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!

25 Days of Thanksgiving: A Journey to 1,000

revelation [ˌrɛvəˈleɪʃən]
n

1. the act or process of disclosing something previously secret or obscure, esp something true

2. a fact disclosed or revealed, esp in a dramatic or surprising way

3. (Christianity / Ecclesiastical Terms) (Christian Religious Writings / Bible) Christianity

a. God's disclosure of his own nature and his purpose for mankind, esp through the words of human intermediaries

b. something in which such a divine disclosure is contained, such as the Bible

[from Church Latin revēlātiō from Latin revēlāre to reveal]

revelational adj

I love the word revelation because it always seems to fit so perfectly with what I hear from God during my time with Him. He is always revealing truth in such an obvious way through many different sources, and there is never any denying when it is something that has been truly revealed from the Lord rather than my own thoughts. It's amazing how God always seems to weave together so intricately the fabric of my life. When God gives me a revelation, it seems there is continuous confirmation, affirmation, and an all-around sense of perfect timing that comes along with it. This latest truth that I have felt in my life is to be truly thankful. Thankful for what I do have, for what I don't have, for the good, for the bad. I feel God leading me to be thankful for every single aspect of my life no matter how small and no matter how hard it may sometimes seem. I am to be thankful for it all because my life has been woven together specifically for me by the Creator and Master of the universe, and He has woven it together to work out not only for my best interests, but for the best interests of the Kingdom.

This leads into confirmation #1, which just so happened to come only one day after I felt the Lord leading me to this heart of Thanksgiving. Since beginning this blogging adventure I have discovered an entire world of encouraging, godly women. One of whom challenges her readers to write 7 things you are thankful for every day (you can find a printable booklet for the week here or just use your own notebook or journal) with the goal of continuing on to 1,000 things and beyond as it becomes a habit in our daily lives. I would like to get to 1,000 things, which at 7 a day means it will take around 6 months. And as I began to think about this challenge I realized that today marks 25 days until Thanksgiving! I don't know about you, but when things like that happen it just leaves me breathless. What perfect timing to begin counting down the things I am thankful for! And with 25 days until Thanksgiving my goal is to reach 250 things (1/4 of the way to my total goal of 1,000) by recording every day 10 things that I have to be thankful for. I know in the beginning it will be easy with obvious things like my beautiful home, my amazing family, a great group of godly friends, etc, but I can't wait until I get to the point where I will be forced to start thanking God for the not-so-nice things in my life like our budget (which is very tight, but has never failed us) or like my son's autism (which has been a great blessing to us, but also one of our greatest challenges) or the not-so-obvious things that I think of every day. I can't wait until I get to the point where it truly becomes natural to begin thanking God for everything: the good, the bad, and the ugly (like these crazy grey hairs I am beginning to get!) God is calling us to be thankful for every single aspect of our lives, whether we feel like it or not. We are to be thankful knowing He is in control and He has it all planned out!

Matthew 6:25-34
25"For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink ; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing ?26"Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?27"And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life ?28"And why are you worried about clothing ? Observe how the lilies of the field grow ; they do not toil nor do they spin,29yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these.30"But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith !31"Do not worry then, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will wear for clothing?'32"For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things ; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.33"But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.34"So do not worry about tomorrow ; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

What do you have to be thankful for? What things has God given you that you refuse to think of as blessings? How often do you feel God's blessings have passed over you and on to someone else? Take this challenge with me as I journey to 1,000 things to be thankful for!

UPDATE: Check out where God has led me as I continue on this journey Day 8. Day 20 and my realization of such a Gracious Thanksgiving.

To-Do or not To-Do...

When it comes to being the manager of my household, things have a tendency to get forgotten or there's not enough time to get it done. Add to that the fact that I have a Mary personality in a Martha world. In order to be able to get the "Martha" tasks accomplished I need to get creative in my "Mary" way. This is where my To-Do lists have come to my rescue! (For those of you who are very task oriented and have a "Martha" personality, try making to-do lists to ensure you are not spending more time taking care of your household rather than the people who live there.) My to-do lists are broken into categories: Meals, Activities, and Chores. Let's explore how these lists can help manage our time and our household no matter what your personality.

The first To-Do is "Meals": this is about being good stewards of our bodies, our budget, and not being wasteful with our food. God has really impressed upon my heart the past several years how important this simple task is to the well-being of our families. We are in charge of our family's health as part of our responsibility as life-givers. Scripture clearly states our bodies are temples to the Living God, and we are to be stewards of everything God has given us (including our physical selves I Corinthians 6:19-20). What easier way to start than to be aware of what we put into our bodies. Whatever "diet plan" you chose for your family: Organic, Natural, Low Fat, Vegetarian, Etc. is up to you and what you feel God has impressed on your heart and mind. The best way to make sure your family is eating in a way that is glorifying to God is to be well-prepared. If you are a working mom or don't want to spend a majority of your time planning what you will eat, an online pre-set meal plan is a great option! I, however, make my own lists according to what I have on hand and what items are on sale, then I plan my shopping trip according to what we will be eating  (this is where the budget and not being wasteful come into play). Each week I make a breakfast and lunch menu, a snack menu, and a dinner menu. I do not plan every single meal and snack we eat the entire week, although you can, I just plan a majority so I don't find myself running to Burger King because the kids are starving. I will only plan 3-4 dinners since I know we will also be eating with my parents and eating left-overs. A lot of dinners I do in the crock pot and do my prep work the night before. For example: Tomorrow we are having bean soup. Tonight I have all of the seasonings and beans set out by the crock pot, the veggies are all chopped and in a bag in the fridge ready to use, and the sausage has been cut. Tomorrow I just have to mix it all together, turn on the pot, and I'm done until dinner time! I also plan a weekly cooking night where I will cook several batches of pancakes for the freezer, muffins, bread, and other healthy snacks. So here is a to-do list about making your meal to-do's!

• Plan enough breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and snacks for you to feel equipped for the week. Keep in mind any eating out you will do and take into account left-overs.
• Make sure your shopping list reflects your meal plans so you do not end up forgetting ingredients or buying extra food you don't really need. Also keep an eye out for what items are on sale!
• Try to do any prep work the night before. Chopping veggies and meat, making sure all ingredients are on hand, whatever you need to do to make it quick and easy to cook the next day.
• Have a "cooking night" where you prepare snacks, breakfast foods, or even dinners to freeze. It's taking prep work to the next level and making it even easier! (Your kids' nap time is also the perfect opportunity to get meal prep done.)

The second of my To-Do's is "Activities" : this is about planning the time we spend with those we love. Making it quality time rather than just a quantity of time. We have set weekly activities like story time at the library and Bible Studies, then we have random daily activities like play dates and activities that I plan, then I also try to plan little games and crafts. Thanks to Google, Pinterest, and my very creative mommy friends I can make sure we have enough planned to keep everyone entertained throughout the week! So here's the breakdown:

• Have a couple of set weekly activities to keep some sort of routine (we all know how much better everyone does with that!)
• Plan ahead what you will do with your children daily, so you don't sit around wasting time allowing them to get bored. This keeps melt-downs to a minimum and helps ensure you will enjoy productive time together.
• If you can, invest in membership passes (like to the zoo or children's museum). Also keep a list of favorite activities handy for those spur of the moment "I need to get the kids out of the house" days.
• Find several arts and crafts projects you can do with your kids each week. Even if it's just tracing their outline in sidewalk chalk and drawing on the clothes. It doesn't have to be fancy!
• Let your kids have time to explore on their own, develop their own interests, and give yourself some down time.

Lastly, is "Chores" : this is about making sure you have enough time allotted for housework. This helps ensure your chores do not get neglected, but it can also make sure you are not dedicating too much time to housework and not enough time to the truly important things. This is the most important list for me since I will put chores on the back burner until there is just no way to ignore them (like when my hubby runs out of underwear!) I have daily chore lists, weekly chore lists, and the occasional "spring cleaning" list. Daily chores include dishes, meals, laundry, cleaning up toys, etc. Weekly chores are things that can be put off, but still need to get done like washing sheets, cleaning bathrooms, vacuuming, mopping. And the "spring cleaning" list includes cleaning out the refrigerator, washing baseboards, steaming the drapes, things that just need to be done occasionally. I also have set times to do certain things. I do dishes every morning while the kids eat breakfast and clean up their toys after they go to bed at night. Here's the best way to make your chores to-do list work for you!

• Make sure your To-Do lists are broken down into daily, weekly, and occasional chores based on how important it is that things get done. This gives you enough time to get chores accomplished so you can focus on other things without having to neglect your work.
• Time your chores when you will be most productive and your work will not be in vain (Are you a morning person or a night owl? Plan your chores around your daily schedule, not your daily schedule around your chores!)
• Make a chore calendar, write it down, and stick to it. Wash sheets every Saturday and clean out your refrigerator the first of every month, whatever works for you! Assign every task a specific day and time so you will not be able to forget, and you will not be able to spend more time than necessary doing every task that comes to mind on a particular day. This makes housework more natural for those who have "Mary" personalities and allows the "Marthas" the freedom to get their work done without becoming slave to it!
• It's not about which is better, being a "Mary" or being a "Martha", it is about being rulers over our households without letting our households rule over us!

I hope you find these To-Do lists helpful! Feel free to add your own to-do lists, chores, and housekeeping ideas and share with us!

"The Wife Challenge" 5 Simple Steps

Earlier, I wrote about our calling as wives. While I was thinking about my calling as a wife I started thinking, "How am I fulfilling this calling?" Again it led me to challenge myself! So here I present my current challenge...The WIFE CHALLENGE: 5 Simple Steps!

The entire basis of our calling as wives is to be our husband's life-partner. God created Eve with one purpose, that man would not be alone! Adam was not complete without Eve, so what am I doing to make my husband's life complete? What am I doing to show him he is loved and respected? What am I doing to cultivate in him the reaction the noble wife received in Prov 31? Her husband called her blessed and praised her saying, "Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all." I pray that at the end of every day my husband goes to bed thinking, "Many women do great things, but my wife is the greatest!"

Step #1: Create an environment my hubby can thrive in!
But I have 3 kids 3 and under (including an exclusively breastfed baby who is pretty attached to his frequent meals) so let's be realistic here. Will my husband come home to a spotless house every day? I think it's pretty safe for me to say definitely not! But what can I do to make our home a little more organized, a little less stressful, and a little more relaxing? For this challenge you really have to think about your hubby's work environment. What does he deal with all day that you can make sure to avoid at home? For me, it's pretty easy to come up with a few major changes I need to make! My husband deals with fourth graders all day long. They run around, they scream, they are crazy. He has to discipline them all day long and it wears him out. He spends all day cleaning up paper airplanes, wadded up book pages, broken pencils, and every other type of clutter his students can manage to make. What can I do to make sure he doesn't feel that stress as soon as he walks through the door? How can I prevent these things from happening at home?

Let's be honest, there are some days I feel like I just cannot control my kids. Those days my first reaction is to call my hubby. "When are you coming home? The kids are being crazy. I need you to come home now!" And if I don't call or he doesn't answer, I attack him as soon as he walks in the door. "The kids are in their room. You need to go have a talk with them. Oh, and can you change Kason's diaper when you're done? I need to lay down. I can't handle this right now." So the first part of this challenge for me is to handle these discipline issues myself. I can do it, I am well-equipped with the powers God has given me. I just don't want to on some days. Some days I want to be lazy. Some days I don't want to be the "bad guy". But that's one of my jobs as my husband's partner. This is one job that he needs me to take care of so he can enjoy his time at home, so I will! (And on the rare days when I truly feel like I can't do it anymore and I just really do need his help, it is a must to give him at least 30 minutes to come home and breathe before giving him his discipline to-do list.) For the second part of this challenge I need to create a clutter free home. If he has to kick and trudge his way through a pile of toys to even open the door (which happens pretty often) I'm probably not creating an environment that screams, "Welcome home! Forget the troubles of your day and come on in!"  It will not be spotless, but I can at least make sure the counter is free of dirty dishes, the majority of the toys are picked up off of the floor, and that the mountains of laundry that usually cover two of our three couches are taken care of. What are some challenges your husband deals with on a daily basis? How can you make sure he can leave those at work and not have to deal with them again when he comes home? What are some things your husband needs you to be able to handle for him, so he doesn't have to?

Step #2: Make sure my hubby feels loved, respected, and admired!
The first part of this challenge will be tough for me. Obviously I love my husband more than anything, but sometimes I just don't want to show it in the way he wants me to (Hello, five love languages)! My husband has been asking me for weeks to wake up early with him so we can have breakfast and some quiet time before he goes to work. But it is sooo early since he leaves at 6:30 and we have a great relationship so what good is an extra 30 minutes in the morning together really going to do? But, my hubby wants to spend some one on one time with me (something we rarely get) and I am always asking him to do something with me (even though I'd prefer we do it at night rather than at 6 in the morning!), so I will do my absolute best to peel myself out of bed, make some coffee, and enjoy some time with the man who loves me more than anything else in the world! Is there something your husband has been asking you to do that you just keep refusing? Consider the possibility that doing it for him may help him to feel loved and that he just wants to love you in return! 

The second part of this challenge is the most important! When it comes to respecting your husband it is Rule #1! Let's face it, to a man respect means more than anything else ever will. I don't know many women who are flat out disrespectful to their husbands, but sometimes the little things make the biggest difference. This is something I really don't struggle with now, but at the beginning of our marriage I got caught in the "gossip" trap. I hate anything and everything about gossip. It is hurtful, it is destructive, it is rude. But when we first got married it just seemed so natural to share every thought, feeling, and intimate detail with my friends. The problem is, not everything that came out of my mouth was uplifting to my husband. What I say about my husband determines how everyone else views him. If he upsets me and I share it with my friends some will try to defend me even to the point of tearing down my husband. If he does something embarrassing he probably won't want me sharing that information with others. Something that I think is funny, could be very harmful to his self-esteem if I share it with others. Does every word that I say about my husband lift him up or tear him down? Do I praise him in front of others or do I mock him? Do my words show others how proud I am of my husband? Are my words loving and kind? Is he comfortable with what I tell others about him and about our relationship? Do not say anything negative about your husband (whether you are speaking to him or about him!) and make sure what you do say about him shows him and everyone else how much you appreciate him!

The third part of the challenge will probably be the easiest for most of us. Make sure your husband feels admired! Plan a surprise date night, cook him his favorite meal, watch the football game instead of Desperate Housewives. Make sure you spend some alone time together every day. Even if it's just sharing a glass of wine after the kids go to bed. Get romantical, get spontaneous, and get excited to spend time with him! And don't forget the importance of intimacy in your relationship. We all know if there's one way to make our man feel admired, that is it! Choose to serve your husband in ways that you know will make him feel adored by you!

Step #3: Encourage, Encourage, Encourage!!!
Never underestimate the power your words and actions have over your husband! You determine how he feels about himself. You play a major role in how he views his successes and his failures. You are the one he wants to impress more than anyone! No matter how "tough" our guys may pretend they are, we all know they are just big balls of fluff on the inside. We need to make sure these balls of fluff don't get replaced by stone. You know what I'm talking about. We need to make sure we are not causing our husbands to build a wall around their heart, and we need to be able to help them break down any walls they put up during the day with their co-workers, their boss, or because of a hard situation they had to deal with! Make sure you are keeping your hubby's spirit uplifted! Make sure he realizes the amazing call God has placed in his life! Make sure you are helping him tear his walls down, not forcing him to build them up!

Step #4: Quit fussing about all the little things!
This one hit me full force while I was making my hubby some pumpkin bread to surprise him. I opened the egg carton and there they were...all the old egg shells that my hubby apparently finds so hard to throw away so he just puts them back in the carton. I am such a germaphobe so you can only imagine how gross I think this is! But yesterday when I saw those egg shells, I just smiled. I smiled because it was a reminder that my hubby cooks me breakfast. It was like a little "Hello" from my husband while he was at work. It's silly, I know, but all I could think about was how much I would miss those things if he were gone. Putting the loaf of bread on top of the breadbox instead of in it because he doesn't want "smashed" bread. Leaving the bags of chips and cereal on the counter instead of putting it in the cabinet because he's just going to keep getting it out anyway. These are things that bug me, but what would hurt even more is if my husband weren't here. Find joy in those little things your husband does that drives you crazy! See them as a reminder of the man you love rather than things he does to get under your skin. There's plenty more of the things my husband does that I enjoy, and I will miss out if I focus on the little annoying things. And, honestly, I'm sure he doesn't particularly enjoy me leaving my hairbrush and straightener in the sink in the bathroom or when I leave the laundry in the washer for just a little too long and it starts to smell musty or the way I just don't want to cuddle since I've had little people climbing on me all day. If I don't want him to focus on my little annoying habits, I need to stop focusing on his!

Step #5: Sit back, relax, and just enjoy your hubby!
This is my favorite step because it doesn't require any work (well, manual labor anyway)! Let's be honest, sometimes sitting still requires much more work than running around does. When we are sitting on the couch at the end of the day I need to enjoy my time. I need to put out of my mind the laundry, the dishes, the things the kids did during the day that upset me. I need to be still and enjoy being with the man God has given me! I think this simple step has the potential for the most impact in our marriage. When was the last time you just enjoyed your hubby? When was the last time you took the time to revel in your marriage?

I can't wait to see what comes of my wife challenge! I already noticed a difference after one day. I got a huge smile when he came home to a clutter free living room and fresh pumpkin bread. And even though I did end up falling asleep 20 minutes after he walked in the door he just laughed instead of telling me he felt like I had abandoned him...that's a good first try! Please share your successes, failures, and inspirations you have had with this challenge! We could all use as many ideas as we can on how to honor, love, serve, and partner with our husbands!

Whose Powers Do You Put Your Trust In?

This list was sent to my email from one of my Bible Study moms (evidence of why we should be surrounding ourselves with encouraging, godly women!) What a perfect reminder of who we are in Christ and the calling we have as mothers!!! I linked up the verses, so make sure you look them up when you get a chance.

"SUPER" WOMAN

1. Does
2. Tries to impress others
3. Controlled by an agenda
4. Self worth is found is her accomplishments
5. Peace is found in the "perfect" environment
6. Discouraged by failure
7. Expects perfection from herself and others
8. Teaches her kids to be good
9. Frustrated with her lack of Spiritual Fruit
10. Does things with her children
11. Her perspective is based on what is seen
12. She chooses quantity of activities

ABIDING WOMAN

1. IS (Psalm 46:10)
2. PLEASES THE LORD (Eph 5:10, Prov 29:25)
3. CONTROLLED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT (Gal 5:22-26)
4. SELF WORTH IS FOUND IN AN ACCURATE VIEW OF WHO SHE IS IN CHRIST (Eph 2:10)
5. PEACE IS FOUND IN JESUS IN THE MIDST OF ANY STORM (Is 26:3)
6. FAILURE REMINDS HER THAT GOD'S STRENGTH IS MADE PERFECT IN WEAKNESS (2 Cor 12:9-10)
7. SHE PRACTICES GRACE WITH HERSELF AND OTHERS (Eph 4:32)
8. SHE TEACHES HER KIDS TO BE GODLY (Prov 22:6)
9. SHE ABIDES IN CHRIST AND BEARS MUCH FRUIT (John 15:5)
10. SHE BUILDS A RELATIONSHIP WITH HER CHILDREN (Deut 6:6-7)
11. HER PERSPECTIVE IS BASED ON WHAT IS UNSEEN (Col 3:2)
12. SHE CHOOSES THE MOST EXCELLENT WAY (I Cor 13)

I think it's pretty obvious hands-down who the true super woman is!!!

But WHY?

It seems like life is full of WHYs. Why do bad things happen to good people? Why do good things happen to bad people? Why did that happen to me? Why didn't that happen to me? Why, Why, Why??? Have you ever prayed for God to just tell you WHY? Do you feel like He never answers?

He already has answered the WHY!
Jeremiah 29:11 says, "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future."

Isn't it the #1 rule we have as mommies? Don't ask me "why". I cannot stand when I tell my children to do something and they come back with that response! I cannot stand it because they should not require an explanation of me! I am their mother! I love them more than anyone else on this earth, I am looking out for their best interests, I am trying to teach them life's lessons so they can grow up to be prosperous adults. And they are going to sit here and ask me, "WHY"!?! My children should not require me to answer the "why" because it should be a given that the answer is, "because I love you and I want what is best for you."

If that is what I require of my children, then why is it I still feel the need for God (the all-knowing, all-seeing, all loving Father of ALL creation) to answer me when I ask Him, "Why"? And why do I keep asking when He has so clearly stated His reasons before? God has already made it known to us, "My child, it is because I love you and I want what is best for you."

God has a personal message for you..are you listening to what He has to say?

Being a Christian is not a one time choice. It is not just about a prayer, a walk down the aisle, or even trying to make the "right" decisions rather than the "wrong" ones. It is a relationship. It grows, changes, and becomes complete as we continually seek God. Salvation is only the first step on our journey as a Christian. If you desire a relationship with God, you should hunger and thirst after Him. You should focus on the facts of God and strive for a knowledge of who He is. The same as we strive to learn about those things we are interested in, the same as we desire to spend time with those we love, the same as we desire of others let us desire even more to pursue our relationship with God!

Only 1% of professing Christians read their Bible daily. What a wake-up call that we are not living our lives as Christians to the full potential we are given. We are called to not only be "saved" we are called to be disciples. A disciple is "one who learns." How are we to know what our faith is based in if we do not have a concrete understanding of the Word of God? How can we defend our beliefs if we do not even know what they are?

Psalms 1:1-4 says "Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law (teachings) of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers." We are called to meditate on the scriptures day and night and surround ourselves with people who are meditating on the Word also.

Psalms 119:11 "I have stored up your word in my heart that I might not sin against you." How are we to commit scriptures to memory and be able to recall them when necessary if we are not studying them? 2 Timothy 3 speaks such truth about the importance of studying, committing to memory, and living out the scriptures. Look over the chapter (it's short, only 17 verses so it won't take long!) when you can, but right now I want to focus on 16-17 "All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." What a clear message about the purpose and importance of scripture! We are to study the scriptures to learn His ways, to see the wrong in our lives and to be able to correct it, and to grow in righteousness. All of this is to prepare us to live our lives as Christians.

The most important aspect to daily studying the scripture is the personal aspect of Scripture. Do not just rely on the teachings of scripture from your pastors and group leaders.

A) Not all pastors teach Biblical truths. It is very easy to treat the Bible like a buffet by picking and choosing which scriptures "fit" your personal belief system. 2 Timothy accurately describes many of today's teachers. 2 Timothy 4:3-4 "For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead to suit their own desires, they will gather round them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn aside from truth and turn aside to myth."
How are we to know what is true versus what is masquerading as truth if we do not study the scriptures in whole to judge the scriptures in context? How are we to learn God's truth if we do not allow Him to speak it to us in personal study and prayer?
B) God wants to meet us where we are. He desires to speak life into our circumstances through His Word. Every day we need to approach God with a heart that resounds Psalms 119:18 "Open my eyes, that I may behold wonderous things out of your law." My personal study of scripture is what has revealed the most to me. God knows where I am at in each season, and He knows what it is that I need to learn to get through that season.

Do not let the fear of not being able to understand the Word discourage you. Remember I John 2:27 says "But the anointing that you received in Him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as His anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie--just as it has taught you, abide in Him." If we abide in Him and are seeking out His revelations it will be revealed to us. Matthew 7:7 says "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened unto you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks the door will be opened."

As Christians our most important resource is the Bible. We need to be seeking to know God more every day and the easiest and most crucial way to do this is through scripture. Take time each day to hear the words God has for you! Just as you set aside time each day to strengthen your relationship with your children, your spouse, and your friends do not forget to set aside time to strengthen  your relationship with your Creator!

Wife Calling

In the Beginning God had created man with His own hands, in His own image, and brought man to life with His very own Spirit. Then He appointed man over every living thing on earth. In Genesis 2:18-22 when God took the rib from Adam's side to create Eve, He also designed her with a purpose. God called woman to be man's "suitable helper" (literally translated "a helper like man"). Woman was called to be man's life mate. "Helper" is not a demeaning term. In fact, Psalm 33:20, Psalm 70:5 , and Psalm 115:9 all use the term "help" to refer to God Himself. Woman, just like man, was created in God's own image and has a plan and a purpose just as great.

Perhaps it was man's very own desire for a mate that is what gave woman such power in our calling. Man was not complete without woman in spite of all God had given him and appointed him over. Think about that in terms of our "modern" situations. No matter how successful our husbands are, no matter how much power they have been given in their positions at work, no matter how great everyone else thinks they are, it is ultimately their mate who determines their feeling of "completeness." It is us, their wives, who determine whether our husbands feel truly satisfied.

As a woman our greatest gift is the gift of influence. It all started in the garden...why do you think Satan approached Eve? He knew she would be able to convince Adam to eat of the fruit because of her influence over him. Women are life givers, called to cultivate emotional and spiritual well-being in our families. This starts with our husbands! If Satan can influence a marriage, he can destroy a family. If he can destroy a family, he can destroy the future.

Our husbands have a divine calling and it is our responsibility as wives to make sure they are equipped and confident in this calling. It is our job to give them godly encouragement to lead them in the direction of their calling. Our men point us in the direction we are to be headed, but as wives we are the ones who do the steering of our families! The importance of a good wife is stated clearly in Proverbs 31:10-31. "A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life...honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate." And this is just a portion!

A godly wife of the Bible is successful, respected, well educated, and blessed. What a great calling! She is her husband's supporter and business partner, and in return her husband has full confidence in her and praises her works. But what happens to our husbands if we instead use our powers of influence to tear down and harm them? Our powers of influence have the ability to destroy our husband's spirit, to remove all of his confidence, to build up walls around his heart.

If we want a husband who is the leader of our family, who is a godly partner, and who is loving and kind in all he does it is our job to cultivate these things in him. This is not about manipulation. This is not about turning our husbands into the man we want them to be. It is about seeing our husbands the way God sees them. It is about seeing our husbands as God's sons, the princes of the Kingdom of God. It is about recognizing in our husbands the call God has placed on their life, then using the call God has placed on us to bring it to fullfillment! What an amazing responsibility we have been given as wives! Don't forget to join me in my wife challenge!

It is no wonder a noble wife is worth more than rubies. Wives, you are a priceless gift to your husband.