homework option" although somehow I've always managed to exceed that time frame. ;) )

I'm currently in Chapter 29 and just had to share this revelation in the hopes that you might be encouraged.

If it's been awhile since you've visited with Jeremiah, here's a little background...he was appointed a prophet by God a couple of decades before Judah was taken into captivity by the Babylonians and continued to prophesy during part of the 70-year captivity.

In this chapter, Jeremiah writes a letter to the exiles in Babylon who were carried off by Nebuchadnezzar to encourage them to settle down, eat, drink and be married and even pray for the prosperity of the city. (Can you imagine praying for the prosperity of the ones who hold you captive?!)

This letter also includes the well-loved "For I know the plans I have for you," passage. This letter overwhelmed me with the love God was showing to His children - the same ones who turned their backs on Him, indulged in idolatry and pretty much reneged on all the promises they made to God back in the days of Moses.

But I'm not sure if many of the people got this part of the message. From indications within this and other chapters, it seemed the people were all about believing God would deliver them quickly (two years sounded good) from the Babylonians and wanted to squelch any messages contrary to this belief. Let me tell you, God wasn't exactly pleased with these other "prophets." Check out Chapters 28 & 29 if you want to see what happened to them.

And here's what God spoke to me in this...

lettuce growing away from our garden, in front of our garage

If I am in captivity, recognize it and plead to be taken out but find myself still held captive, then I must trust that God has some purpose in it and will deliver me in His timing. I don't believe God allows us to remain in captivity just for captivity's sake - it's kind of hard to picture Him on His throne, rubbing His hands together in glee and exclaiming, "I've got you now my pretty," like the wicked witch in the Wizard of Oz. It might feel like that, but it isn't the Truth.

What I saw in this letter is God's heart for His children. He does not want us to languish in our captivity. He wants to prosper us. Captivity is a time to grow. Grow how? I think it depends on why were were carried into captivity in the first place.

So if you feel you are in captivity, ask Him for a word that would encourage you in this time. Ask Him to how you how He wants to prosper you. Keep your eyes fixed on Him and the good work He is doing in you and trust He will deliver from your captive state...maybe it will be in this lifetime, maybe it will be when He brings you to be with Him. But keep trusting that He will bring you back.

And if you need prayer in this, leave a comment or email me that we can ask Him for revelation together.

Linking with:

beauty secrets

2011-10-31T15:00:00.000-04:00

Although it's Reap to Sow day, I just had to share this...

Often, after washing and drying my hair, I'll put in a few rollers to give these baby fine locks a little "oomph" and leave them in for enough time to get a good set. Which often means I'm walking around the house with rollers on top of my head. (It's kind of mortifying to admit this part of my ready-for-the-day ritual, but for sincerity's sake...)

And it's how I came down to breakfast yesterday morning.

Luke looks up at me and says (earnestly and enthusiastically), "Wow Mom, you look great! You could wear those to church! And you could even shoot bombs from them!"

Yes, Lukie bear, that is exactly what I was thinking too. ;)

(LOL...leave it to a boy to imagine a simple hair roller as an instrument of destruction!)

reap to sow: gleaning from chapters 7 & 8

2011-10-31T06:30:00.000-04:00

If you're just joining us (and we're so glad to have you along!), we're taking two chapter per week from the book, The Power of a Positive Mom: Revised Edition by Karol Ladd.

On Mondays we focus on reaping: What are we gleaning, discerning from the reading?

On Fridays we focus on sowing: What actions from the Power Points can we apply in our lives in order to become more positive mothers?

(For a link to previous discussions, please click here.)

In these two chapters, Karol continues her exhortations on prayer and how it contributes to our ability to remain positive. And, of course, because God knew I would be leading the discussions on these two chapters, He's been bringing me to His throne room in prayer multiple times a day.

Sometimes I'm driven to my knees because I feel at a loss as to how to make my kids without repeating myself over and over and over again or how to encourage them to stop annoying one another (if anyone's discovered the secret to this, I'm all ears :) ). Sometimes it's to ask for direction. Sometimes it's to pray for another. But lately, I've been driven to the place of prayer simply because I have an overwhelming need for the assurance of His presence.

And that's the beauty of prayer and why I'm grateful Karol dedicated three chapters to it. Ladies, prayer is our life line to God. Without it, we have no outlet strong enough to carry the worries which come with the territory of motherhood (and womanhood, too). With it, we know we can lay everything at His feet and know not only can He handle the weight of the world but He also knows what to do about. Though His way might not exactly be what we had in mind, we have to trust that He knows what He's doing and remember He loves us.

I'll end with a quote from Chapter 7 - a sentence which could have had my name written above it: "Often we try to figure out what God is up to and why He has allowed certain things to happen. Let's be willing to trust Him, even if we don't understand."

Amen.

I hope to see back here on Friday where we begin to sow...and you know we will reap a harvest from those seeds too!

through it...again

2011-10-29T07:29:00.000-04:00

A couple of weeks ago I shared how God spoke to me through "We're Going on a Bear Hunt" the children's book by Michael Rosen. This time He spoke through "Finding Nemo."

My children have been watching this movie a lot lately. Probably because it's Ben's favorite and the way he asks to watch, "Memo" is incredibly endearing. The other evening, I was only half listening to the movie while working on a project, when the scene where Marlin and Dory face a cloud of murky water came up. Here's the scene from the movie if you want to watch it:

Although what Marlin actually says is "We're just gonna just swim straight," what I heard was, "We're gonna just go through it." (God must have done a voice over in that moment. ;) ).

And again it struck me how God desires to walk through the murkiest of places with us. Like Marlin, I desire to walk the straight and narrow path, and just like Marlin, I get turned around, confused, and keep coming back to that same ol' speck in the water.

But thankfully in this season I am in (God still hasn't revealed exactly what He has me going through, which is why the murky/cloudy image is so fitting), I know that He is there with me. And if I get too off course or stuck for lack of direction, I know He will be there to rescue me and bring me to the place He wants me to go. Even if it's in the shape of a whale.

reap to sow discussion day

2011-10-28T07:12:00.002-04:00

If you're just joining us (and we're so glad to have you along!), we're taking two chapter per week from the book, The Power of a Positive Mom: Revised Edition by Karol Ladd.

Courtney is hosting our discussion this week. Please venture over to her blog as she helps us sow what we've reaped from Chapters 5 and 6...

(For a link to previous discussions, please click here.)

a season of sincerity

2011-10-26T17:02:00.001-04:00

Blogging is tough. Or rather, blogging when you hope people like what you read and want to keep returning and yet you love the Lord and don't want it to become about the people but want it to be for Him, is tough. (Still with me? ;) )

It's a dilemma I've increasingly faced in these past few months, especially with the increasing presence of stats within blogs, posts and comments. In Bloggers old interface you at least had to click on a button before you saw your stats. With the new interface they appear on screen when you log on. While it can be fascinating to see how many people are reading, what they are reading and where they came from, it brings with it the temptation, for me, to get too focused on the stats. To feel excited or disappointed based on the peaks of the stats tracker graph.

Knowing this, I had begun praying to the Lord about keeping my eyes fixed on Him, online and off. I began to pray for friends and not followers. For authentic connections with others in this virtual world that would blossom into friendships. For reminders to pour into the relationships with my friends who are close to me geographically.

And I feel like He's honoring these prayers in many ways. He's blessed me with a new friend. He's giving me ideas on how to deepen fellowship with my friends here at home. And He's asking me to examine what I share and why I want to share it. I'm deeply grateful for this last part, but it can be a decidedly uncomfortable process at the same time.

I will totally and completely miss the mark at times, getting a little too much of me and not enough of Him, in my writing. But I wanted to share this in the event that you struggle with these same challenges (online or off) so that we might encourage one another to keep pressing on with our eyes fixed on the One who writes and perfects our faith. And I wanted to share it because it goes with the season of sincerity. A season I hope will last a lifetime.

reap to sow week 3

2011-10-24T07:46:00.000-04:00

If you're just joining us (and we're so glad to have you along!), we're taking two chapter per week from the book, The Power of a Positive Mom: Revised Edition by Karol Ladd.

Courtney is hosting our discussion this week. Please venture over to her blog as she gets us going on Chapters 5 and 6...

(For a link to previous discussions, please click here.)

a better week (homeschool journal)

2011-10-22T07:55:00.001-04:00

In our life this week...
We celebrated an anniversary and a birthday, which meant is was an automatic day off of school. :)

What worked...
Changing our schedule around. Previously, I had been doing math and LA in the morning which left Luke and Ben mostly to themselves and led to a lot of mischief-making on Ben's part ;). This week, I stuck with math in the morning (and decided to gate Ben into a room with Luke for play time), but incorporated a read aloud time and our Australian unit study in the morning. Much better. It felt like Luke and Ben were more a part of our school day and the gate helped me maintain focus with Brie and Reese.

I also finally was able to do school with Luke in the afternoon while Brianna and Reese worked and Ben choose to play or sit with us at the table.

Craziest thing I did this week...
Held a mini-version of boot camp.

The return of rainy and colder weather and the anticipation of Luke's birthday meant the kids were bouncing off the walls and antagonizing one another. When I could take the door-slamming and giddiness no more, I send the three biggies outside to do a few laps up and down our street (it wasn't raining then).Yes, I live on the wild side.

Although there were complaints and dramatics of hurting sides, all three completed the laps...surprisingly Luke finished first while Brianna did more than her share because she was encouraging Reese to complete his (he was trying to hold out on me ;) ).

This best thing about this whole "exercise," was they way God used it to teach me a lesson in discipline. Running laps wasn't a harsh consequence, but I hadn't exactly sent them out there with love emanating from my heart. I had sent my children out there because I was frustrated with their behavior and pent up energy. I sent them out there because I was annoyed.

As I watched them run and started to encourage them on, and then saw Brianna do the same with Reese, I began to see the purpose of discipline as God sees it. It's not meant to be a tough, punishing thing coming from a God who is angry and annoyed with us. It comes from a God who loves us and is trying to teach us how to direct us in the places He wants us to go. Yes, we might not like it, and, yes, it might be uncomfortable. But in the end He knows this training will bring us to a better place and prepare us for similar situations in the future - ones where we will know what to do because He's shown us how.

Oh, how good He is!

So I was in a much better place yesterday when I felt the silly energy meter begin to rise. This time, because it was raining, I asked them to do jumping jacks, running in place double time, sit ups and push ups. Ben even joined in. There were lots of giggles, followed by a snack and a story. And there was a mom who was grateful that her God was teaching her about Him.

Linking up with

prayers

2011-10-21T19:39:00.002-04:00

I have a prayer request...two requests, really. I have been reading the CaringBridge journal of Jane Coulter since my friend Courtney shared about what the Coulter family was going through. In short, Henry Coulter was born earlier this year with a damaged heart. In the past week, his heart was causing him more problems so he was put on the list to receive a new heart. Praise God the family got the call last night and as of this post, Henry now has his new, whole heart. Prayers are for recovery and against rejection.

The second part of the prayer request is for the donor's family who lost their 2-year-old in a car accident last night. I look at Ben and the agony of what this family must be going through is palpable. Yet, how amazing their child was able to give life to another and hopefully will live on through Henry for years to come. I'm praying they know Jesus and the comfort and peace He can provide in the midst of our most painful experiences.

If you'd like to read Jane's CaringBridge Journal, please go to this link.

reap to sow discussion day

2011-10-21T06:42:00.003-04:00

***Reminder: Lora's necklace offer is good through Monday. Check out this post so you can see an example of her work and get the details on the discount.***

If you're just joining us (and we're so glad to have you along!), we're taking two chapter per week from the book, The Power of a Positive Mom: Revised Edition by Karol Ladd.

For a link to previous discussions, please click here.

I'm a do-er. So can you guess which Power Points resonated with me this week?

Yep. The "Do" points:

I will intentionally strengthen my children with encouraging words. (from Chapter 3)

I will look for and encourage the God-given potential in each of my children. (from Chapter 4)

To me, these do-points are closely linked, for if we encourage our children, I believe it helps them reach their God-given potential. Though I offer encouraging words throughout the day, I loved Karol's suggestions on being intentional, creative and specific. To take up that challenge, I thought and prayed about a way to do this... a way that I would develop as a habit and not just a trend I follow as I read this book.

I settled upon placing notes for my children in our mail box. Not everyday, but at least once or twice a week. They love running to the mailbox when they see the mail carrier walking down the street and always get excited when they receive something with their name on it.

Earlier this week, I grabbed some card envelopes, stickers and notepaper and assembled the notes of encouragement - trying to pick out specific examples of the ways each child brought joy to my heart. To make it look more "official," I used the stickers in place of a stamp and addressed the envelope as I would if I actually sent it in the mail.

It worked!

They were so excited to get the mail, but equally touched to read the few simple words I wrote them. I also plan on buying notebooks for them to keep the notes and perhaps write notes of encouragement to one another.

I also read the Bible passages Karol suggested in Chapter 3. The verse that settled in my heart actually followed the suggested verses in Colossians 3 (and happens to proceed the verse that stalked Courtney ;) ).

Here it is from the NIV:

Let the word of Christ dwell richly in you as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. Colossians 3:16

This verse spoke to me because it underscored the importance of soaking in God's Word. The picture that came to mind as I read these verses was savoring the richest, velvetiest piece of chocolate imaginable. The kind you slowly let melt in your mouth because biting it into pieces would spoil the experience.

Writing that just made me hungry.

So, how about you? How did God speak to you this week in Chapters 3 & 4. I hope you will share your thoughts in the comments section so we can savor God's goodness along with you. And if you did a blog post on these chapters, please include the link in the comments so we can read along.

five

2011-10-20T06:00:00.000-04:00

Today Luke turns five and, as I shared in yesterday's post, it also is our 10th wedding anniversary.

Dave hoped we'd have a baby on our anniversary and God worked out the details to honor his prayer. My two favorite memories of Luke's arrival are this picture (see how he held onto the side of the baby warmer :) )...

...and Reese's expression when he was brought to the hospital to meet his little brother.

Not impressed.

Five years later and Reese has warmed up to the little guy.

He was so excited to buy Luke's birthday gift this past weekend - a Star Wars Lego kit. So excited in fact that I suspect he might have "hinted" as to where he, Reese, had hidden it. After all, what soon-to-be five year old boy goes near an over-brimming laundry basket unprompted?

Though the cat was out of the bag, Dave and I figured we could at least keep the standard of waiting until Luke's actual birthday before opening the box.

Not so much.

At 10:30 Saturday evening and well past his bedtime, Reese padded downstairs where Dave was working.

"Dad, we have a problem?"

"What is it, son?" asks Dave, thinking the boys had been asleep for more than an hour.

"It's upstairs."

Dave obligingly goes upstairs only to find the lights still on and Lego, new Star Wars Lego, neatly arranged in piles on the carpet. Reese rapidly begins explaining,

"See, we put this flyer together and started on this ship, but we can't figure out the next step. Can you help us?"

Seeing Luke's rather glazed eyes, Dave thought it best to put the Lego-problem on hold until the morning. Tucking them in bed, he turned out the lights and headed back downstairs. Peace had settled over the house.

Trex impersonation

Until five minutes later when Reese again appeared downstairs.

"High five for getting that far, right, Dad? And can we get up early tomorrow morning to finish putting it together as a surprise for Luke?"

Yes, Reese. High five.

And happy birthday, Luke! You can now officially play with the Star Wars Lego...except we might have to hunt up the pieces because, you know, they've unofficially been played with already. ;)

ten years & a banner of love

2011-10-19T15:15:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow marks 10 years that Dave and I have been married. How time has flown and yet it seems like it should be longer than only 10 years. Perhaps it has something to do with having four children in eight of those years...;)

*******
In honor of this decade milestone and the fact that I finally hung up this:

above our bed (it only took me seven months!), I have a printable and tutorial to share.

I came up with this idea after seeing the simple and beautiful creations of this artist on etsy. Since I worked on this back in February, I went with a heart and love theme and based it on the passage in 1 Corinthians 13 which describes the attributes of love using the NIV version of the Bible. (My aunt - and godmother - read it on our wedding day.)

To make your own "Banner of Love," follow these instructions:

1. To get the template and save you time, go to my page on scribd. However, if you wanted to use a different version of the Bible or change the font, it's easy enough to create your own version using Word. If you need help with this, just send me an email.

2. Print out the pages and cut out the hearts.

3. Using a hole punch, punch out two holes in the top of each heart.

4. Now string the hearts into a garland (just make sure you're doing them in the same order as the passage ;) ). I used raffia but you can use any type of material to string them. I had to use several raffia pieces - I just knotted them together and made sure the knot was behind a heart.

5. Find a place to string them where you'd like a reminder of love. I liked the simplicity of hanging them above our bed - a reminder that God's banner over us is love.

linking with:

*******

Wedding memory: My grandpa (the only one I knew as a child) had died in January of 2001. As a way to remember him and honor the long years of marriage celebrated by my grandparents, I wanted to have a bagpiper lead Dave and I down the aisle at the conclusion of the ceremony. My grandparents had done a similar thing when they got married in England during WWII while my grandpa was serving overseas. Bagpipers and wedding days are synonymous in my mind as a piper is prominently featured in one of their wedding pictures.

Somehow, there was a confusion in communication and we ended up having two pipers show up! And then, in all the wedding excitement, Dave forgot we were even having a piper at all and was rather startled when one began playing right behind us near the altar. I'm not sure being scared out of your wits is a great way to begin a marriage, but Dave has recovered nicely. :)

found (updated - see bottom of post)

2011-10-18T07:36:00.001-04:00

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost, but now am found
Was blind, but now I see
.
Lora from eager hands paired these familiar verses with this necklace she created and was offering as a giveaway.

It struck a chord with me, so I entered the giveaway.

*********
Like John Newton, this is my story of faith. I was lost and blind, though I didn't know it. To my then-aethiest mind, I thought I was doing quite well, and wasn't worried about my salvation...I carried with me the "assurance" that even if there was a heaven, I was bound to get in because I was basically a good person.

Does this sound familiar? Maybe you don't carry around the belief yourself, but perhaps someone you know and love carries it with them.

But, oh, wrong it is.

And as hard (and to some ears, harsh) as this sounds, the only way we can be saved is through our faith in Jesus Christ.

Coming to God does not come through our own "goodness." It does not come with serving people like Jesus did...caring for the poor, healing the sick, welcoming all those who came to Him. It does not even come with reading the Bible, knowing every word and following it to the letter.

Salvation is a choice of the heart. It comes with believing some crazy story about God coming into this world as a baby, born in the lowliest of circumstances, growing into adulthood, then choosing to die in the most painful way possible in His time and then coming back to life after three days.
I struggle with believing this myself sometimes...mostly the "why Jesus dying and coming back to life part is how God chose to save the world" part.

I also struggle with the grace part. After living more than two decades of my life of believing what I did or did not do determined whether I was a "good girl," I find it hard to stop trying to earn my salvation. It's why I chose to name my etsy shop, Saved by Grace Designs, because every time I see the name, I am reminded of this verse:

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV emphasis mine)

**********

I also need God's continual reminders that He chose to give me sight and recognize my lostness. Which is why I'm excited the He chose to gift me Lora's necklace!

If, like me, you or someone you love needs a reminder of God's thoughts toward you, check out Lora's shop (and her blog) to see her amazing creations. I love knowing too that she prays over each one.

UPDATE: For all of you reading this post, Lora is offering a 15% discount for one week (through October 24, 2011) if you make a purchase from her etsy shop. Just enter FOUND in the coupon code. Thank you Lora!!!

And, if you aren't sure about this Jesus-thing or the other things of faiths I mentioned, I would be happy to dialogue with you...just leave a comment or send me an email: hungerandthirst(at)live(dot)com.

reap to sow: chapters 3 & 4

2011-10-17T06:41:00.000-04:00

If you're just joining us (and we're so glad to have you along!), we're taking two chapter per week from the book, The Power of a Positive Mom: Revised Edition by Karol Ladd.

On Mondays we focus on reaping: What are we gleaning, discerning from the reading?

On Fridays we focus on sowing: What actions from the Power Points can we apply in our lives in order to become more positive mothers?

For the discussion from the first two chapters, please hop on over to Courtney's blog to read Monday's and Friday's installments.

And now, Chapters 3 & 4...

I couldn't help but laugh at the last sentence in the second paragraph in Chapter 4. Karol writes:

"Our challenge is to learn how to be the wind in [our children's] sails without blowing them off the course God has set for their lives."

I laughed because I could picture myself as God must see me sometimes...all enthusiasm and go-getter attitude, just raring to tackle what He has laid before me, but bringing a little too much of me to the table. To stick with the wind analogy...like using a set of bellows to blow the fluff off a dandelion, when all that is needed is a gentle puff of breath.

And perhaps He permitted me that glimpse of humor because He knows He is the Safety Net to catch them and steer them back onto the course He has chartered for their lives.

What is more sobering to me is the idea of taking the wind out of their sails. Which is what I know I do when I fail to encourage, or worse, use harsh words to try and motivate.

Enter Chapter 3 (because reversing the chapters' order seems to fit with the reaping, then sowing theme ;) ).

I struggled with this chapter. There is something in me that resists the truth of its message, perhaps because acknowledging its truth requires a change in how I speak to my children when the going gets tough. A change that requires a lot of hard - and heart - work.

It is easy to praise and encourage my children when they are walking in obedience. It is harder to do so when then are not. I am faced with the dilemma of seeing how yelling or threatening related consequences gets immediate results when kinds words failed to do so. Yet I want to meet the challenge of believing constant encouragement and words of love will motivate them to obey, because yelling doesn't exactly feel like Jesus to me.

If you are in the same place I am with this, thankfully, we have the Lord's encouragement through Karol's words and the Power Points at the end of the chapter. I will be praying that through this week, He will help all of us find ways to encourage our children in each moment. Good, bad or ugly.

homeschool journal: taking a page from unschooling

2011-10-15T09:06:00.000-04:00

There have been times in our homeschool journey when I've seriously considered to attempt the unschooling approach. However, for someone who feels the pressure to meet the expectations of providing 900 literal hours of education and worries that "unschooling" would be perceived as not doing any hours of schooling, I've hesitated to jump into that pool. But I have dabbled my toes in the waters. If you unschool, I would love to hear how you shape your day, and especially how you tackle teaching subjects like math.

Like these past two weeks, where we strayed from our usual schedule partly because of the craft show I was preparing for, partly because it was too beautiful outside to think of staying inside and partly because I think we all needed a break from the routine.

And so we enjoyed...

a hike in the woods:

exploring a new park by the lake (with my sister and nephew):

and preparing fall crafts (still need to take the pictures ;) )

re(Discovery)

Bringing workbooks in the car while traveling between destinations gets alot of the work out of the way (and helps me feel a little less guilty about not sitting around a table to do school)

What's working:
Homeschooling. Though I do have moments of doubts and several where sending the kids away to school is tempting, God continues to bring affirmation and encouragement to me. The other day as we arrived at the craft store to buy supplies for our crafting party, Brianna said, "I think you made a good choice to homeschool us. Because I would miss you too." (She knows that one of the reasons for homeschooling is that I would miss them too much to have them gone all day, every day.)

What's not working:
1. Our schedule. Up to this week, I tried to fit in math and LA in the morning, leaving the fun and more exploratory subjects like science and history to the afternoons. However, with Ben conquering the last frontiers of opening doors and climbing over the gate between the kitchen and dining room, it is harder to teach these subjects distraction-free. And I can't blame him for wanting to be with us.

I also feel like Luke gets the short end of the stick too. He is old enough to play by himself and doesn't get into mischief, which means he often is left to himself for a couple hours in the morning. Good for Brie and Reese and time for focus. Not so good for him. Plus I know he would love for me to do school work with him.

So I'm prayerfully considering how we rearrange our schedule so Luke and Ben are included in our day and I have the quiet needed to teach Brianna and Reese new concepts.

2. Our Language Arts curriculum. I feel like I need to stick with the "Learning Language Arts Through Literature" this year because of the $ investment we made in it. But I would love to abandon it in favor of something else. And perhaps I will if I can find something that plans out our days, works for children in different grade levels and uses good literature as its base. The hunt is on...

Linking up with:

reap to sow discussion day: chapters 1 & 2

2011-10-14T07:09:00.001-04:00

I hope you all thoroughly enjoyed the first two chapters of the book and I'm looking forward to reading about which parts spoke most to your heart.

Courtney's hosting the discussion this week, so please hop on over to her blog to join in (even if you've never commented on a blog before, please consider doing for this series (even anonymously)...it will feel more conversational and knit us together in community :) ). I'll be sharing my sowing story over there in the comments section too.

Hope to see you back here on Monday when I host the next two chapters of "The Power of a Positive Mom."*

(*see Disclosure page on the right side bar)

through it

2011-10-13T08:09:00.000-04:00

This past week has been one of the topsy-turvy kind of weeks...it seems much of what I did or attempted to do was thwarted, leaving me frustrated and on edge.

Yesterday, after yelling at the kids several times before we even got well into our morning, it finally dawned on me I needed a time out to hash some things out in prayer with God. At the heart of my lack of patience was anger at God. I felt He had let me down, failing to speak clearly to me and direct my steps. I blamed Him for letting me go down paths that seemingly led nowhere. I blamed myself for failing once again to live up to the expectations of who I thought He wanted me to be. (For the record, I am putting these expectations on myself, they are in my mind and not the Lord's.) I cried out for understanding, something that would explain why every step seemed to be a misstep. Though He didn't shed any light in that moment, He settled my spirit so I could return to the kids in a much more loving state of mind than when I left them.

And then afternoon came and with it Ben's nap. Our routine is to read a few books of his choosing. Yesterday, Ben picked up "We're Going on a Bear Hunt," by Michael Rosen*. A book I've read so many times I can recite most of it from memory.

I started reading the familiar lines..."We're going on a bear hunt, we're going to catch a big one, what a beautiful day, we're not scared."

If you know the story, you'll remember these lines are repeated throughout the book and are followed by challenges the children and their father face... grass, a river, mud, a forest, a snowstorm, a cave. Each challenge is met with these words: "We can't go over it, we can't go under it. Oh no, we have to go through it."

And that's when God spoke. I felt a nudge in my spirit to lean into the words, "we have to go through it."

Just in case I might have missed it, Ben asked to have the story read twice. And last night, He reminded me of those words again in a conversation with a friend and mentor.

"We have to go through it."

Until this very moment, I was focusing on the "going through it" part. I had accepted that yesterday - grateful God faithfully provided the clarity I sought, comforted He is doing a work in me that I know will be for His glory someday.

But apparently, I hadn't received the most important part of the message...the "we" part. I didn't see it yesterday, but thank you, Lord, I can see it now.

"We have to go through it."

Not me alone. Not even me with other people. But "we" - He and I. Praise God that He will not leave me, or any of us, alone to go through whatever challenges may come our way. Praise God that He wants to walk through it with us. And praise Him in belief the He will bring us through to the other side.

Be it...

long, wavy grass

a deep, cold river

thick, oozy mud

a deep, dark forest

a swirling, whirling snowstorm

or a narrow, gloomy cave.

(*see Disclosure page on the right side bar)

the kind of prayer epilogue

2011-10-11T07:56:00.001-04:00

(If you read this post first, the following will make much more sense. ;) )

Well...God answered "no" to the first prayer. The weather was too wonderful for people to be inclined to be inside. If I didn't have to be there, I don't think I would have been there.

Yet, despite the boredom of the long day and doubts that I'd ever do another craft show again, I asked God about it afterward. Had I been in the wrong place? Were the lack of sales a reflection of my lack of discernment...faith...trust in Him? Did I do something wrong? Was my attitude not pleasing to Him? Knowing He tests the conditions of our hearts, I often scrutinize mine. Probably obsessively.

Thankfully, His stillness thundered over the clamor going on inside my head. "You were exactly where I wanted you to be," He whispered.

Oh.

And I still feel that with peaceful certainty - I was exactly where He wanted me to be and I can't imagine being anywhere else. It doesn't change the fact that it was hard to go through, but I'm grateful that God took the focus off of me (where did I go wrong) to Him (what is He going to do with this experience). In that alone, He already has answered the first part of my second prayer.

And I know He will answer the second part of it too. In His way and in His time. All I need to do is wait. And watch. And hope. And trust.

reap to sow: chapters 1 & 2

2011-10-10T07:13:00.000-04:00

Yay! I'm so excited for us to begin The Power of a Positive Mom together. Courtney's started us off this week, please check out her blog for the first installment of Reap to Sow.

(Also, check out this post she did...it still makes me smile how many times God brought this Scripture to mind for her. And maybe if you're waiting for confirmation on something from Him, this will boost your faith that He will answer...just ask. Then wait. Then watch to see how He loves to show up.)

the kind of prayer

2011-10-06T16:24:00.002-04:00

For the past several months, I've been preparing for a craft show. It's my first and I've been crazy busy sewing and getting all the business side of things in order...labeling, pricing, signage, packaging, etc.

I've also been praying, praying and praying a little more that most (or all) of the items I've made would sell. Because my worst (crafting) nightmare is that I will have made all these items but am not able to sell them. his worry has even worked its way into my dreams...

A couple of weeks ago, I dreamed it rained so hard that nobody showed up because they thought the craft show was outdoors. (I checked and it's inside, but torrential downpours tend to dampen enthusiasm for venturing out of doors even if it's only from house to car to craft show.) So I began to pray for sun. And sunny it will be and warm too which leads me to the second mare-dream...

Plenty of people were at the craft show but were more interested in other activities and only a few people at the end of the show were remotely interested in even looking at my products. (A harvest festival will be going on at the same time as the craft show.)

Which leads me to an updated prayer...that people will be interested in buying rain or shine. I'm not sure if this a "praying in God's will" kind of prayer, but it's hard not to be praying that way. It's just where my heart is at right now.

I have an inkling God might be more inclined to say "yes" to this prayer: "Lord, please let me keep my focus on You alone. Please help me not to be concerned with whether people buy what I have made or not, but trust that you will find a home for each of these items in Your timing and in Your way. In Jesus name, Amen."

If you read this and have a moment to pray, would you pray this for me? Perhaps my heart will be strengthened by prayers offered up by others. And in return, if there are any prayers you are having a hard time praying but feel might be in line with God's will, I would love to pray for you. You may leave these in the comments section or email me at hungerandthirst@live.com if you would rather they not be public.

rain or shine

2011-10-04T15:24:00.000-04:00

My children often ask me, "Why does it have to rain today?"

"Because God decided we needed it to rain," is often my response. Though, I often wonder the same thing myself. After all, our area already has surpassed its average annual rainfall (AAR) three months before the year ends. And I've tried "reminding" God in my prayers that there are many areas in His world which could use our extra rain. I'd even settle for a little less than our AAR if it meant the easing of drought for starving nations.

But since His thoughts are not mine and His ways are higher than my own, I trust that He knows what He is doing. After all, He is piecing together this tapestry and I am only one thread.

What I have noticed is how much more I appreciate the warmth of the sun when I've gone without (we've just come out of a spell of cold, rainy weather). I am more apt to thank God deeply for the rays He pours down upon us and to drink in the sun, storing up the warmth for the darker, colder days which lay ahead.

I've also realized how my moods are affected by the weather. And while it is easier to be cheerful on a sunny day, I want to experience contentment and joy in any circumstance and whatever the weather. Which brings me back to resting in God alone. And that is always the best place to be. Rain or shine.