Completion of the Bedroom Makeover: The R&R is back!

When I saw this challenge I said, "Bring It!" Well, let me tell you, it has already been "Brought-en!"  I hope you all saw my original post about bringing back the RandR and were following along with me at AMothersHeritage but if not here's your chance to catch up and do your own Master remodel!

Do you remember my awful BEFORE picture? Well here it is again...

YIKES!!!

 I am so proud (and my hubby is so thankful) to be able to show such an amazing after...

TADA!

I re-arranged the furniture, made some new art work, and found some extra accessories laying around to complete this for a grand total of $0 and a lot of hard work! I can't wait to spend some time relaxing in our room for the first time since we moved into our home a year ago!

Here are Jenny's instructions for accomplishing your master make-over! I hope you enjoy as much as I did! Follow along with her as you Declutter, Deep Clean, Color Coordinate, Accessorize, and Enjoy and Maintain your haven (just 5 simple steps)!

Mommy Teaching for the Non-Teacher Mommy

I'm so excited to be guest posting today at The Mommy Teacher!

There are some mommies lucky enough to have the experience of teaching, some blessed with the gift of teaching, then there’s some who just throw a bunch of ideas at their kids and hope that just one will stick. None are wrong, although some may be easier and work better than others, but when it comes to being a mommy teacher the only rule is to keep kids engaged!
continue reading here!

God's Masterpiece is Mother

God took the fragrance of a flower,
The majesty of a tree,
The gentleness of morning dew,
The calm of a quiet sea,
The beauty of the twilight hour,
The soul of a starry night,
The laughter of a rippling brook,
The grace of a bird in flight.
Then God fashioned from these things
A creation like no other,
And when his masterpiece was through
He called it simply – Mother.

 Herbert Farnham

They're All My Favorites!

When I first became a mother, I had no idea it was even possible to love someone so much. I have loved much in my life, but nothing compared to the true, unconditional, pure love I felt that started the very first moment I saw my little bean during my first ultrasound at 7wks. Before he was even fully formed, before he had taken his first breath, before I even saw his face, I loved him. The moment I held him I felt like I could never love anyone that much...ever. When I found out I was pregnant with my daughter, I was ecstatic, seriously over the moon! I knew I would love her, I felt I could love her just as much because she was a "she" so it would be different than it was with my son. At the same time, I still worried that I just wouldn't have enough love to go around. The amazing thing was when she was born the "seperation" of my love that I had been trying to prepare myself for never happened, in fact, it was the exact opposite. I not only loved her, but I loved her just as much as I had loved Maddox that first moment, and I never "lost" any of the love I felt for my son. In fact, as they grew the love I had for both of them grew as well, not only because of them, but because of how they were together. Watching them interact, seeing the love God had knit into their hearts towards each other, I loved them even more than the very first day. My love just continued to grow. And with the addition of Kason, I felt my heart might burst from too much love. I worry, not that I may not love them enough, but that I may love them so much that I won't be able to stand it. That with each addition to our family, my heart will become so full, that I just won't be able to continue.

I heard a lovely woman speak today about her children, and I pray that as my children grow the words she spoke about her children will be woven into the fabric of my own family. She has 5 children and recounted an amazing moment when some friends had asked her which was her favorite. I've gotten this question from people who don't have multiple children, who worry, the same way I had, that with each additional child your love for the other children changes. She told them, as I would have, that she loves them all equally, that she loves them all in their own way because of who they are, but she does not love any of them more than the other. That is obvious to me, but what she said next is what I will claim for my family, what I will pray I can instill in my children as they get older. Each child, one after the other, came to her privately and told her, "I know that I'm your favorite. I know you couldn't say it in front of the others, so we'll just keep it between us." What a precious, precious moment for that mother. To know that she is raising her children in such a way that each one feels they are her favorite. That none feels left out, that none feels less important, that they not only feel "equal" but that they each see themselves as "the best". Praise God. So how do we do this? How can we accomplish this sense of importance in our children?

It's another "complaint" I've heard about the Duggar family. That there is "no way they can give enough attention to all of their chldren equally." But what does this accusation stem from? The amount of time there is in a day in relation to the amount of children? What does time have to do with how our children feel? What does having siblings have to do with how our children feel about themselves? NOTHING. If we are instilling in our children the truth about who they are, they will never feel unloved, abandoned, left out, or less important. Our children, no matter how many we have, are loved. They are loved unconditionally, purely, and intentionally. They are a blessing, they are a miracle. They have a specific calling and purpose in their life that God has given them. If we raise them to believe this of themselves then how will they ever feel less than "the best"?

There are things we can do to actively make them feel special. If you pay attention to your children you know the littlest thing makes them feel important, that all it really takes to make them happy is to be involved with them. Let them help you "make" breakfast (even if it ends up doubling or even tripling the amount of time it would take you to do it yourself, like it always does in my house). Have a special one-on-one date with them that you build up for the several days before. Let them pick the "activities" so they feel like it's a special day all about them. Do crafts with them or read them a special book, anything they show interest in spend time doing that rather than watching TV. We send our children to school for 8 hours a day and children watch TV for an average of 4 hours a day (this number jumped to 7hrs 38min by the age of 8)...that is at least 12 hours our children spend not engaged with us. If they sleep for 6-8 hours a night that leaves 4-6 hours a day that our children are spending with us. That means if we follow this model they spend at least 83% of the day with influences other than us. Mommas, it is no wonder we feel like we can't give our children enough attention. I know not every mother feels called to homeschooling, I know some mothers feel called to work outside of the home, but we need to seriously evaluate what we are doing with our time, where our priorities are, and what we do with the little time we have with our children.

If your children overheard someone ask you, "Which one is your favorite?" what would their answer be? Would they come to you with a smile and say, "I know it's me!" or would they be left wondering. What obstacles are standing in the way of your time with your children? What things are keeping your children from feeling like "the best"?

Living upRIGHT in an upside-down world

It's especially hard in this day and age not to notice how like-minded Christians and non-Christians are becoming. Obviously, if we as Christians are to have the "mind of Christ" how can our standards line up so closely with those who have not chosen to follow Him? We immerse ourselves in this culture. Watching the same movies, reading the same books, listening to the same music, going to the same places. We quote scripture to back up these choices, "to be in the world," claiming that that is what we are doing, that we are in the world while denying that we are really of it. So how can we really be in and not of? It really is all about denying ourselves, and accepting the mind of Christ. Dying to ourselves daily, and picking up our cross to follow Him Luke 9:23. So how can we use Facebook, a website that in even the best of times promotes vanity, Pinterest, a website that promotes greed and envy, and Google, which provides so much information at the click of a button with no filter to sift through it all, with the mindset of Christ.

These sites, like money, are not "evil" in and of themselves; rather, it is what we choose to do with them that sets us apart. Do you see Facebook as an opportunity to witness or to show off? Do you use Pinterest as an opportunity to be creative, find fun activities for your children, enrich your life, or do you use it as a way to think of all the things you do not have but wish you did? Do you Google with a filter of Scripture, or do you accept whatever information you find as truth? Do you rely on your self-help books or do you rely on THE Book? Do you need advice on finances? Did you know there are over 800 scriptures covering the topic of money? Trouble with your marriage? Why not seek what the Creator of marriage has to say about it? And there truly is no better guide to parenting than the one written by our perfect Father. What book can better tell you what to do with your life than the book written by the One who is the meaning of life? Not to say we should not listen to the godly counsel of others. God intended for us to encourage, teach, and hold each other accountable, but He did not intend for us to worship each other's opinions, to seek first our friend's experiences, or to keep our Bible on the shelf while fervently studying someone else's opinion of the Scriptures.

The only way we can live upright in an upside-down world is to take captive every thought, turn over the desires of our heart to God, adopt the mind of Christ, and seek Him in everything that we do. And we need to hold each other accountable as the Scriptures tell us to. We need to allow grace for those who are not yet mature in their faith, but we need to make sure that these claims of "Christianity" are not damaging the Kingdom of God. We need to grow each other up in the Word, and we need to separate ourselves from the teachings of this world. We need to immerse ourselves daily in the study of Him. We need to start recognizing the difference between upside-down and right-side-up.

When is Trust not Enough...

What is the #1 thing we value most with our relationships? The one thing that, if it were to be compromised, would cause the most damage? If I were to take a poll I'm positive the overwhelming majority would answer TRUST. A marriage torn apart by poor decisions cannot be repaired until trust is restored. Feeling damaged by harmful words said by someone we thought we could share our hearts with, friendships lost, all because we have lost the ability to trust. So how can we expect to have a fullfilling relationship with our Heavenly Father if we do not trust Him? How can we claim to be believers if we try to take our lives into our own hands because we don't trust the God of Creation to do it for us? If we trust ourselves and other men, but not God, who do we really worship?

What reason do we have not to trust God with our future? It reminds me of God's plan for my own family. With endometriosis I was told my junior year of high school that it may be difficult for me to conceive or carry a child. When we were married we immediately wanted a family, but didn't believe it would happen any time soon. However, 3 months later we found out we were pregnant with our precious Maddox. At my first appointment we discovered I had pre-cancerous cells on my cervix. Praise God for this pregnancy because that was what brought this to light (I honestly don't know if I would have gone in for a routine pap smear anytime soon had it not been for the pregnancy. I was only 21 and had no reason to even think about cervical cancer.) I was very concerned about what this meant for the future, but praise God the cells were completely flushed from my body with the delivery of my precious baby boy and I have had negative pap results for the past 3 years! After the birth of our daughter I began having serious pain that we felt was related to the endometriosis. After a procedure, it was revealed that I have a prolapsed uterus. She told me I may be able to still carry a child, but because of the severe pain I needed to have a hysterectomy as soon as we made a decision. I was so thankful for the precious blessings of my son and my daughter and was completely satisfied with my life. I was put on the strongest birth control available as we discussed what we were going to do. I decided it was best for my children if I had the procedure so I wouldn't have to miss out on their lives because of the pain. I had called my doctor to schedule an appointment to talk about having a hysterectomy, but it turns out I really needed an appointment to check on our newest precious life. During the first trimester with Kason I began having severe bleeding, and they found placental lakes (where the placenta had attached to my uterus). It was a very scary first 20 weeks. Every night I would sit in the shower and cry out to God. This meant I would need a cesarean hysterectomy, which I wasn't scared of since I had already mentally prepared myself for a hysterectomy before, but it also meant there would be a chance of significant bleeding for me and my life would be at risk. With 2 children it's hard not to think that I may have only had 9 more months to spend with them. Miraculously (after already having 5 separate ultrasounds to check on the placenta issues) my 20 week ultrasound was clear. The placental lakes were gone! This is not something that happens. It was a completely mind-boggling moment for me. I was finally able to breathe and enjoy the rest of my pregnancy delivering a healthy baby boy the way I had wanted with no surgery and an in-tact uterus. She even checked my uterus after delivery and said everything felt great as far as prolapse goes and I have had no further pain...With such strong evidence of God's power and provision how can I NOT trust Him?

The Duggar's announcement of a 20th child has stirred up a righteous fire in me. I am heartbroken to hear Christians say leaving their family in God's hands is "selfish", a "cop-out", "a way to keep from making hard decisions", "irresponsible", and on, and on, and on. Well, I say to them, what makes you think you know better than God? Where in the Bible does it say God needs our help in making His decisions? God places personal convictions in every one's life. Frankly, the only irresponsible thing in NOT putting EVERY decision in God's hands. The only selfish thing is chosing Our way over GOD'S way. And who are we to tell someone they are being "irresponsible" for following the call God has placed on their life. How can we have any sort of relationship with God if we don't TRUST in Him and instead we continue to rely on ourselves?

The Beauty of the Inner Spirit: Anti-Feminists

Sometimes I come across a post that I just have to share, a post that stirs my spirit. Women, remember the calling God placed on us from creation. Are you trying to be super woman or an abiding woman? Are you mothering out of yourself or through God's powers? Keep all of this in mind and click on the image below to read how we are called to be Anti-Feminists! Hopefully this challenges you the way it did me. Even if you don't agree 100% I hope it helps you to get a better picture of who you are as a woman of God.

If a man's home is his castle, then a woman's home is her kingdom

In a society that so undervalues our calling as mothers sometimes I feel I was born in the wrong era. Getting pregnant within 3 months of marriage and having children very close together used to be considered a blessing, it used to be envied in a wife. However, now it is almost a sense of embarrassment. People seem to have no boundaries when it comes to sharing their views of my children. Comments range from my apparent lack of hobbies to questions about our personal finances. It was hard to handle at first, but now that I know how great this calling is that I have on my life, how glorious a blessing this is, I can't do anything but stand in awe that God chose me for this.

I found such encouragement from this quote off of A Wise Woman Builds Her Home...

Home is the true wife's kingdom.

Very largely does the wife hold in her hands, as a sacred trust, the happiness and the highest good of the hearts that nestle there. In the last analysis, home happiness depends on the wife.

Her spirit gives the home its atmosphere.

Her hands fashion its beauty.

Her heart makes its love.

And the end is so worthy, so noble, so divine, that no woman who has been called to be a wife, and has listened to the call, should consider any price too great to pay, to be . . .

the light,
the joy,
the blessing,
the inspiration,
of a home.

The woman who makes a sweet, beautiful home, filling it with love and prayer and purity, is doing something better than anything else her hands could find to do beneath the skies.

A true mother is one of the holiest secrets of home happiness.
God sends many beautiful things to this world,
many noble gifts;
but no blessing is richer than that which He bestows

in a mother

who has learned love's lessons well,
and has realized something of the meaning
of her sacred calling.


~ J. R. Miller, "Secrets of Happy Home Life, 1894" ~

Amazing Grace...or Unworthy Excuses

God's grace truly abounds every day, but are we allowing ourselves grace or just providing excuses? When we are adopted into the Kingdom of God it is not merely an acceptance of the "gift" of salvation, it is sacrificing my old self and becoming a new creation in Christ. It is picking up my cross daily to follow Him. It is not about heaven, but about my life here on Earth. If becoming a Christian were only about spending eternity with our Creator and Savior then don't you think we would be taken from this life into the next the moment we become saved? Time and time again scripture calls us to put aside our old selves, to not act as the "natural man", to abide in Christ. So why, when we find ourselves getting caught up in the patterns of our flesh do we simply continue in it expecting God's grace to cover us? God provides grace to cover our weaknesses, but so often we use His grace as an excuse to continue in our old behaviors. A lifestyle is a choice. If we continue in our weakness time and time again, expecting grace to cover us, but doing nothing to change our behaviors we are missing out on the fullness God has called us to. If we have the ability in Christ to be transformed, then why do we choose to cover ourselves in excuses to continue our old behaviors? Is it because we do not trust that we can change, or is it because we do not trust that God can change us? How can we set aside our old way of life, but continue to live in it at the same time? What does it say to God and to others about our relationship with Him if there is no change in us, if there is no belief in us, if there is nothing to set us apart from those in the world? Live your life in such a way that you do not have to share your faith with others, but others will notice it in your actions and will ask you about your faith. Accept God's grace in the moment, but don't cheapen your life by making excuses. Grace brings change, but excuses bring nothing but an unfullfilled life.

Mommy Confessions

At the end of one of "those" days this is the list of things I wish I could tell my kids...



No, a granola bar probably isn't the "ideal" breakfast, but it will keep you full long enough for me to wake up, peel myself out of bed, and drink my coffee.

It doesn't really take me that long to use the restroom, I just needed a break.

Facebook is not more important than you, but I need a little "adult" conversation before I can answer that question for the 80millionth time.

I know you aren't tired and don't need a nap, but I do so time for bed.

I really wish that you knew how to read by yourself, so I don't have to read the same book to you over and over and over and over...

Yes, I was excited when you pooped on the potty, but only the first 15 times.

You are doing a great job, but can I just do it for you so we can get this over with.



But even at the end of "those" days, the one thing I want my kids to know the most is, "I love you and even if tomorrow is the same as today, I can't wait to wake up and do it all over again."

When was the last time you challenged your beliefs?

"My feelings are not God. God is God. My feelings do not define truth. God’s word defines truth. My feelings are echoes and responses to what my mind perceives. And sometimes - many times - my feelings are out of sync with the truth. When that happens - and it happens every day in some measure - I try not to bend the truth to justify my imperfect feelings, but rather, I plead with God: Purify my perceptions of your truth and transform my feelings so that they are in sync with the truth.”
― John Piper, Finally Alive



"If you believe what you like in the gospels, and reject what you don’t, it's not the gospel you believe, but yourself." Augustine



“Christ did not die to forgive sinners who go on treasuring anything above seeing and savoring God. And people who would be happy in heaven if Christ were not there, will not be there. The gospel is not a way to get people to heaven; it is a way to get people to God. It's a way of overcoming every obstacle to everlasting joy in God. If we don't want God above all things, we have not been converted by the gospel.”
― John Piper, God Is the Gospel: Meditations on God's Love as the Gift of Himself



“There is not one blade of grass, there is no color in this world, that is not intended to make us rejoice.”  John Calvin
 


“Love may, indeed, love the beloved when her beauty is lost: but not because it is lost. Love may forgive all infirmities and love still in spite of them: but Love cannot cease to will their removal. Love is more sensitive than hatred itself to every blemish in the beloved… Of all powers he forgives most, but he condones least: he is pleased with little, but demands all.”
― C.S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain



“I [God] am what some would say 'holy, and wholly other than you.' The problem is that many folks try to grasp some sense of who I am by taking the best version of themselves, projecting that to the nth degree, factoring in all the goodness they can perceive, which often isn't much, and then call that God. And while it may seem like a noble effort, the truth is that it falls pitifully short of who I really am. I'm not merely the best version of you that you can think of. I am far more than that, above and beyond all that you can ask or think.”
― William P. Young, The Shack



“Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.”    Matthew 10:34



“We...sin not because we want what is evil, but because we want what isn't good enough.”
― Scott Hahn, Lord, Have Mercy: The Healing Power of Confession



“Never think that you need to protect God. Because anytime you think you need to protect God, you can be sure that you are worshipping an idol.”
Stanley M. Hauerwas



“We fear men so much, because we fear God so little.” William Gurnall




“If tribulation is a necessary element in redemption, we must anticipate that it will never cease till God sees the world to be either redeemed or no further redeemable.”
― C.S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain



“Is it faith to understand nothing, and merely submit your convictions implicitly to the Church?”   John Calvin


“In the Church of Jesus Christ there can and should be no non-theologians.”
― Karl Barth



"Choose... this day whom you will serve! Joshua 24:15 Remember, any day not surrendered to the Spirit is virtually surrendered to the flesh by simple default!" -Beth Moore

I found this today and it touched my heart so much I had to share! I'm so thankful for the women who have answered the calling God has placed in their lives to encourage, uplift, and challenge others!

"Women of God can never be like women of the world.

The world has enough women who are tough; we need women who are tender.

There are enough women who are coarse; we need women who are kind.

There are enough women who are rude; we need women who are refined.

We have enough women of fame and fortune; we need more women of faith.

We have enough greed; we need more goodness.

We have enough vanity; we need more virtue.

We have enough popularity; we need more purity."

-Margaret D. Nadauld

Where Do We Go For Inspiration?

One of the things I love about Facebook is noticing the trends among my friends' posts. It amazes me the "familiarity" they all have! One of these trends is the new "inspiration" quotes people have been posting. I look at these and think to myself, "What in the world do they think is inspirational about that?" But over and over and over these get posted on people's walls. These quotes are "touching" lives, "changing" opinions, "making a difference" but they are all so...WRONG...some more obvious than others, some great on the surface, but one thing they all have in common is they fall so very, very short. Here's the one that really made my heart cry out inside of me

What if the words we find so "inspiring" are wrong?

Oh, how I wish everyone had the freedom to realize the deception of these words. Perhaps the reason I had such a strong reaction to these words is because of the recent events surrounding this blog (esp my first post). The personal attacks for my beliefs, the rift it has caused in certain relationships, the fact that it has shed light into areas that I had been able to keep covered in darkness and ignore. But through all the harsh words, the tears, and perceived truths that were being revealed as lies, God began to reveal this falsehood to me. The lie that had been planted who knows when. The lie that what others feel or think about me should effect my beliefs, my happiness, my view of myself. Enduring weeks of constant attacks from someone who felt my beliefs were "harmful to mothers" who felt it was a sign of "mental instability" who took it as a "personal attack on her" was the hardest thing I have ever had to deal with. Then to have certain other "Christians" in my life side with her had cast me into a state of insecurity. This lie that had been planted in my heart that if someone is "hurt" by my words then my words must be wrong, the lie that if others "disagree" with me then I must be wrong, the lie that my beliefs should be influenced by others opinions of the "truth". Lies, lies, lies. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ 2 Corinthians 10:5.

 Here is a small snippet of one of the countless messages received and how God was able to use it for postive in my life...

"You just aren't using your gifts. No one will hear your message if it's oozing with judgement and condemnation...you are turning people off left and right. Have you received any positive feedback on your blog--at all? I am positive you are totally lying. I know several women that have told you that parenting is hard and that it's not okay to say it's not -- strong Christian women that are devout. And your blog has five followers as of today. I'm a mental health clinician and when you're ready to admit that you need help, I hope you seek it. Lying (even to strangers) is not only an unhealthy habit, but being untruthful is preached against in the Bible. I really can't say anything else to you, but I am terrified of people on the edge like you and I'll continue to watch you in order to protect my family."

It makes my heart race and tears well up in my eyes to even read this again, to think about the other messages, to think how she (whom I have never met) and others (some of whom I have) have tried so hard to not only change what I believe, but put an end to my sharing it. The accusations of judgement are the worst since anyone who knows me, knows that my heart is so far from that. But as my pastor helped me to realize these attacks had nothing to do with me, nothing to do with my actual content, there was no truth behind the words that were being thrown at me. It is all about their feelings, their problems, their misconstructions and defenses, their misunderstanding of the truth. I pray no one has to endure such criticism, such personal attack for sharing their beliefs, such pain as I did through this, but if you do I pray that you can remember what it is that God was able to scream through my pain...My beliefs are not dependant on your view of the truth, my opinion of myself is not based on what you think about me, my happiness is not dependant of how you treat me! I know that this was God speaking into me because it was the last thing that was going through my head at the moment. Do not listen to the world when it tells you that your "attitude is based on how others treat you." Cling to the promises we have in Christ, hold on to His truths, use Him as your source of inspiration and you will not be led astray.

My Real-Life Fairy Tale Ending

1 Peter 3:1-4, 7"Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight."
I grew up hearing the fairy tales, dreaming of my Prince Charming, and writing out my list of "Characteristics My Future Husband Must Have" which always seemed to bear a resemblance to whichever guy I had a crush on at the time. One thing I never really believed was that God would bring me "The One". I brought onto myself a marriage with someone I was not equally yoked to. I entered into a marriage with a man I loved, but wasn't aware until after we were married the difficulty that would come with a marriage between two people in two totally different points of faith. The first year was hard, harder than I could have ever imagined, but we were IN it. Divorce was not and will never be an option for us. When we made our vows it really was forever for everything. During year 3 (which was already 2 babies later) I made a decision that I was going to turn every aspect of our relationship over to God, including my husband's faith.

My husband is my everything to me and I never would have imagined there would be someone who could complete me in every single way. I'm an English brain, he's a math brain. I'm very outgoing, loud, and spunky while he is the very definition of laid back. I'm the designer and he's the executor. In every single way we are total opposites, but in a way that makes the other whole. When we're watching competitive shows on TV we always say to eachother, "We can totally do that." But we both know that the only way we could do it is together. There is such freedom in a relationship with a person who doesn't require me to be everything, but to only be what I am. He brings everything else to the relationship, but it wasn't until I put "me" aside and gave everything up to God that it all started to become clear. It wasn't until I put "me" aside that God could shine through. And God loves when we give it up to Him to He can show His power. God loves to turn the ugly and dirty to the beautiful and priceless. God took a marriage of hurt, jealousy, pain, and expectations, and turned it into a marriage full of joy, freedom, love, and partnership.

This past Valentine's Day I received a handmade card from my Beloved. A card was all I have asked for every year since we were married. Most wives want jewelry or chocolate, but all I wanted was to know my husband's feelings for me in his own words. Inside this card was the words that changed my view on my marriage forever. Inside was the proof that God has done a miraculous work in my life. Inside the card my husband (who is a man of so few words) wrote:

"Let me start by saying the very reason for everything I do is you! There was no real drive in life before I met you. There was no real God, there was no True love. There was no light when the sun rose and no comfort when the sun went down. How lucky was I to get all those things in one package of You? Only I will know! And everyday I think about you and your gifts of Love to me, I thank God for being who he is and for letting you be who you are! I look forward to our kids everyday. I know you prepare them for me while I am away. And of course I look forward to all our projects you plan. I Love You."

I will cling to the promise I found in these words for the rest of my life. I will cling to the promise that if I turn my marriage over to the Lord, and follow God's commands to me regarding my role as wife, God will do His work...and do His work He certainly does! God has brought to me my real-life Prince Charming, but it took me getting out of the way for the fairy-tale ending to come true! Wives submit to the role God has for you as a wife, follow His commands, and turn it all over to Him. Then sit back and watch what God has in store for your life.

Ephesians 5:21-28 "Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself."

Semper Fidelis; Always Faithful for 236yrs

It begins with a single step...the culmination of a dream...
           a journey of honor, of freedom, of sacrifice...

     

into the unknown...where few have gone before...

where few will follow after...

                                                                                                                                                                                                                             leaving those you love...          to defend those you will never meet...      to protect the rights of those who will trample on them...

        sacrificing the moments others take forgranted...missing out on the memories you will never get to make...losing a piece of who you are...hoping in the end you survive with even a small part of the life you had before...                                                             

hoping that in the end you are one of the lucky ones...in the end blessed with only losing most...in the end praying you're not the one to give it all...

OORAH! 

Happy Birthday, Marines! And thank you to all the Marines in my life I love and to those I have never met who still choose to seve. Thank you for blessing my family 

with your strength, with your service.

This Is What Happens...

He did most of this all on his own!

There's something that happens when you learn to be a "YES" mom. When you quit waiting for later and start to do it now. When you learn the joy of playing with your children. Something happens when you learn to just make a mess, go with the flow, and choose to learn from your children rather than just teach them. Today I was able to expand on my list. Today I realized how much time has gone by, and I praised God for the time I have left for my children (even though I don't even know how long that may be). Today, my son showed me something I never thought he would be able to do at his tender young age of 3. My son surprised me because I gave him the chance. I couldn't wait "until" he got older, but somewhere along the way, he already has. And if I don't take the time to just sit, be still, and savor these moments, they will be gone in the blink of an eye.

Responsible Toddlers

Two words that probably don't go well together are "responsible" and "toddlers" but we have found an easy way to begin instilling in them early the art of giving, working, earning, and saving (and the good things is, it really didn't require any extra work on our part! There were a couple of things that led to our "idea". 1) We drink a lot of canned drinks. We don't have recycle where we live and I hate to throw them away, so we had a huge pile we were planning on bringing to my parents house so they could recycle them there. Rob would smash them up to keep the clutter to a minimum and Maddox loved to "help". 2) My niece was diagnosed with leukemia a few years ago and we started collecting coke tabs for her to take to the hospital. For every little "house" that we filled a child could receive a treatment (St. Jude's does not turn down children just because they cannot afford treatments, and the tabs are one way the hospital can get money to cover these treatments). These two simple steps provided us with the perfect idea!

Maddox and Eden help me collect all of the tabs off of the cans. They know that these tabs help get sick children the treatment they need and is an easy way for them to understand giving. Then, Maddox and Eden work by helping Rob smash up the cans. Rob then takes the kids to a recycle center where the kids sell their cans and learn that their work of smashing the cans has led to their earning of this money (it's been so much more effective than just having me or Rob pay them because they get really excited knowing someone else is paying them for what they did). Finally, we take their earnings home and place it in a glass jar on the counter (right next to the glass jar filled with tabs) where it is saved until they get enough to do something fun with it. Teaching your toddlers (or even older children) about finances doesn't have to be difficult. Find creative ways to teach them the value of working for their money, giving to others, and saving what they earn. If you have any great ways you have taught your children about money feel free to share!

Be Still

Be still, and know that I am God. Psalm 46:10

Today was a crazy day! It was my "YES" day (which I'm striving to make happen everyday), I found a wonderful challenge that really encouraged me to bring the R&R back to my life (but also required hours of work to get our bedroom even remotely out of the "war zone"), and I still have to manage to live my life in The Spirit, be a purposeful wife, and maintain my position as manager of our household! Whew! The great thing is that this is all becoming more and more natural as I continue to practice it. Less and less overwhelming with each passing day. But when I really stop and think about what it is I'm trying to do, I start to feel like I'm trying to accomplish too much. If I look at this list of things I'm trying to do with my life, changes I'm trying to make, and goals I'm trying to reach, I start to feel like it will never happen. That was when I walked outside to pick up the endless trail of toys my children had brought outside and left out in the rain. In the midst of the chaos I looked up and saw this. I saw the sky, dark from the rain that had just passed; trees turning the most beautiful shades of red, something we don't often get in Louisiana; and this beautiful space God has blessed us with. I immediately felt peaceful, calm, encouraged. It wasn't until I was still, for just a second, that I was able to remember that God is God. That what I am trying to accomplish is not about me, but Him. And in that moment of stillness He said, "I AM, AND I WILL." Praise God for the moments of stillness, no matter how short. Praise God for bringing pause to our hectic lives to remind us that He is and that even though we cannot, He will!

Bringing Back the R&R...

During my blog hop I recently came across this wonderful challenge at A Mother's Heritage. I Think this is the perfect extension to my Wife Challenge! The first step to the challenge was, after all, creating an environment my hubby can THRIVE in. The other day I placed a mountainous pile of laundry on our bed. It was all part of trying to create less clutter for him to come home to. I didn't have time to fold it all, but I didn't want to just leave it sitting out, so I moved it out of sight...to our master bedroom. That's when I found myself thinking, "What husband doesn't want to come home to a nice surprise in bed?" Obviously, that was a completely sarcastic thought since there would be absolutely nothing nice (and particularly nothing romantic) about him coming home to a huge pile of laundry taking up our entire bed! Then I began to look around and saw the disaster that is our bedroom. Toys, papers, laundry, every single piece of clutter that I didn't want laying around in the open had been moved into our room...it was pretty much the opposite of everything "Relaxing and Romantic". So I will take on her challenge as a part of mine! I will clear the clutter of our room. I will make it a restful haven. I will create in our room an environment that is worthy of my husband and encouraging to our marriage! Join her, and me, on this journey to create a place of peace, rest, relaxation, and refreshment (and hopefully get a little romance back in the process).

STEP #1...TIDYING UP A LITTLE BIT...

BEFORE
Can't wait to share the new, improved, less embarrassing after!

Being a YES mom!

When my kids ask if they can do something, my answer will be, "Yes!" There will be no more qualms of getting dirty, or cold, or hot.








I will not be afraid of new adventures. I will not focus on the minuscule dangers that are present, but will embrace the lessons that can be learned.

              


We will play more, not wasting a second of the day.









                                              We will seek out the beauty of God's creation
                                                                               rather than hiding from it.













I will not say, "No" out of tiredness, hunger, or disinterest.
I will tell them, "Yes!" and we will see what happens!

Slow. Children At Play.

There is no greater joy in my life than watching my children from afar.

Their precious giggles...

the love God has knit into their hearts toward each other,

the pure joy that shines from them.

Every moment is special...

no time is wasted,

they live their lives with purpose.

As I watch them the years float away, the burdens are lifted, the love fills my heart.

They ask me to watch them...

my smile the only requirement for participation,

my presence the only expectation.

They grow before my eyes...

I can see it because time slows and quickens all at the same time,

the past and present mingling in one precious moment.

My life has passed me by quickly enough, regrets too many to count, missed opportunities never to recover.

I looked forward to this chapter for too long...

but my book is filling too quickly,

my time slipping away.

I've done too much for far too long...

I've accomplished far too little,

I've wasted far too often.

Today I will be still and cherish the moments as seconds mingle with the hours.

On My Journey to 1,000

In high school I ran the 400. It is the hardest race physically for most people because it's the longest sprint. You have to give 100% of your energy for an entire 1/4 of a mile. If you slow your pace even the slightest, the odds of winning begin to dwindle. I guess there's something still ingrained in me about that 1/4 mark. I set a goal to finish 250 of my 1,000 things to be thankful for by Thanksgiving. That's a pace of 10 a day, completely do-able! However, when I started, I felt the need to "sprint" through the first 1/4. Of course, once I started getting the idea of reaching the halfway mark and completely smashing my personal goal it was too irresistible. I knew if I made it through the "hardest" part of the race (that first 1/4) that I could do it! Surprisingly, the lessons I learned on the track field, still apply to my everyday challenges.

Daily List of Thanksgiving

It is Day 8 of my 25 days of Thanksgiving and I am on #326 on my journey to 1,000. The funny thing was the first 250 that I thought would be "so easy" really weren't. Not that they weren't easy to recognize. In fact, they were the easiest to notice daily. Our beautiful home, our loving family, getting out of debt, etc. The easiest way to feel blessed is for me to think about the first 250 things. The problem was not in recognizing them or feeling blessed by them. I had a hard time being thankful for them. I know it sounds weird, but just imagine how much stranger it felt! How could I find it hard to be thankful for all of the amazing blessings in my life? I guess it wasn't so much the actual act of thankfullness that was so hard, but I felt pretty silly voicing to God just what I was thankful for. Like I said, weird, I know. It wasn't natural, it didn't come easily, and I felt like it was not doing me any good admitting to God how thankful I am for these obvious blessings in my life. But I did it anyway, and I did it quickly. I figured if I could get these "easy" things out of the way it would get easier to thank God because I wouldn't feel so silly. But it wasn't about what I was thanking God for, it was the actual act of thanking Him that I struggled with. And the amazing thing was, by the time I got to 250 it had become so natural, so easy to thank God for the daily blessings of my life. It no longer felt silly. In fact, the act of thanking God turned into an offering of praise to Him. I'm still thanking God for the "obvious" things (even on #326). The fruits of the Spirit, the promises found in scripture, the aspects of who God is, the physical blessings of my life...there truly is so much to be thankful for. Now that I've sprinted through the first 1/4, I'm excited about this new desire I have to slow down, pace myself, and enjoy the act of thanksgiving. And now, I can continue on my way to reaching my new goal of 500 things by Thanksgiving!

God-Colored Glasses

Nothing can prepare you for becoming a mother, nothing. Not until that little helpless bundle of unconditional love is in your arms can you even begin to comprehend what lies ahead. But somewhere between the positive pregnancy test and the birth of our precious miracle we have it all "mapped" out. Then after our baby is born and nothing goes according to plan we begin to feel inadequate. I don't think any mom believes that she can just sit back for the next 21 years and their children will magically turn into respectful, God-fearing, contributing members of society. So why do we seem to be getting so bogged down by the everyday responsibilities of motherhood? When did it get to the point that the sacrifices we make as mothers seem too big a burden? How did it happen that we will devote 40 hours a week to our careers, and only give our children whatever is left after we have accomplished everything we have on our to-do lists? We need to start examining some of our expectations of parenthood, and we need to start looking at parenthood through God-colored glasses.

Isn't it strange that the mothers who have faced the worst situations with their children are the ones who find parenting the least stressful? It's because somewhere along the road they learned life is a gift and we are to cherish every single moment, even the ones that make us want to pull our hair out. Take a couple of minutes to watch this as a reminder of God's promises to us through hardships. I have had too many friends and family suffer from true hardships for me to let the everyday responsibilities of parenting get in the way. Does this mean my "trials" seem easier while I am going through them? Well, it sure does put it into perspective doesn't it. If they can make it through a cancer diagnosis, I can survive the cold and flu season. If they can see the blessings God has brought through a stillborn child, I can see the blessings God has brought me through my happy, healthy children. If they can lay at their child's bed side night after night praying they will make it until morning, I can cherish the moments my babies want me to read an extra 2, or 10, bedtime stories no matter how tired I am. If we are equipped to handle even the hardest situation, why do we feel inadequate in the everyday responsibilities? Our wake-up call does not have to come through a tough situation. It comes through our knowledge of who we are in Christ, our recognition of our importance as mothers, and the expectation that everyday responsibilities are a part of who we are as mothers so we are able to give thanks for the blessings of our family. It does not come through rose-colored glasses, but it comes through God-colored ones.

The Promise Was When Everything Fell, We'd Be Held

Game Night!

One of my fondest memories of growing up was playing games with my family. We didn't have cable TV or even the Internet until I was a junior in high school (I'm only 26, so we were behind the times), and we had to find some way to occupy ourselves. I cherish these moments I had with my family. The laughter, the conversations, the teamwork, you just don't get that sitting around a television screen. So I will start a game night with my family. We will cherish the time we have when my hubby gets home from work, and we will laugh and learn with and from each other! I'm so ready to put the remote down, this is going to be fun!!!

Family game night for this week will include:
Simon Says
Memory
Making Thanksgiving cards to bring to our family and friends

Raising up prayerful children

One of the first things I noticed after becoming a mommy was I couldn't wait "until". I couldn't wait until Maddox was crawling, walking, talking. I couldn't wait until I could buy him playdough and finger paint. I couldn't wait until he was older and I could "do" things with him. But as he got older, I just kept thinking about what I could do later. I would see cute little projects and think, "Oh, he's not quite old enough for that." I would see books and I would think, "Oh, he just won't understand that." This idea of "he's not ready" spilled into the way I began to raise him spiritually as well. I just didn't think he would be able to understand, or I wasn't comfortable bringing it up, or it was never the right time. Strangely, he was the one who began to push me to make the spiritual aspect of our lives the center.It really started when he was diagnosed with autism. On the way to his first therapy session I felt the need to pray over my precious little boy. I still remember driving down the road pouring my heart out to God while he sat in his little car seat in his own little world. It felt great to share that with him. To let him know that God was in control of this situation even if I believed at the time he didn't have a clue what was going on. I still made a point to include him, and I soon learned he was absorbing every single word.

Soon after Maddox started therapy we had decided to sell our house, move to Houston, and start a whole new chapter. I began to pray with Maddox about these decisions. Honestly, I never imagined he even knew what was going on, but one day we were driving down the road and he saw an ambulance with it's lights on going down the road. He said, "Mommy, we need to pray for those people who are hurt." After I caught my breath I said a quick, easy prayer, "God, be with those people who are hurt and make them better. Amen." Nothing crazy. Nothing long. Just something I thought he could understand. Next, Rob decided to teach Maddox the Lord's Prayer. Since he grew up in the Catholic church he sang (or maybe more like chanted) the prayer to Maddox every night. Soon Maddox started to sing along and now every night my 3 1/2 year old and 2 year old sing their "Our Father" to God. To hear such amazing words flow from their lips is more powerful than I ever imagined. It has led to great discussions with the kids. Maddox will ask, "What does lead us not into temptation mean?" I never would have thought to teach them these words. I would have thought these words were too "big" for my little babies.

The past few months they've begun to ask to pray for specific people and things. A simple, ""Dear God, thank you for Daddy because we love him so much," and even "Dear God, thank you for candy because it is so good." These may seem like simple things to me, but they are learning to bring things to God. They are learning to share with Him. They are building a relationship with God the way it is meant to be, the same as we build a relationship with other people.The moment I realized something big had happened was when their friend had a terrible accident. he fell through a two story window. He had to have surgery to relieve the bleeding in his brain and Maddox, Eden and I prayed that God would make Aidan better. When I got word that Aidan was ok we immediately thanked God for his healing. Maddox (my dear, sweet 3 1/3 year old) looked up at me next and said, "Mommy, now we need to pray for the lady the magician sawed in half." What started as a simple song at bedtime has turned into an active prayer life in the hearts of my children. Children who are not even able to read and write, but who understand to bring their worries and thanks to God. The magician's assistant may not have really been hurt during the "trick", but my son didn't know that. He realized that God heals the hurting and he wanted to pray for someone he felt was hurting.

Training up a child in the way he should go doesn't start when we feel they are old enough to "understand" it is a daily process. Perhaps this is why God instructs us as parents to make talking about God a habit, so we do not get stuck in this "later" rut. Remember the teachings of Deuteronomy 11:16-20
¹⁶ “But be careful. Don’t let your heart be deceived so that you turn away from the Lord and serve and worship other gods. ¹⁷ If you do, the Lord’s anger will burn against you. He will shut up the sky and hold back the rain, and the ground will fail to produce its harvests. Then you will quickly die in that good land the Lord is giving you.
¹⁸ “So commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these words of mine. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. ¹⁹ Teach them to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. ²⁰ Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
We are promised that if we bring up our children in God's ways they will not depart from it. So why do these teachings seem to take a back shelf until "later"? We should want to get as early a start as possible to ensure these teachings are bound on the hearts of our children!

Moments of Inspiration

Inspiring things happen every day. It could be a little thing like your baby's first smile 

or a miraculous thing like my 11 year old niece going for her last chemo treatment after 3 years and many close calls. No matter what it is, it is a reminder that life is worth living and worth living well! We are fearfully, wonderfully, and purposefully made!

Results of the Gentleness Challenge

I had challenged myself to 30 days of gentleness about a year ago. I was pregnant with my 3rd child and, as any mom knows, when you're pregnant the crazy just seems to come out! Raging hormones, sickness, pain, lack of sleep. Then I had a 2 and 1 year old to take care of as well. It was tough, but instead of remembering who I am in Christ and calling on those powers I tried to figure it out on my own. The result was frustration, helplessness, and fear that I took out on my children in the form of my voice. When I knew things had to change I struggled with how I was going to do it. Remembering to act out of a spirit of gentleness was the perfect start and was a great reminder of why I was doing what I was doing. This past couple of weeks as my children get older and are trying to be a little more independant (i.e. making their own choices instead of listening to me) I found myself struggling again. Luckily, remembering the spirit of gentleness prevented me from being hurtful to my children with my words, but I needed a little something extra to make it happen on a regular basis.

On Halloween a few friends and I were discussing whether or not Christians should participate in the activities. That's when God revealed to me that it's all about having an alternative! Churches offering a Christian alternative to Halloween is not participating in the pagan holiday it is providing people a chance to enjoy their families in a Christian way and to reach others in the process. Now, this isn't about your convictions about Halloween and I have several friends who refuse to participate. That is fine, I'm just using this example to show you where God led me. Just like Fall Festivals are an alternative to keep people from participating in ungodly activities, I needed an alternative to my behavior. Remembering gentleness was great, but beyond that I needed something to replace my actions, not just my mind-set.

My kids LOVE to sing. We spend a ton of time making up little songs throughout the day just being silly. I use this as an opportunity to teach them little lessons like with my "Obedience" song. It's just silly little words to a tune I made up one day in the car, but it has had a huge impact on my kids. Here's a little snippet, "Obedience, Obedience, that's what God says, Obedience. We listen to our mom and dad because that is Obedience. We're never rude, we eat our food, because that is obedience. We never cry and don't ask why, because that's not obedience..." (I inserted words for things my kids struggle with like when I ask them to do something and they cry and ask why rather than just immediately obeying.) They ask to sing this song all the time, to the point that if I hear it one more time I may pull my hair out, but how sweet that they are enjoying a song with such a sweet purpose. Surprisingly, the fact that they love this song provided me my alternative to yelling! Now, whenever they are being disobedient I immediately start singing our "Obedience Song". It reminds them that they are not being obedient in that moment, and it keeps me from raising my voice, using angry words, or having to repeat myself over and over and over.

Obviously, with your friends and family you can't just start singing the "Obedience Song", they will probably have you committed. But I challenge you to make up songs throughout the day about struggles you have. Sing them to yourself. Instead of counting to 10 when you are upset, sing a little song in your head about keeping a gentle spirit and a tender heart. I've began to use these little songs for everything. To get my kids to happily put their clothes on in the morning we sing our "Get Dressed" song, to pick up toys we sing our "Clean Up" song, etc. It may seem silly, but I'd rather have a day full of silliness than a day full of frustration, hurt, and raised voices. There's just no way to keep a frown on your face if there's a song in your heart!

No More Excuses!

Too busy to have some daily time in the Word? Not enough time to memorize Scripture? Do you go to bed with a million more things on your to-do list? Do you have trouble staying focused on the good things? Not anymore!!! Here are some great finds to help keep you on track!

These chore planners are downloadable and printable from your computer (no need to add more to your shopping list!) and, of course, there's an app for that too! Not only does this keep your chores organized and include space for meal planning and appointments, but it also includes daily scripture readings so you can read through the Bible in a year! FABULOUS and for $4 you can't say no!

I don't know about you, but the last time I memorized scripture was during Vacation Bible School! So let's kick it up a notch and do it BIG! Would you believe me if I told you you could memorize an entire book of the Bible? 2 verses a day for a year, and you will know the book of Colossians here's a handy print out to keep you on track!

Do you have a hard time remembering all of the blessings God has given you? Print out one of these cute sheets every week or use your own notebook! Just write 7 things everyday that God has blessed you with. Simple, easy, life-changing!

Need help keeping your budget on track (or making one)? There's something here that should help with that! This site has more budget info than I can list!

Need helpful mom tips?  This site has great random tips for moms. After all, it is the name of her blog! And of course my friend Amy Bayliss has tins of great stuff on her site as well!!!

Do you have any handy resources you absolutely love? Feel free to share!

Who Said God Doesn't Speak?

I have been praying since this blog began that God would continue to speak to me. That affirmation of my words would be continuous, so I would not become influenced by other's opinions and that I would know God's work was being done. I have prayed that when the opposition came I could stand firm, having confidence in what was said. Like I said in my post of Thanksgiving, when God sends His revelations He does it with confirmation, affirmation, and perfect timing, and He leaves no doubt that it was He who was speaking. On my daily search of blogs I came upon one today that left me completely breathless. Post after Post after Post spoke words of affirmation to me! It was one of those moments when I heard the voice of God speaking the words into my soul providing encouragement and life to my weary spirit. To God be all the glory and I praise Him for continually making Himself known in my life!

My Pastor Said... ~ Christian Bible Study Blog (CBSB)  was perfectly in line with my post about the importance of studying scripture yourself. It also spoke encouragement to me that even Christian readers who disagree with certain aspects of my posts that God has enforced to me may not be coming from a spirit of truth but of misunderstanding and misleadings.

Having Confidence in God's Word ~ Christian Bible Study Blog (CBSB) was almost word-for-word the conversation my husband and I had last night after I had begun my recent journey on memorizing scripture and reading the Bible through in one year (which is discussed in the post set to publish two days from now...No More Excuses.)

The Virtuous Woman ~ Christian Bible Study Blog (CBSB) was the exact thought process I had while writing my Wife Calling Post and my Wife Challenge.

God the Parent ~ Christian Bible Study Blog (CBSB) reminded me so much of my Truth post and my But Why post since this is a revelation I have felt the Lord leading me to since the birth of my first son.

Food for thought: The Hedge Words We Use ~ Christian Bible Study Blog (CBSB) was just so perfect in so many ways. I have felt God leading me to continue to speak the truth, to not be fearful of other's opinions and accusations, to not water down the message of God in a way that could be "easily digested" by those who do not seek Him and this was exactly what I needed to hear! We need to make sure we are not afraid to offend others by our faith, that we stand firm in our convictions, that we do not make it seem a "personal" choice because, frankly, it is the ONLY one!

When I began this blog I could never have imagined the turn it would take from the very first post. To have God's affirmation and love throughout it all is more than I could have imagined. May my words continue to be HIS words, and may you hear His voice speaking the words on this screen into your hearts and minds with each and every post you read!