Faithfulness

The reason God does not call some of us to do greater works for Him,
is because we are not faithful in the smaller things.

Uncivilized Comments

Just so you understand, I am more than willing to discuss/debate a topic, but rude, hateful comments will not be published. If you can respond in a polite and civilized manner, even if you disagree with my opinion, your comment will be posted. It's just the rules of civility.

"I belong to you. You can do whatever you like."

I read this today shortly after I found out that our family will begin a season of life that will be very difficult. I am constantly reminding my children, it is not WHAT happens to us, but HOW we respond that is important.

We are at Jesus' disposal. If he wants you to be sick in bed, if he wants you to proclaim His work in the street, if he wants you to clean the toilets all day, that's all right, everything is all right. We must say, "I belong to you. You can do whatever you like." And this is our strength. This is the joy of the Lord. ~ Mother Teresa

May God be glorified!

Then, then my daughters

Here is a little twist of Kipling's poem If, that Olivia wrote:


If you can never marry,
see all your dreams rearranged,
and still remain pure,

If you can plan and plot
and it all be overturned at a moments notice,
and still submit joyfully

If you can slave over a dinner all day
only to have a child snub it
then rise again the next day and start all over again,

If you can sweep, mop, dust and scrub,
and watch as a your family walks through with boots and dirty hands
and welcome them home,


If you can teach the same math lesson one hundred times,
only for the child to still not get it,
and return tomorrow and try again,

If you can pour your life into a child,
and they turn on you when they turn 15,
and bear no bitterness,

If you can absorb the troubles around you,
take in the worn and weary,
and never be praised,

If you can remain calm,
while everyone around you gives in to the chaos,

If you can hold the child who got hurt,
doing something you told him not to,

If you can walk through the trials of life
and cling all the closer to God,

Then, then my daughters, you will be women.

Government Education IS Socialism

Why aren't the people that are all bent out of shape about the government take over of the health care system (which I am one of them!!!), upset about about government education?

Why is one socialism and the other not?

They are both socialism!

When it comes to government education we have had a few generations of accepting this as a constitutional right, when it is not.

Why in the world should I pay for others to send their kids to institutions, to teach things that are not true? Why should people who never have children be paying for the education of other people's children? What about personal responsibility?

If for some reason a parent could not teach their child, community schools could be formed, ran by the parents. Churches and charities could offer educational options.

Government education IS socialism, and most people want it! They do not want the tough choices and hard work of being responsible for their child's education.

The average cost in 2006 was $9,391 PER YEAR to educate a ONE child. This is insane! Absolutely insane! Do you have any idea what a small community school could do with a fraction of that? Do you know what a home schooler could do with that???

We already have socialism in the form of government schools, as they take our taxes by force to shape and mold the children into whatever they want. A one -size-fits-all education that says we came from apes. Good grief!

They take our children from our homes for the majority of the day, for the majority of their childhood...and we (as a nation) celebrate it! Take the children from the home, give them to the Nanny State to teach, free women up to pour their lives into careers, and everyone can come home at the end of the day too exhausted to do much of anything other than vegging out in front of the TV...little interaction...little family time, thus a tearing down of the home.

And as the political season is upon us, what will be one of the most common issues? EDUCATION! It is a broken system and sucks our hard earned money in the name of the children. They will never have enough money (taxes) as long as we sit by and insist the government schools are a constitutional right. How about we read the Constitution for starters?

Like Fish Swimming in Superficiality, Subjectivity, and Sex

I love John Piper~

Purity Matters

A cheap date is someone who gives themselves away.

We wonder why so many marriages fail, why so many marriages have so much baggage with them.

STDs, pregnancies out side of marriage and abortion rates are sky high.

Most people have no clue of the importance of purity before marriage and the sanctity of sex within the boundaries of marriage.

The music, movies and books of our culture have trashed what God ordained only for a husband and wife. Most sitcoms are about sex and people sit and laugh at the sin. Songs sing of perversion as even Christians sing along.

The Laughing Bride

I know this has been all over the net, but I just LOVE IT! I can see Emma doing something like this.



Now listen to their story. It is so beautiful, so SPECIAL! If only people would understand there is a reason why God said to wait, a reason why the consummation of the marriage is for the wedding night.



Look at the joy on their faces. Look at the way they look at each other. I LOVE IT!

A Stubborn and Rebellious Woman

For I do not do what I want – instead, I do what I hate.

Romans 7

I woke up this morning with such a heaviness. Why in the world do I keep doing the things I know I should not do, and don't do what I should??? Why am I such a slow learner? Maybe I am not slow at all, perhaps I am just stubborn and rebellions!

As I dreaded getting out of bed this morning because I was wracked with guilt due to my bad behavior, I asked God to help me. As I am muddling through the day, striving to take my thoughts captive, because to be completely honest I'm still a bit mad, I am reminded of my own sin.

I am also reminded how the lessons I am working so hard to instill my children are the same lessons God is trying to get through my thick skull.

I tell my kids:

• It doesn't matter what everyone else is doing, this is what you are going to do.

• It doesn't matter if you understand the situation, you need to cheerfully obey me anyway. Someday you WILL understand.
  

• Delayed obedience is disobedience.

• The ends does NOT justify the means.

• Trust ME! I know what I am talking about!

• Don't pout because you are not getting your way!
  

• Love other people -even when they are unlovable.

• It's NOT ALL ABOUT YOU! Quit feeling sorry for yourself and get busy doing what God has for you to do today!
  

ALL of these statements are the same things God keeps engraving on my heart. I don't want them written with a soft lead that can easily be erased. I want them engraved deeply so that I can live in peace. Engraving is a deep and painful process, that can not be easily erased or written over.

HomemakING

I LOVE making HOME! Making life more pleasant for the people I love most!!!

Is every task, every day a fun? No, but I do it because it is my duty.

Does everyone always appreciate what I do? No, but I can appreciate my work, knowing I have done my best.

Am I often taken for granted? Yep! But it is the Lord I seek to please.

Do I have days that feel like I just can't keep any kind of order? Sure thing!

But here is a thought: This duty is called homemakING, not home 'made'. Making is a present tense word. We rarely get things just the way we want them. Homemaking is a constant task. A task that takes a lot of attention and dying to self. If your heart is not into making home, then you will end up being a bitter old woman.


A true homemaker realizes that homemaking is about making life more pleasant for the people that enters her doors. If it were just about keeping a house clean and orderly it would be called housekeeping. But a homemaker is about making a home; a place where people long to come to, a place where people are nourished and revived.

It is all PERSPECTIVE! And the more people we have and the more activity we have in our house, the greater the need is for homeMAKING! :o) So don't grow weary in doing ***good***! Don't look for people to thank you or praise your great efforts. Willingly create a home filled with comfortable surroundings, satisfying foods, sweet aromas, and pleasant memories. Engrave these memories deep into the soul of your family, and as they grow up and out, only to return for visits; they will recall HOME, and remember the labor of love you poured into their lives.

The Perfect Pie Crust

Do It Anyway!

People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered.
Love them anyway.

If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.
Do good anyway.

If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies.
Succeed anyway.

The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow.
Do good anyway.

Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable.
Be honest and frank anyway.

The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds.
Think big anyway.

People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs.
Fight for a few underdogs anyway.

What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight.
Build anyway.

People really need help but may attack you if you do help them.
Help people anyway.

Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth.
Give the world the best you have anyway.


~ Kent M. Keith

Dumb Bumper Stickers

How to Add Sacred Hymns to Your Day - For Free!

I have to admit, I love technology! I'm not near as savvy as I wish I was, but I just love all the gadgets and ways to communicate and learn.

We all know how easy it is to learn songs just by listening to the radio or CDs, so I realized that we can learn the sacred hymns by using Playlist (or your favorite version of this program).

The words of sacred hymns are SO DEEP and really make you think! I would love to get to where I know all the words to our most used hymns without using a hymnal.

On my playlist I am adding hymns we sing in church. I am searching for ones that have the words sung clearly, not necessarily a lot of background music. The hymn play list could also be used during your family worship time, this is especially good if you don't have anyway to play an instrument or if you are just learning the hymns.

To use Playlist you do not have to have a blog/website. You can simply make the list and and go to their site to listen. OR, you could do this same thing with Itunes by creating a play list of songs you bought. The good thing about Playlist is that it is free, and you can jump to the song you want. :o)

On my sidebar, under the songs about HOME, I've started my list of sacred hymns to learn. To create your own playlist just click on the button in my Playlist box in the sidebar. You can also go to Hymn Lyrics to print out the words.

Olivia and the Reporter

As Olivia and the girls were walking to the Art museum today in one of the coldest snaps for the south, a reporter stopped her to interview her.

Reporter: What do you think of all this cold weather?

Olivia (with a hint of sarcasm): Well, frankly, I am quite disappointed! Al Gore said we were supposed to be having Global Warming!

Reporter: No, I mean how do you think people in the south handle the cold?

Olivia (in her usual joyful tone): Well, all they need is a cup of hot tea and they'll be OK!

The reporter then decides it is too cold to mess with this girl! ;o) LOL Wonder why her comments didn't make the news broadcast?

The 12 year old with Olivia asked her about the nude statue of a fat woman, "Is that Buddha?"

Olivia responds, "No that's NUddha!"

Confession:

Today's sermon was encouraging and convicting!


^{Eph. 5:22}Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. ²³For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. ²⁴Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.

²⁵Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her ²⁶to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, ²⁷and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. ²⁸In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. ²⁹After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church— ³⁰for we are members of his body. ³¹"For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." ³²This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. ³³However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

Confession of my sin:

Sometimes I become sullen, angry, bitter when things don't go as I think they should. I don't always show it outwardly, but I sure am drowning in it on the inside. This is pride and God hates it. I am especially guilty of this with my husband. I do try to submit outwardly, but on the inside I am murmuring the whole time. ugh! Sin, yes, I know!

The thing about sin is that you cannot keep it to yourself. Because it is in your heart, it will eventually escape through your mouth. :o( How do I know this? Experience!

In my recent bout of living with a husband who is human and my heart that is prideful I knew I had to get a grip, take my thoughts captive! Rather than dwell on his weaknesses (as if I have none of my own) I needed to beg God to help me see what it is that He wanted me to learn. I really wanted to stomp my feet and whine... "But God...", but I know that gets us no where.

The women sets the tone of the house, she chooses the aroma of the day. If Satan can keep the wife angry, uptight or distracted from her duties, then the whole family will become angry, uptight and anxious to get out as soon as they can!

One thing I am constantly telling my kids, "It doesn't matter what your circumstances are, YOU are to do the right thing. YOU are to choose to walk in the path of righteousness! YOUR attitude is everything!" So of course, God wants me to walk this truth, not just talk it.

It does not matter what my husband is doing or not doing (apart from sin). What God wants from ME it to respect him, honor him, regardless. Respect and honor are attitudes. So, first I repent to the Lord and find the many, many things to be thankful for concerning my husband.

See, the REAL problem was the focus on ME! That is where the pride takes root and grows.

My husband is wonderful, imperfect, but wonderful! He rarely reads this blog so I'm not just saying that, he really is wonderful.

The sermon this morning was about our responsibilities in the family, husbands, wives and children. God's timing is so perfect!

After the worship service, the man sitting behind us told Jeff, "Jeff, it was nice it sit behind you this morning rather than sit in front of you. I couldn't help but to notice how tender you are with your wife." Oh, how this melted my heart and convicted me. Yes, he is so VERY tender. His arm is always around me while we stand and sing, always with a gentle touch. Because I receive this week after week, I guess I take it for granted.

When I awoke this morning he had my cup of coffee already poured as I drug myself to the kitchen. He has a true servant heart. Many women would love to have a man that is faithful to come home every night, or a husband who would take them to church.

And I dare complain...at all.

Jan 2

Did some bulk cooking for the week ahead.

Recorded soap making with Olivia for the next video.

Watched videos with the girls...while I worked/played on the laptop.

New Years Day 2009

The secret to LOVING Christmas...

The secret to LOVING Christmas is to put aside ALL expectations, demands and offenses; getting the focus off yourself and embrace Jesus.

When you embrace Jesus, love/obey Him, then you WILL have peace; because after all, it (life) is about Jesus, not us! When life gets rough, it is part of HIM drawing us to know Him better. He wants our total dependence. Once you submit to that, you can rest and have JOY.

Eggnog, Skip Bo, Sanatra, and Grandma!

Some Sanatra playing quietly...

Eggnog poured...

Cards dealt...

and the silliness begins...

Jeff the big Skip Bo winner of the night!

Seven Awful Things

I love Judy Rogers!

There's no place like home...

We've had so many changes in our home over the last few months; my mother moving in, Olivia semi-moving out (home on the weekends), Josh moving out. Then funerals, out of town house guest, extra jobs, catering, video editing, marketing, dances, and daily life, I feel like my home is so un-kept. It is amazing how fast things can pile up and be neglected. I've been shuffling things from one spot to another.

This week we (Emma and I) have been taking it a bit slower and working through this house. De-cluttering, moving furniture, cleaning... We are working on giving my mother's room a make over while she is out of town to surprise her when she returns.

I have this constant struggle between making our home look comfortable and welcoming, yet I still need it to be a place of work. We always have sewing projects going, tons of computer work between Teaching Good Things, and Jeff's business; not to mention I need a place to keep video inventory and shipping supplies. With a small house how can I keep it homey feeling, yet practical? It's a constant struggle.

I love to look through homemaking magazines to get decorating ideas; but I've come to realize that a home full of people and productivity will NOT look like a Better Homes and Garden home, any more than I will look like a woman on the cover of a magazine. It's just not reality!

WiddlyTinks

My Stick Family from WiddlyTinks.com


My Family from WiddlyTinks.com

Making a Home

There are few things that bring me more satisfaction than making a home, as humble as it may be, this is where my heart is.

Oh, may I long for my heavenly more than I do this earthly home.

Adult Children and Faithfulness

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.
3 John 1:4


I have no greater heartache than to hear that my children stumble in the darkness.

~Me

As much as *my* dream is for all of my children to live Godly lives, living close by with their some day families (GRANDCHILDREN!), I realize that it may not work out that way. God is working in my heart to seek HIS Kingdom rather than building my own kingdom.

The only thing that matters is that they walk faithfully with God. I'd rather have a (adult) child living FAITHFULLY in Africa, than one living down the hall clinging on to their sin!