Lordship and Babies!

I have been moderating a reversal group for about 6 years now. Not all reversals are successful, and some are very successful! Some couples have had 3 reversal babies in 4-5 years! Praise the Lord!

Those that do not become pregnant can sometimes become angry with God. And those that get pregnant easily (and often) struggle with trusting too!

This is what I posted to the group tonight. The point being, it is all part of the plan! God knows what He is doing.
~~~

There are some on this group that have already had their reversal and have had no babies. There are some that seem to be pregnant at least every 18 moths! ;o) BOTH situations bring us to NEW LEVELS of trusting God!

I sit here, 6 years post reversal with no more children. The first 2-3 years were real tough, but through it, God grew my faith and trust in Him. I learned to trust Him no matter what the circumstances and no matter how much it hurt. I learned to get my eyes off the creation, and look to the Creator, and to Him alone!

THEN, He let me experience the rebellion of a teen aged son that just broke our hearts. This was a new kind of pain, a new kind of not understanding. A new desperation! To be honest, this pain was worse than not being able to have more children.

Again, God is teaching me to get my eyes off the Creation, and on to the Creator, and Him alone!

Our faith, our trust in God, can NOT depend on the circumstances.

For those of you that God has so richly blessed with more children (and more work, less sleep, etc..) I can understand where that can be a struggle too. We want to know that it is all going to be OK in the end. Guess what? IT WILL! God knows what He is doing! Actually, He tells us not to borrow trouble from tomorrow. Live for today and what He has for you today! Tomorrow will take care of itself.

And every time we overcome a new trail (by God's grace), our faith will grow. We will trust Him more, and then...He'll give us a new challenge. It's called our sanctification!

Although my reversal did not turn out as I had hoped, I do not regret it for one minute!

Ladies, trust Him. Take one day at a time, and sometimes it is just one hour at a time. The Lord wants all of you and all of me.

God's will be done.

Another Pink Baby Blanket

Since I caught the quilting bug a couple years ago I don't have much time to crochet any more. Well, that and maintaining blogs and websites! :o) When I was pregnant with my first baby, Nicole, who now lives with our Lord, and even when I was pregnant with Joshua I crocheted ALL OF THE TIME! I loved it and still do! Jeff's mom taught me to crochet while we dated. Next to her son, the gift of crochet is the best thing she has ever given me! Not only is it something I truly enjoy, but I have had the thrill of teaching so many others this same skill. In addition to that, I have made MANY items that I have sold and even more I have been able to give as gifts.

Here is a baby blanket I finished this week.
It took me about 3 weeks on and off to finish.

This one is for sale for $30.
It measures 37"x39".
If you are intersted you can just email me at
Kathy@TeachingGoodThings.com

I also have a blue one ready that is very similar to this one.

Olivia has recently started some hand embroidery and is really enjoying it. I think I'll give that a try next. We do most of our handiwork while we listen to school tapes/CDs or watch TV. It is rewarding to use your idle time to be productive and enjoy it!

Life

Last week was the 35th anniversary of the Roe vs Wade. What a horrible thing we as a country have let happen. We have sold (killed) our children in the name of material gain and comfort. May God grant us mercy.

A couple of weeks ago I was listening to a radio show and someone called in and said we should not make abortion an "issue" when electing candidates.

The host of the show reminded the caller of our Declaration of Independence! Paraphrased, "Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" These three aspects are listed among the "unalienable rights" of man. It is Governments purpose to PROTECT life."

How true! We will protect the animals, support lazy people, not uphold our own laws, and so on, but as a nation we will not protect the most helpless, most tiny of humans. They are LITERALLY slaughtered, because they are an inconvenience.

And we expect to escape judgment?

My Life for Your's

Be sure to go over to Crystal's blog and read this story of this amazing mother, then remember Christ's love for us!

Lord,
I give up all my own plans and purposes, all my own desires and hopes,
and accept Thy will for my life.
I give myself, my life, my all, utterly to Thee to be Thine forever.
Fill me and seal me with Thy Holy Spirit.
Use me as Thou wilt.
Send me where Thou wilt.
Work out Thy whole will in my life
at any cost, now and forever.

- Betty Scott Stam,
missionary to China who was martyred with her husband by Communists in 1949

Hospitality~ Napkin Folding

I barter homemaking lessons for Olivia's piano lessons. It's a great trade! Pictured below is sweet Ana (in the blue) and Olivia (who is sweet too!) as they prepare a four course meal for Ana's dad's birthday dinner that we hosted last night.

Emma did the napkin folding and set the tables.

Lay your napkin flat, fold all four corners in to the center.

Gently flip it over.

Fold all four corners in again to meet in the center.

Place a glass in the center to leave an imprint on the napkin,
lift the corners slightly.

Place some greenery, fresh herbs, a fresh flower,
or even their place card in the center of the napkin.
It is January so we have no flowers in the yard,
and this was a man's supper, so we used some evergreens!

The girls did a great job!

Here is the desert.
You can see details of this over HERE!

Rag Quilt Question

Brenda has a question about the Rag Quilt Tutorial. I thought I'd post it here. With it being winter and the holidays past us this is a good time to work on a quilt, perhaps even a gift for next Christmas. :o)

Her question:
I've had this bookmarked for a while and I finally know what I'm going to make! My 4 year old daughter needs a bedspread for her twin bed. Would you be able to tell me how much fabric I should aim to buy for a quilt that would cover a twin bed? I'm going to be using 2 colors--yellow and purple. I can't wait! I would appreciate any help you can give me. Thanks!

My answer:
Buy at least 7 yards, 3 1/2 of each color. If you are new to sewing you may even want to buy 8 yards (4 of each color), to give yourself room for not keeping the 1/2" seam allowance. Another thing to keep in mind is how far you want it to hang off the bed. This would be a GREAT math project for the kids! Measure the bed, allow for 1/2" on each side of the 8"square. Most flannel fabric is 44" wide, so you can figure the yardage from there.

For the record, I HATE math (Jeff teaches the kids that subject), but learning to quilt has helped me SO MUCH! Another reason to make sure your kids learn practical skills.

Coffee Apron

Last week we had supper at the Crawford's in their new home. Their home is beautiful and their hospitality skills are wonderful. Kelly and Aaron have a relaxed atmosphere and make you feel very welcome. Their oldest Bria did a great job on the pizza, and all SEVEN of their children are so well behaved and joy to be around. Kelly truly lives out what she teaches in her Child Training book and in her articles.

This is an apron I made for Kelly.
She LOVES coffee, so this fabric is PERFECT for her!

I have had a hard time finding an apron style that I really like. The ones that tie around the neck drive me nuts! Last week a friend showed me her grandmother's apron. I traced it out on some butcher's paper. This is the apron. Now I am working on adjusting it to fit me, not an easy thing to do. :o(

Anyway, I LOVE this pattern!

Let It Snow...a little please

The fun thing about snow in Alabama is that it MAY happen once or twice a year and it usually disappears as quickly as it came. :o) And no matter the amount, IT IS A BIG DEAL!

It snowed for a few hours the other day, it was so pretty. The girls took off out the door with the cameras.

They did manage to build a 2 foot snowman, or is it a snow woman?
His/Her life span was about 24 hours.

Those of you that know Emma...well let's just say, this picture is typical!
She is such a NUT!

Winter Blahs

From last August until this past weekend we were insanely busy, trying to juggle 3-4 things at one time. Well now life has settled down and I feel so blah! I mean I have things to be working on, but it all seems meaningless right now. I even took a nap yesterday...which is so NOT me.

Today we'll make our weekly trek to the Quilter's Guild, maybe fresh air will help.

Anyone else got the winter blahs?

BTW, check out the unusual cake on my Cakes and Candy blog!

Psalm 127 Video

My friend wrote and recorded a scripture memorization CD. Amy over at Amy's Humble Musings used one of the songs for a slide show of her new baby. ENJOY!

Cullen's Turtle Cake

Check out the Turtle Cake tutorial over at Cake and Candy!

Hospitality

We love having company, although it can be challenging with a smaller house, but the Lord did not command us to practice hospitality only if you have a long enough table for everyone to sit at together! :o) We practice most of our hospitality during the warmer months because my Wonderful husband built a nice picnic pavilion and fire circle for us. We love doing cookouts. We also hosted an outdoor tea last spring.

BUT... someday we hope to have one of those long dining room tables to be able to invite families over to a nice sit down meal. :o)

Some of our most beloved friends invited us over for a BEAUTIFUL, DELICIOUS, four course meal just before New Years. One of their family's goals this year is to invite each family in our church over for a nice, four course, sit down meal at least once this year. This is PERFECT training ground to help teach their children (and everyone else) table etiquette for a fancier meal than a hamburger and french fries. :o) Because my grandmother is visiting us they chose to have us over first...I'd hate to think we were the guinea pigs...lol (just kidding Trish!)

Trish had all the food ready and our daughters
and their daughter's did the food presentation
(making it look pretty on the plate) and serving.

They served the adults and the boys/young men.
We had pleasant conversation and joked about
what was 'proper' and what was not and why.
We had a very nice time and their family has once
again inspired us in the area of hospitality.

~~~~~
Another avenue of hospitality is in the form of 'Take Out'! :o)

New Years Day Olivia and Emma took part of our
meal to our elderly neighbors across the road.
They are like second grandparents to them and are
PURE COUNTRY FOLKS, if you know what I mean!

They fixed a lovely tray complete with the good silverware,
goblets, cloth napkins and a small vase with fresh herbs in it.
That was fun for the couple and for the girls!

Romans 12:13

Distributing to the necessity of saints;
given to hospitality.

A Busy Tuesday

Yesterday was the first meeting of the year for our quilter's guild, this year I am president. To be honest I can't believe they would even want me, because I feel like such a beginner still. Those ladies have so much knowledge.

After the meeting the girls had their monthly 4-H meeting, Emma is secretary and Olivia is Community Service Chairman. Olivia has organized a donation drive to support The Ronald McDonald House.

Emma and a couple other girls recorded a radio spot to announce the drive.
Here is Olivia and Emma at the radio station.

I LOVE homeschooling!
The opportunities and flexibility are endless.
~~~

Last night Jeff and I attended the first of our training classes to become foster/adopt parents. To be completely honest we were both pretty apprehensive, after all home schoolers do all we can to avoid any contact with DHR...lol. But we left our first class so encouraged and hopeful.

Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this,
To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction,
and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
James 1:27

Can you think any child in more affliction than a child that has abused or abandoned? I know this will NOT be easy, and we are not even sure if DHR will approve us, so our prayer has been, 'God's will be done." If anyone has any experience with this I'd love to hear from you.

Our View of Work, Our View of Life

While my 83 year old grandmother was visiting the doctor a couple months ago , the nurse asked her when she retired. My little, gentle, very soft spoken grandmother just looked at her and kind of chuckled. My grandmother was widowed almost 30 years ago. She and my grandfather were dairy farmers in upstate New York. In their early years my grandfather would usually work another job along with the farm work. Other than a couple of small jobs when she was young, my grandmother was always the keeper of her home, or should I say, the keeper of her hundred acer farm. Truth be known my grandmother spent more time tending to the animals and land than she did the house. I believe that this is a beautiful image of a helpmeet (Titus 2:5). This is how she made her husband successful. She was a kind and submissive wife.

I LOVED going to my grandparents almost every weekend growing up. As long as I can remember she always let me have free reign in the house, I'd cook up a storm, clean and 'organized' for her, while she'd be out milking the cows.

My grandfather who was not so gentle (picture the Archie Bunker type) would come in and grumble because I would move his stack of papers off the corner of the kitchen table...but I never doubted his love for me. I digress...

My grandparents were excellent managers of their money and belongings. After almost 30 years my grandmother has managed to keep the farm without debt. Although her savings has dwindled down to almost nothing she still has the house and land. The main barn burned several years ago and it was like we had all suffered a death when we lost the barn. My uncle has rebuilt a smaller barn to keep the hay in. My grandmother STILL gets out on the tractor to cut, rake and bale hay. I admire her strength and determination. She could have easily sold the farm years ago and lived comfortably in a small place for her remaining years. But she loves her home and she loves to work AT HOME. It is my hope and prayer that her children and grandchildren (and now great-grandchildren) will do whatever we can to ensure that she can stay on that farm, and WORK until God Himself calls her home and says to her, "Well done".

In Genesis, God's first command to Adam, even before He gave him Eve, was that he had to "cultivate and keep" the garden. This represents work. Maybe not by the sweat of the brow or fighting thorns and thistles, but it was still work to do.

I hate when I hear people talking about when they retire they will live a life of ease. What a sad existence. Now to retire from a certain job and then pour yourself into a real passion of serving others, or a different kind of work, that is wonderful. But to spend your life making and investing money just so you can live your last 20-30 years doing nothing, that is missing the whole point of LIFE! So what was my grandmother's answer to the nurse's question about when she retired? She just laughed and shrugged her shoulders, because there is no such thing as 'retirement' for people like her. :o)

Cakes and Candy

Announcing my new blog
Cakes and Candy!

You can see the tutorial for this cake over there!

I'll be adding new photos, tutorials, recipes and techniques.

Check it out.

And of course I'm always open for new ideas!

Frugal Friday~ Decorating

This week's Frugal Friday tip is yesterday's post!

I'll have a fun new blog up and running later today,
so be sure to stop back by!

Frugal Home Decorating

I want my home to be a refection of me, of us as a family, how Christ is alive in us. Not what a designer says to do, not what Home Interior says. Now there is nothing wrong with getting a few ideas, but our homes should reflect us.

I made this doily about 20 years ago, it was one of my first ones. About a year ago I found this beautiful frame at the thrift store, I used some tapestry fabric I had in my stash and I just love what I have.

Some times I'll make something, repaint something or buy something and put it up, and I'll fiddle with it until I know it is right. This is one piece I just love.

This is another piece. I bought the frame and mat at a yard sale, it had a nice print in it, but I really just wanted the frame. :o) I printed this verse off on some textured paper and used one of the roses I had pressed. This piece is in the kitchen, next to our sink. I love this verse, I know it is so over used, but the Lord brought it to mind after I found out that I could not have any more children. I was feeling so overwhelmed, as if God had forsaken me. Then He reminded me of this verse and I've clung on to it ever since.

Jer. 20:11
For I know the plans that I think toward you,"
says the LORD,
"thoughts of peace and not of evil,
to give you a future and a hope.

Featured Expert :o)

With the New Year here our home is buzzing with new ideas (and old old ideas too) to generate income. I hope to have a BIG announcement by the end of the month.

Olivia is starting her own business making bath products. She is hoping to do well enough with this to pay her share of the car insurance, her cell phone and help towards tuition for her college classes. Right now the plan is that she will be doing online classes for a teaching degree. Although she has no plans to ever enter any school system, this will be a good thing for her to do in case homeschooling laws were to ever change or if her future husband moves her away (gasp!)

There are SO MANY ways a family can generate income from home and the older your kids get, the more exciting it is!!!

I have had the honor and THRILL to be added to the Entrepreneurs at Home membership group as a Featured Expert. You can click on the pig for more information.

Are You Ready to Learn How to Educate Your Kids (and Yourself!) To Use Your Natural Abilities to Serve God and Others and Make All the Money You Need, All from the Comfort of Your Home?
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