I kept saying I was going to get this post up yesterday but that really never happened. We had an interesting day. I sewed all morning while Cooper was at preschool and Jesse and Duece did their seat work. After getting Cooper we had lunch, more school and got ready for me to go teach my CWJC class. Then playgroup, home, diner and then more school. So no post but I am thinking better late then never.
I shared the other day that Michael and I were going through a very trying time right now. But I also shared how we have decided to praise God all the way! So I am going to try every Thursday to do a Thankful post. Because I know the only way we will ever get through any of this is by trusting God to meet all our needs.
This week I am thankful for....The annoying tree that had invaded Ms. Cranford's fence needing to be cut down. I am also thankful for some hemming a sweet friend asked me to do for her. Both brought in a little extra income. God seemed to provide just what we needed to get through that week. I am so thankful for that!
Friday, September 9, 2011
Monday, September 5, 2011
Build up a wall the enemy is coming
God has really been at work in mine and Michael's life lately. I had been really "down" for a while when a prayer meeting started at our church. The purpose of the prayer meeting was to "pray for our church and our community". But what happened to me at or as part of those meetings I believe was God's way of preparing me for some not so great news Michael and I would get 2 days after that last prayer meeting. At the very first prayer meeting my pastors wife had a "word" for me about an "opening or a doorway and it being bright and lined with blue pots." My details are fuzzy because it has been several weeks ago so excuse my vague quoting. Then Jeff our pastor told me that blue was the color of truth. I was so excited to hear those things since I had felt a little off course as far as what God was doing in and through me. Then there was Michael he was experiencing a spiritual low at the time and was really dragging me down. After they prayed over me about him and our marriage God started to move instantly. On the last night of prayer service Jeff and April invited everyone down for individual prayer to be "more filled" for continuing our endeavors. When April prayed over Michael and I she told us to build up a wall to keep the enemy out or in other words do what God is telling you to do right now so the enemy can't get in and God can work out his plan. And Jeff added to that with " I see multiples for you in the form of blessings not one big one like when Cooper was healed but several different ones and we would recognize those as God." (Jeff if you are reading this and it needs correcting let me know!)
Ok so fast forward 2 day after that service. Michael gets a phone call when he comes home from work. I can't share all the details with you Michael and I have decided somethings need to remain private. But it was shattering for us in the financial department. Our lives are going to be seriously impacted. And not for the good. After he hung up the phone we talked about Aprils word and how it felt like the enemy was on our doorstep and it was up to our "wall" to keep him out. We are scared, nervous and things are really grim for us right now in that area. But we don't think God has delivered promise after promise just to leave us in the dust. We know whatever we go through will be for His glory and we will praise Him no matter the storm.
I am going to take the advice of a friend and blog during our journey to downsize ( HA a process that started a long time ago again God preparing us). And I will also use this as a opportunity to share about what God is doing in our lives and in our community and in our church. It is all noteworthy!
I am thankful for April and Jeff. I honestly feel like their words were prophetic in our lives. I can't wait to see what God uses us to do during this time.
Ok so fast forward 2 day after that service. Michael gets a phone call when he comes home from work. I can't share all the details with you Michael and I have decided somethings need to remain private. But it was shattering for us in the financial department. Our lives are going to be seriously impacted. And not for the good. After he hung up the phone we talked about Aprils word and how it felt like the enemy was on our doorstep and it was up to our "wall" to keep him out. We are scared, nervous and things are really grim for us right now in that area. But we don't think God has delivered promise after promise just to leave us in the dust. We know whatever we go through will be for His glory and we will praise Him no matter the storm.
I am going to take the advice of a friend and blog during our journey to downsize ( HA a process that started a long time ago again God preparing us). And I will also use this as a opportunity to share about what God is doing in our lives and in our community and in our church. It is all noteworthy!
I am thankful for April and Jeff. I honestly feel like their words were prophetic in our lives. I can't wait to see what God uses us to do during this time.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Homeschooling Why?
God has put it on my heart to share my home school story. Or better yet the reason we chose to home school this year. I had wrote a previous post about why we were going to home school but decided to "pull" it I didn't like the way I had explained things plus it was written before we decided to do this with both children. I had to really think and pray long about weather or not to even share our story since so many negative things had been said to us upon making the choice "public".
Let me take you back to when Jesse was in 1st grade. She had the most wonderful teacher. It was one of the best school years EVER! At the end of the year she was assigned to a teacher I wasn't thrilled for her to have. And my instincts were right. It wasn't a good fight and the year was rough not academically but otherwise. I had chosen to let Jesse continue in school because I was pregnant with our youngest child. Or in other words I was a chicken! By the time the question arose again I wasn't ready to even consider it again. So I sent Duece to public kindergarten...HUGE mistake he was not socially ready and it was a nightmare the whole year. Tears and more tears every single day. He had a wonderful teacher and she loved him to pieces but that didn't matter to Duece. That is when I started really researching it, talking to other home school moms and praying about it. But was swayed by the fact that we had a friend who was a first grade teacher who thought she could change his mind about school. Well as luck would have it Duece was assigned to her class. I thought things would be great but was surprised about 6 weeks into school that things were far from great. I knew in an instant I made the WRONG choice and hadn't listened to my heart or to God. We made it through the year but had decided by the 2nd semester we would be making a change this year.
We really did pray about what God would have us do. And it was then that we realized our reason for homeschooling had almost nothing to do with our public school experience. It had so much more to do with what kind of children we wanted to raise. Our goal as parents is to raise 3 kingdom minded, kingdom growing, love sharing followers of Jesus Christ! Having our children at home with us gives us more time to focus on Kingdom mindedness ( ok is that a word?) and they would of course have far less influence from negative sources. We really feel like we have made the right choice for our family. And the peace that fills our school room is proof that we are doing just as God wants us to do.
Let me take you back to when Jesse was in 1st grade. She had the most wonderful teacher. It was one of the best school years EVER! At the end of the year she was assigned to a teacher I wasn't thrilled for her to have. And my instincts were right. It wasn't a good fight and the year was rough not academically but otherwise. I had chosen to let Jesse continue in school because I was pregnant with our youngest child. Or in other words I was a chicken! By the time the question arose again I wasn't ready to even consider it again. So I sent Duece to public kindergarten...HUGE mistake he was not socially ready and it was a nightmare the whole year. Tears and more tears every single day. He had a wonderful teacher and she loved him to pieces but that didn't matter to Duece. That is when I started really researching it, talking to other home school moms and praying about it. But was swayed by the fact that we had a friend who was a first grade teacher who thought she could change his mind about school. Well as luck would have it Duece was assigned to her class. I thought things would be great but was surprised about 6 weeks into school that things were far from great. I knew in an instant I made the WRONG choice and hadn't listened to my heart or to God. We made it through the year but had decided by the 2nd semester we would be making a change this year.
We really did pray about what God would have us do. And it was then that we realized our reason for homeschooling had almost nothing to do with our public school experience. It had so much more to do with what kind of children we wanted to raise. Our goal as parents is to raise 3 kingdom minded, kingdom growing, love sharing followers of Jesus Christ! Having our children at home with us gives us more time to focus on Kingdom mindedness ( ok is that a word?) and they would of course have far less influence from negative sources. We really feel like we have made the right choice for our family. And the peace that fills our school room is proof that we are doing just as God wants us to do.
Friday, August 26, 2011
New House Rules
We have decided to adopt the Duggar family rules as our own for awhile. I really get a lot of inspiration from this family and I loved their rules when I read them shared on another blog. I really like their approach their rules are faith based and there is NO YELLING in their home. Now that is something I am trying hard to achieve! Anyone who knows me knows I am a "yeller". I don't want to yell anymore. I want my home filled with JOY! I am going to share them with you in case you want to use them and I will be sure to "update" you all on how the new ones are going.
House Rules
1. Always use soft words, even when you don’t feel well.
2. Always display kind actions, even if you have been mistreated.
3. Show joyful attitudes even when no one is looking.
4. Have sincere motives with no thought of self-gain.
5. Think pure thoughts.
6. Always give a good report of others. Never tale-bear unless physical harm will come to someone.
7. Never raise a hand to hit.
8. Never raise a foot to kick.
9. Never raise an object to throw.
10. Never raise a voice to yell.
11. Never raise an eye to scowl.
12. Use one toy/activity at a time.
13. Never let the sun go down on your wrath. (Don’t go to bed angry or guilty.)
14. Amendment J.O.Y.: Put Jesus first, Others second, Yourself last. Make serving your family a priority.
House Rules
1. Always use soft words, even when you don’t feel well.
2. Always display kind actions, even if you have been mistreated.
3. Show joyful attitudes even when no one is looking.
4. Have sincere motives with no thought of self-gain.
5. Think pure thoughts.
6. Always give a good report of others. Never tale-bear unless physical harm will come to someone.
7. Never raise a hand to hit.
8. Never raise a foot to kick.
9. Never raise an object to throw.
10. Never raise a voice to yell.
11. Never raise an eye to scowl.
12. Use one toy/activity at a time.
13. Never let the sun go down on your wrath. (Don’t go to bed angry or guilty.)
14. Amendment J.O.Y.: Put Jesus first, Others second, Yourself last. Make serving your family a priority.
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Week 1 Update
I just couldn't wait any longer to update everyone on how our first week of Home school had gone! Well...It was GREAT! I have told several people that I woke up Monday morning all 3 kids climbed in bed with me (Michael leaves around 3:30 every day) and we talked for a long time about what we want this year to be like and everything we wanted to learn or places we wanted to visit. It was an amazing way to start the morning of the first day of school. As I lay there surrounded by my treasures I felt at peace with our decision just like I was doing exactly what I was suppose to do. This was not our first official day of school but rather a transition day in which we began review work. We schooled 4 days this week and all 4 were amazing. I can't wait to see what next week holds. We will be schooling 4 days during that week also. We are taking a slow start in order to find our groove while we await the arrival of the rest of our curriculum. I am so excited about the school year I can't hardly wait until we officially start!
Friday, August 12, 2011
No title-Just the truth
Sometimes I can't help but wonder if I am letting my number 1 ministry "go".
I feel as a wife and mother my number one ministry is inside my household. I feel like before I can properly minister to others I have 4 other souls I am to minister to. I am counting my husband because I believe it is part my job to help cultivate his soul along with the children. But as of late I feel I am falling short. I have been a little lazy, bossy, and mean most of the time. I don't like it. I know my family doesn't like it and so I feel like I am letting that ministry "go!" I don't know what is wrong with me but I just can't seem to pull it together sometimes. I want to be so much more as their wife and mother but at the end of the day most of the time I just owe them a huge apology and find myself begging for a do over.
I feel so weak and alone most of the time. I think finding courage to do what I know I should do is hard for me sometimes. I also know that this ministry suffers for reasons I can't control. My strategy from here...Pray! My Papa will lead me through any trouble I have because He loves me so much and He only wants good things for me and my family. With His help we will be all He is calling us to be.
I feel as a wife and mother my number one ministry is inside my household. I feel like before I can properly minister to others I have 4 other souls I am to minister to. I am counting my husband because I believe it is part my job to help cultivate his soul along with the children. But as of late I feel I am falling short. I have been a little lazy, bossy, and mean most of the time. I don't like it. I know my family doesn't like it and so I feel like I am letting that ministry "go!" I don't know what is wrong with me but I just can't seem to pull it together sometimes. I want to be so much more as their wife and mother but at the end of the day most of the time I just owe them a huge apology and find myself begging for a do over.
I feel so weak and alone most of the time. I think finding courage to do what I know I should do is hard for me sometimes. I also know that this ministry suffers for reasons I can't control. My strategy from here...Pray! My Papa will lead me through any trouble I have because He loves me so much and He only wants good things for me and my family. With His help we will be all He is calling us to be.
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Challenge Anyone
A while back I remember a bloggy world challenge that challenged women to get up every morning and "get dressed"! I don't mean in ratty sweat and a pony tail either. I am talking about getting your self dressed for the day. I didn't take the challenge but realize how important it is. So I have decided to challenge myself and blog readers to do the same. I know women that work may not be in this hole but alot of at home moms are. Myself for sure. I am going to get dressed every single day fix my hair and all. I know it will help my self esteem and it will help my motivation. While I am at it I am challenging myself to make my bed first thing in the morning. Who wants to join me....I am positive it will change my life:)
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