too many kids in the bathtub

A Rough Plan for Our Land

2012-01-16T12:11:00.011-06:00

Homesteading here in the South is quite different from that which you will see in other places. And while it is VERY doable, there are many things we, as a family, have had to consider. Our land consists of 10.13 acres. We live on the top of a hill. Our hill top is flat consisting of about 3 acres. On this 3 acres sits our home, garage, tool shed, and the top animal pasture. I use the term pasture lightly, as there is not a full amount of grass. But this will be a goal for this year, is to cultivate grass on it for the animals. In this pasture we plan to keep our chickens, miniature donkeys, our great Pyrenees pups, 2-3 hogs and our sheep.

We also plan to plant our orchard and garden on this level.

The second level of our land, is about 2 acres. It is a very shallow slope down to the flat second level. This is where we plan to cultivate a second pasture, in the hopes that we will switch the sheep from pasture 1 to pasture 2 occasionally. On this tier, we will keep turkey, our beef cow and possibly the pigs.

The rest of our land is down at the bottom with a huge and very flat pasture. It is probably about 4 acres of good pasture where we plan to graze our cows when we get them.

Since we do not have an unlimited supply of grazing land, we have to supplement with hay. This is where the planning gets crucial. For while we would like to be self sufficient. We also want to be good stewards of our money. We are aiming to cut down costs by trying to cultivate pasture ourselves, support local feed stores, and off set feed costs by selling great Pyrenees puppies and excess eggs.

We are so new to this,but we are trying. This year is kind of like a big experiment to see what time of year we should do things. How much things cost & where animals should go.

Daddy and the boys built a cross fence to the 1st pasture! I am so proud of them !
I am so impressed with my husband! He can learn practically anything, just by watching it once!
This will ensure that all the animals are contained in sight, giving us the ability to move them where they need to be. This way we always know where they are. This will also give our live stock guardian dogs an idea of where their boundaries are.
We plan to cross fence the 2nd pasture as well.

As I said before, any animal we get, we would like it to either "work" for us. Or produce food for us. Around here, we do have predators such as :
Coyotes
foxes
raccoons
the very rare mountain lion & bobcat
Various snakes.

Our dogs will serve to protect our animals from these invaders.

We would like to use our land in the best way possible. Utilizing every piece we have. We have a lovely circular in front of the house. There is a huge circle of grass with a bit of decorative landscaping. In this, we plan to build an 8 ft. deer fence and make our garden there. This devastated my idea of a cute white picked fence. But reaping the fruits of our labor, was in the end more important than having to fight with a garden laden with deer and other "pests". Here in the South, we have A LOT of deer! And they jump really HIGH!!! So the 8 foot fence will be a necessity! I am confident we will make it look nice, as it is in the front of the house.

Future Garden Site

It is very hard for me to do all of this in stages. But I know that a Homestead is not built in a day. I want to thank my lovely friends Quinn & Michelle for constantly reminding me of this! When I look out at our land, I see all the things we need to do. And while it fills my heart with delight, at times, it overwhelms me. So thank you ladies for always taking the time to remind me to enjoy the journey and take it slow!!!

Daniel Fast as a Family Days 3-15

2012-01-16T11:41:00.007-06:00

We have been so preoccupied with planning for the year, that I have neglected to post about our Daniel Fast. We are on Day 15 now. And I must say how pleased I am with the children! They are all so "on board" with this whoel process. And although we've been asked a few times for pizza or cake. On the whole, their attitudes have been amazing!

It's amazing to see how addicted to certain foods we were. And how many times we filled with food rather than the Lord.
And meals have been suprising easier. For breafast, we have fruit smoothies! EVERYONE loves these, and we have fun mixing various fruits together!

Our favorite recipes have included:
Vegetable stir fry with brown rice
Roasted potatoes
Hash brown "pancakes" (no egg or flour needed)
Fried plantains with guacamole
Black beans with brown rice
BAked sweet potatoes with cinnamon
Brown rice pilaf
Almond Butter Balls
Coconut Fig bars (these have been a favorite of my children) There is no sugar! And my kids eat them up!
Sauteed green beans
Sauteed mushrooms
Organic popcorn
Veggie Straws
Oatmeal with cinnamon

I was also asked this amazing question!

"Okay I have to ask!! Are you getting slack about doing a fast with young children?? We are also a larger sized family on the Daniel Fast and we have three toddlers and I am interested on your thoughts regarding fasting and children. :D"

The answer to this is yes and no. From some family, we got that the children would not eat well. But from others we were very supported. I think that we went into this knowing that some may disagree children could handle it. But we knew we were to do this as a family.After all, we are supposed to teach our children by example. What better way than to do things as a family.

Saying Goodbye

2012-01-16T11:13:00.004-06:00

When we moved in here, we bought these sweet puppies at just four months old.

We bought them mainly out of "habit", as I was always raised having many labrador retrievers around.

We soon came to the relization of how importnat it was to "research" before you get an animal. We originally bought them as "guard animals" hoping to put them in the pasture with the other animals as protection.

Then it happened. Our girl puppy cuaght and killed a wild duck. It was then that I relized that we had bought hunting dogs. Not herding/ guard dogs. We still thought it would be ok. We would just need to train them very well.

That lasted until one of them almost killed some chickens. Sadly, we decided we needed to find a new home for these dogs, and find a dog more suited for the lifestyle we are headed towards. Any livestock we lose, is food our family will not have to eat. We needed a livestock guardian dog.

We found them a new home, to a very loving family. And though we were sad to see them go, we know it is for the best.

Good-bye Lady Anne & Cactus Jack. We will always cherish the memories we shared with you.

Beautiful Today

2012-01-12T15:42:00.002-06:00

May I never forget this day...

The smells...

The sticky table we do school on because breakfast was not wiped off correctly...

The sounds...

Twenty questions all at once...

Toys on the floor...

Colored pencils and crayons tossed about during school time.

And lots and lots of BABY FEET!!!!!

Introducing...

2012-01-12T15:24:00.009-06:00

Carolina Joy

and

Justice Washington

These are our miniature donkey babies! They have been with us for about 4 weeks now! They are painted! And so cute! They also have the cross of the bethlehem donkey on them!

The story is told that the donkey that had been Jesus' mount on Palm Sunday, came to the hill of Calvary.

Seeing the tragic event taking place, he wished with all his heart that he had been able to carry the cross for Jesus, as he was the proper one to carry heavy burdens.

Ashamed of what was happening, the donkey turned his back on the sight, but would not leave for he wished to stay until all was over because of his love for Jesus.

In reward for the loyal and humble love of the little donkey, the Lord cast the shadow of the cross to fall across his back and left it there for the donkey to carry forever more as a sign that the love of God, no matter how humble, carries a reward for all us to see.

We had a dear family spend the night with us one weekend. And in the morning, the daddys and the boys all went with the trailer to pick them up!!!

Meanwhile, the mommies and the girls all enjoyed getting ready for the big or should I say little arrival!

Except for a grief escape...post about that soon. They have been an absolute delight! We are enjoying getting to know them and them getting sued to us. We will immensly enjoy their manure for composting this spring. As well as the added protection they will offer our animal pasture area from other predators. Their stall is right next to the chicken coop, and we have not had any predatory issues to speak of .

Footwear in the County

2012-01-12T08:53:00.002-06:00

I have a strange confession to make. I like to be barefoot. ;) I have lived in the South my WHOLE 31 years of life, so I am not really accustomed to colder weather. As such, I have grown accustomed to wearing lots of sandals! Here's another confession. I am NOT a shoe addict. I have never worn high heals, nor have I tried to wear uncomfortable shoes! If I can't carry a baby in them comfortably, I don't wear them. :)

Needless to say, moving out here has been a BIG change for...my feet.

After almost 5 months of being here in our new country life, I have come to the realization that sandals can no longer be part of my everyday foot wardrobe! :(

A while back, I chuckled at a post my friends Quinn wrote about her foot wear issues on their homestead. But now having lived it for a few months, to some extent, I understand now.

After reading her post, I loved the floral boots she had found. So I looked for some. But I could not find any! I finally found a floral pari I liked, and when I got them...they were too small!!! So I quickly got back into the habit of wearing my sandals evryday outside. A month or so ago, I gave the boots to our sweet sweet friend who comes here once a month for the weekend with us! They looked wonderful on her!

A few weeks ago, I was walking outside, in flip flops, and a giant thorn went through the sole of my flip flops. It was quite painful. Flip flops do not make a safe shoe when you are in a chicken coop with lots of curious chickens who start pecking at your toes. Nor are they good for shoveling donkey manure.

So I finally did it! I bought a pair of rain boots! And they are very flowery!!!

This is just the beginning of my quest to find a way to still look feminine and stylish while living in the country on a farm.

The Importance of Seeking to Further Your Husband's Vision

2012-01-07T09:02:00.002-06:00

As a baby Christian, who was newly married, I was not taught this. I was not taught about being "one: with my husband as I should have been. Instead, we were taught how to grow in our own walks with the Lord. And that if we were to do this, then we would grow closer together as husband and wife. And while I still do believe there is truth to this, I am also sure that to teach this without teaching a wife to become one with her husband in everything, is a set up for disappointment and discouragement for her.

As a young wife, young as in barely married, I fell into the expectations that the world places on marriage, And as a result, I was never satisfied with anything my husband did. Because he did not do it in the way I had expected him to. He would come home from work to another job so to speak. Another list of duties and demands to be met. Poor guy. He is a good man for putting up with me in the beginning. ;)

Divorce was never an option for us, so we just toughed it out through the rough times.

I, by nature, am very good at being organized and being able to plan just about anything. My husband was not. Here is the scary thing. Many wives are good at the very same things! And many husbands are not. So the world would have us think that we are to hone our gifts and talents and run with them...right?

I believe the answer to this is no and yes.

NO. In the sense that once we as wives, being to "lead" with our abilities to plan and devise immaculate plans for our families, our husbands see that it is already being done. So he will leave that up to us. Then we fall into discouragement because he is not leading.

YES. In that when we seek to follow our husband's vision, we are constantly seeking and asking for what we can do to be a helpmeet to him. and this is where our natural abilities come into practice. This is where they truly become God's tool for helping our husbands rather than leading our husbands.

What is your husbands vision???

When I first learned about vision, I was so excited! For I had great vision to see our family do things. But when my husband did not, I crippled him with my relentless nagging and questioning. It was not a pretty time for us. Until the Lord taught me about the importance of keeping my sweet little mouth, with all my "good" ideas shut.

You see, all of our husbands have vision. All you are required to do is look. Pray. And ask the Lord to show you. He will send the Holy Spirit to open your eyes and show you. And a vision is a vision no matter how small. As the Bible says, do not despise small beginnings.

Do not despise these small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin, to see the plumb line in Zerubbabel's hand." -Zechariah 4:10

Most men in our society were not raised to be men of vision. They were not raised to lead a family. But by the grace of God, we are able to experience this in our own marriages by gleaning from scripture and by learning how to be a virtuous wife.

A virtuous woman who can find? for her price is far above rubies. -Proverbs 31:10

Your husband's vision may be to lose weight. Or to cut the grass on Saturday. Or it may be becoming debt free. Do not doubt your husband if his vision is not spiritual. When you begin to operate in being a helper to your husband's current vision, the Lord will fill him with a fresh vision from HIM for your whole family!!!

#1 Never become a helper for your husband to see him change. This is a sacrifice and worship to the Lord. We do this because we trust the Lord. Not because our husbands will be become what we want when we change. This is manipulation!!! And will not be honoring to God.

#2 If you don't have anything nice to say BE QUIET!!!! Our husbands only have so much "room" in their brains. They are already coming home with the "junk" from work everyday. We need to prepare a quiet place for them to come home to. and our nagging will only help to fill up any space that the Lord would otherwise use to speak to him. Bite your tongue ANYTIME you feel like complaining, and instead find something to encourage your husband in.

#3 Always ask. If your husband is not openly coming and saying "this is what I want done". ASK him. And then do what he says with a happy heart!

#4 See that the unity in your marriage is more important than being right. If our marriage is an example of Christ and the church, then it is only for our own protection that we seek to be one with our husbands.

#5 Do not deny him physically.

Do not deprive each other except by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. -1 Corinthians 7:5

Again, this is an area that we are taught in the world, and sadly, even in church that we can only consent when we feel like it. This is a ministry to our husbands! A need! Yes, we may not understand it, but God created them like this! This is one area that a wife is responsible to her husband. It provides a protective barrier against the attacks of the enemy. This is such a powerful way to minister to our husbands.

#6 Do your part and trust God for the rest, Only god knows when our husbands will do certain things. We must not become weary when our time limits are not met. For God wants their souls more than our own satisfaction. He wants the convictions our husbands hold, or the vision he carries to be something birthed from him, not from us. Seek to worship the Lord in all you do to become a helper to your husband and trust God to show you the harvest!

Daniel Fast- Days 1&2

2012-01-03T22:56:00.002-06:00

We are closing on the second day of our fast. I am do happy to be doing this with my family! Otherwise, I can imagine it would be quite a bit harder. The children are doing quite well. And we are all learning how much of a sugar addiction we all had.

In preparation for this first week I bought 48 apples, 2 bags of pears, I bag of organic green beans (frozen), 1 bag of organic broccoli (frozen), 2 bags of Brussels sprouts, 2 bunches of bananas, 6 romaine lettuce heads, rolled oats, and whatever else we had here at home.

Just in the first 2 days we've finished the bananas, one bag of pears, the bag of celery & half the apples. Keeping in mind I made homemade applesauce yesterday. For " milk" I've been using rice milk. But we are very spoiled having had the raw milk we buy from the local dairy co op.

Day 1:
Breakfast:
Strawberry banana smoothies (8 out of 8 enjoyed these)

Snack:
Peanut butter and celery sticks (7 out of 8 enjoyed these)

Lunch:
Mediterranean black bean salad ( just momma and daddy liked this... It was yummy!)
Apples and veggie sticks for the kids (all the kids liked these)

Dinner:
Roasted carrots and potatoes (8 out of 8 )

The first day brought me to the fact that I would need to prepare our meals a day in advance. It was just too much brain work to fight my flesh and think about cooking food.

Day 2:
Breakfast:
Citrus oat muffins , these are made with only rolled oats, homemade unsweetened applesauce, homemade date honey, unsweetened coconut, and a bit of lemon zest. They were tasteless. None of the kids liked them. And my husband and I just ate the to sustain us.

Peach, coconut and strawberry smoothies for the kids. All the kids loved them!

Snack:
Pears with date honey.
Date honey is made. By boiling pitted dates with cinnamon. Then blending them with almond butter. It's so good! It's creamy and rich and tastes like chocolate almost!!!!
Only I and our 5 year old liked it

Lunch:
Peanut butter and celery with carrots and veggie sticks
(veggie sticks are like a potato chip, but their only made with veggie powder and sea salt. No preservatives.)
And Mediterranean black bean salad for momma.

Dinner:
Baked sweet potatoes with cinnamon
Garlic Roasted Brussels sprouts , potatoes & carrots (5 out of 8 liked these)

Even though I miss certain foods, I am enjoying the amount of extra preparation needed to feed the family. Even my husband feel more taken care of. It is so important that we nourish our families! I will definitely be taking this with me even after the fast is complete.

I'll try to add pictures tomorrow of the food.

Daniel Fast as a Family

2012-01-02T14:48:00.002-06:00

Unfortunately, my attempt to do the 30 day meal challenge was a big failure. I only got into two or three days, and felt like I was not supposed to do it. Instead, the Lord led us to the Daniel Fast. Today we started the Daniel Fast as a family. This is not only my first time doing the Daniel Fast, but it is also the first time we are doing such a long fast as a family. I thought I would share our journey through this! The recipes we used. How many family members liked what recipes. How much food we used. The dynamics of this fast in a large family.

Warrior Mother

2011-12-21T13:23:00.003-06:00

Part one:

Things are really stirring around here. Since we have moved in here, the Lord has shown me how many things in my busyness I have let go. How many things so precious in time, have I neglected through the eyes of busyness. The love tank of one of my children left empty by me, yet expecting him to overflow with joy. The first time of obedience of little one. The joyful love that siblings should share. A diligent That seeks to be a blessing even when not asked.

The Lord has shown me that there will always be times of transition. Some more intense than others. Like when a new baby is born, you move, or a family member becomes ill. Nevertheless, we must remain worriers. A warrior does not just not let her guard down. A worrier is constantly vigilant. A worrier is prepared for inclement weather, for unexpected attack, for just about anything. A warrior is trained. A worrier spends time training for those things she will need to do in the future.

A mother is given responsibility to train these little one for the short years she has them. To train them to become godly individuals, who will make an impact on this world for the Lord's glory. A mother is an nourisher, and encourage her, a safe place and just about anything the child would need.

A mother is a warrior.

She is always prepared. She gets her orders from the one true God. The god of Heaven. Who is ever loving, all-knowing, and ever present. She need not fear the darkness, or the unknown, or the things yet to come. She need not fear the new season of parenting she might be facing, or the retraining of children she's so diligently work to train before. She needn't look to her own devices to solve a problem. For she receives her orders from God. She needn't worry about her failure because she is not doing this alone.

A mother is a warrior.

She is strong in spirit. She does not go to bed eating the fruit of idleness. She perseveres, she endures, she is creative. Always seeking to fix the problem. Because her master, the Lord God has instructed her. Instructed her in the ways of righteousness, joy and love.

A warrior mother is strong yet silent. She knows when to keep her mouth closed. She listens, to the hurt of others. Even when these hurts are manifested in bad behavior, or hurtful action.

A warrior mother is always listening.
Always looking.
Always seeking.
Always learning.

She knows when an impromptu tea party or a kiss on the cheek will be more powerful than a verbal correction. She hears a cry for help even through the Biggest temper tantrum.

A Warrior mother knows the difference between doing good and being too busy. She seeks to quiet her life and her schedule, so that she can be prepared for battle when the need arises. She battles for her family. She battles for her children. She knows that they are the most important thing. But raising them will be what the Lord uses to impact the world.
And even though transitions, adverse times, and at times war, is welcome. she never lets it cloud her mission of training her children in righteousness.

We as mothers, have a duty and a mission, given to us by God to raise our children in righteousness. Raise them in righteousness through the move. Raise them in righteousness through the whole family having the flu. Always raising, always in righteousness. We must not allow the transition time of life to stop us from showing our children how the Lord expects us to live.

Seek the Lord, for your orders. Ask him what your mission is today. If we do not ask we do not receive. If we are not plugged in we will not produce the fruit. We must show our children what fervently serving the Lord looks like.

In my devotions this week, I have learned from Nancy Campbell, how God is a God of fullness. Full of joy, full of insight, full of life, full to be I'm degree of anything we could ever think up. God wants this fullness to be visible in our life. In our joy in our love for our family, and everything we do. and yes even in those times of transition, this is possible. but, it will take seeking out God priorities for our life in the season that we are in.

Do you seek a more orderly home? Do you think better trained children? Maybe your orders are to quiet down a bit. This world is our battleground, and time is our weapon. The only question is will we use the weapon to help fight archive or will it be a weapon that fights against our purposes?

what is it that you're fighting again right now? Think the Lord that he may fight or you on your behalf.

Could I ?

2011-12-20T19:03:00.002-06:00

Dare to live radically for the Lord in the world today?

Could I sacrifice my comfort to be willing to be in pain to glorify God?

Am I able to cut out things from my life. Even those things I think are good, yet are cluttering up my life?

Could I really be available for God?

Really learn to quiet myself?

So quiet that I would hourly hear from the Lord to veer left or right?

Could I sacrifice the way I eat, sleep, dress to bring a Godly example to others, myself & my children?

Could I really love others as myself?

Am I a light in this dark world?

Do I make myself available to cultivate the deepest parts of my children's souls?

Am I winning their hearts for today? Or for eternity?

Do I really need all these "pretty things" that take so much of my time away from other essential priorities?

Am I hiding laziness in the name of "transition"?

Do I make people want to know Jesus ?

Am I really submitted to my husband?

Do I delight In his every word?

Do I daily bring life to him?

Do I treasure my children like God expects me to?

Could I really teach them to be different than this world?

Teach them by example that talking on a cell phone really IS dangerous?

What's stopping me from really diving in?

Cutting all ties?

And leaving the clutter behind?

Really quiet myself?

If I am steward over my time and energy... Shouldn't I stop waiting until tomorrow and start today?

Yes! I should!!!

I can!!!

I will!!!

I am!!!

Teaching the younger

2011-12-19T19:40:00.002-06:00

When I had four children, ages 6, 4, 2, and a baby. I met a dear friend who had four children as well. Her children were 9, 7, 5, and 3. I will never forget the day I met her eldest daughter. SHe was so sweet. So polite. And so fun to talk to. She was genuinely interested in what we were talking about. I remember saying to the Lord. "Lord, this is what I want my children to be like when they are here age."

Well, that sweet little nine year old girl, is now fifteen. She is actually the young lady shown in the pictures. When she was twelve, she began coming over to our home as our "mothers helper", When she would come, I'd try to do certain projects that would be helpful to have an extra set of hands. We did this for a little while, and then our season for that ended. But a friendship began. Since that time, I have had the privelage to pour into her life. Yes, it could have been really easy for me to say that I had "a lot going on". After all, since I met her we have moved twice and had two more little ones. But there was a need. And God was pulling me to it! This sweet girl, now a young lady, needed someone. Someone to say "I will take the time to pour into you." And this was not something that could wait until things "settled down" for me. What does that mean anyways???
For the past 3 months, I have had the pleasure of her company in our home one weekend a month.

What a joy it is to see young life! To be able to pour into a life so young and tender. God is do amazing! He is so on time!!! But we must be ready! Not just free! This friendship he has given me with this young lady is God's timing! Not something I decided to do because I had " extra time".

But god gave me the discernment to know that this was something that could not wait until the children We're older. It could not wait until I was free. It could not wait until all the the laundry was done.

This young lady needs to see this. The mess. The " peaceful chaos". The love. The responsibility. The opening of our hearts and home to others.

One day she will be a wife and a mother. One day she will be discouraged. One day she will feel overwhelmed. One day she will come to the end of herself an see that the lord is the all sufficient . And when that day comes, she will be prepared. Not because she saw perfect. But because she saw life. And that the true beauty of life happens in the midst of the messy.

Let us teach the younger to welcome all that the blessing of family brings.

A homemade christmas

2011-12-19T18:43:00.003-06:00

We are way behind this year on preparing Christmas gifts for family and friends. But we are moving along somewhat now. For years, we have been working towards doing a more homemade Christmas. Sometimes I feel bad for wanting this. Like the receiver of our gifts may feel as though we are trying to "save" a few dollars by hand-making gifts. But then I try to bring myself back to why I have this desire.

#1 Every opportunity to give a gift, is an opportunity to sow a "piece of your heart" into someone's life.

This is where I like to show our values and convictions. A chance to plant a seed in another person's life. The two seeds we usually sow are the importance of the assurance of salvation & the blessing of family and working together as a family.
The children are included in every gift we make. And many of the times they've come up with the ideas of what we will make.

#2 we give a chance to our children to have the joy and pride of being part of the gift process.

Our kids get so excited to get in to this. From the planning, to the shopping, to the preparation & and finally the gift wrapping. We create memories and have such a wonderful time!!!

#3 our children learn the gift of giving their time.

This is very important in a fat and age where materialism is so important in society. Teaching them, and us, to value the gift of homemade things, teaches them many things.

#4 we teach out hidden to harness their skills and talents. Do you have a baker in the family ? A knitter? Perhaps an artist? What a blessing to allow our Holden to excell in their gifts to bring joy to others.

This year we are making baskets of homemade mixes that other like of ours.
Homemade buttermilk pancake mix
Old fashioned hit chocolate mix
Sugared apple jellies
Apple butter
Homemade bread
Cinnamon rolls
Homemade pickles

So this year, as we seek to celebrate a homemade Christmas... Let it be a time of the out pouring of love, from our family into the lives of others. Teaching our children to think about others and not get caught up in what they want will bless them for the rest of our lives.

Your questions answered...

2011-12-19T18:32:00.000-06:00

"I would love to hear about cooking with your kiddos...what do they like to eat, what do you like to cook with them and what do you do for breakfast, lunch, snacks etc. What are some of your favorite recipes and what does a typical menu look like in your home."

A big thank you to my sweet friend Rossie for this (as always) amazing question! We all love food in our house. And we all love to cook together. I would say that 90% of all the cooking we do in our home is with the kids. So as you can imagine, it gets QUITE messy in our kitchen. Things in this area of our home have been one way for quite sometime. But are in need of some major changes since we've moved to the country. So I'll share what we do now. And I'll post about our changes when we finalize them.

What we cook with them...

I cook everything with my kids. We are always in the kitchen! It is the one room in the house that I feel like I'm always cleaning! Add to that all the Children in the kitchen. And I'm pretty sure you can get the picture. But I welcome the mess! It's training them in a skill . And spending time with them making precious memories!!!
One of my favorite things to do is cool through a cookbook with them. Or pick a type of food ( beef, chicken, seafood, etc) and focus on learning new recipes in that category that month.

What we do for breakfast...

Breakfast is very simple for us most days. We do lots of smoothies, oatmeal, eggs and toast or granola. Saturday is the day daddy likes to make breakfast for us all. He loves this fay an usually makes omelets and bacon. As a practice of celebrating the Lord's day, that is the day we make our special breakfast... And it's big!!! We love having people over on Sunday as a way of celebrating the sabbath. I'm currently training our children to take over this meal on the week days, with minimal supervision from me. But on the weekends we do it all together!!!

lunch...

Lunch is sometimes a quick meal for us. I usually do lunch while the Holstein are doing school. Since we are doing major work on our schedule now, lung is usually eaten while doing school. But, for future plan is to have a helper with lunch. We have a schedule for lunch:
Monday: leftovers ( it's laundry day)
Tuesday: nachos, crockpot, or soup
Wednesday: picnic lunch ( its our errand day)
Thursday: kids pick ( it's our kitchen day)
Friday: sandwiches ( fresh bread from cooking day)
Saturday: daddy chooses
Sunday: big brunch

snacks...

We love snacks! And typically, our snacks are cheese and crackers, fruit with date honey, yogurt, popcorn, smoothies or hummus and pita chips.

our favorite recipes...
A typical menu in our home look like...

We have a bit of a different system for dinner. I make 3 meals a week. And in between those days , we have leftovers. This does not include Sunday though. And I'm sure this will look different as we begin to raise more of our own food.

Weeks 1&3:
Monday: leftovers
Tuesday: chicken recipe
Wednesday: leftovers
Thursday:pasta recipe
Friday: special recipe ( pizza, or a new recipe)
Saturday: leftovers
Sunday: crockpot recipe

Weeks 2&4:
Monday: leftovers
Tuesday: beef recipe
Wednesday:leftovers
Thursday: fish or seafood recipe
Friday: special recipe
Saturday: leftovers
Sunday: crockpot recipe

I will Post about all the changes we are making to meal time soon. We will be beginning our monthly cooking again. This and my crockpots... ( (Yes we have two now. ) are beginning to be very needed with all the new work around here.

2011-12-18T20:56:00.000-06:00

When you go out with your children, lift your head high, put a smile on your face, and be proud to be a mother. You have one of the most important careers in the nation. God Himself is your employer and you are helping to determine the future of this nation.

Be a light in the midst of a society that does not embrace children. Do not be intimidated. Show your love for your children as you speak sweetly to them and are patient with them. If God has blessed you with a number of children, be proud to display your "blessings" from the Lord. You reveal to the world what God is like for He loves children. Jesus did not reject children. He welcomed the children to come to Him.

Nancy Campbell

Making Family Meals More Special

2011-12-14T17:19:00.004-06:00

Recently, we had the privilege of hearing Colin & Nancy Campbell speak. She spoke the most beautiful words about the Family Meal Table. About how we , as mothers, have the responsibility and the privilege of nourishing our families. She gave many wonderful ideas and encouraging things for us to implement in our home. So this week, we tried one idea!

RED NIGHT!!!!

I told everyone the night before that the following day would be red night for dinner. And they were to all come to the dinner table in red.

That morning, they were so excited, they all dressed in red. Some, in less than appealing outfits...but they were all red. :)
I decided to cherish the moment, and did not require them to change while we ran errands. Even though they dressed the baby in an outfits that was two different matching plaids. He looked like he was from the 80's.

We got MANY a comment on our red outfits. And the children cheerfully commented on how we were having "red night" tonight!! As we went grocery shopping, they chose our red menu for the night.

Our menu included:

Steak (it's red meat) ;)
Red mashed potatoes
Mozzarella, Basil and tomato salad
Pomegranate
Red pasta
Red pears
Strawberry yogurt
Red apple Snapple

AS we were getting ready for daddy to come home, I was in our closet folding laundry. So focused was I, that I did not hear the children squeal with delight as daddy got home.

As I looked up, I was immediately startled to see my husband with a COMPLETELY RE FACE!!!! He'd stopped off on his way home and bought red face paint. He is so amazing!!!

He then began to paint all of the children's faces!!!

Dinner was amazing! And so fun! Although, it took me DAYS TO GET THE RED PAINT OFF!!!!!

IN THE MIDST OF ALL THE BUSYNESS OF LIFE, THESE PRECIOUS TIMES ARE EASILY PUT ON THE BACK BURNER. BUT WHEN WE PUT A BIT OF EXTRA EFFORT AND PLANNING...WE CREATE MEMORIES THAT WILL LAST A LIFE TIME!!!!!

Seasonal Work

2011-12-14T16:23:00.005-06:00

This weekend was quite full of work!!! It was raining! A much needed rain! Because of the rain, we were unable to pick up our donkey babies, whom we gave the cutest names to (to be announced later). We ended up buying a small used trailer (something I NEVER THOUGHT WE'D OWN) :)

Recently, amidst being in a drought, we had a burn ban out here. This week it was lifted. As the children and I were driving home we saw MANY fires and thought we were going through another round of brush fires!!! Then to my surprise, we discovered it was only other burning their brush! So we decided to do the same thing!!!

Since we have moved out here, our boys have just blossomed through all of the work they've been given! It warms my heart to see not only them grow into their roles as "future men", but to see my girls learning how to be willing to be helpers beside their daddy.

It was really cold this weekend! Well...Texas cold. And as this will be our first year here on our farm, we are trying to assign the work to the seasons. We decided that the best time to clear and burn brush would be in the winter (our version of winter ). That way we did not have to do it in the heat.

The girls and I made a hot lunch for all of our hard working fellas and we ate hot sandwiches with baked beans, creamed corn and s'mores by our brush fire!!!!

I am learning a new level of being a "helper to my husband". As he wanted me to clear brush with the family. And drive the car with the trailer hitched to the back of it. I had a few minor accidents, two of which included; we falling really hard on my back while I was pulling a big stubborn branch out of the pile. And me making a small dent in our suburban when backing up with the trailer.

I really did try my best! My husband was so amazing with the trailer! He was a natural at driving with it on the back! We cleaned out the stalls for the donkeys, painted some more signs for the farm and did some more work on the chicken coop, which will be done this weekend!

Later that evening, we began making our Christmas gifts :homemade hot chocolate mix, homemade old fashioned pancake mix,
apple jellies, apple butter and a few other goodies!!!

It was so late when we came to a stopping point, one of my little helpers fell asleep in the corner of the kitchen, fully clothed...

And with a bag of marshmallows in her little hand. It was very cute!!!!!

It was a very rewarding day!!!

A Little Extra Goes a Long Way

2011-12-14T16:04:00.004-06:00

Today two of the children had an initial orthodontic consult. I could sense they were a bit nervous.

The office is so cute. It is an old one room school house. VERY AUTHENTICALLY preserved.

As we walked up the stairs, all "nerves" disappeared as we saw a sign welcoming my children to the office!

Not a big effort. But my how huge it was to the children and I!!!

We're Expecting...TWINS!!!

2011-12-09T13:31:00.003-06:00

Twin miniature donkeys that is!!! ;)
Sorry to startle you all. And while I would love to be expecting twins...
This time it's animals! :)

And everyone is nesting... Even the smallest of our bunch!

They arrive this weekend! And we are all very excited !!!

Cute Kids Things

2011-12-08T09:25:00.002-06:00

I've been sharing with Trinity how I pray every morning while I'm dressing for the Lord to show me what to wear. I encouraged Trinity to try it. This morning, she came down with her clothes and Madeline's clothes (b since she chooses their outfit for the day).

Trinity: Mommy, I praying for the Lord to show me what to wear.
Me: Oh that's wonderful!
Trinity: Except he showed me different outfits for me and Madeline.
Me: Well, that's OK. But this orange shirt doesn't match this red and green skirt.
Trinity: (long pause) Well then why did he tell me to chose it?
Me: SPEECHLESS!!!!!

What a girl I have . I enjoy her so much.

Your Questions Answered

2011-12-03T00:51:00.006-06:00

"I would love to hear how you do a grocery budget. "

So many great questions wrapped into one package. Some of these I have frequently myself. :) I am queen of "if it doesn't work...fix it until it does" . So that means I frequently change things around in how we shop for groceries. We typically have one big shopping trip a month for all non-perishable items. And then every week for the fresh things. Although I would love to try to go every 2 weeks for fresh stuff. Here are a few other things we do. This will either really encourage you...or make you feel as though you really are doing a MUCH better job than I. ;)

"- do you go over your budget?
"
Yes and No. I am going to be very honest and say that while we do have a grocery budget, I do not always succeed in following it. I wish I could say that I followed it every month. I diligently try. But there always seems to be some special recipe, a family we want to open up our home to, or a friend in need of a meal, or two, or three...or even a whole weeks worth. Genuinely, the joy of my heart is opening up our home, or helping people and meeting whatever need I can. The goal of our family is living to give. Its a common occurrence to have up to 30-40 people in our home ( at one time) every month. I love bringing meals to people, or buying groceries for a friend who is sick or in the first trimester of pregnancy. Typically the food we make for others either when they come over, or we bring to them comes from the monthly budget we have already set. But Anything that goes over just comes from some place else in the budget that month. And because we are using it to bless others I never feel bad about it. ;)

-" do you coupon?
- if you do coupon... how do you do it? and how do you find the time to do it?! lol"

When I was pregnant with our third child I attempted couponing. And then one day, when I came home from my four hour grocery shopping trip...so proud of my "savings" my sweet husband told me I was probably not saving anything at all with all the gas I was using. And for some reason all the coupons were for things we would never buy otherwise. So I stopped. However, my sweet 9 year old boy has taken it upon himself to always look for coupons at the store. So he saves us some money at times (which he is VERY proud of). But I never travel down the street to get the "better deal". In the following years, as we've had more children and less time to do certain things, I just decided my time was more precious.

"- how can you afford to feed that many people and still afford healthy meals?
"

I think this can be done on any type of budget. A few things we do are:
We buy organic where we can. We know that there are many foods that are much better for you organic. But we also are wise with our budget. And do not attempt to be fearful in thinking that non organic food is all bad. We decided that milk, other dairy, eggs, meat, apples, and some veggies were our choices for buying organic.
We make MANY things from scratch. I am always learning and teaching the children how to make it instead of buy it.
We don't buy cereal. Instead we make our own granola which is very filling and lasts MUCH longer than store bought cereal.
We don't buy snack foods (chips, cookies, etc.)
We don't buy sugary drinks or juices. Occasionally we will buy Simply lemonade. but when its gone. That's it.
I plan meals so we don't waste food.
I never impulse buy. I always go to the store with a list.
Smoothie for breakfast are a wonderfully healthy and frugal way to eat smarter with many children in the home.
We try to grow as many vegetables in our own garden as we can.
We are trying to raise our own meat. And will process our first batch of chickens in the spring.
Eat in season and as local as you can. I am trying to find access to local farms who will sell in season produce in bulk so I can freeze it.
Now we are raising chickens for eggs. That will be wonderful for the budget when they begin laying. But for now we buy eggs from a local woman for $2 a dozen! A great deal for free range eggs
I shop at Costco and Sams!! I love these places. I go there with the same amount of money to spend every week. And as I put things in the cart, I add the prices up. And each week I spend no more than that amount. Instead of buying the same things every week at the regular market, I am buying different things each week that last us for months.
When it comes to affording to feed large crowds of people, I try to stick to foods that will stretch. Pastas, BBQ, Sandwich bars, Or my favorite BREAKFAST!!!

It doesn't matter what your budget is. If you are willing to think outside the box, the Lord will show you how to set a budget and even how to stretch it.

If anyone has any other ideas, feel free to join in.

Fixin' up the Farm

2011-12-01T00:19:00.014-06:00

We have been doing a lot of work to try and make this sweet place "our own". My husband gave this place a name. One I was very happy to hear. It may be overly used and seem cliche. But its ours. As with everything we do, we wanted the children to be a part of making this place "ours". So we have been painting!!! LOTS OF PAINTING!!!!

Painting doors red and shutters green...

Painting decks green...

Before:

After:

Painting LOTS of chairs and tables!!! EVERYONE HELPED!!!!! It was very messy!!!!

.. And signs! Lots of signs!!!!!! We made a big sign for our farm name. You see it as you drive up. And we made signs for the chicken coop, the dogs, the garden, and MANY more to come!!!!!

The unveiling of our Family Farm Name & signs...
(A very happy moment!)

Work

2011-11-30T22:50:00.009-06:00

We have officially been here on our little farm for 3 months now. SOOO much has happened. I hardly know where to begin.

CHICKENS!!!!

(Our resident poultry expert did all the research) Thanks sweetie! We know what we know because of your dilligent research!

We got our 50 day old baby chicks exactly 5 weeks ago today! They WERE sooo cute! These pictures were taken the day we got them. They arrived early and our brroder was not ready, so we improvised with Big cardboard boxes.
Our chicks spent the first week of their lives in these boxes, inside the house. They were then moved into a 4 ft x 6 foot water trough in our tool shed. That lasted about two more weeks before we had to move half of the chicks into a second water trough.
They are doing really well. Growing and looking pretty strange. Our chicken coop will be ready in a week or so. And then we will move them into the coop when they turn about 8-10 weeks old.

The children have been wonderful with them! Caring for them has been a welcomed adventure for them. Expect when we have returned home late and they have to feed and water while they are sleepy. But it has been a very big character lesson about stewardship! We lost three chicks due to corner crowding (my own term for whatever it's really called). But other than that they are healthy, happy & thriving!

The chicks are HUGE now! Its so amazing to see this process.

We have 11 Auracanas
10 Barred Rocks
And the rest are Rhode Island Reds
We plan to process 19 and keep the rest for laying!

We are having so much fun learning as we go. Since this is our first time! ;)

Here is a small breakdown of what we have done so far:

Day 1:
chicks arrived and we gave them grow gel for rapid re-hydration from their travels to our home.
Acquainted the chicks with their new home. We put 25 in one box and 25 in the other. Used pine shavings and burlap on top to prevent them from slipping. Also to prevent them from filling up too much on pine shavings.Had brooder lamps at 95 degrees

Week 1:
Changed bedding daily
fed and watered twice a day (sometimes three)
Brooder temp. same

Week 2:
Moved chicks into work shop
And into bigger brooder.
It took us two weeks to get through a big bag of chick starter.
Started noticing a bit of feathering on wing tips
Began changing bedding every few days. No longer using burlap.

Week 3:
Decreased brooder temp by 5-8 degrees by lifting lamps up.
Noticed bigger feet. And they were feathering out on their tails. Getting very long and skinny. VERY awkward looking!
Big difference in the amount of food they were eating/spilling everywhere! :)
Feed and water twice a day.

Week 4:
More feathering.
More growth.
Trying to fly out of the brooder.
Still eating a lot.
Still changing bedding every few days.
Decreased brooder temp. more

Week 5:
They seem to be fully feathered. They are very energetic and try to peck our hands in curiosity when we bring full feed trays in.

2011-11-30T22:02:00.000-06:00

“O dear mothers, you have a very sacred trust reposed in you by God!

He hath in effect said to you, “Take this child and nurse it for Me, and I will give thee thy wages.” You are called to equip the future man of God, that he may be thoroughly furnished unto every good work. If God spares you, you may live to hear that pretty boy speak to thousands, and you will have the sweet reflection in your heart that the quiet teachings of the nursery led the man to love his God and serve Him.

Those who think that a woman detained at home by her little family is doing nothing, think the reverse of what is true. Scarcely can the godly mother quit her home for a place of worship; but dream not that she is lost to the work of the church; far from it, she is doing the best possible service for her Lord.

Mothers, the godly training of your offspring is your first and most pressing duty.”

~Charles Spurgeon

2011-11-28T10:03:00.001-06:00

“To be Queen Elizabeth within a definite area, deciding sales, banquets, labours, and holidays; to be Whitely within a certain area, providing toys, boots, cakes and books; to be Aristotle within a certain area, teaching morals, manners, theology, and hygiene; I can imagine how this can exhaust the mind, but I cannot imagine how it could narrow it. How can it be a large career to tell other people about the Rule of Three, and a small career to tell one's own children about the universe? How can it be broad to be the same thing to everyone and narrow to be everything to someone? No, a woman's function is laborious, but because it is gigantic, not because it is minute.”
― G.K. Chesterton

Christmas Preview...

2011-11-19T21:58:00.005-06:00

We had an AMAZING Christmas photo shoot today!!! I just lobe taking pictures of the kids!!! My how they are growing!!!

Christmas Cards

2011-11-08T17:44:00.002-06:00

WE are doing something really different today. The children wanted to decorate for Christmas. SO WE ARE. We are also getting ready for Christmas Cards!!!

Please email me with your address, if you want one. And I'll send you our new address.

PS. Week 1 of the menu challenge is coming soon. So many yummy things we've been working on.

:)

One Month Meal Challege-A Challenge to Myself

2011-11-03T17:51:00.005-05:00

I am very guilty lately of boring meals and/or eating out. I was even recognized at a drive through restaurant. :0
That is nothing to EVER be proud of!!!! I have realized that I am guilty of more than just boring meals. I am guilty of squandering this precious time with my sweet children and my sweet husband. For this is time that I could be dazzling them. With fun things to eat. Making memories together while cooking new things! So for the next month, starting tomorrow, I will be making a new meal for breakfast, lunch and dinner. And I will be posting pictures and links to recipes.
You are welcome to join in and post a link. But I know this may be overwhelming for some. I am just really in need of doing something drastic for myself.

Be Faithful

2011-11-01T16:16:00.001-05:00

The Faithful Mother

How many times do we picture for ourselves what we should be as mothers? We tediously sculpt for ourselves, this vision of what we should "measure up to". And then one day, we fail. And we look up at this "ideal" that we have poured ourselves into. Thinking we will always measure up. And we feel like a failure.

GOD DOES NOT CALL MOTHERS TO BE FREE OF FAILURE. HE CALLS MOTHERS WHO ARE FREE TO BE FAITHFUL!!!

No where in the Bible, does it ever command us to be perfect. We are to be ever-clinging to our Lord. Who is always enough for us. What a thought1 So hard to comprehend! We are not enough.We will never be enough for our children. But Jesus is! And through the Holy Spirit, we will find all the support and inspiration we will need to be faithful mothers.

To be a faithful mother. What does that mean?

It means that we are to set our minds to something. Not on never making mistakes. But on picking ourselves back up when we do make mistakes and striving to move to a better place as a mother.
What do we want our children to remember about us when they are older?

#3 WE MUST BE WHAT WE WANT OUR CHILDREN TO BECOME!!!!!

So in essence, the first step of becoming a faithful mother, begins with us making the commitment to change the things that are keeping us from being a faithful mother.

#2. FIND WOMEN WHO CHALLENGE YOU TO BE A BETTER MOTHER!!!!

A huge blessing in my life has been finding other mothers who inspire me to be better. Be it by workshops, blogs, or in real life. There is a wise saying I love that says "Show me your friends, and I'll show you your future". If we are always around whining and contentious mothers, how will we ever be fueled to be anything other than them? If iron sharpens iron...then what does negative company do to us?

#3. GUARD YOUR TIME!!!

Sometimes, even when we have a vision of how we want to raise our children, we do not follow through because we do not guard our time. Time is one thing that will never wait for us. It does not stop until we get our acts together or our time in order. We want to make the most of our time! Everyday! All day! This begins with budgeting our time. Seeing life as a vision rather than always just going with the flow. Make your time work for you!

#4. INVEST IN REALLY GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CHILDREN!!!

Learn them. Study them. Find out what makes them tick. What speaks to their hearts? Find those things out and do them. Look at them. Love them. Teach them. Do it joyfully! Do it willingly! Do it without measure! Do it without ceasing!

#5. FIND TIME TO REST IN THE LORD!!!

We will at times feel discouraged. Like we are not making a difference. Like we can go on no longer. But we again, are not enough. Resting in the Lord re-fuels us. Or like Genny said to me today, "Gives us a fresh transfusion of encouragement".

Do you need a transfusion of encouragement?

Go to The Lord. Rest in him. Lean on him. He is willing. He is waiting.

#6. PACE YOURSELVES!!!!

Parenting is a marathon not a 100 yard dash. We will be parenting till we are no longer here. It is the hardest work we will ever have to do. And the most rewarding we will ever see. Learn to love what you are doing. Think good thoughts of what you are doing. Regard your position as a mother higher than any title the world could offer. And then find joy in the hard stuff. When the house is messy. The children whinny. Find joy in it all!

A GODLY WOMAN SEEKS TO FIND THE BEAUTY IN EVERYTHING!!!!!

JUST BE FAITHFUL!!!!

Appreciation

2011-10-28T23:39:00.002-05:00

This is Miguel, Tara's husband. This is officially my first blog post and what better way to start my first post honoring my wife. I am not good with words compared to Tara. I am straight to the point while Tara will beautifully illustrate her heart out in words. I really appreciate what you are doing babe with all your encouraging words. You truly have a gift. I read your blog and see all the good fruit that comes from this. If you have any good stories to tell about how Tara has helped you out(through Gods glory) I would love to hear about it. I love you babe, and keep up the good work. Muahh

New House-New Family Closet

2011-10-28T20:39:00.009-05:00

At our old home, we adopted the "family closet" idea for our family. And LOVED IT! When we moved into this home, I was praying to be able to do the same. In this home, it was not feasible to have a whole family closet, so we created a "kids" family closet and a "momma & daddy" family closet. After a few different plans, and a lot of moving around, we now have a rough plan. I am sure things will drastically become more organized as the months go on. But for now, we have a good system.

So here is our "kids" family closet:

When you walk in, we have all of our diapers, pull ups, wipes & my basket of clothing to be mended.

Since our bedrooms are just for sleeping. We do not have any dressers in their rooms. We re-used our white drawers for them. Each child has their own set for under clothes, pj's, etc.
On top of the drawers, we have a bin for:
hats
boys socks
boys undershirts
girls socks

I put shelves on the wall to keep all our sewing fabric so that it is easily accessible when we need it.

These tables were used for school. Now we use them for crafts and sewing. This is also the room I do all our sewing. And all our ribbon for bow making.

We try to be very purposeful in what we put in our home regarding decoration. We aim to put things that will keep us on the path the Lord has for us. This is a wonderful quote about laundry that just blesses me everything I look at. Especially those times I feel overwhelmed by laundry.

Here is the children's clothing that I hang. Since I sew about 98% of all the girls clothes, I hang them. And I hang the boys good shirts and church pants.

BOWS, BOWS, BOWS!!!!

In this home, we had to split up our pair of washers and dryers. The people who built this home had 11 children, so we are blessed to have 3 washer/dryer connections. There is one upstairs. And since the children's rooms are upstairs, that is the one we use for the children's laundry. We take the laundry straight from the dryer and put it on the floor of the family closet. Then whoever is available helps to fold and put away. Our children receive .25 cents for doing one whole load of laundry. For us, one whole load means putting in the washer to wash, drying and folding. We try to do two loads of laundry a day. And then Monday is our "Laundry Day Focus". This is the day we wash bedding, iron and wash any other laundry left over.

This system of laundry has been such a blessing to me. It has taken something that once overwhelmed me and took too much of my time. And with the family closet, I have been able to make laundry a part of out everyday life without the hassle.

No Expectations=Chaos

2011-10-28T20:22:00.003-05:00

This picture makes me very sad. For we live in a world that thinks this is funny, cute, stylish or some strange mixture of these.

Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.
-Philippians 4:23

How is it that we can, as parents, by our children clothing like this and wonder why things go wrong??? We need to be purposeful in how we raise our children. In what they watch. How they play. What they play with. Who they play with. What they listen to. And YES!!!

EVEN WHAT THEY WEAR!!!

It is not cute to wear things like this!

I understand this is very bold for me to say. But we must go to war for our children.

We as parents, need to show our children to stand up for righteousness.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things. -Philippians 4:8

When we dress our children, it must reflect our values. What we stand for. What we believe in. Every area of our lives should do the same. There is NO part of our lives apart from the Lord. This includes how we dress. And certainly how we dress our children. If we expect nothing from them. Then we have no right to complain when we see our society so messed up.

SOCIETY STARTS AT HOME!!!!!

Family is the first society a child will ever learn to be a part of. I am so sad to see the defiance and and snarkiness of pop culture put onto tshirts and other apparel for small children. Disobedience and disrespect for authority is NOT funny! It is not cute! Packaging sin in a pretty package does not make it ok to sin!

Live life on purpose. Ask yourself why you do what you do!

Even why we wear what we wear!

Boys & Snakes

2011-10-25T13:16:00.003-05:00

Unfortunately, we saw our first snake...

I have a dear friend who is not bothered by snakes (I love you Rossie)...

I however, cannot stand them...

What would I do without my boys???

who caught the (non-poisonous) snake & chopped his head off...

But not without a few photo opportunities?!?!?

...Boys & snakes

Beginning Our LIttle Farm...Part 1

2011-10-25T12:17:00.011-05:00

Putting Our Plan into Action: (A bit of a late update)

For years, we have been thinking about this. Reading planning, learning. And now that it is upon us, we still cannot believe it's here. When we moved here, we began the process of really asking the Lord what we were here to do. What animals we should have on our little family farm. What we should name our farm. And even if we should call it a farm or a ranch. We decided we were not really ranchers, and what the goals for our property are made us a farm. So our farm was "born". So we begin our journey in learning to homestead in South Texas. With so many wonderful women who have gone before me, I carry their wise advice and their loving encouragement close to my heart.

Our goal, as a family, is to learn to live a more self-sufficient lifestyle. This includes skills we will learn/already know. Raising animals who provide both food and other "services" to our family. And last but not least, growing as much of our own food as possible. To get our property and all the "parts" working together to sustain itself in as much as we can afford to. My hope is to share all the setbacks and successes as we strive to "subdue" our homestead.

Our first additions were our two puppies. 4 month old labrador retrievers.

Purpose: Pets for our children, guards for our property.

Cactus Jack

and Lady Anne

It has been quite a labor of love learning how to tend to these two sweet puppies. The little boy, Cactus, is quite a roamer. And thus has resulted in us putting them in an enclosed kennel on our property. The girl is very content to just be rubbed all day long.

Our second additions were 40 chicks that are due to arrive THIS WEEK!!!!!!!

Our children before we "officially" owned chickens. ( the baby will learn to love them) ;)

And after!!! :)

Our third additions for the farm were our 3-month old kittens

Purpose: Pest control

Rosemary & Pearl

This is a picture before we "officially" owned the kittens:

Opening the box we brought them home in...

The children named one Pearl because she was almost all white, except for a stripped tail. And the other was named Rosemary because she kept hiding in our big rosemary bushes.

Our next addition to the farm will be 2 miniature donkeys. They will arrive as soon as we have our "animal/barn area" cross fenced.

Purpose: Pets for the children, and lightweight guard animals of the animal area. (although standard donkeys are better at guarding, we figured the minis would be nicer for the children. Pictures to come!!!

Sometimes...

2011-10-09T21:51:00.002-05:00

I feel out of control.
So I run.
Not the good type of running.
I mean the type of running that consists of putting the children in the car and running needless errands.
(what? I'm just being honest ). :)

You see, when I'm in the car...
I Feel in control.
I can steer.
I can press the brake.
I can accelerate.

When I'm in the car...
The children are contained.
We are all learning via jonathan park, a sermon, or some other audio source.
I'm in control.

When I'm in the car...
Nothing gets dirty.
No chores to do.
I'm in control.

I'm in control...right???

Wrong!

But alas, the Lord has shown me that running will solve nothing eternal.
It will only:
Drive up my gas bill
Waste my time
Teach my children bad habits
And most importantly...
Create a barrier between my stubbornness and the fullness of God's love for me.

We are never fully in control.
Even when we think we are.
Our loving creator loves us too much to allow us to be deceived by the enemy.
So instead of running from...

Run to HIM!
The one who made time.
Made you and me.
Made our sweet children.

Run to HIM!
Who calms the storms of life.
Who calls the blind to see...
The deaf to hear...
The lame to walk.

God called us to where we are!
Right here!
Right now!

Let Them Make it Their Own...

2011-10-08T18:25:00.007-05:00

While we have been moving in, decorating and preparing our new home. God has taught me a lot. He impressed upon my heart this short window of time we have to share with our children. Their joy, their excitement, their time to learn.

Two months ago when we were moving in. I was painting. Painting the murals on the children's rooms. My sweet children, excited as ever, sweetly requested what they wanted on theri walls. Their eyes filled with joy and wonder.

"Let them help." the Lord tenderly whispered to my heart.

You see, I was not in the habit of letting them do their wall murals. They were allowed to watch, but not paint.

Being obedient, I gathered the children to help. What a joy it was for them. The Lord gave me the idea to use thier little finger prints. After all , it is a very poigniant tie in to the way God puts his finger print on us.

This was such a precious time with them. A precious time that contiues to give back. Each time I see my sweet ones walk into "their" rooms and smile. Each time I see their eyes light up when they show others where they painted in the boys room or the girls room.

Thank you Lord for allowing me to not miss out on this time.

Finished Pictures to Come...

Dear Mother...

2011-10-08T18:23:00.001-05:00

Dear mother,
There is a place you are needed. A place where salary well never be an issue. Where bonuses will come more than just at Christmas time. Even if they are in the form of sloppy kisses and little fingerprints on the windows. Do not worry about leaving your earthly job. For the day you found out your were expecting, you were hired! Hired by the Lord to raise this child! Yes, your hours will be 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. Yes, your job description will be limitless. You will not always have the extras in life. But it is not to this life we should aim. The best in this life will never compare to the work you are doing! This child, this life. To be the next great Christian, the next President of the United States, the next inventor. Or maybe...Just maybe the next great mother. A mother, like you, who will desire to stay home and raise her children. Equip her. Equip your boys too. For one day they will be some one's husband. And you may never be famous. You may never be rich. You may never be well-traveled. But you will have the opportunity to carry the highest job title ever created by the Lord.

MOTHER!!!

Love, Tara

Ladies Online Bookclub

2011-10-02T09:44:00.003-05:00

Hello ladies-
We are upon a glorious new month. And as such, we are beginning a new book! This month we will be reading through:

The Mission of Motherhood
By: Sally Clarkson

We are so proud of all of you who stuck with us through our first book. We know that time is precious! But no doubt, you are seeing the fruit of spending your time pouring into being a better wife and mother.

We hope you will continue to read along with us.

Please visit our book club site at Joyful Mothers Called according to His Purpose

And as always, please email if you are interested in joining.

A Family Farm

2011-10-01T23:53:00.003-05:00

A family Farm is not just made of animals, land and a home in the country.
It is not even referring to the word family in the farm name.
Rather, a family farm is one made up of a family.
A family that strives to honor the Lord in all they do.
That takes time to teach their children how to work.
To work along beside them.
To love and nurture them

A family farm is one that delights in making the children a part of what they do.
Giving them a sense of purpose on the Land that God gave them.
A family farm does not have to start out with a lot of animals.
It does not have to have fancy equipment.

It can begin with nothing.
It can grow slowly.
Home grown.
In love,
Together.

Painting together.
Learning together.
TOGETHER!!!!

It is in making memories.
Making moments.
Making a family.

That's what makes a family farm.

Why We Must Be and Look Different than this World

2011-09-30T08:19:00.003-05:00

It doesn't matter how you look or what activities we partake in. It's the heart that counts.

Have you ever heard well-meaning Christians say this??? I have many times! So which is it. Is it action or heart? I would venture to say that action and heart work together in communicating the Love of God.

v.1 " Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God"

Even before Jesus came. God spoke through the prophets saying that we would have a calling to be separated for the Gospel. What does that mean? To be separate?

To be separate is not to be a part of. Not connected to. How many times do we feel the pull to be connected to this world. To loosen the grip we have on being set apart and just give in a little. I will admit, being set apart is tough. It's tiring and down right, knock-you-off-your-feet-exhausting. But when we look at the consequences of compromise we begin to see the importance of striving for this high calling.

v.18 "The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse."

Wow, is it possible that many well-meaning Christians and unknowingly aiding in the stifling of the truth of God getting out. If we know that we are to be salt and light and chose not to be, then we are willingly laying down as road blocks in sending the gospel forth to the hurting and in need of Jesus.

Is it possible that many people will only ever see the Jesus within us. We can preach about God;s goodness and invite them to church all we want. But will that change them? Will that make the difference? Yes, it is only the Lord who can make an eternal change in one's heart. But we as the Light of this World are the conduit, if you will, the spark that ignites the fire of God within them.

"People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care"

What are we doing to look different than this world? Do you think its only what's in your heart that matters?

It's not just your heart. For in your heart you may wish to be a light, but if that hearts desire does not manifest in your actions then it is pointless. We hear many Christians talk about what is wrong with the youth in the church or the rebellious families in the church. abortions, Or how Christians divorce as much as those in the world. But what are we "as salt and light".

When we talk about youth not being salt and light, but when we separate them from the adults and use worldly measures to bring them in...what more should we expect?

We can talk about rebellious families, but when we split up the family at church and then offer no accountability for fathers...what more should we expect?

We can talk about divorce in the church, but when we do not teach women and men to function witihin their God-given roles, but instead offer "social gatherings" where they are free to complain about each other...what more should we expect?

Let us not lower our standards. Let us bring them in because they already see a difference in us. Not because we look just like them.

To look different is not a bad thing. Rather you are as a beacon of light to those who are "lost at sea".

They will see you enjoy your husband and wonder how it is you find joy in submission. And they will come.

They will see your children growing in their walks with the Lord and loving their families. And they will come.

They will see what it means to be modest. And they will come.

They will see what it means to be chaste. And they will come.

Be proud to be different. Because in doing so, you are showing the Lord to a lost and hurting generation. You are showing them the joy that is set before them when we follow God.

2011-09-26T13:34:00.001-05:00

God is not looking for those with clear schedules. Rather he is looking for those with willing hearts.
Blessings,
Tara

Openly Embrace

2011-09-26T12:09:00.004-05:00

Openly embrace the season you are in.
Revel in the joy God has set before you.
Search with all your might if you cannot see it.

Take time to smile at your children..
Take time to sing with your children.
Listen to their stories.
Get down on their level to see the world from their perspective.

Openly embrace the season you are in.
Get rid of the things that utter your life.
Smile at your husband.
Plan special treat for your family.
Live extravagantly with what you have.
Don't wait for the "tomorrow" that will never come.

Do it today!
Do it now!

Take the time to teach your children.
Pour into their hearts.
Train them to work beside you.
Do it with joy.
With diligence.
With perseverance.
Don't give up even when you cannot see the fruit.
Keep pushing forward.
Keep teaching.
Keep hugging.
Keep smiling.

This season is joyous.
Is fun.
Is full
Of surprises!

Don't miss them!

A Visit From A Friend

2011-09-25T23:29:00.006-05:00

I am long overdue in writing this. And while it may seem overdue, I just have to record the goodness of God. You see God
s ways are not our ways. He does ot operate on the same time frame as we. He does not even seem to think boundaries are an issue.

Why am I saying this?

Because the Lord has brought me many friends...dear friends. through this humble little blog.

Two years ago, I visited my dear friend Rossie and her sweet little baby.

Three years ago, I had the privelage of meeting Shannon, Becky & Michelle at the THSC conference.

Two years ago also, my dear friend Bridget and her sweet family came to visit us while they were on their 10 month RV tour of the US.

Hmmm...speaking of Bridget, this post is actually ALL about her.

Her and a weekend. A wonderful weekend in which my friend Bridget (and baby Fallon still warm and cozy inside momma) flew down and spent the weekend with us at our home. We did many wonderful things like go out to eat, teach her to sew, surprise my husband with balloons and giant cinnamon rolls on his birthday,
drive 40 minutes to feed her the best bbq only to show up to a closed restaurant, take her to visit our church which ended up having hidden peaceful protestors disrupting the service, finding out we both enjoyed a "certain smell", talking laaaaate into the night & visiting with another friend of ours Michelle. But the cake topper was getting to throw this sweet friend a baby shower with a few of my friends. And two of Bridget's friends who happened to live in the same city. This was a glorious time to celebrate the life of precious Fallon (now 1 month old).

Thank you Bridget for being such a sweet friend and for sharing s weekend of your precious time with us!!!!

A LIttle Bit of Color

2011-09-25T22:59:00.003-05:00

We are busy adding a little bit of color to our family farm house. I would have liked for there NOT to have been a trash can in the picture. But with so many children with paint brushes, I am sure you understand why I did not have time to move it out of the picture. More pictures to come...

That's Not Very Nice

2011-09-25T22:56:00.003-05:00

The boys bought the fake mustaches. And look what they did to my sleeping baby...

Chosing Animals for the Farm

2011-09-23T17:05:00.009-05:00

The idea of a fully working farm has been a great desire for our whole family for a while. While we are so excited to fill our little 10 acre farm with many many animals, we are trying to be very cautious with what animals we chose. We want to make sure that the animals we chose will add to our farm. You see, our goal is that our farm will help sustain itself. While we will be helping and working, we want to have all things working in harmony.

Here are a few things we have chosen.

First additions to our farm were two very cute labrador retrievers.

Although we have a black male named Cactus Jack and a yello (almost white) female named Lady Anne.
Actual pictures coming soon.

Purpose: Not only have they become friends with my children, but they also serve as guard dogs for us and for the future animals we will add.

Cats

. Not a fan of them myself. But my sweet girls are.

Purpose: To help keep the mice, scorpions, spiders, lizards, and snakes away.

Chickens

Purpose:
Meat and eggs!
I am most excited about these! We ordered 42! While there are many breeds of chickens we have chosen to go with:

20 Barred rock hens and one barred rock rooster

10 auracana hens and one rooster

10 Rhode Island Red Hens

Guinea Hens:

Purpose:
To keep snakes and other pests away. Also to eat all the bugs in the garden. These little guys have a strange face, but are called "the farmers watchdog". They, unlike chickens, are great for gardens. They go through the garden without messing up plants and scratching everything up. They also surround strange things such as snakes, etc and make loud noise if they come around.

Miniature Donkeys:

These little guys are so cute!!!

Purpose:
They too cut down on things we may not want in the yard, provide protection but are also very friendly.

Sheep:

Purpose:
Meat

Never thought of sheep as meat before, but I think we are going to try this out. They are not pesky like goats as far as eating everything and climbing everywhere.

Pig:

Purpose:
For meat and eating leftover food scraps.

A family dairy cow:

Purpose:
Milk. Also use milk to make cheese, yogurt, butter.

We will get a jersey cow, as we've read from a dear friend how well they work.

Family meat cow:

Purpose: Meat and breeding the dairy cow

Black angus is the breed we are getting.

These are just a few of the animals we plan to add to our family farm within the next few years.

Scheduling Ponderings

2011-09-23T09:23:00.003-05:00

We have been here for one month now. We are 99% unpacked and still going through and organizing things. CHores and schedule have been on my mind since the day we moved here. There is so much more to do out here. And a different house to clean. So assigning responsibilities is a must. For the first few weeks, I felt like I was always telling someone to do something. No on really knew how to put anything where it belonged. Only because no one knew where it belonged.

We now seem to have a bit of a handle on where things are supposed to be...FOR NOW. The moment something doesn't work for us we pray and change it.

I have really been praying about our schedule. Jotted down many notes and many different scenarios. I have even tried just jotting down the flow of our day. I have come to a place where I just do not think that I can do everything in one day and have peace in the home. So I am waiting...waiting on the Lord to show me how to do it.

When I schedule our time many factors go into the planning. Time, activity, where the activity is, who needs to do it, frequency, etc. about 6 years ago I began reading the Large Family Logistic Blog before it was even a book. From there, I adopted every tip she gave. And that is kind of how we've been running our home since then. But I am sensing maybe I need to tweak a few things.

Laundry:

Old Home:
IN our old home, we did laundry first on a scheduled LAUNDRY DAY. Then we switched to two loads a day for about 6 months.

New Home:
In our new home, we still have 2 washers and 2 dryers. Only one set is upstairs in the family closet and the other set is downstairs in the master closet with moine and my husbands clothes. My goal is to continue with a "laundry day" and just float from upstairs to downstairs all day folding with the children. But it still won't give me enough time to iron on that day. :(
So now I am wondering what I should do there. ANY THOUGHTS??

Town Day:

Old home:
Every Friday

New Home:
I have `no idea when to do town day. I am trying to minimize the amount of time we are out of the house. And we already drive into town on Monday and Wednesday Night as well as Sunday for church. Ideally I would like to do it on a MOnday or a Wednesday. This would be a day we would not do school, or just do very light school. I'm trying to incorporate a monthly trip for all non-perishables and then go every 2 weeks for the fresh stuff. That is, until we can grow more stuff in the garden.

Office Day:

Old Home: Thursday

New Home:
Ideally the day before town day. That way I can have all my lists made. I also write cards to people and do more computer stuff on this day.

Deeping Cleaning:

Old Home:
We had a cleaning day in which we did all of our cleaning on Tuesdays.

New Home:
I am still planning on having a set cleaning day, but at this point do not see how I can do it and do school. Maybe we will ease into both school and cleaning, but for now our cleaning day has consisted of teaching the children their chores and NO school.

Property Maintenance/Farm Chores:

Old Home:
My husband took care of all outdoor things.

New Home:
Scouting the property and writitng down all the outdoor chores. Including daily, weekly, and seasonal chores for the overall "upkeep" of our property (Brush clearing, rock collection, painting, etc)

In an effort to ease his burden a bit, the Lord has shown me that I must be more involved in training the children to help me with this stuff. After all, for the time being, my husband is at work every morning unless it is Saturday or Sunday. So in my efforts to become a better helpmeet. I am slowly but surely learning to be more "sturdy" in the things I have to do. In the past few weeks I have taken many a van load of junk to the dump, cleared brush with the children, painted things outside with the children. And my list goes on and on and on. Thank you Lord!
This is also preparation for all the other animals we will be getting in the near future. So we have been doing this all in the morning when the day is coolest.

School:

Old Home:
Started right at 9 am and finished about 2

New Home:
We start at around 11 after all the work has been done (focus day, morning routine, outdoor responsibilities). I make lunch at 12 and we eat while doing school. At 1 I leave the children at the table and go read a nap time story for my nappers. Then after they are down, I resume teaching at the table. At 4 we are planning on having a daily teatime during school with a little snack. We are basically at the table until just around 4. FOr now there is little to no free time for any of us. But I know that will change. We are all just trying to figure out school , chores, etc.

Dinner:

Old house:
6 pm

New House:
7 pm
As daddy gets home later because of the new commute. He has asked us to move dinner back 1 hour. I think it is really important for the children to have dinner with daddy as, it is the only meal they share with him. We really try to think outside of the box when it comes to scheduling our stuff around when daddy is or is not home. My plan is to have the quick clean in the home, and the children bathed and in their pj' by the time daddy gets home. So he comes home to a clean home and clean children. This may work because we will already have done all of the evening farm chores by then. SO they could be clean for the night. However, this may not work because he may end up taking them outside to play. You just never know. So for now, I will try this way. If it seems as though the get dirty again, then I will resort to bathing after dinner and see how it works.

How do you manage living on land with all the chores and then still doing school, indoor chores?
My plan, although constantly changing, includes

Another Chapter

2011-09-22T10:47:00.002-05:00

Chapter 14

Build Him Up

"The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down."-Proverbs 14:1

Its the little cancer that plagued many a marriage. Nagging. How many women do it? How many men endure it?

As she quotes Michael Pearl, " No man ever crawled out from under his wife's nagging to become a better man."
Expectations are the enemy of ALL relationships!!! When we expect our husbands to do things and they fall short, which they ALL will, we pound them for not living up to them.

I Love the part of the book where the author references Rob Bell.

"What if [a] women, [even] one with [a] husband who constantly disappoints her, what if she treated him as if he already were the man she wishes he was? What if she [loved] him exactly as he is, today, with all of his flaws? If you are him, which is more motivating: being reminded of all of your failures and shortcomings, or being loved as if you're a great man?"

What a challenging , yet powerful way to show the effect that a woman and her words have on her husband.

So which will it be?
Become a wise woman?
or
A foolish one who tears down her own home?

After all the innumerable references in the Bible do not ever show that a husband tears his home down. So how can we do this? Well first off, we can start by, as Genny said, staying quiet instead of criticizing. We can chose to say nothing. No one forces critical thoughts out of our mouths. Then we can begin to thank God for the admirable qualities in our husband.

EVERY ONE OF US CAN FIND AT LEAST ONE TO THINK ON FOR NOW. NO EXCUSES!!!!!

Doug Phillips said something along the lines of a good woman can make an average man great. A great man superb. But a nagging wife will rip him to shreds.

Ladies, we have to guard our tounges!!!!!!

Let's think back to the sweet wife who was discouraged about her husband leaving his things all over. Look at the difference in her countenance when she complained about cleaning up after him in contrast to when she did it with a willing heart. I love the idea of using those moments, when we do pick up after them, to pray and thank God for the man he gave us to love.

Think about it...is picking up socks really that big of a deal? Is wiping the sink after a shave without nagging really going to take that much time? Don't do it expecting him to say thank you. Because he probably won't notice he even left them there. That's why it's still there! But do it for the Lord!

Remember the part in this chapter that explains how our attitudes and disposition even affect our health. We are more prone to sickness and disease when we are cranky and negative.

Let your husband see your beautiful smile! Let him hear you humming in the home, or singing to the children. Let him see you joyfully doing laundry or dishes. Let him see the delight in your face when you iron his many articles of clothing.
Thank God for these moments!!!

As my dear friend Rossie says, sometimes you have to fake till you make it. This may be a huge effort at first. You may feel like you are in a sense "faking it" but sooner or later you will realize that it is you want to do!!!!!

Just Had to Share...

2011-09-22T10:42:00.001-05:00

Here is a chapter from the book we are reading in our online book club.

Chapter 13

Let Him Lead

"Suppose the women does not follow me?" Genesis 24:39

What a beautiful picture we see of an orchestra. Everything has it's place, there leader; the conductor, is strong and confident. Why? He has the respect and the admiration of those that He is leading. He is confident because those under Him trust Him completely for the task at hand.

As the author states, "there is no offense in His authority. There is unity and a consistent willing subjection. Everyone plays their part and when they do it's simply harmony." God has placed this role for the family on the head of the husband. He must have the respect of those He leads and they must follow joyfully and willingly. Sadly, submission has been so distorted and attacked that most women run from it. We are taught to be strong and self supporting and that no man is needed for us to do our jobs whether in the home or outside.
As she states, "being a help meet is not the same as being a slave nor is being under authority the same as being a door mat. Submission is not a question of superiority, it's a question of structure." As women, we know that if there is structure in our home things run more smoothly.

Why then do we fight this?
There is such an attack on the role of the husband and father that it has crept in ever so slightly that we aren't even aware of it anymore. Men in sitcoms are made to look incompetent, women are shown to be stronger and smarter and more dominating. It's everywhere, even in the cartoons are children watch. Where is the hero? Where is the family?

As wives we have the biggest responsibility to show our families what respect really looks like. Do we yell and scream when our husbands don't do what we want? Do we speak badly of our husbands abilities or put him down in front of others? The author states that our husbands desire respect even more than they crave sex!!!! Respect is something we chose to do not just a feeling we have. We have the power to change
the atmosphere in our homes by putting them before us. Our jobs are selfless, but after all isn't that we are called to do? We are to put the needs of others before ourselves.

Our husbands can and will lead if we give them a chance. We must learn to tame our tongues and let them try. You will be amazed at how your husbands confidence and strength will exude when he knows you believe in him.

This week focus on remaining quiet instead of criticizing or putting down his efforts.
Put a smile on your face and let him know that you are confident he will make the right choice.

Time

2011-09-18T22:54:00.004-05:00

TIME!!!!

Its always there!

Always on our minds!!!

Always going!!!

Never waiting!!!

Time is spent...

wisely or foolishly.

But who does time belong to???

Yes, it is a resource given to us from God.

A resource in which we are to use to live his will for our lives.

But still...who does it belong to?

Us?

Or God?

Is our time ours?

Or God's?

We all know the scenario. The one where we are so busy. Busy teaching. Busy cooking. Busy paying bills. Busy driving. Busy learning. Busy...

BUSY...BUSY...

Ok, so we all agree that we are to be good stewards of our time. For it is commanded by the Lord.

"Be very careful, then, how you live--not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil." -Ephesians 5:15-16

So, that's what we do. We spend our time learning how to be better stewards of our time.

In doing this it is very easy to overlook the needs of others.

The needs of those that may, at first glance, seem very time consuming. Those that may rob us of the little time we already DON'T have...

right???

But wait...Aren't we supposed to always be on watch to meet others needs??? Afterall, isn't that the purpose of the Body of Christ???

Who do you know in your life that has a need? A need that maybe...just maybe, you can meet?

In my life, I was presented with a precious need. Just a few months ago a friend of mine asked me if she could entrust me with something. Something very special. Something very precious. Something very rare.

The heart of her daughter.

So what was I to do? Because man, was I and still am, busy!!!!

But the Lord allowed me to see something.

This sweet young girl. Her need. Her RIGHT NOW need.

She needed me.

Something only I could give.

Oh yes, I could have easily turned it down.

Afterall, I do have 6 young children, homeschool, cook from scratch, sew.

I mean we did just spend 5 months looking for a home, selling a home, packing a home, finding a home, moving into a home, un-packing a home.

RIGHT???

WRONG!!!!

Because the truth is this:

WE WILL ALWAYS BE BUSY!!!!!!!!!

Busy will never go away. But the sneaky enemy tries to feed us that little lie.

When I'm not busy anymore...

When I sell the house...

When the kids are older...

on and on and on...

And all the while we miss out on the NOW moments.

The moments that...

grow you...

Inspire you...

Challenge you...

The moments that...

Leave you breathless...

In awe...

Humbled...

When we rely on the "when" moments we lose all that. NOW is not forever. It is only relegated to this place in time. And God is not looking for people who are not busy. He is looking for the willing!!!

Willing to:

Invite over
cook for
mentor
sew for

Sometimes I think we get too caught up in our "to-do's" that we don't DO.

Who in your life has a need?

A need you can meet??

Maybe like me, there is a young girl who needs a friend. A mentor. A person who says

"Come, let me give you my time. Because you are worth it!!!"

What a joyous and humbling thing.

To give so freely of something so precious to you.

For time is in deed precious.

Like gold and silver.

In our hands.

At times we lose it.

Other times we save it.

But oh the joy that comes when we freely give it.

I would not trade the NOW moments for all the time in the world!!!!!

2011-09-16T22:24:00.001-05:00

On the Other Side of the Mountain

2011-09-13T10:33:00.010-05:00

When we are walking on this path towards the Lord.

Sometimes a mountain befalls us.

What looked like a clear road ahead.

Has now given us the dismal, dark, overwhelming view of an insurmountable mountain.

Knowing God's promises in our lives' we do the only thing we can think of doing.

We begin to climb it.

Sometimes with fear.

Sometimes in anger.

Sometimes through discouragement.

And sometimes with joy.

And then...

One day...

We realize we have climbed over the mountain.

And our bright and clear path is before us yet again.

But I wonder...

I wonder this all the time.

What did we get from the mountain?

Are we just glad to have it behind us??

Or... Maybe...

Do we feel guilty?

Guilty for not enjoying.

Not adjusting our high eyesight to look down at the beauty around us.

For while all mountains seems big and scary.

Surely there is beauty with in them.

Not the kind you can see from the ground.

But the tiny flowers that grow in the cracks of the path you hike.

The way the sky looks when you get high enough on the mountain.

The feeling of the wind.

The sound of quiet!

Quiet?

The quiet times in our lives will not be when things are well.

Rather, they will be when we are high up on the mountain.

Listening to the season God is taking us through.

Not fighting.

Not fretting.

Just enjoying.

Enjoying the path you are on.

Finding beauty in the peaks and the valleys.

For you may only have a chance to walk it once.

Have you ever felt so discouraged that you feared trying?

Trying to cook for your family?

Trying to pick up your schedule again?

Trying to be a godly wife?

So many tries...

SO many failures???

STOP!

Look around you!

For it is on the mountain that God shows us more than we ever imagined we could see.

Don't miss your chance to see the beautiful colors of the sunset.

Or memorize the sound of the stream.

Somehow...

someway...

FIND JOY IN THE journey!!!!!

2011-09-11T00:10:00.002-05:00

"So while your children are little, cultivate an attitude of sacrifice. Sacrifice your peace for their fun, your clean kitchen floor for their help cracking eggs, your quiet moment for their long retelling of a dream that a friend of theirs allegedly had. Prioritize your children far and away above the other work you need to get done. They are the only part of your work that really matters." Rachel Jankovic, Loving the Little Years

What Would You Do?

2011-09-10T17:44:00.003-05:00

If you saw this in your back yard??? Would you be ready to evacuate in minutes? Would you know what to do?

This is a picture my sweet friend took from her backyard. Its no secret that we've been battling many wildfires in Texas. But this one hit too close to home for me. Yesterday my friend and her family of 7 were forced to evacuate their newly built home because of a wilfire that had spread so close to their home. 200 yards away too close...they were given just minutes to evacuate.

Thankfully their home was fine, as were the rest of the homes around them. And although they are back home now, I am still thinking.

Thinking about what I would do if I had to leave with my family.

I think it is wise for us to sit down for a few moments to make a plan for the "just in case" times.

So I did. I made a plan for my family "just in case".

Are you prepared for an emergency evacuation???

Keep Your Children's Hearts...

2011-09-06T22:33:00.001-05:00

INSPIRE THEM!!!!

This is an area very dear to me. I desperately and passionately desire to hold the hearts of all of my children close to mine.

I want to encourage them
I want to lead them
I want to build them up
I want to help them seek the Lord
I want to show them Jesus
I want to be the one to_________

It is not just enough to instruct and train them.

As women we are gifted with the vision to bring beauty and life to our families. I guarantee you if it were left up to my husband to prepare our home it would be bare wall with a few pieces of furniture. But we women, we come in and we create. We add color, flowers, pictures, bed spreads, etc. And within a period of time, we have taken the empty shell of a house and made it into a place called HOME. :)

Our children are not empty shells, but they are blank pages in the storybook of their lives. We have the capacity to write beautiful things on the tablets of their little hearts. Why teach generosity only to never show them the generosity of cooking a meal for a friend whose just had a baby? Why teach them to be a servant only to never show them how to joyfully serve one another.

The possibilities are endless! And we are all called to do it. Not to just teach, but to teach them with beauty, love, life, and all of our hearts.

Be assured that the sacrifices that we make to do this, will be nothing in comparison to the benefits we will reap in the long run!

In Just a Few Hours...

2011-09-05T13:31:00.003-05:00

We will be starting the very first steps of our homesteading journey. 2 Dogs!!! I am very nervous because of our last "dog" adventure .
But amidst the anxiety...I have peace. I know this is where we need to be. And just what the children need. Its so funny to think that within the next year we will be going from no animals to a whole farm!!!!
This will be an adventure like no other!!!!!
:)

Us or Them?

2011-09-03T08:51:00.004-05:00

Being comfortable standing alone is a quality that I REALLY try hard to instill in my children. This world has nothing to offer them in that capacity. In a society where there seems to be not definite wrong, I am persuaded to steer them far away. I am convinced that most if not all wrong choices are somehow rooted in not being confident in standing alone.

I am not speaking of standing alone in a rebellious or flashy way. Standing alone for the glory of God is not something we come by easily. After all. In this day and age it would cause us to limit what we wear, watch, where we go, what we consume, etc. Teaching our children to stand for honor, and righteousness. To think about what is good and pure. Learning to be diligent and strong. It is almost a never ending process that I'm sure becomes more intense and time consuming the older they get. We train our children to do this. We drill it into their precious minds. But when the times come. Do we see it manifested in every form???

One of the things I most try to preserve in our children is their innocence and their childhood. Centuries ago our children we given a childhood while being trained into adulthood. Whereas now, our children are forced into adulthood, then become children as teenagers where there is nothing expected of them, and then eventually turn into adults somewhere around 30. This is not what I want for my children.

I didn't yesterday. We went to the store to buy some food for a friend who'd just had a baby. My boys, as seen in pictures below are very enthusiastic about everything hunting and military. I think its so sweet. While we were getting out at the store my sweet 11 year old put his world war 2 helmet on that he'd bought with his own money at vision forum. In haste I told him to take it off. The reason? I didn't want anyone to look at him funny. Immediately, I saw his confidence fall. What did I do??? I let my flesh , my weakness, my fear of what others would say...get in the way of this vital moment. My son was confident to wear this helmet into a store. Not caring what others would think. He was just operating within the realm of his childhood. You know, the one I said I work so hard to maintain. He was just adorning himself with a symbol of what he valued...HONOR, COURAGE, TRUTH.

So who is it? Us or them who have a fear of standing alone at times??? I am sure that most of you would have passed this test with flying colors. But not me. Not yesterday. What did I do??? I went to my son. After we got home and all the groceries were put away and I apologized. I told him that I was very proud of him and who he was.

Who would have thought that I would have learned such a large lesson from such a little helmet.

Mommy guilt

2011-09-03T00:45:00.002-05:00

Today we went to the grocery store to pick up some food to cook a few meals for a dear friend who has just had a baby. While we were there a few emplyees were at a booth painting nails for a promo for this new nail polish. They asked my girls if they wanted their nails painted. I got really sad.because I realized that it's been a good 4 months since I'd done something like that with my sweet girls.
:(

But I am am thankful the Lord blessed them.

Looking Past Your Own Offense

2011-09-02T12:25:00.004-05:00

Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years.
- james 5:17

Wow! What an amazing thought! To have so much power
In prayer that it would Not rain for three years!!

I have been thinking about this a lot lately since we are I'm the midst of a drought! Thinking about how amazing it would be to pray and have rain to fall without measure from the Heavens. What would be so different about not only this man, but also those other amazing people whose prayers have such power. What is it about them? Surely we Serve the same all knowing all powerful awesome God.

I do not claim to be a great scholar of the word. Nor do I claim to know all the reasons why some have great power In prayer. But over the last few days the Lord has been dealing me on one or two reason why our prayers are hindered.

Expectations
And
Offense

Expectations: We all know that we place our own expectations on people...our family... Our husbands...our children. Sometimes they are met and we are fine and happy. But then it happens...
Someone does not live up to our expectations. When this happens to me, in my weakness, I get offended. Not intentially. Not because I am an angry person. But merely because I have this idea in my head of how I should be treated or how things should be done.

Offense:
The aftermath of expectations. The time when we take our eyes off the Lord and put them on ourselves. Instead
Of thinking that God has allowed us to go through what has offended us,we stew. Depending on the person. Some internize their offense causing them to withdraw and not pray about it. While others externalize it and get angry.

Sometimes we get stuck. We seem to forget the sovereignty of God. The mere fact that we are going through something means that God has allowed it. We need to remember that! It is when we are the most offended that we must press on in prayer. Seeking the Lord for the solution. When we do this, we begin to see that our prayers are powerful! When we look to God... He answers.

2011-09-01T16:29:00.005-05:00

The road God takes us on

Sometimes takes unexpected turns

But its not the perfect roads that bring the most joy

it's the twists and turns

Wondering what's around the next corner

and then...

you begin to see

that the road your were frightened of

was really just the road the Lord used to take you

HOME!!!!!!

4 Brothers

2011-09-01T16:03:00.005-05:00

FOUR boys!!!

Raising them to be each others...

heroes...

wise council...

good company...

best friends...

BROTHERS!!!!!!!

Teaching Them to Guard their Steps

2011-09-01T01:35:00.003-05:00

Good Habits:

"The mother who takes pains to endow her children with good habits secures for herself smooth and easy days; while she who lets their habits take care of themselves has a weary life of endless friction with the children. All day she is crying out, 'Do this!' and the do it not; 'Do that!' and they do the other... training in Habits becomes a Habit and [the mother who] acquires the habit of training her children in a given habit, so that by-and-by it becomes, not only no trouble, but a pleasure to her." - Charlotte Mason

Question:
Could you share a few practical tips on how you implement this in your home? Thank you, and God Bless your family during this time of transition.

Transition is never easy. For me at least. I thrive on structure and order. This has not been the case in our home for the past three to four months. We, as you know, have been looking at houses, moving, selling a house, packing, etc. Our normal routine was one of the first things to go. Sadly, but its true.

But this was short lived. Where there is no order there is no chaos. And fruitfulness does not thrive in a chaotic home. And while it is always fun to stop what your normal routine is to savor a new season of life some sort of order must prevail or bad habits start to set in.

Teaching our children to maintain good habits is essential to building a firm foundation in life, their walk with God & life in general. Self-control is a character quality not to be neglected. Maintaining the good habits we have already poured into them is vital.

When there is nothing "big" going on in life is when the teaching of good habits should begin!

What this looks like in our home:

-I sit out little ones down everyday and have them all practice sitting quietly. In doing this, I tell them to listen for the Lord speaking to their hearts. I teach them that they should always be expecting to hear from God. But while doing that, I tell them they must learn to sit quietly before him. This also helps them learn how to sit still at the doctors office, dentist appointments, church etc.

-Teaching them the "why" in why we do chores. I heard a while back on an SM Davis sermon that until people know the "why" the "how" doesn't matter. I have found in taking time to teach the children the reasons behind the things they do, they are much more likely to embrace it with a happy heart.

-Taking them with me to run errands. I have done this since we only had one. I am seldom, and when I say seldom...I mean SELDOM...by myself. I take my children everywhere with me. Not just because I dearly enjoy being with them...But also because I want them to learn the importance of being places that they may have no interest in. I want them to delight in helping because its what Jesus did for us.
-I make grocery lists for them
-Have them organize the cart
-Unpack the car
-Put items away

Children NEED to learn that life is not merely about having fun!

-TEACH them what it looks like. Oh how we have stifled our children in the past. Just blindly assuming they knew what it looked like to sit still...to share...to be generous, kind, self-controlled, humble. We have to show them what it looks like!!! Sit down with them and show them!!! I love how Voddie Baucham speaks about that! Sitting down with the children and passing a ball around and showing them what sharing looks like!!!

-Consistency and CONSTANT reminders. I do not remain closed lipped when I see someone exhibiting an attribute we do not necessarily condone. Rather I take them aside and try, to the best of my abilities, to re-focus them back to where we need to be. THIS PART CAN BE EXHAUSTING!!!! But all worth it in the end!

-PRAISE PRAISE PRAISE!!!! I love how the Duggar family says to praise your children 10 times more than you correct them. This is a very profound statement in and of itself. Preventative care is always easier than trying to remove the problem!!! When we praise our children for good habits, they tend to want to show that behavior more!

One Week In...

2011-09-01T01:21:00.002-05:00

3 mice caught...
20 road runners spotted...
1 fox...
1 armadillo...
5 straw hats...
6 pairs of overalls ordered (yes I got some for the baby too ) ...
5 Pairs of rubber boots eagerly awaiting a place to live so they aren't ALWAYS on the floor...
1 million paper plates and cups disposed of...
20 bags of trash hauled off to the city...
Lots of snapple...
0 Mail...

And a whole lot of unpacking.

Still happy momma
Still happy children!

Have no idea what we're doing...but know we'll figure it out sooner or later.

:)

2011-08-31T21:02:00.008-05:00

2011-08-28T13:12:00.001-05:00

The mother who takes pains to endow her children with good habits secures for herself smooth and easy days; while she who lets their habits take care of themselves has a weary life of endless friction with the children. All day she is crying out, 'Do this!' and the do it not; 'Do that!' and they do the other... training in Habits becomes a Habit and [the mother who] acquires the habit of training her children in a given habit, so that by-and-by it becomes, not only no trouble, but a pleasure to her. - Charlotte Mason

Today...

2011-08-26T16:31:00.002-05:00

I borrowed a few moments to remind myself of the reason we are here.
The miracle of a nursing baby
The sound of a 3 year old playing
The joy of my children to get their overalls and straw hats in the mail
(yes, we are going all put and buying the children "work clothing")
Tiny hands clapping for the first time

What a full life!!!

One More Thing...Blessings in Disguise

2011-08-25T17:47:00.003-05:00

Our visions of living in the country were filled with the heart warming pictures of the children tending to our animals. Us in the kitchen making lots of homemade things. My hard working husband coming home to "his piece of land
to subdue.

When we decided this was God's timing for us. We dove in. Into country life. No preparation. No planning. No skills. NO IDEA
(disclaimer: I seem to be the only one in the house with these issues. Everyone else is fine :). )

Today I am leaning on th thought that all these things I'm experiencing are for the good of my family!

God is with me! He has led us here!

Isn't it so easy to forget the blessing in the battles we face? When really we are instructed to rejoice when trouble comes our way!
So today I'm finding joy in my journey!!! A quote we have in our room!!!

Joy comes in the morning

2011-08-25T11:54:00.003-05:00

Yesterday was a hard day. My head was hurting, I felt like I was coming down with something, and i just felt like i could not make any progress unpacking. I'd get a few boxes unacked only to feel like there was not even one dent made. My kids looked like their mother did not know how to dress them, the hot water smelled like rotten eggs, scorpion in the pool and another mouse sighting left me discouraged and even doubting that I had the strength needed to handle all that was being thrown at me.
Other than the news that my dear friend had her precious baby girl, I went to bed very discouraged.

"weeping may endure for the night, but joy cometh in the morning"
-psalm 30:5

Today, we woke up to another day full of unpacking and organizing! I must admit that although I'm having loads of fun organizing everything, I am beginning to feel quite defeated by these boxes. I miss my children. I just want to sit and play with them. Sit and do school with them. As I was changing the baby, I heard words that I never thought would bring such joy to my soul.

"mommy mommy we caught the mouse!!!"

One of the sticky traps we placed in the kitchen caught our mouse intruder. So relieved was I! Then immediately I felt bad. For this mouse was actually really cute. As we placed the trap into the trash our 3 year old said
"but mommy, I like the squirrel". :)

Another teachable moment for us.

The lord had mercy on me and knew that catching this mouse would be just what I needed to make me believe I do in fact have what it takes to do this!!!

Joyful Mothers Book Club

2011-08-23T19:16:00.002-05:00

A dear friend of mine and I are starting an online bookclub. Every month we will read a different book geared towards being a godly wife or mother. Each week we will post about the current book/ chapter we are reading. And your posting will create that weeks discussion.

Our goal In doing this is to encourage
Mothers to find the joy in thir journey. And in doing this to keep eachother accountable as we strive to fill ourselve with God honoring books to help us frown in our abilities as wives and mothers.

Please let Me know if you are interested in joining by sending me an email.

We will start in september.

More details and the book list for this year to come soon.

Please Join us for all the book readings or just the ones that interest you. No need to leave your home. Join us as we strive for God's best in our families!!!

This weekend and finding out what I'm made of

2011-08-23T19:02:00.003-05:00

Has been great! We have been busily unpacking here. I still cannot believe that we are here!! God is good and we are so unworthy of his blessings! We celebrated our wedding anniversary our first night in the home. It was a wonderful night with the children! It is so fun to re do all Of the organizational methods in our home. The kids have been waking up every morning at dawn. It's so sweet!
I have also been learning where I am lacking. This weekend while I was going to open the pantry to get something, as I opened the pantry door a small Mouse jumped out at me.

Now this would have been the time when the sturdy and virtuous woman in me would have quietly scooped up the mouse and pit it outside. Well, while I would LOVE to tell you that is what I did... I can't.
In fact, I was so far from that! I sceamed so loud and could
Not stop hopping up and down. I made such a fool out of myself that my family could
Do nothing else than just laugh at me.

Welcome to the country!

I'll get used to it all soon....right???

We're Here!!!

2011-08-19T23:02:00.003-05:00

We are officially in our home! This is going to be quite a journey for us! And lots of fun coming up with new lists, chores, routines, etc!!!! How fun!!

Our little "pioneer" family took the long journey (40 minutes) from the city to the country in our little "covered wagon" (15-passenger van) to our new "homestead". we are so out of the born right now! But we are here!!! We battled fallen trees, fleas, a few mice & even a hot water heater gone bad... But we are here!!! And ready to start our new homesteading lifestyle!!! Our journey begins with UN- packing first!!! Then on to living off the land to the bedt of our abilities!!! I am still praying for courage should i ever encounter a dreaded snake!!!! Our neighbors dropped off some homemade canned goods. What a blessing!!!

Out of Batteries

2011-08-18T09:06:00.002-05:00

This morning I went to check something on my phone and it was out of batteries...
So I went to the computer and it too was out of batteries...

Then conviction came upon me...
I TOO AM OUT OF BATTERIES!!!

For the past few months, my life has consisted of waking up, looking for houses, packing, preparing a house to sell, fixing a house for showings, going through the buying process on another home, moving things to our new home, repairing, re-decorating, rennovating...
All while toting 6 children around in our big, white, REALLY messy van!!!!

I somehow let my batteries go out.

And what's worse, is that it is scary how slowly the fade was from full charge to completley out!

God wants us! Our time, our hearts, our minds, and especially our devotion!!!!

Having "down time" Is not enough!!!

God's word is the eternal life...the highest battery charger we have!!! We need to make the time...IN EVERY SEASON OF LIFE...But especially in times of stress, busyness!!! His grace is sufficient, yes. But we need his word to power our spirit, soul, and body.

Lord, please forgive me for my lack of effort in this area. Please help me to see that without the fuel that only you provide, I can go no where!!!!!!

Happy Anniversary To Us!!!!

2011-08-18T00:19:00.002-05:00

Tonight is the eve of our anniversary!!!! When my sweet husband and I were married we were so young. Just barely saved, and so naive. We were never prepared for marriage growing up. Going into marriage was so exciting for us, but neither one of us had ANY idea of what a great marriage really looked like. And we had even less of a clue about how hard it would be.

Our wedding was so sweet and simple. My only regret was the people I chose to be in my wedding (besides my sister and cousin). Looking back I would have loved to have had long time friends. But that was not the case for me. But the Lord is good. He has helped me go from being a person who was too afraid to say not to others, to a person who now knows how to politely say no. And what's even better is that I now have true friends! Who love me for me! Who encourage me and challenge me to be a better wife and mother!

Marriage is so different to me now than it as then! It has been a wonderful road. Sometimes bumpy, sometimes really hard. But knowing that the Lord has helped us change to what we are now, it so humbling! So amazing!

Somewhere Along the Way

2011-08-18T00:02:00.002-05:00

I got to the end of my rope.
Realized I could not do this on my own.
Started thinking to myself that my standards needed to drop.
Things did not need to perfect...
Shiny...
Wrinkle-free...
Spotless.

Somewhere along the way
I started noticing that life is a precious gift.
And moment to be savored.
A time to hold on to...
A cheek to kiss...
Hand to hold...
Tiny face to stare at in amazement.

Somewhere along to the way
My children grew older...
Pictures on the wall that seem like yesterday,
Are reflective of the many footsteps we've taken since that moment.
Minutes...
Hours...
Days...
Years...
All in the blink of an eye.

Somewhere along the line,
I thanked God for loving me enough to not let me carry on like I was!!!!

It Stops Here

2011-08-16T10:35:00.002-05:00

We are called to be a peculiar people. Not to look like the world. Not to do as the works does. But this is hard sometimes. Sometimes I feel like I am treading water... Constantly going against the grain. Sometimes I feel lime I am the weirdo and everyone else has it right. But then I cone back to my reality and know that there is true merit in what the Lord has convicted us of. I always joke saying that I have a love hate relationship with technology. On the one hand, I truly know and feel that the lord has given this wisdom to man to benefit our lives. On the other hand, I discern the addictive spirit that comes when we "plug ourselves in". I see the quietness that abounds in the house when the TV is on, or someone is playing a game on the computer, or even me guiltily (not a real word, I know) Look at my cell Phone. I do not like this!

What this looks like for my family:

I do not want this for my family! I feel this overwhelming burden to break this cycle in my family. Now every family has a different idea of what this looks like. For us, we have 1 TV, but we do not have cable. We watch movies but only after we check reviews on pluggedin online. Our kids do not watch any commercial television. They are not allowed to surf the Internet. I find this very dangerous. And I was shocked one day at my daughters 7 yr well ck when her Dr. Asked if I limit her Internet time. They occasionally play games on the computer. But only a few times a month. I believe it is important for our children to learn the relevant skills of their generation without the all consuming addictions they bring.

My heart is truly saddened when I look around now a day. I see people with their head stuck in their phones. Dazed and confused. No more smiles. No more eye contact. Just texting and email. This is not what I want for my children. This is not what I want for other peoples children...but all I can do is focus on my family. I have actually seen whole families at dinner with all their heads buried in their individual cell phones.

We cannot let this area of life rob us of our time with the Lord, our time with our husbands, or our time with our children!!!
We need to be building relationships with our loved ones! Spending time with them! Talking and smiling with them!!!!

Where I was:

Although I was not "addicted" per say. The computer was one of the first things I did when I woke up and the last thing I did at night. Come to think of it, it was a lot in between as well. Again, back to the example I wanted to set for the children. I did not want those bad habits of mine to rub off on them. While listening to Todd Wilson speak about fighting the technology beast as he called it, I really loved how he spoke about setting the tone in our home not for our own kids, but for our grand children and our great grand children!

That is my heart!!! To plant seeds that my grand children will enjoy the benefits from !

Were I am now:

Computer is not a huge part of my life any more. Giving birth to our sixth child left me little time to be on the computer. But I still enjoy it a bit each day. My goal though is to not look at my phone so much. I do not use it for applications, but I do check my email a lot. And i just do not want my children doing this when they are older.

How to get there:

PRAY!!!!!
Change your own habits.
PRAY!!!!!
Ask your husband about what boundaries he would like in the family!
PRAY!!!!
Follow your husbands leading on what the boundaries should be.
PRAY!!!!
Implement the new boundaries.
PRAY!!!!!
Continue to use the negative things that "technology" brings to teach your children why we need to limit it.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.
Philippians 4:8

Be Careful Not to Stifle...Part 2

2011-08-15T17:56:00.005-05:00

The Lord has given me many many wonderful aspirations and hobbies. Over the years I have had to let go of many of my hobbies because they took too much time away from my family or just did not produce any fruit for my family. You see, I bought into the "me time myth" when I first beagn my family. I was taught that I needed an outlet of creativity just for myself. And if I did not have that, I would not be my best for my family. Now I do believe that we need a time of refreshment every now and then...but I do not believe that prepetuating the cycle of "selfishness" that so many mothers are discouraged by. They think that if they are not getting this time that something is somehow not right for them. That they cannot strive for more without this.

On the flip side, there is our children. How do our children fit into our gifts and talents? For surely the Lord did not gift us just to benefit ourselves and our own creative outlet. I am going to be very bold here and venture to say that EVERY single gift God has given us is to benefit and bless someone else. And That first and foremost includes our children.

Our children, So eager. So willing.
"Mommy, may I help???"
"hold on sweetie..."

Ever said that before??? I am SOO guilty of this!!!!!!

For we are not here to move higher by ourselves. But to bring our children to a higher pace than we are. To surpass us in our abilities.

This will only happen if we do not take the time to teach our children. Time must be taken to teach and instruct. to pour into and to impart. And yes, even to help them fix mistakes.

We must take the time!!!!!

New places

2011-08-15T10:44:00.002-05:00

Moving has brought me into places unfamiliar!
Yet there is peace.
Work always to be done.
Yet there is peace.
This is A NEW place for me...
scary
exciting
lonely
God's perfect place!!!

Our Time is Not Our Own

2011-08-12T09:20:00.002-05:00

I have signed up for lot of encouraging email lists. One of which is Raising Homemakers. Today I was very convicted by the email that was sent. It was entitled "Why Every MOment Matters When You are a Mom". Boy how true is this???

Guilty am I! Guilty of letting moments slip away. When I could smile, or encourage, or teach my children.

Guilty am I for not pushing through the fatigue, the discouragement, the anger I feel when things are not going the way I would have them go.

"God's Grace" I sing, when everything is seamlessly running and things are all falling into place.

But what about when things are so hectic I can barely see through the fog of my own thoughts? What then? Is God's grace still present during THOSE times. Is God's grace still present when one walks into a situation so overwhelming that all you can do is scream???

The answer is yes!!!

God's grace is an ever present hope in our time of need. A reminder of how flawed and needy we are. A reminder that despite our best efforts...We will never be enough for our children or our husbands.

Let us instead, be aware of such moments. The messy moments, the spilled milk moments, the undesirable moments. Therein God's grace is hidden. A reminder to slow down...
drink in now...
thank him for trusting us with HIS precious little ones!!!

Surprise Giveaway-The Winners...

2011-08-11T18:44:00.003-05:00

Congratulations to

Rossie

Abba12

and Melissa!

Please email me with your addresses and I will get you packages out to you!!!!

Thank you for all the posting ideas!!!

For the others that entered, please email me your addresses and I will send you a little something as well.

***In your email please let me know the one area of life you need the most encouragement in.***

:)

Your Questions Answered-Wall Quotes

2011-08-08T23:05:00.005-05:00

Question:
"I'd like to hear how you decorated your walls with scriptures! I know it's not really a topic, but they look so nice! "

First of all thank you! We have really enjoyed adding these to our home. And it is amazing how much they have affected our children! We bought these quotes at

stickywords.net

enchantingquotes.com

They are some what easy to put on, and they come right off without any hassle.

Surprise giveaway...

2011-08-08T18:12:00.002-05:00

I have been blessed by so many resources this year. Now its your turn. To enter just post a topic you'd like to hear about and the winner will receive a box of goodies from me. There will be 3 winners announced. Deadline is Wednesday Night.

:)

A COMPLETE Over-Haul

2011-08-08T17:40:00.004-05:00

At the beginning of this year, we started with a vision... A vision to re-do the way our home was organized. So intent on achieving this monumental goal, I , with 6 children...one of which included a newborn...set out on this journey. January, February, March, April went by. We were making headway! We were almost done!!! A fresh start was my prayer.

And then...it happened. God had other plans for us. To bring us into our long awaited country home. Years we thought it would be. But little did I know it would be months. All that work, only to pack it all up and really have a FRESH START.

A fresh start in a completely different home...
A different home, that the Lord chose for us...
With ALL cedar walls...tiny closets... and lots of work to be done!!!

We are thrilled!!! God has truly given my husband a vision for this home!!! All it needed was some imagination, A LOT of paint, and a little love. I am so humbled by this. We officially move in 2-3 weeks. But we have been "slowly moving in " for about 1 month. I think on moving day we will only have 4-5 pieces of furniture to move...:)

So here I sit, in a home that does not quite feel like home yet...what will I do? Where will I put things? Where will we do school? What??? No room for my family closet??? I am sure I can figure something out...Paint??? Again??? Didn't I just do that a few months ago in this house??? This house will surely be the end of ALL slothfulness in our family!!!! ;)

Here are a few BEFORE pictures:

Stay tuned for the AFTER...because it looks completely different!!!!

Be Careful Not to Stifle...

2011-08-05T00:20:00.003-05:00

There are so many ways that we have chosen not to go along with what the world deems ok in raising our children. My list is endless. From children's clothing to games...movies to books...even right on down to hair cuts. So easy it is to, in good conscience, take, take, take from our children's lives. So easy it is to just say no all the time. But the issue is not what we chose to take away. The issue is what are we going to fill our children with once we have taken away from them.

#1 We want them to know that we have their best interests at heart. We want them to know that we want them to have God's best in their lives. To do this, we must invest time. Time in hearing them. And time in talking them through certain issues. There is no way through this without tying heart strings.

#2 We want them to know that we always have a choice. That we are chosing not to allow aspects of the world into our lives because we want to follow God's perfect plan for our lives. And in limiting bad influences, we keep our eyes set upon the Lord.

#3 We want them to see us showing them God's best for our lives. We study our children. Seek out their interests. See what makes them light up. We prepare ourselves to be consumed by the task of getting to really know our little ones.

#4 We teach them to point back to the Lord in all they do. Does your child like movies? GIve him a video camera and teach him to make movies that honor the Lord.

#5 We make it a reality. We fill our homes with creative ways to honor the Lord.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things. -Philippians 4:8

Backwards Somehow

2011-07-29T22:55:00.002-05:00

We are here at the WONDERFUL THSC Convention. I absolutely love this time of year. Although I love every time of year, I especially enjoy going to these wonderful conventions each year. It is such a time of refreshment and re-focus on the things that really matter. As I sit here, I wonder how I could have gotten so hopelessly backwards at times. Tonight, we spent a wonderful night with our family. Sitting, piled atop a big fluffy bed...we enjoyed a night of reading stories together. And for the first time in a long time, I realized that I had a clear mind. Yes, a clear mind. Nothing but enjoying the moment. Nothing but enjoying NOW. This somehow seemed backwards to me. How could this be? For I try with all my heart to enjoy the NOW with my children. I try to love the ordinary and to see those small moments as extra-ordinary. To seize the moments we have and cherish every one of them. Tonight, sitting in between a toddler, a giant baby, a squirmy five year old, the other three in chairs around the bed, and my husband...I realized that I had not been fully doing what I so desperately tried to live by. At home, I have laundry to do, dishes to wash, things to clean, cards to write and on and on and on...
But here. I was in the moment. The trash from dinner can wait, I thought. ANd then as soon as that thought appeared in my mind, out it went. And not a moment after that was spent on getting back to that mindset of cleaning.

NO cleaning...JUST enjoying!!!

ENJOYING MY FAMILY!!!

So back to the drawing board I return. I return to try to find a way to

Just SIT
Just SMILE
Just ENJOY
JUST LAUGH
Just LEARN
Just PLAY
Just LISTEN
Just SMELL
Just LIVE

Live...here!
Live...Now!
Live...Today!!!

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
-Matthew 6:34

It's That Time of Year Again...

2011-07-28T01:17:00.002-05:00

Time to load up and drive to the THSC conference!! I am so excited and blessed to go because we almost didn't go. Thank you Lord for this opportunity!!!!!!!
Tomorrow...
1 15 passenger van
6 children
1 very excited momma
No baby belly, but a very cute baby making his convention debut :)
Again, too many audios and sermons
3 hours of driving

Destination: THSC!!!!

Very excited to get refreshed and encourage to fight the good fight.

Another Skirt for Momma

2011-07-23T00:11:00.004-05:00

We have started making matching skirts. for momma and for the girls! It is so cute! I can't stand it!!! They love it...and me too! I had this conviction to start making skirts for me too, not just because I love to sew, but because I wanted the girls and even the boys to see me implement the same things I am encouraging them to, in my life as well. I wanted the skillls to be proud of the skills they will have in creating modest, God-honoring clothing. It is so cute. It is also cute to see how many people in public enjoy seeing this too! I put a "maternity type" waist band on the skirt, just because I prefer that type of band. It is more comfortable for me.

Sewing 2009-2010

2011-07-22T23:59:00.006-05:00

Some of the many sewing projects we accomplished in 2009-2010

Skirts, pajama pants, applique tshirts for the boys, rag dolls, hooded towels, dresses, nightgowns and much more.

2010-2011 sewing projects coming soon.

7 Months Old!!!

2011-07-22T23:44:00.003-05:00

I am shocked that my little guy is 7 months old now. He is such a sweetie! He now has 2 teeth, and 2 more on the way. He is sitting up. And ALWAYS smiling!!!!!! Man I love this little one. He is so happy! The Joy Of The Lord!!!!
Our precious joy! He is now 20 lbs.!!! I still love sleeping next to him!!!!!

Called to the Ordinary

2011-07-22T23:30:00.002-05:00

I love my life! I mean, I absolutely love it! I love that I wake to to serve my family! I love being a helper to my husband. Even though I do not always successful, I love trying to make his life as easy and stress free as possible. I love that I get to teach these precious little ones. Wipe their little faces. Listen to the loooong winded ramblings of my 5-year old. That I get to walk with them, sit with them, cuddle with them. However sometimes I find myself a bit discouraged. Discouraged by people who mean well, but do not realize the effects of their words. (Lord please forgive me if my words have ever discouraged another.)
It is pretty easy to grow tunnel vision when we are discouraged. To think that we have somehow, missed the "invisible mark" that we too often try to achieve. What does God say we are to do?

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship.an> -Romans 12:1

God wants us to be focused on him. To offer ourselves as a living sacrifice for his Glory. There is no mention of man made achievement here. Only a call to live for him. To meet God's mark is not nearly as difficult!

For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
-Matthew 11:30

When we give our burdens to the Lord. And ask him to bring us through where we need to be. He promises that his yoke is easy. Does that mean there will never be heart ache? no! But...

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you. -Hebrews 13:5

We will never have to do this alone!

So let's stop looking at what man expects us, and push forward to "greatness in the Lord"!!!!

Foot in My Mouth Moment

2011-07-22T23:08:00.002-05:00

The other day we were somewhere when someone I did not know asked me how I was doing. I said we were amazing. Then I started chuckling saying that we were not really sure where we were going to live. I meant that in pure humor since we are in between moving out of one home to move into another. The poor woman looked at me, with my sweet children, and said "oh, I am so sorry." Immediately, I noticed the pity in her eyes, so I quickly re-explained myself to let her know what I meant. I felt so bad.

A Purpose in Everything

2011-07-20T15:42:00.003-05:00

We officially have our home in the country. The home we have prayed for! Praise be to God! We are now in what I call transition mode. Our normal schedule has pretty much been put on hold for now. Who am I kidding??? Our normal schedule will probably never come back. Once we move out there we will have to adjust to all the extra responsibility that will come from living on our own little farm.

Since we are so out of the norm on our schedule, we have encountered a lot of "new" feelings.

OVERHWELMED just isn't cutting it in our family anymore!!!

Isn't God so good to us. I have been feeling that this feeling just isn't an option for me anymore. The fact is that we will always have a lot on our plate. And yes, sometimes more than others. Yet still, we are to find a way to be still, and know that God is in control.

So how do we do this?
Committing to cultivating a meek & quiet spirit
We stay plugged into the Lord. And lean on him for everything. He will show us how to make life normal in the middle of an out of the ordinary situation.
Since we are moving a lot has been out of the ordinary. 2 houses, repairs on both, preparing to sell a house, changing utilities, preparing for animals, etc.

This year has been quite a full year. So many wonderful things happening, and also things that have challenged us in our relationships and faith. But God being Good...has seen us through it all. If there is one thing that I have learned this year, is that God does not work in a box.
I am sure everyone of us has, without intention, created and crafted this pretty little comfortable box for ourselves. And without even knowing it, we get stuck in the routine of operating within it.
Whether things are good...
bad...
stressful...
we expect things to happen within the perameters of our pretty little boxes. But this can be Wuite dangerous and ultimately put us in a perfect situation for discouragement.

Let us look to the lord for the newness he has for us. We will never doubt it.

What is Being Written on Our Children's Hearts?

2011-07-19T08:05:00.003-05:00

Our children's hearts are constantly being filled with something. Or to put it better,,,our children are like blank journals. Something is always being en grained deep into them. It is so easy, when we are living life to stay quiet.
To think about all we are doing.
To try to remember all the "things" that we have to do.
In doing this, we think that time will wait. Our children's hearts will wait.
"I can do that devotion tomorrow".
" We can talk about modesty tomorrow".
"When we are not_________, then we will be able to do ______."

But this is not true. Because as I have said before, time waits for no one". Well the same is true of our children's hearts. They keep on absorbing, and those little "pages" keep filling up.

So with that thought...what are we writing in your children's hearts?

Well, before we answer that, what does God want us to write on our hearts?

"Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes."
-Deutoronomy 11:18

So often we feed ourselves and neglect to feed our baby birds. Well they need us. They depend on us. The very health and well-being of their little spirits depend on us feeding them. Remember, that their hearts will be fed by something. When any situation arises in our lives, openly share with them the right way to handle this. age appropriately of course. And yes, there will be some situations where one should not share. In doing this, our children will learn that Momma & Daddy are real people. This will show them how they should handle things. This will encourage them to come to you.

Why is it so important to write God's word on our hearts?

"A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh."
-Luke 6:45

When bad things come out of our children that is only a symptom of a larger problem. And when we see those bad things we must be aware that somewhere in the past those bad things were put in there. Take an active role in being the gate-keeper of your home!!!!

LOOK

WATCH

BE ON GUARD!!!

We cannot allow the things of the world to grab hold of our children's heart attitude.

When Should We Write God's Word on Their Hearts?

"And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up."

Anytime s a good time to teach our children about the Lord, About his ways, and about living a life to please him. It does not need to be a sit down devotion...although those are nice.

Teach them when:

You brush their teeth
buckle them up
making them meals
you are in the car
at the grocery store
etc.

Walk with them!!!!! You will never regret it!!!

Always Room For One More...

2011-07-04T23:39:00.003-05:00

This week we are getting a wonderful opportunity to have some of our friend's children stay with us. Five extra little ones added to our home for the week. Plus two extra big helpers. Wonderful young ladies they are. So yes, that's right. 13 children and 2 adults. 15 people total under our blessed roof this week. What a blessing it has been. How is life supposed to be if we would be too busy to take these things on. The simple little things that make life worth living.

Coming Soon...

2011-07-01T01:24:00.003-05:00

Our new view!!!

Where are YOU Headed???

2011-06-21T08:38:00.002-05:00

Last year I was so excited to attend the Baby Conference hosted by Vision Forum. Amidst all of the amazing workshops I attended, one woman's words really stood out to me. When sitting in the "ladies symposium" Mrs. Phillips asked each women what they wish they'd shown before what they know now.

"I wish I had known that where you are headed is where you will end up."

I am actually ashamed to say that I do not quite remember who say these profoundly life changing words. Nevertheless, they have stuck with me 1 year later.

So where are you headed? Where am I headed? Where are we all headed?

We should never be dependant on tomorrow. For tomorrow is never certain to come. A dear friend of mine text messaged me last week to pray for her sweet cousin that had woken up to nurse her 2 month old baby girl only to learn that the baby had silently passed in the night. My heart breaking for this momma, I thought about the one certain thing in life.

We are never promised tomorrow.

We need to life each day like it is our last. Not letting the little things bother us that so easily do. Looking and loving our children. Seeing our husbands and saying " i love you."

But should tomorrow come, we should all be aware that "where we are headed, is where we will most assuredly end up".

To do this we must have drive, focus, and yes, sometimes even planning and preparation. I mean we would never set out on a road trio without having mapped out how to get there would we?
Start today by changing the path you are on to end up where God wants you.

The Listening Wife- Part 1

2011-06-21T01:34:00.003-05:00

Identifying the Need to Listen to Your Husband

My Beginning:

I began my marriage as a strong woman. And no, not the good kind. I was 20 years old when we married. very young. Very selfish, and VERY vocal about what I wanted or thought I deserved. I was always quick to let my husband know when I was not pleased with what he had done. I was famous for correcting him in public and ultimately making him feel like a man who had no idea what he was talking about. I thought I was always right. But as the Bible says pride cometh before a fall. There was no way that the Lord would allow me to go any further. I swiftly put me in my place. And boy was that a shocker for me. I was what some would call a nag. Yes, a full fledged card carrying member of the nagging wife club.

Oh how I wish I would have been able to start my marriage out the way we are raising our girls to be when they are older. How i wish I would have gone into my marriage with a meek and queit spirit before my husband. But I did not. However, God in his mercy redeemed me in all that the enemy had stolen from me in those years of marriage. And he showed me that there was another way.

My philosophy was that if I could only raise my voice loud enough, or repeat myself enough that my husband would get the point. It was then that the Lord taught me that he leads through my husband. Regardless of if I feel that he is right or wrong. The more I debate an issue with him him the less he will hear me. I had to come to my husband and ask him to forgive me for the error of my ways. And although I was never taught this growing up, I yearned to be the meek and quiet wife that the Bible so eloquently describes.

Before we can enjoy the wonderful heavenly marriage the Lord has for us, we need to recognize the need for us, as wives, to listen to our husbands. Just as we, as Christians, need to acknowledge our need for Christ.

Peace in the Midst of Chaos

2011-06-21T01:17:00.003-05:00

Ever feel like this???

In the midst of living this amazing life the Lord has given us, often times there can be chaos. A once perfectly balanced life can, in an instant, take a turn thus leaving you feeling like the rug has been pulled out from under you. But what do we do? How do we respond? What is expected of us? I remember years ago reading to very profound statements from two amazing mothers that I greatly look up to.

1. Little eyes are always watching. - Michelle Duggar

2. God never promised us that it would be easy. - Terri Maxwell

These statements are so true, yet, so hard to swallow when one could easily feel like crawling in a hole and hiding till it all goes away. Or as I do at times...put the children in the car and just drive around for an hour.

In this current season of our life, I am stretched. I feel as though I always have more to do than time to do it. This is not the first time I have felt like this. And usually when I feel this way, a bit of excitement comes along with it. For it is in these times that I know the Lord will show me great thins if I am willing to look outside my "safe, square, little box".

Do you ever find yourself in a box? Wanting to get out yet never taking the first step out of fear to peer into the next phase the Lord may want to take you?

I do not think that the Lord just wants us to shrivel up and take the relentless beating that this life can, at times, give us. Instead, he delights when he sees us rise up and grab these challenges by the horns to conquer them. For us? No, so that he will get the glory for what he can do through those that seek and trust in him.

Too Perfect

2011-06-05T01:15:00.004-05:00

Also known as:
clean
clear
complete
mastered
errorless
faultless
immaculate
impeccable
flawless
ideal
idealized
idyllic
perfectible
uncorrupted
undefiled

So many different ways to see it, but all roads lead to this one word. This one dreaded word. I have come to hate hate hate this word. Not only because it stresses me out, making me a not nice momma...but because it isn't real.

And if there is one thing I don't like...besides the "seemingly perfect"...it is not being real!

We are currently in the process of preparing our home to sell. And I honestly thought we would call a realtor and that she would compliment me on my amazing decorating skills, snap some pictures of our home, put a little sign out front and on our way we would be to selling our home and moving. Boy was I wrong! What I got instead was a sweet realtor, and a very long list of things. A VERY LONG LIST!!!!!!!
So on we go to preparing our home. Staging our home to be more preferential to a mass audience.
EASY! I thought! But actually quite difficult!

1. De-clutter- Ummm...isn't that what I do 24 hours a day??? ;)

2. De-personalize- Yes I know this needs to be done...but ALL of the pictures of my children????

3. Re-pair- Do we really have so many things wrong with our home?

4. CLEAN!!!! I thought we were clean.

WOW!!! What an experience for me!

But not altogether a bad one for me. First, it is one step closer to our country home. Second I realized that i do not want perfect. Perfect is for catalogs...
For magazines..
For those who think beauty is in perfectly pressed sheets.
Perfect is not conducive to a family friendly home. At least not for us. So as I have been packing up our home. Making it ready to show, I have realized that I am not a "decorative" person. Decorations do not make a home. What you place on your mantle does not matter, so much as the people in those pictures matter. Making it ready for people to see. What is it exactly that they want to see? What did I want to see years ago? MOnths ago? Days ago? Do I even know what I want to see? I mean, sometimes I think I do. But, I guess the answer to that would be no. I don't. I don't actually think that any of us truly know what we want to see. Years ago, I did not think I would ever think that the life I am living now would seem beautiful to me. I did not ever see that there would be a day that I would think my bed made by a 7 year old would be what I would chose over the perfect magazine bed.
My hope is that the people who walk into our home would not see when they walk in through the door. But that they would feel. Feel the love of the Lord. That they would just feel happy and know that they needed to live there.
I strive for a clean home...hygienically speaking. But I will take the house with crayon stained doors, finger printed windows & toys under the couch any day!

Tossed and Turned...Or Sturdy Virtue?

2011-06-03T00:04:00.003-05:00

"If you are slack in the day of distress, Your strength is limited."
-Proverbs 24:10

We are never promised a life of ease. But we are always promised the presence of the Lord...
...His gentle grace...
...His peace that passes all understanding...

How easy this is to find when life is pretty, shiny & "new-like". The sun shines, the grass is green & flowers smell lovely. Our children are all well-behaved, the laundry done, school...check. Praise drips from our lips. Oh how I love these days! How I feel so "accomplished" on these days. Not for what I have done...but for what amazing fruit the Lord is showing. I feel like I am doing when I am supposed to be doing. And then...There are days when it seems as though we are standing in the middle of a storm. Children are sick, school is harder, the house in not clean...and laundry??? oh yeah...I was supposed to do laundry. These days are still precious, full of laughter...more so from me than anyone else. When the milk spills, when my children are running around the isles at Target. When I get ripped off by two people in one week...I hate that I am so trusting sometimes!!! When I walk into get the dinner that I made the night before, in the refrigerator and I find that it has accidentally been unplugged and EVERYTHING in it is spoiled!!!!!! Yes, these are the days that I laugh a lot! The praise is like honey...sweet, yet really hard to get out at different times.

But even through all that, the Lord has told us that we are not to faint. For if we do, we limit our strength! For in this life we are sure to have hard times. We are sure to fail. We are sure to fall short. So we must not faint when these things happen. It is not up to us to be successful. It is merely up to us to make sure that we are NOT relying on our own strength and ability to make it through, I am always reminded of the pioneer women. How strong and sturdy they were. Oh how I long to practice that same "sturdiness" that adorned them. But I push on, I faint not...and I move forward to the goal.

Virtuous
Forgiving
Patient
Gracious
& Sturdy

And while at times I feel as though I am being tossed and turned by one wave after the next, I can be sure that in God's perfect plan we have the strongest anchor of all. It is easy to praise him when everything is smoothly running. But true praise comes from the hardest part of us. The vulnerable, hurting, feeble parts of us. And it is in those days that we cling to those tiny voices calling our name over and over. The little people that wear all that laundry you have to wash. The smudges on the clean shirt you just put on. Those are the moments we need to cling to. Sometimes I think that the Lord allows us to experience these things to refine the truly precious in life. To show us what really matters.

Garden Update!!!

2011-05-26T23:44:00.004-05:00

The Lord has truly blessed our garden this year!

We just harvested our first batch of green beans!

We have tomatoes, Herbs, beans, jalapenos, banana peppers, zuchini, squash, bell peppers & peas!!!!!