A Small Part of the Canvas

Going Through The Motions - Matthew West

2010-10-15T15:16:00.000-07:00

I've heard this song several times before and there was something about it that hit me in the gut, but I never listened to the words completely.

How many times have I longed for safety in my life - that feeling of comfort and peace - knowing that it's all okay. Yet how many times have I denied that in my life because I thought I was finding it in myself more than I could anywhere else? Self protective tendencies tend to lead us down the road of avoidance and hiding.

When you have any type of baggage you've got a tough road to go down if you're going to deal with it. And dealing with that baggage sucks for the lack of a better word.

The alternative is worse. Buried hurt gets us nowhere. Dealing with it is going to be rough. We are going to feel broken. But at least we'll feel.

I think that's what this song is about. Challenge yourself to stop going through the motions of your existence and deal with what you need to deal with it. Don't hide from it one more day.

Not. One. More. Day.

Let's make it real today.

The Motions
This might hurt, it's not safe
But I know that I've gotta make a change
I don't care if I break,
At least I'll be feeling something
'Cause just okay is not enough
Help me fight through the nothingness of life

I don't wanna go through the motions
I don't wanna go one more day
without Your all consuming passion inside of me
I don't wanna spend my whole life asking,
"What if I had given everything,
instead of going through the motions?"

No regrets, not this time
I'm gonna let my heart defeat my mind
Let Your love make me whole
I think I'm finally feeling something
'Cause just okay is not enough
Help me fight through the nothingness of this life

'Cause I don't wanna go through the motions
I don't wanna go one more day
without Your all consuming passion inside of me
I don't wanna spend my whole life asking,
"What if I had given everything,
instead of going through the motions?"

take me all the way (take me all the way)
take me all the way ('cause I don't wanna go through the motions)
take me all the way (I know I'm finally feeling something real)
take me all the way

I don't wanna go through the motions
I don't wanna go one more day
without Your all consuming passion inside of me
I don't wanna spend my whole life asking,
"What if I had given everything,
instead of going through the motions?"

I don't wanna go through the motions
I don't wanna go one more day
without Your all consuming passion inside of me
I don't wanna spend my whole life asking,
"What if I had given everything,
instead of going through the motions?"

take me all the way (take me all the way)
take me all the way (I don't wanna go, I don't wanna go)
take me all the way (through the motions)
take me all the way

I don't wanna go through the motions

Just Can't Deny Him

2010-10-14T18:59:00.000-07:00

Our pastor has been talking quite a bit about putting Christ ahead of EVERYTHING we do. Every conversation. Every outing. Everything.

I've been trying that lately and have truly been surprised at what I have experienced.

My son had a birthday party a few weeks ago. I usually freak out about those things the day I am getting ready for them because nothing seems to be done quite when I want it to be. I had so much to do with canning, preparing food, cleaning, etc. I prayed the night before, acknowledging I didn't understand how in the world God would help me through that day without being totally stressed out.

It was amazing. The next day I was not stressed out - at all! My husband, "Mr. Relaxed" (compared to me), was stressed out, but I wasn't. I couldn't believe it! (And neither could he. He kept looking at me like I wasn't real!)

Now I know you're not supposed to share numbers and all that information when it comes to checking accounts, business, weight, age, etc. but I'm going to break the rules for a little bit just because I can't help it.

I took the business to an expo last weekend. The last time I did that, it was a total flop and I lost quite a bit of money. I decided to try again hoping it was a better venue. And I decided to try to pray. I had about $300 in my business checking account when I went. I prayed that God would be before me at the expo, that His will would be done and that I would do what He wanted of me.

A day before the expo happened I got an order in for a bunch of pajama pants. That supplier sets a minimum order of 50 pairs of "punjammies" per order. That ended up totaling $1090. I had no idea how I was going to pay for it. I thought it was a good idea to buy these particular items because they are so popular and are my best sellers online. I had been praying about that order, knowing it was coming up, for about a month.

I went to the expo. The expo happened. Friday to Sunday. Sunday night I tallied up the total. $1090. The same exact number - almost to the penny - for what I needed to write a check for the next day.

I started freaking out. I just couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe it because it was so amazing and just beyond coincidence. I couldn't believe it because He obviously answered my prayer and I was surprised that He could be that exact - that He would be that exact. You hear about situations like that with other people, but that's not a normal experience for me. Actually that has never happened to me before.

Any of you who have been following this blog for any length of time know that the business has been a very frustrating, difficult and wearing thing - beyond my expectations. Part of that weariness was just wondering if I was doing the right thing.

That answered prayer - so simple for Him - so incredibly amazing to me - helped me feel so much more peaceful about what is happening here.

I know I'll feel discouraged and frustrated again. I know I'll doubt whether or not the business should continue and one of these days He may just say it is over.

I'm just excited and feel so blessed that He heard my prayer and answered it in the way He did this time. And I had to share it with you.

Do you feel God has answered any of your prayers beyond what you imagined? If you could imagine something being answered in your life right now what would it be?

Filling The Gap - Vulnerability in Marriage

2010-10-11T20:08:00.001-07:00

The Crack
Originally uploaded by Phijomo

"Do I seek to protect my spouse? Do I fill in the gaps where they feel weak and vulnerable?"

The thing about being married to a guy is that they don't talk too much. Especially about their insecurities.

I'm not sure how to fill in the gaps for my husband.

And he doesn't know how to fill in my gaps either.

There is no way my husband can fulfill every insecurity, weakness and item of fragility in my life, even when I want him to. And that is upsetting.

When I'm feeling vulnerable and fragile inside I want to be whisked into someone's arms, comforted and encouraged and told that everything will be alright. And I want my husband to do that.

But he can't. He has to let me work, struggle and fight it out. And trust in the only One who can truly help me by either filling in the cracks or smoothing them out to become something beautiful.

I would love to hear your thoughts. How do you handle vulnerability and gaps in your life in relation to your marriage?

More Beautiful You

2010-10-06T18:29:00.000-07:00

I have a deep passion toward hurting girls and specifically teenagers. So much of the time as teens girls DO NOT understand their true worth and beauty. I know we've all heard of all the reasons why this could possibly be. There are so many of them. It's impossible to prevent, it seems.

I, like most teen girls, struggled with body image and self esteem and still do to an extent. This song has touched me deep within.

Take a listen to these words and see if they touch your heart too.

More Beautiful You
Little girl fourteen flipping through a magazine
Says she wants to look that way
But her hair isn't straight her body isn't fake
And she's always felt overweight

Well little girl fourteen I wish that you could see
That beauty is within your heart
And you were made with such care your skin your body and your hair
Are perfect just the way they are

There could never be a more beautiful you
Don't buy the lies disguises and hoops they make you jump through
You were made to fill a purpose that only you could do
So there could never be a more beautiful you

Little girl twenty-one the things that you've already done
Anything to get ahead
And you say you've got a man but he's got another plan
Only wants what you will do instead

Well little girl twenty-one you never thought that this would come
You starve yourself to play the part
But I can promise you there's a man whose love is true
And he'll treat you like the jewel you are

So turn around you're not too far
To back away be who you are
To change your path go another way
It's not too late you can be saved
If you feel depressed with past regrets
The shameful nights hope to forget
Can disappear they can all be washed away
By the one who's strong can right your wrongs
Can rid your fears dry all your tears
And change the way you look at this big world
He will take your dark distorted view
And with His light He will show you truth
And again you'll see through the eyes of a little girl

With What Money?

2010-10-05T06:40:00.000-07:00

I follow a blog that has to do with human trafficking on change.org. Now, I have to say up front that most of what is posted on this site I do not agree with. I do like the human trafficking section and tend to agree with or at least be able to understand where they are coming from on this issue.

This week I received an email from them (I must have signed up for that somewhere) about the shelter crisis for human trafficking. That article can be viewed here. In the article, Amanda Kloer points out that there are 100,000 new human trafficking victims each year and 80 beds of shelter in which to offer them refuge. She asks us, the reader, during the course of this posting, to contact our state representatives to support and fund services for human trafficking victims.

She goes on....

"The Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking Deterrence and Victims Support Act of 2010 would help get American victims the help they need. If passed, the bill will award six block grants to state or local entities who have a plan to investigate, prosecute and deter sex trafficking, while at the same time providing special services and shelter to victims. It would also help local law enforcement reach out to at-risk populations, like runaway and homeless youth, before the pimps do. And it would help fill the massive gap between the number of children being exploited in America and the number of shelter beds ready for them."

I can get on board with that, but my question is, with what money?

Pennsylvania, the state in which I live, is in debt $41,844,487,003.

That is a lot of money. Now, if I was in debt that much, I couldn't afford ANYTHING!

I hear numbers thrown around all over the place about the debt, our nation's debt, state debt, etc. It almost sounds normal to us to hear these numbers - like they are no big deal. But lately, this has been hitting me differently.

In my opinion, we as Christians, are far too quiet. Too quiet and not taken seriously. I don't think we need to be aggressive, but this is enough.

It is not the place of the government to be stepping in, especially when we have NO money - less than no money even. It is our place to be stepping in. It is our place to support the non-profits that are making the differences in areas we want them to be stepping in - as much as we can - in whatever way we can. It's not always financial. It may be a volunteer effort. It may just be encouragement.

I want the children who are at risk of being trafficked to be taken care of - by US, the PEOPLE, not the government.

Let's step up.

Pursuing Truth

2010-10-03T09:18:00.000-07:00

Do I rejoice with the truth? Do I actively pursue God's truth over Satan's lies? *

I don't think this is as easy as it sounds.

Pursuing truth. In our marriages.

What is the truth in your marriage that you need to continually pursue? Are you needing to pursue truth in believing in and resting in your spouse's love for you? Do you need to pursue the truth of harsh realities that seem insurmountable?

I don't believe Christ believes in "pushing things under the rug". I think He likes to deal with things in a straight forward manner. He certainly was not shy about dealing with the Pharisees, even in their thoughts. Nor was He shy about dealing with Mary in her adultery and subsequent stoning incident. He dealt with the truth head on. That's one of the things I love about Him. He doesn't believe in masks and pretending. He is Truth.

Whether we want to face it or not, there are truths we need to admit, believe, and or deal with in our marriages. Sometimes....I wonder if I should even say all the time. We're all sinful and at least my marriage seems to highlight that the most because I am the most "me" in my marriage as compared to all other relationships.

What truth do you need to pursue and even rejoice in through the scope of your marriage today? Rejoice because He, the author of Truth, will help you.

(*Taken from Lysa TerKeurst's book, The Bathtub is Overflowing but I Feed Drained.")

Countering the Culture of Entitlement - Government Handouts

2010-09-30T06:25:00.000-07:00

Did you know that 44% of the United States population is living in a household where someone receives government handouts?

That statistic was shocking to me! That is a lot of people buying into, in many cases, the culture of entitlement.

I believe that there are many cases of legitimate need out there - of people trying to support their family, desperately searching for a job who need some assistance while doing so. My heart breaks for the children out there who would have no food, diapers or essentials without food stamps. They are the victims and they deserve to be helped. Or those who are disabled and need a helping hand.

A helping hand is differing than a handout though.

There's almost a sense of pride now, for people who receive handouts, in the fact that they do. It's not a source of shame or motivation. It's more of a sense of "I beat the system!" How do you teach your children that responsibility is a good thing and better than receiving something for free?

The problem is now generational. There is a whole generation of kids who grew up "in the system" or with parents who took advantage of it. They think it's normal and the way its supposed to be to see what you can get from the government and others. Is that something that can be countered? Is it possible to motivate a different sense of pride - a sense of pride that comes with accomplishment and hard work?

What do you think?

Flirting with Sin

2010-09-28T09:17:00.000-07:00

Do you flirt? Flirt with your husband? Flirt with other men? Flirt with sin? Flirting is fairly obvious to the one who is doing it, subtle to those around them at times. Very obvious at others.

Flirting is dangerous if you're married.

I don't want to talk about the flirting we all think of - the light touch, intimate looks and getting closer to the one you probably shouldn't be that close with. I want to talk about flirting in a much more secretive way. The way of the internet.

When I was a teenager and dating, once a relationship was over, especially if you weren't around that person on a day to day basis, it was over. It was as easy as you wanted it to be to detach yourself from the person, get the closure you needed and move on without further interference.

Now that is not such a reality. Facebook, white pages and google searches make it all too easy to find a long lost love. And all too dangerous.

A friend of mine shared a relationship with me that was very difficult to disassociate herself from. It took years for her to finally get over the guy once the relationship started deteriorating. She has since married and has a beautiful family and is very happy in her marriage and with what she has been blessed with. Something as simple as a dream made her look up her ex-boyfriend though. It took less than 5 minutes to find him - where he lived, his phone number, his church and place of employment - even his picture was readily available.

And she started to struggle.

All the "what ifs" started coming right back to her. All the good things that had existed in that relationship started popping up in her mind, especially on those "not so great" marriage days. And the old relationship started to erode the solid, God given marriage she enjoyed.

Thankfully, after a little while she, through prayer and perseverance, was able to shut that person out of her life again, but not without consequence. She wishes now that she didn't know all the information she learned that day because it makes him so easily come into her mind still. And that will continue threaten her marriage if she doesn't keep a close eye on it and take the accountability she needs.

Flirting with danger. Flirting with sin. These subtle ways can be so dangerous.

Keep a close tab on what you are doing in relation to the opposite sex this week. Make sure those old relationships stay old and do NOT bring them into your present because they have great power to destroy.

Countering the Culture of Entitlement

2010-09-24T06:01:00.000-07:00

Have you noticed entitlement around you lately? Entitlement to treat anyone however you'd like and have them respond however you'd like? Entitlement to get whatever you want when you want it? Entitlement to receive things you haven't worked for or earned, even just on good merit? A "you owe me" mentality?

Last week I went into Barnes and Noble to look for a particular book. I knew they had had it on the shelf because I had looked it up on-line, but when I got to the store I couldn't remember the complete name of the book. I remembered that the word "farmhouse" was in it, but that was it.

When I walked into the store a woman walked over to me and asked me if she could help me. I said yes and explained to her what I was looking for but couldn't remember all the words in the title. She told me to go with her while she tried to look it up.

Fine so far right?

She started looking it up. But, she couldn't find it right away and I think that frustrated her. And so she took it out on me. Asking me question after question and interrupting me as I tried to answer her...... "Is it a book on interior decorating? You don't remember any other words in the title? Author? (Umm. I do good to remember the title let alone the author's name!!) And then the kicker. Well if you know it was on the shelf, you must have seen it so you should know where it is!" (I saw it on the virtual shelf, which you didn't give me the chance to explain!!)

I told her to nevermind. I would go look for it myself.

I walked around the store a little bit, very huffy I might add, and a couple of minutes later she came up to me with the book and just handed it to me. No words, nothing. Just handed it to me. I said "thanks", to which she responded with an abrupt, "Yup" and walked away. I took a brief look at it and put it down. I'm not spending money anywhere with any employee that treats me that way.

This interaction bothered me on several levels.

She had approached me to ask if I needed help. I would think she would have been prepared to actually help me.
As a small business owner I appreciate every shred of business I receive and I would not want someone working for me like that and losing not only money, but the customer's respect, appreciation and business.
Am I buying in to entitlement in thinking that she should have been polite?

I want to start talking about and thinking about these things because this isn't a once in a while experience. It's a very frequent experience in my world. Who likes to call to make any kind of inquiry about a bill or statement or magazine offer? No one! Because you have to wait through impersonal prompts and then when you do get to an actual person, they are more than likely going to be rude to you and bothered that you even called!

This entitlement mentality is prevalent in all sorts of ways in our culture. I want to tackle it so I don't buy into it and my children don't buy into it.

Can you relate to any of this? What would you have done with the lady in Barnes and Noble?

By Your Side - Tenth Avenue North

2010-09-21T19:02:00.000-07:00

I have heard this song so many times in the past year or so and it never stopped me until today for some reason. It is an amazing testament of how God loves and cares for us and WANTS to. Take a listen today and be encouraged that He loves you - no matter where you are or how hard you might be or might have pushed away.

By Your Side Lyrics
Why are you striving these days
Why are you trying to earn grace
Why are you crying
Let me lift up your face
Just don't turn away

Why are you looking for love
Why are you still searching as if I'm not enough
To where will you go child
Tell me where will you run
To where will you run

And I'll be by your side
Wherever you fall
In the dead of night
Whenever you call
And please don't fight
These hands that are holding you
My hands are holding you

Look at these hands and my side
They swallowed the grave on that night
When I drank the world's sin
So I could carry you in
And give you life
I want to give you life

(Chorus 2x)

Cause I, I love you
I want you to know
That I, I love you
I'll never let you go

Fabulous Find - Stitch by Stitch

2010-09-16T22:59:00.000-07:00

I think if you're the blogging type of person, want to make a difference type of person and are creative at all in this day and age, you're going to end up sewing.

I grew up in a family of seamstresses. I am an extremely concrete thinker and just couldn't grasp the concepts of sewing, nor did I really want to. I remember being in Home Ec in high school and having to sew some sort of book. Oh my goodness. I also remember my teacher being extremely frustrated with me because I sincerely had no idea what in the world I was doing - and again, I didn't care. I got a C because of that stinking book.

Several years later I graduated college and needed professional casual clothes to wear for an internship. I didn't have any money. So my mom found some patterns and tried to teach me how to sew, again to no avail. I'll never forget her looking at me and actually saying out load, "How do you not understand this?!?" Poor mom.

Again, several years later I tried to make curtains. Do you remember me saying I'm impulsive? I almost always bite off more than I can chew. I got so frustrated with that project that I threw all the fabric I had bought to make them into a ball and into a closet. They ended up in the trash.

But then, just this year I found the Idea Room. And then I found Craft Hope. And I decided if I wanted to get involved and have the incredibly adorable things I have since found for myself and my children, I was going to have to learn to sew.

I took the plunge and bought a machine. Between bags and clothes, I am currently sewing up a storm. I'll have to share some pictures with you if you're interested! Just this week I used my first commercially designed pattern. Wow. That was not fun compared to the picture description, each step meticulously described Etsy downloadable patterns! But I had this great book to help me out.

This woman is down to earth in her writing style, is not 500 years old and actually gives you projects to complete while she's teaching you how to sew. A fantastic book and a must have if you decide to take the sewing plunge. You can find her book on Amazon here.

So, do you sew? Any sewing catastophes you'd like to share here? I'd love to hear them! I can take all the encouragement I can get some days!

Picture taken from http://www.amazon.com.

You Never Let Go - Matt Redman

2010-09-16T22:53:00.000-07:00

I'm so thankful He doesn't let go of us.

Challenging Your Marriage - Am I Able to Let it Go?

2010-09-13T07:56:00.001-07:00

061 - Mar 2 - Letting Go
Originally uploaded by ladybugrock

It's been a couple of weeks since we talked about challenging our marriages. But I want us to keep going and keep challenging.

This week, let's consider this.....Am I able to forgive and let go of (keeping no record of wrongs) my spouse's shortcomings? Do I use my spouse's past shortcomings as ammunition in today's disagreements or allow these things to taint our communication daily?

Now is a good time for a very appropriate disclaimer.

There are indeed horrible marriages out there. Marriages full of pain and strife - of adultery, unfaithfulness, abuse, deceit and a myriad of other cruelties. I am not an expert at dealing with these things by any stretch of the imagination. I have seen these things happen first hand in marriages and I don't know how some of them withstood. Others I watched fall apart and end in divorce, even appropriately so. While I believe that God wants EVERY marriage to work out, I do not believe that any of the things I mentioned are to be tolerated or accepted in any way. I believe there are times it is appropriate for a divorce to be the final chapter in a marriage. I know it hasn't been designed that way, but humanity is fallen.

I have been thinking about this disclaimer since the beginning of this challenge, but this week seemed the best time to talk about it.

Records of wrongs.

Are they to be held over a spouse's head? No.

Are they to be dealt with? Yes.

I think there is a difference between talking about and dealing with the pain that happens in a marriage and continuing to threaten and hate and harbor bitterness over an issue for years and years. There's a difference. There's a place for accountability. There is a place for forgiveness.

Jesus dealt with things head on - "What's that you're thinking Mr. Pharisee? Why do you say that? Satan get behind me., etc." Jesus does not shy away from dealing with reality.

When true repentance occurs and true change follows, even struggling change, Jesus kept moving forward. He didn't say, "Peter, didn't we talk about trusting Me with the walking on the water incident??? Or Mary, how can you still be sinful after I let you survive the wrath of your stoners?"

Are we moving forward in our marriages, no matter what the circumstances? Dealing and/or forgiving? Are you unsure what you are supposed to do in your marriage because of the pain that exists?

"If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him." James 1:5

Let's ask for wisdom and grace to live this challenge as God would want us to.

King of Glory

2010-09-10T22:41:00.000-07:00

This week has been so busy and I've felt completely overwhelmed so much of the time, which is why there have not been many posts this week.

I have been reading the Psalms lately and I read Psalm 24 this week. Here it is for you.

Psalm 24
Of David. A psalm.

1 The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it,
the world, and all who live in it;

2 for he founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the waters.

3 Who may ascend the hill of the LORD ?
Who may stand in his holy place?

4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
who does not lift up his soul to an idol
or swear by what is false. [a]

5 He will receive blessing from the LORD
and vindication from God his Savior.

6 Such is the generation of those who seek him,
who seek your face, O God of Jacob. [b]
Selah

7 Lift up your heads, O you gates;
be lifted up, you ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.

8 Who is this King of glory?
The LORD strong and mighty,
the LORD mighty in battle.

9 Lift up your heads, O you gates;
lift them up, you ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.

10 Who is he, this King of glory?
The LORD Almighty—
he is the King of glory.
Selah

I love Chris Tomlin's interpretation of this song and the way he puts it to music. May Christ be the King of Glory in your life today.

They Have Been Bought with a Price

2010-09-05T16:28:00.000-07:00

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body."

You were bought with price.

I heard those words this weekend in a sermon and they struck me.

These words are intended to motivate sexual purity. To reinforce the fact that we are not our own and our bodies are not to be messed with in a sexual manner. They are the temple of the Holy Spirit and should be desecrated in no way.

Inspiring and conscience gripping words to some. Horrifying words to others.

Women and girls and boys all across the globe, as young as 4 years old, are bought with a price every day. But it is not a price reflecting their actual worth. Their dignity and sacredness is cheapened in an incredible way. Perpetrators victimize young people by paying, or promising to pay, money, goods or services to a youth—or a pimp—in exchange for sexual acts or entertainment. The most intimate, vulnerable and sacred parts of these youth are demolished in a day. These young men and women have been forced into sexual slavery at the hands of someone much stronger than they are. And escaping from that horror is next to impossible. Even if they do escape, the ramifications of the acts they have been forced to complete and the experiences they have encountered can be crippling.

I have been thinking of these issues and learning about them for the past six months since I started my business. Many of the products I sell have been created by human trafficking survivors and I wanted to know what I was talking about. I am ashamed to say that all this time I have not feel particularly passionate about this issue. I recognize it as a huge injustice, and want to help, but my heart hasn't been as in it as much as I hoped it would be. Part of it, I think, is because I've never seen this up close, nor do I know anyone else who has.

As I've been working on this post, my 4 year old started crying - the hurt kind of cry - as she was coming down the stairs. I ran to see what was the matter and here she had closed her thumb in a door. I picked her up, held her, brought her to where I was working and just cuddled with her. When she started to calm down, I looked into her big, dark, innocent eyes and I thought about how beautiful she is.

If anyone ever did this to my daughter, I would be beyond furious. I don't think there could be words that would even be able to describe the feelings of devastation I would experience as her mother. Let alone what she would be experiencing. The injustice of sexual slavery is disgusting and sick and deserves the fires of hell. These individuals that have been so degraded have been bought with the blood of Christ and deserve to be treated that way.

The issue is enormous. It is so widespread, a $32 billion a year industry, as a matter of fact. When you think about it, it is easy to feel helpless and powerless to do anything. Feelings of helplessness and powerlessness don't lend themselves to action. They typically inspire nothing.

Sexual slavery an issue that we are all responsible for changing because it is a human injustice. The more personal we can make it, the more we'll want to change it. It is incredibly easy to get involved and make a difference, even if it seems small to you. Volunteering, sending letters to survivors, financial donations to a variety of organizations, buying products the survivors have made at a fair trade wage (ensuring fair treatment and encouraging their creativity), sending every day staples to the organizations supporting these individuals, or simply reading about these injustices. These are all ways to help. Maybe this isn't your passion. That's okay. But we can all do something.

At the Idea Camp this week, the issue of sexual slavery is being discussed. Bloggers will be contributing their thoughts of slavery in creative and purposeful ways. Check it out to learn more and see what you can do to help.

**Disclaimer - Many links provided here are associated with my business and the various informational links within it which discuss human trafficking and sexual slavery. The purpose of this is to introduce you to ways you can help, not solicitation.

A Tremendous Thank You

2010-09-03T05:22:00.001-07:00

Have you ever received a gift that has blessed you more than you imagined it ever would?

I want to tell you a story about an amazing gift I received a week ago.

Right after I decided to do the Buy-A-Bag Campaign for the business (which I'll fill you in on next week!), I knew I was going to need a logo/button for it. And I knew I didn't know how to do that. But I know a gifted individual I have worked with in the past. He designed the logo for the business, which I am still in love with - and I don't love "things" for very long. He was just incredible to work with and listened to my requests and worked with them immediately. I would tell him I wanted to change a color or design and he'd have new samples ready for me within the same day! I couldn't get over how dedicated and gracious he was to work with. So, I contacted him.

Chadwick Parker.

But this time I asked him to donate his time and gifts. I sent him an email telling him what I was doing and why. I didn't know how it would be received. I was asking him in humility to design the logo, not because I was trying to take advantage of him, but out of need. You never know how emails are going to come across though.

The next morning, after I groggily got out of bed, I checked my email and there was a response from him. Overnight he developed 2 different buttons for me to display. 2! I couldn't get over it! No questions asked. He did it because he believes in the mission of A21. And they are beautiful buttons! And after that, he helped me put them up on my site and blog!

I was so blessed by what he did. I am still so incredibly grateful. That's one of those gifts that you just can't pay back, no matter what you do. Because you can't pay back that feeling and the emotions that go along with it.

Please share a story of an incredible gift you've received here.

Fabulous Find - Retail Me Not

2010-09-03T05:09:00.000-07:00

This is one of my most fabulous finds yet! I love this site and it's so much one of my favorites that I don't do ANY on-line shopping without it!

And it's so simple!

Point your browser here - http://www.retailmenot.com/

In the gynormous box on the front page type in the url of the store you want to buy something from and see all the incredible coupons retailmenot pulls up for you!

I have saved so much money here through discounts, free shipping and coupon codes. Take a look! Isn't simplicity wonderful?

Darts

2010-09-02T00:40:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I posted on the Todd Agnew song Grace Like Rain. The last sentence I typed was "be encouraged that our sins have been washed away". The second I finished typing it, I felt like someone threw a dart into my stomach.

I have such a hard time believing in and accepting that grace.

This past weekend I went shopping. Completely out of the blue - I mean I NEVER expected it - wasn't even on my radar - I ran into an ex-boyfriend. I didn't run into him literally; I just happened to be in the same store as he was. We didn't interact with each other. I don't think he even recognized me. I couldn't believe the effect that had on me. I had chalked that relationship up to a very young, very terrible mistake. This guy took advantage of me in incredible ways and I let him. I take responsibility that I made huge mistakes, but I also acknowledge that he, as a person significantly older than me, knew what he was doing much more than I did. In light of that, I found it pretty easy to dismiss him.

When I saw him it was different. Seeing him and after seeing him, my mind went into a tailspin. I started feeling the same insecurities I had during and after our dating relationships. I started questioning why I wasn't "worth" it for him to stick around. I started thinking about the regret I should be feeling and the weight I "should" be putting on myself over the mistakes I made there, especially in light of my incredible husband and what he deserves. Things I hadn't struggled with in a long time were all right in front of me again.

I don't know how to accept that "grace like rain". I know He says it's for me, but I don't live like I believe it is for me in my heart. I believe that if I regret something and have made mistakes, I should carry that regret around with me. To rid myself of it is to brush it off, to not really care.

I know God wants me to experience His grace and peace. I just don't know how to work with that regret and God's gifts together.

I also know that Satan exists. And I know that this is what God has to say about Him, in part. "Take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one." He throws arrows. He throws darts. Arrows to pierce and cripple.

Satan has been throwing flaming arrows at me since Saturday and I have not guarded myself with a shield of faith - the belief that God's with me in all of this and has the power to take care of this - in His way. I don't believe I am supposed to forget what I did or what happened in that relationship, but there has to be a way God's grace can flow through those memories. Leaving that shield down is only going to expose me to more arrows.

I'm going to stop and ask God for the shield of faith today.

Can you relate to any of this?

Grace Like Rain - Todd Agnew

2010-09-01T05:30:00.000-07:00

There is just something about this guy's voice. The second this song starts playing I am into it. Todd Agnew has a great, throaty voice and he sings with such passion. He is one of my favorite artists; I think in part because he just sounds different than the "normal" singer.

This song makes it so easy to worship God. The words are simple. The tune brings you in and makes you want to listen to it. And the words are so powerful. Take a listen with me on this Wednesday and be encouraged that our sins have been washed away.

Grace Like Rain (Todd Agnew)
Amazing grace, how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost but now I'm found
Was blind but now I see so clearly

Hallelujah, grace like rain falls down on me
Hallelujah, all my stains are washed away, they're washed away

'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear
And grace my fears relieved
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed

Chorus

When we've been there ten thousand years
Bright shining as the sun
We've no less days to sing Your praise
Than when we first begun

Chorus

Chorus

hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah

hallelujah all my stains are washed away, they're washed away.

A Stick of Dynamite Anyone?

2010-08-30T09:15:00.000-07:00

Am I self-controlled (not easily angered) with my spouse? In other words, I could describe myself as not having a short fuse or quick temper.

You know what??? I am REALLY good at this. Ummmm.... Except for when my husband is late coming home from work or doesn't clean up things he gets out or is moving too slowly. Maybe its time for reassessment.

I used to yell at my husband - a lot. Actually it was when we were dating. I'll never forget him looking at me one time and telling me he was tired of me yelling and how it hurt him when I did. Surprisingly I didn't even realize I was yelling! It just happened. I told him I wouldn't do it again. And although I have been really upset and "raised my voice", I can say that I haven't yelled. I truly had no idea I was hurting him with the way I was talking to him about who knows what.

Losing our self control is way too easy - so easy that it's hard to even notice. It's easy to notice the slamming doors and things like that, but the more subtle ways we lose control - rolling eyes, sighing, cutting words - because we're upset about who knows what.

This week, I'm going to try to pay closer attention to what I'm doing when I'm feeling impatient and work to change those things. Perhaps it's as simple as needing some extra rest. Perhaps it's a matter of self discipline. We'll see.

Thoughts?

Cutting the Ties (Kids Connect)

2010-08-26T12:25:00.000-07:00

Previous kids connect

The Covenant of Mizpah (Genesis 31)

Reading with your child.....
After Jacob told Laban that God had been watching out for him, giving him what Laban would have taken away, Laban said to Jacob, "These are my daughters and children. These are my flocks. Everything here is mine. So, let's make a covenant between us." So Jacob set up a rock as a pillar and directed his children to place several stones around it and they created a pile of stone.

After the pillar had been set up, Laban said, "May the Lord watch between you and me when we are away from each other. If you harm my daughters or take other wives, the Lord will see. And, let this pillar and heap which I have set up be a witness that I will not pass by it to hurt you and you will not pass by this pillar to hurt me. May the God of Abraham and Nahor judge between us." Jacob agreed to this and offered a sacrifice on the mountain and called his family to eat and they spent the night there.

Early the next day Laban got up, kissed his children and blessed them. Then he left and went back to his home.

Your child's insights.....
- Do you really think everything was Laban's or Jacob's?
- Who took credit for building the pillar?
- What actually built the pillar?
- Abraham had 2 brothers, Nahor and Terah. Laban was Nahor's grandson. Jacob was Nahor's great-grandson. Who did Laban say his god was?
- Why do you think that Laban wanted to make the promise he did with Jacob?

Ideas for prayer with your child.....
- Pray that your child will treat others justly even when others don't do the same to them.
- Pray that your child will always have God as their God and no others.
- Pray that your children will have peaceful relationships and be able to deal with conflict when it arises in relationships in their lives.

Your considerings......
- Wow! Laban is so very arrogant! He says that everything Jacob has is his, not acknowledging Jacob's service or need for payment! Then he goes on to take credit for building the pillar even though Jacob and his children built it! I know that sounds like a little thing, but can you imagine how aggravated Jacob must have been?
- You'd think that after having a dream in which God spoke to him, Laban would have acknowledged his need for only One God, not continuing in his polytheistic lifestyle. I guess not.
- What do you think of this incident?

Music for Your Wednesday - Call My Name (Third Day)

2010-08-25T01:22:00.000-07:00

My prayer for you today is that you would trust in the unfailing love that the Creator of the universe holds for you. May you be encouraged this Wednesday.

Third Day Lyrics – Call My Name
It’s been so long since
You felt like you were loved
So what went wrong
But do you know
There’s a place where you belong
Here in My Arms

Chorus
When you feel like you’re alone in your sadness
It seems like no one else in this whole world cares
And you want to get away from the madness
You just call My name and I’ll be there
You just call My name and I’ll be there

The pain inside
Has erased your hope for love
Soon you will find
That I’ll give you all
That your heart could ever want
And so much more

Chorus
When you feel like you’re alone in your sadness
It seems like no one else in this whole world cares
And you want to get away from the madness
You just Call My Name and I’ll be there (2x)
You just Call My Name and I’ll be there

You just Call My Name (2x)
Call My name say it now
I want you to never doubt
The love I have for you is so alive
Call My name say it now
I want you to never doubt
The love I have for you is so alive

You just Call My Name (3x)

The love I have for you is so alive
The love I have for you is so alive
You just Call My Name (3x)

A Fantastic Idea!! Project 365

2010-08-24T01:56:00.000-07:00

I was walking around in my RSS feeds today and found this fantastic idea from (in)courage. It's called Project 365 and all the credit goes to Jessica Turner. Here's the project - take a picture every day and then jot down a memory associated with it.

I love journalling and purchased journalling software from Life Journal over a year ago. One of the reasons I love it is because you can attach pictures to the journal entries and you can also search by topic that you have self created and categorize your journal in many different ways. If you're an organizer like me, you'll love it! You don't have to get specific journalling software to do that though - simply use Word or some kind of other word processing program and insert pictures if you prefer. In some ways this is safer because it supports many different formats unlike the Life Journal software.

I digress.

Anyway, what a beautiful and practical way to remember the day to day that at times seems mundane now but will seem more precious as the years go by.

What do you think?

Self Seeking

2010-08-23T01:15:00.000-07:00

Am I selfless (not self seeking) with my spouse? In other words, Do I focus on my spouses' needs and wants and balance them with my own.

This can be a tricky concept I think. How do you balance your spouse's needs with your own?

I'm not even close to having this one figured out. My husband and I regularly have the "What do you want today to look like?" conversation. Since I'm the talker and the more selfish one out of the two of us I inevitably end up being the one who spews out my to do list. Then we, ummm, somehow, forget to touch base with what he wanted to do. His to do list gets put to the side and at the end of the day I'm wondering why he seems frustrated.

This isn't just about to do lists - it's about spirituality, refreshment, matters of intimacy, emotions.

How do you balance your needs and your spouse's? I could use some tips and the more practical and concrete the better!

Fabulous Find - Bring the Rain

2010-08-19T20:00:00.000-07:00

I have no idea how I found this blog, but last night I did.

I do get caught up in being on-line for extended amounts of time, but never on one blog - until last night.

These are some of the most captivating and emotionally transparent writings I have ever read.

I have talked about Maeve before - a sweet baby that passed away from our friend's lives when she was only 20 days old. I realized more than I have yet that I have no idea how Melissa and Jon (Maeve's parents) have dealt with the experience of losing her. Angie , who writes Bring the Rain, and her husband Todd also lost a baby after only a couple of hours of life. They had 3 daughters prior to having Audrey and have since had another daughter, Charlotte.

Angie and Todd, like so many parents who have lost children, are living in such a way to honor their children and impact others because of their child's life. There is not a single post I've read so far that has not impacted me in some way. I literally laughed and cried when reading what Angie so beautifully wrote.

These people reflect God's presence in their lives and the struggle of life in an incredible way. If you need to see the real presence of God, lived out in someone's life, this is a great place to do it. Start at the beginning. But I need to warn you; you won't want to stop. To start reading, visit Bring the Rain here.

Rachel Lies (Kids Connect)

2010-08-19T11:45:00.000-07:00

Previous kids connect

Laban Pursues Jacob (Genesis 31)

Reading with your child.....
On the third day after Jacob and his family fled from Laban, Laban found out. Laban took his children with him and went after Jacob. During one of the nights when Laban was traveling the Lord spoke to Laban in a dream telling him not to speak to Jacob, good or bad. Laban continued in his journey and it took him 7 days to catch up with Jacob.

When Laban caught up to Jacob he went to him and said, "Why have you lied to me and taken my daughters away like captives? If I had known you were leaving I could have sent you away with a celebration. You didn't even allow me to kiss my daughters good-bye! It is completely within my power to hurt you, but your God spoke to me in a dream and told me to not speak to you, good or bad. Now, I know you left because you miss your father and home, but why did you steal my gods?"

And Jacob answered and said to Laban, "I left because I was afraid you would take your daughters away from me by force. And, if you find anyone here who has your gods will not live." Jacob did not realize that Rachel had taken them from her father. So Laban went through all the tents - through Jacob's, Leah's, the servants and finally Rachel's. But Rachel had hidden the idols in the saddle on her camel and sat on them and did not get off her camel to address her father, so Laban did not find them.

After watching Laban search through all their tents Jacob became angry with Laban and confronted him saying, "What have I done wrong here that you have come after me? I have been with you for 20 years and served you and if it was not for God you would have sent me away with nothing, even for all of that service! God has seen what you have done to me and allowed me to leave!"

Your child's insights.....
- What do you think God meant when He told Laban to say nothing to Jacob, good or bad?
- Why did Laban go ahead and talk to Jacob?
- Do you think Rachel really got away with taking the gods?
- Do you think God sees you when people treat you badly?

Ideas for prayer with your child.....
- Pray that they would trust in God even when they are treated unfairly.
- Pray that they would be open to hearing what God wants from them and to obey Him.
- Pray that they would act with integrity always.

Your considerings.....
- I don't get why Laban went right up to Jacob and started talking even though God told him to say nothing, good or bad!
- I felt like my heart fluttered a little for Leah in this passage because Jacob tells Laban he didn't want his wives to be taken from him. If he didn't care about Leah, he could have easily left her behind.
- What do you think of this passage?

A Cup of Water

2010-08-19T05:05:00.000-07:00

I read/hear so many people say, "Oh, God did this for me." or "God is amazing. He protected me this way." or "I know He is with me."

Every time I hear someone say that or something like that, I feel sick. And then angry.

I have never known why.

It is something I have prayed about and thought about for a long time. I have wanted to feel what they feel and to believe that what they say is true and not just some kind of Christian cliche, but I've never had any answers.

A couple of weeks ago my husband and I attended the Global Leadership Summit. All weekend I heard stories that referred to the quotes above and even ran into a woman whose speech reverberated with those quotes despite the hardships she had encountered. Again I felt sick. And then very angry.

It dawned on me later, which I'm going to attribute to God because I have been praying about it for so long, why. All of a sudden when we were driving home I said to my husband, "I think I know what my problem is."

I grew up in a household that from the time I was 12 was filled with turmoil in many ways. I remember looking into my vanity mirror one time and planning when and how I would end it all. I couldn't do it, but I remember that feeling of desperation.

Ironically, I also grew up in the church. I asked Christ into my heart when I was a little girl. I don't remember ever specifically asking for His help or even thinking of Him at all in relation to many of the events of my teenage years. Perhaps I couldn't reconcile the two or maybe I didn't want to try. I don't think my young mind could have grappled with that.

Here's my problem. Where was He? How did He help me? I was a child. Why wouldn't He help me like He does everyone else?

And that's why I get angry.

After we got home my husband and kids left the house for a little bit and I had the opportunity to fold laundry and do a little praying. I asked God to simply show me if He was there and if He did help me and I just didn't know it.

Just this past week I ran across an old journal I had been writing in college in perhaps the most trying year of my life. I saught God, begged God, praised God and acknowledged that He was there with me. And He was with me. In the everyday. Subtle but there.

Then a couple of days ago I was reminded of this verse again.

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6

I felt like He cupped His hands in front of me and handed me a drink of water from His hands. It was simple and clear - like the fog had lifted.

"Lean not on your own understanding."

There is great peace in thinking that way. In not holding that burden.

I may never understand what those years were all about and why they happened and how He was there for me. Right now He's asking me to just trust that He was.

And I can rest in that.

Another Day

2010-08-17T19:39:00.000-07:00

Last year I did our first family movie, compiling family photos and videos over the course of the year into one DVD, which was accompanied by music. For me it was a wonderful way to capture the highlights of the year and watch the progression of what the kids were doing.

The song for this week is definitely making the cut for this year's movie. I love this song by Natalie Grant because it reminds me that I have so much to be thankful for and no matter how difficult life gets, there is always a reason to keep waking up each morning.

Another Day
Been driving through the night
I pull up and see the lights
This is the place that I call home
I watch you as you sleep
Think of all you mean to me
Touch your face
Kiss you softly
Before I go to sleep I pray under the stars
Search my soul and check my heart
and thank God for

Another day
Another chance to love the ones I love
To find my way
To laugh, to dance
Watch the sun come up
Another day I get to live
As if
Every breath could be the last I take
I get another day

I've got a hand that I can hold
Someone who knows my soul
A safe place to lay my head at night
So why do I forget
How much I've been blessed in life
Forget what means the most to me
As I'm waking up again I feel my beating heart
So grateful that I've come this far
and thank Gof for

Another day
Another chance to love the ones I love
To find my way
To laugh, to dance
Watch the sun come up
Another day I get to live
As if
Every breath could be the last I take
I get another day

To make somebody smile
Go the extra mile
Take a wrong and make it right
And try to touch somebody's life
I get another day

How to Get Gum Out of Hair

2010-08-17T17:52:00.000-07:00

Are you ready for this complicated answer????

Olive oil.

That's it.

Gum needs something oily to get it out of hair so other things with oil content like peanut butter and mayonnaise will also work, but olive oil took care of that in 5 minutes flat and that gum was actually chewed INTO the hair - it didn't just fall in!

Why I Hate Yard Sales

2010-08-17T16:08:00.000-07:00

Wait. This is why I hate having yard sales....

A few years ago I did my first yard sale. My aunt helped me with it. I don't remember all the details about hosting that yard sale, but I do remember thinking afterwards I would never do it again. I wish I had remembered why.....

Well, in my forgetfulness, I decided to hold another one this summer. Now that my memory has been refreshed, I'd like to share with you why I hate doing yard sales.

Nice basket available. You'd pay at least $10 at Michaels for it. I have it listed for a whopping $2. Lady approaches me, "Would you take $1 for this?" Ummm...what does the sticker say???

Next lady. 2 sets of fairy wings with matching headbands. Slacker me only posted the wings. 10 cents for a set. Said lady approaches me with 2 sets of headbands and 1 set of wings. 10 cents right?

Wendell August Forge platters. They are sold for around $70 a piece, something the lady acknowledges. I have them marked for $3 because my husband is not a fan and wants rid of them. Lady comes up to me saying she wants to pay $5 instead of $6. I'm going to have to say no on that since I'm saving you approximately $134. But who's counting?

Multiple people freely tell me how much they hate the road I live on.

Lady approaches me with a bunch of things. I tell her it will cost her $1.10. Thrilled with her bargains she says, "I'm going to look for more things!" She comes back again. Now her total is $1.55. She pulls out her change purse and says she only has $1.05 because she forgot her money at home. Will I accept that? Okay, I guess I will because I don't want this stuff. Before she turns to go she asks me for directions to the next yard sale she wants to go to. Wait, did you forget your money or not?

And finally, the winner of the day comes to me wanting a set of sheer curtains for less than $5! I tell her I purchased them for $40. She tells me I didn't. (I'm pretty sure I did lady. Would you like to see the receipt?) When I tell her again that is what I paid, she tells me, "Well, they sure saw you coming!" She wasn't joking! She was literally being mean to me - in my own driveway - over $5!!

I posted signs under my mailbox advertising the yard sale. Did I accidentally write, "Hey if you need a reason to insult someone and rip them off, here's your opportunity!!" I should really have made sure before I stapled them to the mailbox post.

Considering Grace

2010-08-15T09:14:00.000-07:00

Am I gracious (not rude) to my spouse? In other words, do I build up my spouse with my words spoken in private and in public?

Fabulous Find - Teach Yourself Visually

2010-08-13T10:20:00.000-07:00

The first thing I did after I decided on a name for the business was register for a website. I have pretty limited computer knowledge, particularly when it comes to website design. I know a lot more now than I did then, but I expected to sign up for the url, go to the website and create my website through a drag and click method. NOT SO! Wow, was I in a shock and eventually a panic when I realized that my site discussing human trafficking instead was advertising cat throw up medicine. Not exactly inspiring. There were no options for changing fonts, etc! I had no idea what to do.

I eventually found a great software package that I used to create the site (it was clicking and dragging!), but decided that for the long term I might want to learn html. I found a great series of books called Teach Yourself Visually. These books discuss everything from HTML and Photoshop Elements to jewelry making as you see here.

I'm also not gifted at conceptual reasoning. I put together a small cupboard once and when I got done with it I backed up and looked at it and asked my aunt, who was with me, "What's wrong with this?!? It doesn't look right!" Her response, "You put it together upside down. And backwards." Nice.

Having the ability to not only read what to do but see the processes step by step and IN COLOR has been so helpful in learning HTML and Photoshop Elements. From now on if I have to learn something, I'm going to be looking for these books!

Have you ever seen them?

And the Lies Just Keep Going, And Going, and Going....(Kids Connect)

2010-08-12T11:25:00.000-07:00

Previous Kids Connect

Jacob Leaves with His Family (Genesis 31)

Reading with your child.....
Over the course of time Jacob continued to prosper along with his flocks while Laban's did not prosper. Laban and his sons saw all that Jacob had gathered from him and their attitude toward Jacob became unfriendly.

The Lord gave Jacob a dream. In the dream the Lord said to Jacob, "Look up and see all the goats which I have given to you. I have seen all that Laban has done to you and I am your God. Now, get up and leave this land and return to the land of your birth."

After this dream, Jacob went to Rachel and Leah and told them of his dream. Both women responded in frustration saying, "Our father sold us and spent all of what he earned from those sales a long time ago. Surely all the wealth and everything we now have belongs to us and our children instead of our father. So yes, let's do what the Lord told you to do."

So Jacob got up, put his wives and children on camels and sent them along with all of his livestock to Canaan where his father Isaac lived. While he was doing this Laban was shearing his flock and Rachel went into her father's house and stole all of Laban's idols.

And Jacob, his entire family and all of his livestock left without telling Laban.

Your child's insights....
- Why did Laban start to be unfriendly with Jacob?
- Did Jacob do anything wrong in this story?
- What is an idol?
- Do you think Rachel will get away with taking the idols from her father?

Your considerings.....
- I'm not crazy about Jacob because of his deceitful he is. At the same time, Jacob has been deceived and manipulated throughout his life - a controlling and manipulative mother to say the least whose actions did end up blessing him with God's grace, but drove him out of his home and good graces with his father and his brother - a father-in-law who tricked him after 7 years of service and then manipulated him into 7 more - wives who manipulated him through sex games and fights all over the place. He comes by his deceitfulness naturally. And it doesn't stop. It just keeps cycling. Does it ever stop for him? Does this play itself out in my life?

Revelation Song - Philips, Craig and Dean

2010-08-10T19:50:00.000-07:00

Revelation 5:13 - "Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing:
'To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be praise and honor and glory and power,
for ever and ever!'"

Worthy is the,
Lamb who was slain
Holy, Holy, is He
Sing a new song, to Him who sits on
Heaven's Mercy Seat
[Repeat 2x]

(Chorus)
Holy, Holy, Holy
Is the Lord God Almighty
Who was, and is, and is to come
With all creation I sing:
Praise to the King of Kings!
You are my everything,
And I will adore You!
Yeah!

Clothed in rainbows, of living color
Flashes of lightning, rolls of thunder
Blessing and honor, strength and
Glory and power be
To You the Only Wise King,
Yeah

(Chorus)

Filled with wonder,
Awestruck wonder
At the mention of Your Name
Jesus, Your Name is Power
Breath, and Living Water
Such a marvelous mystery
Yeah...

(Chorus)

Holy, Holy, Holy
Is the Lord God Almighty
Who was, and is, and is to come,
With all creation I sing:
Praise to the King of Kings!
You are my everything,
And I - will - adore YOU

(Chorus)

Agenda Seeking

2010-08-10T19:44:00.000-07:00

Agendas are big conversation around this house.

Recently my husband and I both came up with a list of priorities regarding our home. We compared in order to make a decision on what to do with it next. When we looked at our priorities, they were EXACTLY opposite of one another! I mean EXACT!

That is the way my husband and I seem to work. On a daily basis. On a long term basis. Decisions are often times of crisis because we have agendas that do not compliment one another.

We've been trying to work on this area of our marriage though. I know my husband loves it when I consider his agenda before mine and even though that feels painful at times, I love my husband and I do want him to be happy.

Here are some ways I try to consider his agenda:

Ask questions. Questions like what do you want today to look like? Is there anything you feel behind on that I can help you with? What are you missing and looking for in our marriage/your job/your walk with Christ and how can I help you with that?
Pay attention. Is there something he is mentioning that is bothering him or on his mind that you can take care of?
Don't let your right hand know what your left is doing. Don't bring up all the ways you are helping him and all the ways you feel behind on what you are doing. It just ruins it.

How about trying some of these with me this week. For one week we'll consider our husbands' agendas first and see what happens.

Any agenda tricks you'd like to share? Let's hear them!

Jacob Lies to Laban (Kids Connect)

2010-08-05T07:35:00.000-07:00

Previous Kids Connect

Jacob Prospers (Genesis 30)

Reading with your child.....
Jacob had many children. After his 11th child, Joseph went to Laban and said, "Sned me away so I may go to my own place and my own country. You know I have served you well, so let my family and I leave." But Laban asked Jacob to continue to stay and asked him what he would need to give Jacob in order to have him remain with him. Jacob told him, "You know you have prospered because of me. You now have more cattle than you dreamed of having before, but I don't have anything to call my own." So Laban agreed to let Jacob pick whatever cows and goats he wanted from Laban's flocks. Jacob seperated himself from Laban by three days distance and took care of Laban's flocks of animals as well as his own. When he found animals that were strong, he kept them, but when he found animals that were weak or sick he gave them to Laban. Because of this, Jacob ended up with very large flocks of strong animals and he deceived Laban.

Your child's insights......
- What did Jacob lie about?
- Why didn't Laban want Jacob to lie?
- What do you think of Jacob in this story?

Ideas for prayer with your child.....
- Pray that your child might succeed in life in honest ways.
- Pray that your child would trust in God when it seems like they aren't succeeding.

Your considerings......
- I didn't realize until I did a study on Genesis how sneaky Jacob was? It's a testament to God's grace and mercy despite our sinfulness and stubbornness.

Challenging Pride

2010-08-04T09:13:00.000-07:00

The consideration of pride.....

Am I humble (not proud) with my spouse? In other words, I do not think my agenda is more important than my spouse's agenda.

Think about these things and we'll talk more about it tomorrow.

Soaring!

2010-08-04T01:42:00.000-07:00

"Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. (Isaiah 40:28-31)

May you be encouraged this Wednesday.

Everlasting God
Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord
We will wait upon the Lord
We will wait upon the Lord

Our God, You reign forever
Our hope, our Strong Deliverer
You are the everlasting God
The everlasting God
You do not faint
You won't grow weary

Our God, You reign forever
Our hope, our Strong Deliverer
You are the everlasting God
The everlasting God
You do not faint
You won't grow weary

You're the defender of the weak
You comfort those in need
You lift us up on wings like eagles

Boasting Dog

2010-08-03T11:19:00.000-07:00

I happened across this picture and thought - "Wow! This dog looks as ridiculous as I must when I'm bragging about myself!" I think his image may keep in me check this week!

Considering Boastfulness and Weigh Ins

2010-08-02T07:07:00.001-07:00

Consider this question with me this week - Am I encouraging (not boastful) to my spouse? Put a different way by Lysa, Do I brag about my accomplishments while downplaying theirs?

Again, more thoughts on this tomorrow.

Now that we are 4 weeks in to this challenge, I wanted to do some weigh ins.

I remember being in high school and watching the wrestlers practically kill themselves a few days before a match - either struggling to lose weight by running through the hallways and every where else dressed in everything in their closets or stuffing themselves with anything even resembling food - just to get to the perfect weight. After watching some of them I'm surprised they were able to wrestle at all and I wonder how many of them, after losing, wondered if it was all worth it at all.

Wrestling was a match by match sport, but the results accumulated into how they were placed when it came to wrestling in sections, districts, regionals and for the really good ones, states. After that it was solely a match status. If you won at that point, you kept going. If you lost, you were out until next season.

Through the last 4 weeks, I have had many opportunities to prepare for the "weigh in" process, but in all honesty, so many - more than not - I have opted out. The first week seemed promising when I didn't tell off the woman at the Wal-Mart check out counter for being rude to my kids and when I took deep breaths to keep from saying something I didn't want to and even when I apologized for losing my patience. The kindness week started the downhill trend. I started focusing on me and what I felt like I was losing out on or giving up more or whatever. Kindness was exemplified by shutting my mouth on occasion and that was about it. I wasn't mean all week long - it's just that when that kindness factor was tested I almost always caved to it. The envy week was not much better. There was one specific day after being incredibly frustrated that I simply HAD to rattle off to my husband how much I had done to serve HIM while simultaneously pointing out how he had not served ME enough. Nice. Sometimes I don't know how my husband does it.

I think this is a worthwhile endeavor - challenging these areas in my marriage and I'm thankful, hopefully, for a week that may not be as challenging for me. I hope to take this week and reflect and focus more on the areas that were hard for me and attempt to do better. Hopefully that will pan out!

If you're participating in the marriage challenge, how is it going for you? A particular week easy or hard for you? Let me know! I'd love to hear what you have to say.

Fabulous Find Update - Craft Hope Project 9

2010-07-30T07:32:00.000-07:00

About a month ago I blogged on this great organization I found called Craft Hope and what they are doing with simple sewing skills to make a difference in lives around the globe. Well, they just finished their last project in which they made towels for cleaning up the animals effected by the oil spill in the Gulf. This week they launched Project 9 and I wanted to make sure you knew about it.

Until September 15 they are running Project 9. Project 9's beneficiary is ConKerr Cancer - an organization dedicated to providing new and stylish pillowcases to all terminally ill children in the United States. Project 9 was established so you could help this organization by making pillowcases. That's it! They give you information about ConKerr Cancer, directions on how to make pillowcases and a list of addresses where you can send your finished pillowcases here. It's nothing huge - just a simple pillowcase. But it's going to make a huge difference in the life of a terminally ill child and their family. When I first saw this I wondered how a pillowcase could really instill hope in something so tragic, but then I saw the pictures. Can you imagine being stuck in such a sterile environment as one that cancer treatment and prevention would provide? Then can you imagine seeing a bright and fun pillowcase in that environment that your child could rest and be comforted on, knowing that someone was thinking and praying just for them, for you, as they created it. That seriously makes me cry and I don't cry easily. It truly is amazing to know that a difference can be made with something so simple. It's beautiful!

Let me know if you decide to participate in this project and send me pictures at karyn@delicatefortress.com! I can't wait to see what all you and I come up with! I'm going to attempt this - I've never made a pillowcase before. Here's my theory - if I create something that has crooked stitches and isn't exactly rectangular shaped, at least it was created in prayer and maybe it will give the family and child something to laugh at!

What do you think?

Lies of the Father (Kids Connect)

2010-07-29T18:42:00.000-07:00

Previous Kids Connect

Laban Lies (Genesis 29:21-30)

Reading with your child....
After the 7 years were over Jacob went to Laban and said, "I have done what we agreed to and served you for seven years. Now it is time for you to give me my wife." So Laban threw a big party and held a huge dinner in celebration. In the evening, he gave Leah to Jacob instead of Rachel, but Jacob did not know that. When he woke up in the morning he saw Leah instead of Rachel and knew that Laban had tricked him. He became furious and went to Laban in anger and said to him, "What have you done to me?? I worked 7 years for Rachel and here is Leah - my wife!" Laban simply replied to Jacob, "It is our custom to marry our firstborn daughters first. Keep Leah and next week you can marry Rachel, but only if you work another seven years for her." Jacob agreed to that and the next week he married Rachel. He was obvious to all that he loved Rachel more than Leah and he worked for Laban for another 7 years.

Your child's insights.....
- Explain the difference in marriages at the culture at that time and what we know as marriage today.
- Why do you think Laban lied to Jacob?
- How do you think this whole situation made Leah feel? How about Rachel? Jacob? What about Laban?
- Do you think the second 7 years went as fast as the first 7?

Ideas for prayer with your child.....
- Pray that your child's marriage someday would be filled with faithfulness.
- Pray that your child would marry someone they truly love and who truly loves them.
- Pray that your child will have the wisdom to deal with people who deceive them in their life.
- Pray for perseverance in your child's marriage.
- Pray that your child would not allow deceitfulness into their life.

Your considerings.....
- It is interesting for me to wonder how the second seven years went for Jacob. A lot happens in seven years. Things become commonplace. You would think expectations would be sky high after waiting for 7 years to marry the person you loved. I wonder if those expectations were met for Rachel and Jacob. Personally I doubt they were because they never expected Leah to be a part of that.
- I wonder if Jacob stopped to consider the deceit he had engaged in with Esau after he was deceived.
- I wonder if Rachel was the one posed as the bride throughout the day of the wedding celebration and then was switched to Leah at the end of the night.
- Again, my heart breaks for Leah in this situation. Imagine the hurt she must have felt and experienced knowing she wasn't even wanted in that marriage. I'm sure she couldn't resist what her father told her to do. Imagine how she must have felt when she saw the look of horror on Jacob's face when he realized it was her and not her sister. I wonder why she didn't tell him before it was "too late."
- Talk about dysfunction!

Why Blogging Bites

2010-07-28T02:00:00.000-07:00

I mentioned to you yesterday the loneliness I've been experiencing lately.

One of the major areas of discontent and loneliness of my life has been through the course of starting the business. I have found blogging and web business enterprises to be very lonely ventures. There is a lot of competition out there. Did you know there are over 250 million websites out there?

I have run into several blogs that seem to have exploded in a short amount of time with thousands of followers and readers and all that other stuff. I go to Target all the time. Business success right in front of me.

I obviously do not run the Idea Room nor do I run Target! And that is lonely.

I have been racking my brain for the last several months - wondering what I'm doing wrong. And also just wondering what I'm doing. Striving to find great ways to encourage the survival of the business and my blogs. So many of those outreaches have just flopped. And that has driven me crazy because I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong. I'm worn out from striving and I want to be done being worn out.

I do pray about almost everything I post and do with the business. But I AM STRIVING. I am not resting in Him to guide me. I am pushing ahead after quick prayers and hopes that things will work out because, hey, why wouldn't they? They all sound like phenomenal ideas to me!

It sounds contradictory, but I am going to make a serious effort to rest in Him. To take longer to pray before making decisions. To take more breaks just to think - or not think. Blogging, I have found, can consume my entire mind for great lengths of time. What to blog about next? How to write it? On and on. It's interesting because when I when I even THINK about hiding in the refuge He offers me and resting in His strength, I feel SO MUCH MORE peaceful. What a beautiful gift He offers me. I want to start accepting it now. And I don't want to go back.

Can you relate?

My Fortress - Jeremy Camp
I can feel it coming over me,
All the weight of what this fear can bring.
I know on my own I can't survive,
And I'm fading fast now.
I'm closing in on what's in store for me,
All the rest in your security.
I'm holding on to the words You speak,
And You're speaking clear now.
I'm running fast to seek Your face,
Head first I dive into Your grace.

Chorus:
You are my fortress,
You are the refuge where I hide.
You are the strength when I can't fight,
You are the only one I rest my life in.
You are the only hope I find,
You are my only peace of mind.
You are the only one I rest my life in.

I'm taking hold of what's in front of me,
A place where I can rest my weary feet.
There's no other place that I can go,
So I'm waiting here now.
I'm letting go what the world will bring,
A sanctuary that will never breathe.
I found my heart in that place before,
But I'll never go back.
I'm running fast to seek your face,
Head first I dive into your grace.

You are my fortress
You are the refuge where I hide.
You are the strength when I can't fight,
You are the only one I rest my life in.
You are the only hope I find,
You are my only peace of mind.
You are the only one I rest my life in.

I get lost within that place,
The place where I'll always wish I stay.
Oh.

Oh, You are my fortress,
You are the refuge.
You are the only hope I find,
You are the only one I rest my life in. Oh, You are my fortress,
You are the refuge.
You are my only peace of mind,
You are the only one I rest my life in.
Oh, You are the only one,
Only one I rest my life in Lord.
You are my hope,
My strength, my life, my peace.
My rock, my joy, my everything now, oh.
You are the refuge where I hide,
You are the only one I rest my life in.

Thoughts on Envy

2010-07-27T21:22:00.000-07:00

Lately I have noticed loneliness as a common thread running through my life. It seems to be all around me. I’m also noticing that the lonelier I’m getting the more envious I’m getting too.

Wishing I had as many friends as that other friend does, or followers in blog land terms. Wishing I had the marriage that person seems to or the strength of character of that one. Wishing I had the success that person does or even that I got as many thank you’s as them.

When envy reaches into the depths of a marriage, its reach can become potent. As I considered the question – am I supportive? And then, do I keep track of what I do in comparison to my husband?, I had to step back. And answer no.

I want to support my husband and all that he does, but I can not say that I do that in all humility and grace all the time. It’s hard, as a stay at home mom, to listen to all the great things my husband gets to do at work and all that he accomplishes there and not feel envious. It’s hard, when staying at home is mostly a thankless enterprise, to work at everything around the house in the name of all the people who live there and not keep track of what I’ve done in comparison to what I feel my husband has or hasn’t done in the same arena. I knew I was going to write about this tonight, but as I talked to my husband tonight, the conversation took on a flavor of envy. And I’m the one who injected it. It seemed completely justifiable – the things I was comparing. And maybe it was, but it is not my job to bring that up. It is God’s.

You know, part of me likes the envy. Part of me likes setting up the comparisons and pointing out everything I feel like I’ve done to make our home a better place, etc. because I want to hear it. And I want my husband to hear it too. It’s still wrong though.

My purpose in life is to trust in God and that He can and WILL take care of me and even that He SEES ME. I’m learning, very slowly, but hopefully also very surely, that God longs to be with me in the loneliness and insecurity I’m experiencing. That all that REALLY matters is that He and I are together. I MUST find a way to focus on Him at every turn so that I don’t worry about what everyone else is doing. I MUST focus on Him to keep the focus off of myself. When I start being envious and unsupportive of my husband; when I start comparing EVERYTHING I feel like I am doing around the house, or with the kids, or whatever else in comparison to what I think he is or isn’t doing, I’m focusing on me. And that results in distance between myself and my husband and my God.

The plan for this week is to keep focusing on Him and to know that He has made me exactly who He wants me to be. That He gives me the purposes in my life (and that He gives my husband the purposes in his) because we were designed for them. Perhaps God sees them both as worthy enterprises – the mom staying home doing laundry and the man working in other’s lives out of the house.

When I know that I have no true reason to be envious, the envy can stop. I pray that it will.

Does envy effect you or your marriage? How do you fight it?

Considering Envy

2010-07-26T04:53:00.000-07:00

Continuing on with our marriage challenge this week: Am I envious?

In order to help consider whether or not you are envious, ask yourself these questions:

Am I supportive?
Do I keep score when I feel like I do more?

More thoughts on this tomorrow.

Fabulous Find - cnet.com and Photo Recovery

2010-07-23T06:13:00.001-07:00

Remember when I talked about the Maeve Memorial Run we participated in a couple of weeks ago? Remember how I said that I was taking pictures for it? Well, I did that in part because I love to and in part because Jon and Melissa asked me to. I took over 1600 pictures that day. That night I anxiously put the memory card in the computer and looked at all the pictures. Next day, took it out, put it back in the camera and started taking more pictures at a birthday party we went to. I ran out of room (surprise, surprise!) on the memory card, so I just started deleting pictures and taking more. On the car ride home I continued to delete them until it dawned me, in a very sickening way, that I had not SAVED the pictures to the computer when I viewed them the night before. I felt like I was going to throw up when I realized that. I made my husband reverse course and go home (we had been on the way to another engagement) and I checked the computer, JUST IN CASE.

nothing.

No saved pictures.

I spent the next day googling photo recovery and if it would even be possible to recover ANY of the pictures I had deleted. Lo and behold, there is a way!!!!

Cnet.com has been my friend for about a year now. I have utilized it as a resource to learn and make decisions on purchases for anything from a handheld camcorder to which shopping cart software to use for the business. Cnet did not let me down this time. One of the most inexpensive photo software recovery programs was listed and reviewed on cnet and I could even buy it from there! I ended up purchasing Adroit Photo Recovery. I did the trial first, which was free. It showed me all the pictures I had deleted and then I had the option to buy if I wanted them recovered. Ummm. Let me think. YES I WANT THEM RECOVERED. $20 and 3 minutes later, wahlah, all the pictures, safely stored on my computer.

So if you need anything new in your life - camcorder, camera, registrar for your website, shopping cart software, TVs - anything that relates to technology at all, you have to check out this site.

And if you are ever like me and you delete too many pictures, you don't have to throw up. Cnet.com to the rescue!!

Waiting for Rachel (Kids Connect)

2010-07-22T18:30:00.000-07:00

Previous Kids Connect

Jacob And Rachel (Genesis 29)

Reading with your child......
After Jacob had been living with Laban and his family for a month Laban asked Jacob, "Hey, I know you are helping to take care of things around here. You shouldn't work for free! What can I pay you?"

It turned out that Jacob was in love with Rachel, one of Laban's daughters. Laban had two daughters, Leah and Rachel. Rachel was very beautiful and Jacob wanted to marry her. So he told Laban, "I will work seven years for you if you will give Rachel to me as my wife."

Laban agreed to this, so Jacob worked seven years for Laban, but it only seemed like a few days to him because he loved Rachel so much.

Questions to tap into your child's insights.....
- Is there anything you have wanted enough that you could imagine working seven years to pay off?
- Tell your child your story with your spouse and how long you were engaged before you got married.

Ideas for prayer with and for your child.....
- Pray for your child to be patient for the right spouse for them.
- Pray for the time when your child is engaged to their future spouse that it would be a time of discovery and thorough preparation.

Your considerings....
I just always feel terrible for Leah when I read this passage. What does "her eyes were weak" mean anyway? I think I relate to her more - the average girl, not necessarily desired by men, just average with her share of weaknesses. There is a huge part of me that wishes Jacob would have been in love with her. But hey, I'm not the Creator of the universe.

The other thing that strikes me is that the time seemed like only a few days to Jacob. I can remember my engagement with my husband feeling like it lasted an eternity right up until the very end because I was so excited to marry him. Can you relate to Jacob here?

A Family That Will Inspire You

2010-07-21T07:06:00.000-07:00

This week I'm doing a series on a beautiful family I just started working with. Their story is inspiring and courageous. I invite you to read and share it here.

Take You Back

2010-07-21T01:41:00.000-07:00

I was overcome with emotion when I watched the video to this song today for two reasons.

1. It reminded me of my brother. I have been praying for a long time for him. He has been in pain for a long time. Turning to so many "answers" that have yet to fulfill and solve anything, he seems like he has been wondering for the longest time. He has had a painful life. He knows about God. He knows about Jesus. I was with him when he asked Jesus into his heart, yet his heart is now far from Him. I don't think my brother thinks that is really the answer. Yet. It is so hard to watch someone struggle as I have seen him and not even have the slightest clue how to respond. He literally has nothing in his ownership other than a car and a chainsaw. The pain of life is still overwhelming for him and he's still searching for answers.

2. It reminded me of me. I have struggled along with my brother looking for security in all the wrong places. I still look for it around me in places other than where it truly belongs. Relationships that I suffocated because of my longing to find security in them have resulted in great pain and regret. That horrible feeling when you wake up in the morning and know you can't take whatever you said or did back. Those memories haunt me. I have accepted Christ and try to live as He wants me to but I am still haunted.

And yet....He is willing to take both of us back. I have gone back and forth with God so many times in my life - accepting and praising Him with all that I am and then pushing Him away with anger and disgust at other times. It is shameful when I think of those times. But when I come back, He is there.

I've included the music and lyrics to this beautiful song here, but the video is so powerful that it's worth the 4 minutes it takes to see it. You can link to it here.

Take a listen to this song and praise Him for His unending mercy and forgiveness. And if you think of it, please say a prayer for my brother.

I'll Take You Back
The reason why I stand
The answer lies in you
You hung to make me strong
Though my praise was few
When I fall I bring your name down
But I have found in you
A heart that bleeds forgiveness
replacing all these thoughts of painful memories
But I know that your response will always be

I'll take you back always
Even when your fight is over now (x2)
I'll take you back always and
Even when the pain is coming through (x2)
I'll take you back

You satisfy this cry
Of what I'm looking for
And I'll take all I can
And lay it down before
The throne of endless grace now that radiates what's true
I'm in the only place that
erases all these faults
That have overtaken me
But I know that your response will always be

I'll take you back always and
Even when your fight is over now(x2)
I'll take you back always
Even when the pain is coming through(x2)
I'll take you back

I can only speak with a grateful heart
As I'm pierced by this gift of your love
I will always bring an offering
I can never thank you enough

You take me back always
Even when my fight is over now (x2)
You take me back always
Even when my pain is coming through(x2)
You take me back (repeat these 5 lines twice)

Thoughts on Kindness

2010-07-19T21:21:00.001-07:00

Disclaimer - I'm feeling pretty sarcastic tonight, so we'll see how this goes.....

So everyone knows what it means to be kind. I decided for kicks (meaning for the sake of this blog post), I would google "how to be kind". Some crazy stuff came up and then I saw that ehow.com and wikihow both talked about kindness. I think it's kind of sad that people have actually typed up how to be kind, but I'm going to join the ranks of sadness myself and write about it too. I'm going to paraphrase what I actually found to be some interesting tips and I'm going to try them on my husband this week. I'm pretty sure he'll notice. Here is the complete article if you'd like to see it. And without further ado and in no particular order........

Smile.
Be positive. Ehow suggests using a positive attitude and tone of voice instead of calling names and cursing. What a novel idea! (And that would be an example of sarcasm and not positive attitude.)
Compliment your spouse.
Listen by making eye contact and not interrupting. Oh, my husband would like the eye contact thing instead of my bonding with the computer while he talks. (Mental note.)
Say thank you. Let your spouse know in some way you appreciate them. My husband sent me a text yesterday saying he was glad to have had some time with just me during the day. Made a huge difference in my day.
Be polite.
Offer to help your spouse with something. (No. Not pack their bags.)
Be nice.

There you have it. As sing songy as that is, it's still true and good thoughts to go on to be kind. See if there is something on this list that you could challenge yourself to work on this week. And remember, NO SWEARING!

Challenging Your Marriage - Am I Kind?

2010-07-19T11:20:00.000-07:00

Consider with me this week....

In my marriage, am I kind to my spouse? Am I kind in thought, words and actions toward them?

More on this tomorrow....

They are His

2010-07-17T19:28:00.000-07:00

On Monday I read a post from the Idea Room, the woman who did a giveaway for me, about a precious little girl named Preslee who needed prayer. As I followed her links, I learned that little Preslee had fallen into a canal somehow and was carried 2-3 miles downstream where a farmer found her and began CPR immediately. She was flown to a hospital and placed on life support. During this past week she had her up and down days, but then all of a sudden, on Thursday her mother, Ashley, posted this on their family blog.....

"Preslee has shown us today that perhaps there is a different plan for her than we originally thought. Throughout the events of today and yesterday Preslee’s conditions have changed down a different path and her little spirit is torn between two worlds. Strange to say but there has been a distinct difference in the feeling of her hospital room today. From one day to the next. It’s as if her valiant little spirit is just staying for us. Just staying long enough for us to realize that this is not the end."

Yesterday, Preslee Jo Sullenger passed away.

Why am I writing this?

I have a teeny tiny blog following. I oftentimes sit back and think, "Who in the world cares what I have to think? I'm not a great writer. I'm not an expert at anything. Who would even want to read this?" Not out of self condemnation as much as humility. It's really just another person among the millions who are blogging. I have decided that I'm going to write this blog as a personal journal on thoughts I have just because. That's it. I want to strive to not be worrying about comments and followers even though I do for some reason. I know God knows what I'm writing. Maybe someone will read this, but maybe not. It's a way to share my joys and struggles and questions in life with Him. And if He's the only One who reads it, who am I to ask for anything more?

So here is the reason for this particular post, just in case it is read about later.

I have a tremendous fear of something happening to one of my children. It started the second our first child was born. I worried about SIDS and RSV and a host of other things. I was terrified if anyone had a cold and something happened to him because of that. I have found myself on the verge of major anxiety worrying about car rides. The preparation for an airplane ride is just torture in my head. I don't want to take any risks because I'm afraid of the feeling that Preslee's parents must be experiencing right now. The feeling of never holding their precious child again or the questions of why this happened and how and if it could have been prevented. I'm afraid of reconciling a good God with a tragic happenstance to someone so innocent and the fact that He knew about it beforehand. I just don't get that.

I was talking to a dear friend of mine about these feelings and how crippling they can be at times for me and she looked at me and said, "Really?!?" She could not relate. I couldn't imagine how she had never felt that way and didn't experience those feelings at all. She said to me, "I know my children are God's anyway and He will take care of them."

Those simple words resounded in my head with peace and truth. It actually took me aback. That evening my husband was taking the kids to his parents for the weekend. Not only is it a long trip, but his parents have these incredibly steep wooden steps into their concrete floored basement and then a big old pond right outside their house. Fear, fear, fear. I poked my head in my husband's vehicle to kiss them all and tell them I loved them and that fear started suffocating me. And I heard those words again, "He will take care of them. They are His." It brought me peace because I had to recognize that I truly am powerless. If the end of their days has come, there is zero I can do about it. I am powerless to change anything and what truly matters is that HE IS WITH THEM. HE WILL COMFORT THEM.

I believe He was with Preslee through each step as she approached heaven's throne and I believe He is with her now.

I still beg God to protect my children and to have me go first because I can't imagine the pain of losing them, but I know that no matter what happens in the life of our family, He will be with each one of us, comforting and carrying us through each event.

It's hard to reach out to a parent who has lost a child when I am a parent who hasn't lost a child, but I can advocate for them in prayer and pass their story along so that others will pray for them. If you read this and have a desire to follow this family's story, you can find their blog here. Friends of theirs have also set up a fund for Preslee's parents to cover her medical expenses. If you would like to donate to that fund, you can go to this blogspot or click on this button.

Fabulous Find - Pop Tab Donation

2010-07-16T02:47:00.000-07:00

I think this is one of the coolest, simplest things I have ever seen!

I had to go to a website for the business this week through one of our suppliers, The Enterprising Kitchen. While I was there, I saw this side tab about a different way to support them. It led me to Moda Esperanza. Here is what they have to say about their mission.....

"The pop tab is a simple thing, one that many of us discard without a second thought, but through the Esperanza Project, the simple pop tab is changing lives.
Women and single mothers, many whom are orphans themselves, are empowered by earning a fair wage, while still being able to care for their children, by turning recycled pop tabs into beautiful purses, belts, bracelets and other fashionable accessories.
Collaboration between these women and local Chicago charities began in 2009. The charities include the Ronald McDonald House Charities - Chicago/Northwest Indiana Chapter (RMHC-CNI) and The Enterprising Kitchen (TEK).
RMHC-CNI improves the health, well-being and education of children through various programs. One of their main objectives is to keep families together as their children face severe medical challenges.
TEK empowers low-income women in the U.S. by teaching them job skills and helping them build a foundation for permanent employment and self-sufficiency, much like the women in Honduras.
Every person who buys an Esperanza product is empowered by knowing that they share in the advancement of women and families in both the U.S. and Honduras and in environmental sustainability.
The profits made from the sales of these products are 100% charitable."

Want to see what all they can make from a silly little pop tab? Check out their offerings here. Maybe this doesn't suit your taste or budget. You can still help by donating pop tabs! Just send them to this address:

Carolyn Nopar
Executive Director
The Enterprising Kitchen
4426 North Ravenswood
Chicago, IL 60640

Now my change jar can have some company with a pop tab jar! And cheers for drinking pop with purpose!

A Long Lost Relative (Kids Connect)

2010-07-15T10:12:00.000-07:00

Jacob Meets Rachel (Genesis 29)

Reading with your child.....
Jacob continued to travel east and after a long time found a well in a field with three flocks of sheep lying beside it. In those days wells had large stones on top of them so nothing would fall down them. When it was time to water the flocks, the stone would be rolled away, they would water the sheep and then put the stone back in its place. When Jacob went to this particular well, there were several men beside it along with the sheep. Jacob called out to them and said, "My brothers, where are you from?" Jacob didn't know where he was exactly! The men told them they were from Haran. Jacob said, "Do you know Laban, the son of Nahor?" "Yes!", they replied. "Is he alright?" Jacob asked. And they answered, "Yes, he is well. As a matter of fact, here comes his daughter Rachel now with the sheep." Jacob said to them "Its about noon. It isn't time for the livestock to be gathered. Water the sheep and then put them in the field." But the men told him they weren't able to do that because the flocks were not all gathered and the stone had not been rolled away yet.

While Jacob was still talking with them, Rachel approached with her father's sheep because she was taking care of them. When Jacob saw her, he went up to the well, unrolled the stone and watered the sheep himself. Then he kissed Rachel and cried because he was so happy to see her. He told her that he was a relative of hers, in fact her father's nephew since Laban and Rebekah were brother and sister. Rachel ran and told her father and he ran to Jacob and hugged and kissed him. He welcomed Jacob and Jacob stayed with them for a month.

Your child's insights.....
- Have you ever gone some where and not known where you were when you got there? How did that feel? How did that change once you knew where you were and that it was someplace exciting?
- Have you ever been so excited to see someone you didn't know what to do with yourself?
- Have you ever met a relative that you had never met before? What did it feel like?
- Do you think Jacob was bossy with the men he met? Why or why not?

Ideas for prayer with your child......
- Pray that they would be able to meet relatives that live at a distance and enjoy relationships with them.
- Pray for strong connections with your children if they ever are at a long distance from you.
- Talk to your child about a relative who lives far away from you and how it would feel to meet them again. Perhaps relate this to meeting loved ones in heaven.

Some thoughts for your consideration......
- Jacob is a pretty arrogant person in my mind. He shows up, invited, and starts ordering the other men around then he does exactly what they say it isn't time to do yet by watering the sheep. He had to make a tremendous effort to go against them and move an incredibly heavy stone just to impress Rachel. I wonder what she thought....
- As parents, I don't think it is ever too early to start praying about our children when they are grown. I think stories such as this are good reminders to do that - to pray for a time when we might be at a distance from our children, in any sense, and seek God for strength, wisdom and loving interactions with them for whenever that time comes.
- It is so joyful meeting loved ones after not seeing them for an extended time. There is something very sweet about a reunion that has been longed for, especially for one that you didn't imagine you would have. I just went to a reunion a few weeks ago and it was incredible seeing the children of my friends and family I had either never met before or hadn't seen in a very long time. There is just something incredible about seeing a child who has grown and changed into a responsible and self sufficient person. I wonder what it will be like to reunite with loved ones in heaven surrounded by joy and seeing the wonder of perfection in one another.

All Things New

2010-07-14T02:25:00.000-07:00

Praise God that He makes all things new. We need not feel hopeless because He WILL, in His time, redeem it all.

All Things New

You spoke and made the sunrise, to light up the very first day
You breathed across the water, and started the very first wave
It was You
You introduced Your glory, to every living creature on earth
And they started singing, the first song to ever be heard
They sang for You

You make all things new
You make all things new

Then the world was broken, fallen and battered and scarred
You took the hopeless, the life, wasted, ruined and marred
And made it new

You make all things new
You make all things new
You redeem and You transform
You renew and You restore
You make all things new
You make all things new
And forever we will watch and worship You

You turn winter into spring
You take every living thing
And You breathe Your breath of life into it over and over again

You made the sunrise, day after day after day
But there's a morning coming, when old things will all pass away
And everyone will see

You make all things new
You make all things new
Come redeem and come transform
Come renew and come restore
You make all things new
You make all things new
And forever we will watch and worship You

Now and forever You are making all things new
You're making all things new

Hallelujah...

Thoughts on Patience

2010-07-13T00:44:00.000-07:00

Patience. The necessity of patience in a marriage is incredible.

Patience when he is running late from work and has forgotten to call....again. Patience when she sweeps up dirt piles and then forgets to clean them up.....again. Patience when the budget seems like it's never finished. Patience when neither of you know exactly what to do with a particular parenting problem. Patience when children don't arrive, even though you desperately want them. Patience through illness. The list is never ending.

I am an impulsive person. Impulsivity does not easily lend itself to patience. In fact in my case, it seems pretty near impossible. Yet in order to love, I must be patient.

Acknowledging that my husband didn't call me because he forgot, not because he could care less about me helps. Intentions and motives make all the difference in being patient. So do deep breaths and steps backwards.

Considering intentions and motives seems selfish though. What about a spouse who is difficult to love for whatever reason? How can I act patiently with them when my heart is far from them? How can I be patient when I just don't want to be?

FOCUS. Prayer. God, the author and perfector of love itself, is the only way to any true and heartfelt change. He is the only One who is going to change something so deeply engrained within me. Letting the Holy Spirit work in my life in this area is the part that will be the most difficult. How sad is it that things that are so against my grain literally feel painful when I try to change them? It is so much easier to just stay the way I am and expect my husband will still accept me or at least accept that our marriage will be the same as it's always been.

But I'll still see the look.

The look of hurt when I tell him he's done something wrong.....again. The look of hurt when I fly off the handle about something ridiculous. The look of loneliness when he thinks he has to meet all my desires and needs. Right now!

That should be my biggest motivator after God's calling for me to obey Him.

The next time I am tempted to lose my patience and freak out about whatever, I'm going to look into the eyes of who I am interacting with, be it a friend, my children or my husband. Don't eyes reveal the soul of the person? I'm going to remember that I am talking to one of God's beautiful creations. And if I mess up, I'll pray about it and try again the next time because if you're me, which I am, there will be MANY opportunities to instill patience in my soul.

Share with me your thoughts. I have a feeling I'm going to need them.

Challenging Your Marriage - Am I Patient?

2010-07-12T08:33:00.000-07:00

I just finished reading the book "The Bathtub is Overflowing But I Feel Drained" by Lysa TerKeurst. Each time I picked up the book and read another chapter I was reminded to reset my focus, reset my focus, reset my focus. On Him. On what actually matters. I was challenged in my walk with Christ, my parenting and my marriage. I expected a cheesy mom book but that's not what I got.

Lysa inspired me to take a hard look at my marriage. In light of that, I'm starting a series called "Challenging My Marriage". I'm going to be using the Marriage Assessment based on 1 Corinthians 13 Lysa uses in her book. Each week we'll be challenged to take another look into our marriages based on the calling of Christ. To participate, just ask yourself the question and if you need to make improvements pray about it and strive to do the hard work. I believe coming alongside each other and working together will help - for encouragement, accountability and wisdom. Encourage your friends and readers to challenge their marriages by taking the button on the side and posting it on your blog or website. On Mondays the questions will be posed and on Tuesday I'll prayerfully give some of my thoughts. I challenge you to truthfully think on the things we comment on here, share your thoughts and strengths and weaknesses on these issues and encourage one another.

Consider with me......

Am I patient with my spouse? In other words am I flexible and understanding?

Still Looking

2010-07-09T06:50:00.000-07:00

I'll never forget driving in my car while doing home care one time and hearing an interview Dr. Dobson was doing on his daily Focus on the Family broadcast. The speaker said, "If a girl doesn't have the kind of father she needs when she's growing up, she will spend the rest of her life looking for him."

Those words made things make more sense to me. It made my interactions and hopes and disappointments in my husband and other men around me make more sense. It made some of my worst mistakes, although I still take ownership of them, make more sense. I believe with my whole heart that the words I heard that day are true.

I did go to the reunion I talked about last week over the weekend of the 4th. It actually went very well. I was able to see relatives that I haven't for a very long time and talk to "kids" I grew up with who are no longer kids that I haven't seen in an equally long time. I think spacing attending those reunions out a good 5-10 years might be a good idea! Despite the pain in the family, there were many people there who were genuine and genuinely living their lives for Christ and striving to do so in their own families. I am proud of that. Christ works in a family of hurt and it was beautiful to see His rays of light intermixed with the pain. I am grateful I went and stuck around long enough to see those lights.

This was my dad's family. My dad and I did not have a good relationship when I was growing up. There was quite a bit of pain involved and very little to balance it out. I can remember only a handful of times when we spent any time together. I don't believe I had the kind of father I needed.

After things completely fell apart in my family my dad did go to counseling and has received a lot of help and our relationship has improved a great deal. He is much more involved in our family than I imagined he would be and I'm seeing him spend time with my children in ways that didn't exist when I was growing up. That has been nice to see.

But it still hurts.

At the reunion this weekend, a relative whom I am very uncomfortable with, approached me. Even though nothing happened whatsoever, I still wanted someone to rescue me from that situation. (That could be a whole host of other issues though!) I had just talked to my dad a couple days before why I was uncomfortable with that person. Although he agreed I had reason to be uncomfortable, that confession didn't make him angry at or spend less time with that person. I was so disappointed in that, even if it wasn't reasonable to expect any involvement from him. As I've worked on the business, struggled in my marriage, experienced the isolation moving frequently brings and a whole host of other things, I've longed for someone, someone strong, to just hold me and tell me it would be okay. I don't think that's healthy as a grown woman. I think its there though because I think I missed being held and being told I could do "it" and that I was strong enough to get "it" done. I missed my dad saying he would be there when I didn't feel like I could do any of those things.

I go back and forth frequently in my relationship with my dad. Part of the time, I spend a lot of time with him and talk to him frequently and approach the relationship like we are close. The other times, when I feel disappointed by something I hoped he would do but didn't (in a fatherly way - like at the reunion), I again grow distant and just hurt when I see and talk to him.

I wish I knew what to do with that conflict. Is it normal?

Dear friends of ours visited us just before the reunion and talked to me about how I was feeling. They reminded me that until I have come to some kind of acceptance that that dad hole can't be filled in now that I'm grown it is going to still hurt - in a raw kind of way.

How many girls and women walk around this way, every day? Missing their dad from their childhood and having a hole that isn't filled in? How many women use it to view interactions with other men, make decisions and even interact with God? Probably too many for us to count. Only He knows and only with His help, grace and time will that acceptance come.

I think I'll just keep praying and see what happens. I know though that the same rays of light I saw at the reunion, I see with many men around us now. Men who are holding their little girls. Playing with them, kissing their foreheads, praying with them, just simply loving them. One of them is my husband. I am so incredibly grateful for the kind of father he is. It is so beautiful to see him loving our daughters and knowing that they will never have a hole because they've missed him. I thank God for that personal ray of light.

I know that same ray of light will come into my soul and fill that hole someday. Maybe not this side of heaven, but it will happen. And that gives me joy.

Dreams From God (Kids Connect)

2010-07-08T07:32:00.000-07:00

Jacob's Dream (Genesis 28)

Reading with your child......
Jacob left and started walking toward Haran. As the sun set and evening approched Jacob found a place to camp for the night and used a stone for a pillow. While he was sleeping he had a dream. A ladder was on the ground and reached up toward heaven and angels were going up and down the ladder. The Lord stood at the top of the ladder and said to Jacob, "I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie, I will give it to you and your descendants. Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth and you will spread out to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south; and in you and in your children all the families of the earth will be blessed. I am with you and will keep you wherever you go and will bring you back to this land;f or I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you." Jacob woke up and was afraid because he realized God had been talking to him. He said, "How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God and this is the gate of heaven." Then he took the stone he had been sleeping on and set it up as a pillar and poured oil on its top and he called the name of the place Bethel (which means the house of God). Then Jacob made a promise saying, "If God will be with me and will keep me on this journey that I will take and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear and I return to my father's house safely, then the Lord will be my God. This stone, which I have set up as a pillar will be God's house and of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You."

Your child's insights.....
- What kinds of dreams do you have?
- Can you imagine sleeping with a rock as a pillow?
- What do you think God meant when he said he would keep Jacob?
- Why do you think Jacob was afraid when he woke up?
- Why do you think Jacob set up a pillar?
- Are there ways we set up pillars to remember things and to honor God?
- Talk to your children about tithing.

Ideas for prayer with your child.....
- Pray that they would know that God keeps them.
- Pray that they would remember when God is faithful to them.
- Pray that they would be able to give back to God in joy and faithfulness.

An activity to do with your child......
- Find a place in your home where you can set something up as a reminder of God and His faithfulness to your family.

Some thoughts for your consideration.....
- How long do you think you may have stayed in that place knowing that it was indeed the gate of heaven and knowing that God had spoken to you there? Do you think you would stay in reverance? Or would you leave in excitement to start heading toward the goal God had promised?
- Is there a particular place you go to remember God's faithfulness and promises to you?
- I am taken aback at Jacob's response to the dream. It made sense to me until Jacob made his promise. He basically said, "If God holds up His end, then I'll hold up mine." I don't know anything about the Hebrew used in this passage but I wish I did. Was Jacob not "claiming" God until He fulfilled the promise or not? What do you think?

Previous Kids Connect - Can you imagine this anger?

Comic Relief

2010-07-06T19:20:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Wednesday - the day when I specifically aim to encourage.

This blog has been very serious lately, which absolutely has it's place, but today lets have a little comic relief.

Joke 1 - A blind man with a seeing eye dog at his side walks into a grocery store. The man walks to the middle of the store, picks up the dog by the tail, and starts swinging the dog around in circles over his head. The store manager, who has seen all this, thinks this is quite strange. So, he decides to find out what's going on. The store manager approaches the blind man swinging the dog and says, "Pardon me. May I help you with something." The blind man says, "No thanks. I'm just looking around."

Joke 2 - A woman gets on a bus with her baby. The bus driver says: “That’s the ugliest baby that I’ve ever seen.” The woman goes to the rear of the bus and sits down, fuming. She says to a man next to her, “That driver just insulted me!” The man says, “You go right up there and tell him off! Go ahead, I’ll hold your monkey for you.”

Video - Baby Panda Sneezing

Remembering Maeve

2010-07-06T06:15:00.000-07:00

We got our call at about 1:30 in the morning. Maeve Alice Miller had been born.

When Jon and Melissa went for their second ultrasound it was discovered that their baby had a congenital diaphragmatic hernia. She was missing an important component of her chest cavity, one that would seperate her abdominal organs from her heart and lungs. They didn't know how bad it would be but knew that Maeve could be on any part of the CDH spectrum - either needing a simple surgery within a few days of birth that would end the problem or potentially not making it at all.

Maeve needed help breathing immediately. She was flown from a local hospital to a children's hospital 2 1/2 hours away from where she was born. She remained there her entire life. Beautiful Maeve passed away after only 20 short days for us, but 20 very long days for her.

That little girl was a fighter. Much like her big sister, she kept people guessing and she surpassed odds in many ways. Her parents and family were by her side constantly. She was and is greatly loved. She was prayed for, fasted for, advocated for, fought for. Her brief life touched so many others and her parents are doing everything in their power to make sure that doesn't end.

This past weekend was the first annual Maeve Alice Memorial Run and it was one of the most inspiring events I have ever been to. They had 80 adult runners who ran for 3 1/2 miles over challenging terrain with hills, rope climbs, mudpits and hurdles. My husband ran. I took pictures.

I am not a runner and have never aspired to be. I have to say though, if anything would inspire me to run, it would be this.

From my standpoint, I overlooked the cliff to see people struggling up the rope climb. Turning 180 degrees was the finish line. I watched people challenge themselves in ways they never had before with little to no training, climb up that rope only to have to come back and do it again 3 more times before finally finishing the race. The look of victory on their faces when they made it to the top was incredible.

I feel honored to have seen Maeve run her race. She had hurdles and challenges she was able to make it through that no adult would have survived. That little girl fought. And she emerged victorious.

I watched both Jon and Melissa run the race for the last year since their precious baby was born. I have seen them struggle yet emerge victorious. This weekend they both ran the race set before them. Jon finished the race first and then ran Melissa's last lap with her, backing off at the end to allow her to finish the race amid cheers and encouragement of those who love her. It was an incredible testament to the fact that they continue to be united despite an experience that would test a marriage in ways beyond comprehension. They have stayed together.

I wish I could describe with words the inspiration of this baby girl and the beauty she radiated. Her parents will continue to show others Maeve's inspiration and fighting spirit as they continue to run their race. They will emerge victorious as they continue to trust in the Savior who holds their daughter in His arms.

Fabulous Blog Finds - The Momtage and The Idea Room

2010-07-05T08:50:00.000-07:00

I recently found the Momtage website through this blog and have really come to enjoy it. It's a brand new blog/community for moms in all walks of life. At the time being it is a small community, but the potential for this site is amazing. A down to earth and practical approach to mothering and all topics therein. Dana and Holly have a desire to develop a sisterhood among moms through their site and they have found some great ways to do this - hosting a book club (which was the main selling point for me), offering laundry tips and exploring many walks of motherhood. I am truly excited about what is going to become of this site and I encourage you to check it out here.

The Idea Room - I am in love with this blog and if you enjoy creativity at all and seeing what is out there that other people are creating or finding inspiring ideas for your creativity niche, this blog is for you. She discusses and provides tutorials for everything from dresses to pincushions to fruity popsickles. Her blog also features great ideas and tips from Kristen Duke photography. She just did a piece on great ideas for taking candid photos which I found to be really helpful in taking pictures of our family at the beach a couple weeks ago. I got some great shots that I will proudly display in my home! Amy has found a tremendous following in the short time she has been blogging and I am one of her faithful followers. Each Monday she does a giveaway, which Delicate Fortress is going to be a part of next week. Woohoo! I am really excited about researching the one she is doing today! Check out her blog here.

Living in a Family with Hurt

2010-07-02T09:20:00.000-07:00

I grew up in a family that was fiercely loyal. I grew up in an extended family that seemed to go through everything together - drunkenness, car accidents with crippling consequences, elders with massive and debilitating strokes, crumbled marriages, multiple marriages, births of children out of wedlock, sexual abuse, physical abuse, children with memories starting way later than they should have been, jail time, cancer.

The secrecy and deception that prevaded is now astonishing. As I was growing up, everyone within the family knew things but they were to be kept within that family - not elsewhere. If they were talked about, it was with hushed voices in an atmosphere where it was just known that what was said there stayed there. And it was all done within a sphere of "Christianity". Let's pray about it and let then carefully tuck it under the rug, only to be brought out again at determined and quiet times.

I didn't even start to question that mentality until I went to college, but really didn't question it until I started going to counseling. I see my family completely differently now.

I see it as devastating.

I see what role I had in it and the deception I continued within that family and I want no part of it whatsoever. One of the problems is how to be a part of this family still and what part, if any, to take.

I no longer want to be a part of any deception and I do NOT want to be a part of the cycle of continued deception and hiddenness. I do NOT want my children to be a part of that cycle or even think it is remotely near acceptable. Family loyalty? Yes. Family deception with the aim to protect? Absolutely not.

The thing is I still love my family. I look forward to seeing most of them without a sense of anger or even hesitancy. I understand everyone has their faults and all families have something and I am not to judge and all of that.

How do I combine those two things?

The 4th of July a big reunion is always held. My grandmother was one of 13 children and it is this extended family that I am talking about. I have refused to go to the reunions because that's all I can see and feel - the deception and acceptance of that deception and how it has effected my life. I am convinced that each of those 13 siblings has carried that deception into their own families in their own ways.

I know that if I go to this reunion and if I would mention any of this to any one of those people, they would be quick to throw me under the bus, convince me that the things I'm saying are justified or untrue and then convince me not to tell anyone. It's a horrible change from the way I used to see these people and how I used to looked at those reunions. I think ignorance was bliss. But its not truth.

Within my immediate family abusive situations occurred. In the theme of the extended family, we kept it to ourselves. I kept everything to myself until I went to college. Then I started talking. The more I realized and admitted what happened, the more truth and greater comfort I have received. The more healing has occurred. I'm not out there with posters or anything advertising our situation, but I am honest about it. I have learned how to talk to my family about what has happened and not to shy away from it. That's the family I want to be a part of. A family that can admit their mistakes, no matter how devastating they may be and do what they can to work together to change those mistakes. We understand that we have hurt each other and we ask for forgiveness and say we are sorry when we need to, even if it's over something that we've apologized for before. That's part of the process when you really hurt someone. And it's getting okay.

It will never be okay this side of heaven - for any of us. Hurts continue because they are deep seeded and therefore effect the way we become and how we respond to others. Hurt isn't something that is just forgotten. It stays with us because that's part of this fallen world and even because it's a reminder to stay away from that type of situation again. A protection, if you will. Consequences remain, not as a punishment, but as a necessary after effect. We continue to be sinful and we continue to make mistakes. But we don't pretend they are okay and we don't pretend they have gone away.

I think that's the way a family in pain is supposed to be.

Am I going to go to the reunion? Yes and I'll be real and proud of the God whom I serve and the truth He has given me.

Friday Flip Out - Composting

2010-07-02T06:51:00.000-07:00

Once again, I have to talk about my local floral nursery. I love that place!

While I was there the last time I found this. It's an indoor compost bin! I asked what it was and here its a compost bin to keep inside your kitchen. I had heard about keeping your own compost pile before but completely ignored it because I knew it had to do with garbage and I didn't want to learn how to do anything with garbage except get rid of it! When I learned that it was incredibly good for my garden, I looked into it more and was sold.

What you do is keep kitchen scraps - egg shells, tea bags, coffee filters and grains, fruits and vegetables including peelings - in this bin. When it's full, you dump it into your outside compost pile and manage that to use on your garden.

Sounds like too much work to me, but keeping an outdoor compost is a very easy thing and if you have a garden it is well worth it. I have learned that you can keep one in something as simple as a tote! I'm going to talk about that further in a separate post, but for now, I am just excited about composting.

Here is why. We have two separate gardens we are growing this year. One has all the regulars and one has hot peppers. You're supposed to keep them separate from the regular peppers because placing them near one another will make them all taste funky. The garden with our regulars is completely exploding. The one with the hot peppers.....not so much. The difference? Compost. We used compost in our regular garden and the difference is amazing.

So, I highly recommend composting, and I'm pretty excited about the cool looking compost kitchen bins that I found while looking this up. They are great because you don't have to go out to your compost pile every time you are wanting to throw out a banana peel, they are attractive enough to keep on your countertop if you want and they use charcoal filters to keep the odor and flies away. Works like a charm!

**Images used from www.gardeners.com, www.gaiam.com and www.amazon.com

Kids Connect - Can You Imagine This Anger?

2010-07-01T05:51:00.000-07:00

Jacob Sent Away (Genesis 27)

Reading with your child......
After Jacob tricked Esau and took the blessings that should have belonged to him, Esau became very angry - angry enough that he wanted to kill his brother, Jacob. Rebekah knew that Esau was angry, so in order to protect Jacob, she called him. "Jacob!", she said, "You must leave here because Esau is so angry with you that he wants to kill you. Go to my brother's house in Haran and stay there until I call you to return after your brother is no longer angry and has forgotten what you did to him." So Isaac blessed Jacob and agreed with his wife Rebekah and told Jacob to go live with her brother Laban. He told him to not marry a woman from Canaan because they did not follow God, but to marry someone from Laban's house instead. After this blessing, Jacob left and went to Laban's home and stayed there.

Esau heard that Jacob had left and what his parents had told him. He knew that Isaac and Rebekah wanted Esau and Jacob to marry women who worshipped God and were within their community, so Esau went to Ishmael and married his daughter because he knew that this would make Isaac, his father, angry.

Your child's insights......
- Do you remember why Esau was so angry with Jacob?
- Why did Rebekah want Jacob to leave?
- Do you think Jacob was afraid?
- What else did Esau do in his anger?
- Why did Isaac and Rebekah not want their sons to marry women who did not worship God?
- Who did Esau marry?
- Why do you think he did that?
- What are some things you do when you're angry?

Ideas for prayer with your child......
- Pray that your child would go to God in their anger.
- Pray for a spouse for your child that follows God.

Random thoughts for your consideration.....
1. I'm not a big fan of Rebekah. She's just too dramatic for me. Every time we hear a story about her she's saying, "Why should I go on living?!? - these babies inside me are fighting - I don't like the women who live around me!" I bet she was fun to live with. Just goes to show you that no matter how godly we all are or want to be, we all have our flaws.
2. What made Rebekah think that Esau would just forget about the blessing Jacob stole from him? Taking his blessing was a tremendous offense!
3. What do you think Isaac must have been thinking as this whole thing panned out?
4. I did not realize that Esau married Ishmael's daughter!! He must have thought about the one person who would displease his parents the most, found her and married her. Marrying the daughter of the half brother of Isaac - the one who made fun of him and was told to leave his presence - the one who would compete with the house of Israel forever. Unbelievable!

Any thoughts you want to share? Please do.

Previous kids connect - In between stories
Next kids connect - Dreams from God

Kids Connect - In Between Stories

2010-07-01T05:43:00.000-07:00

Our last kids connect ended with Hagar and Ishmael in the wilderness after Isaac's birth. The following stories are ones that are most commonly in kid's Bibles, so I won't be redundant and do them all again here. If you'd like to hear a particular one, please let me know and I'll do a kids connect for you! Here are the stories in between.

The Offering of Isaac
Isaac marries Rebekah
Jacob and Esau
Jacob takes Esau's blessing

Previous Kids Connect - Hagar and Ishmael are sent away

Next Kids Connect - Jacob is sent away

Words of Encouragement - Believe Me Now

2010-06-30T04:37:00.000-07:00

When I was a teenager, one of my favorite uncles introduced me to Steven Curtis Chapman. Since that time, I have become a faithful listener and admirer of Steven Curtis Chapman. I started following his blog off and on about 2 years ago when his youngest daughter tragically died in an accident at their home. Listening to this family reel from their heartache yet continue to believe in a Savior that seemed confusing yet faithful has been both heart wrenching and inspiring.

I was listening to one of his CDs (All Things New) in the car the other day and heard this song. A beautiful song. Take a listen and ponder some of these thoughts.

Many times off and on, in large and small ways, I have felt the anxiousness and desperation of the enemy closing in on me. Trying to find the strength to fight that enemy seemed impossible. Depression that was mind consuming with a family falling apart. Constant tears with no one who could truly understand and no idea of when that depression or the darkness that caused it might lift.

God knows that feeling. He has felt it.

When going through darkness such as this and worse, it is important to make ourselves remember His goodness and faithfulness in our lives. Remembering that He kept me breathing through that crippling depression - that he protected parts of me to not be damaged through that process are important in hindsight. It is impossible, at least it was for me, to remember those things in the midst of those experiences and to believe He is going to continue to be faithful. In hindsight, I can see parts where He was present. I can see times in my life before and since where I felt His abundant faithfulness. I believe that making a list, journalling and concretely remembering His faithfulness is what will get us through those times of darkness. Isn't that what the Old Testament record is about? The authors continually remind the Israelites who God is and what He has done for them as they are wondering about the wilderness, enduring persecution and even in their disobedience. They need reminded to look up and see the One who is consistent despite our and life's inconsistencies.

If you are in a space of relief right now, of experiencing and knowing His faithfulness, remember with me those things and keep them for when it doesn't seem so clear.

If you are in a space of darkness, focus on having enough faith to stand, dear one. He is with you and He will not waste a "single hurt you endure". He is for you.

Believe Me Now

I watch you looking out across the raging water
So sure your only hope lies on the other side
You hear the enemy that's closing in around you
And I know that you don't have the strength to fight
But do you have the faith to stand and...

Believe Me now
Believe Me here
Remember all the times I've told you loud and clear
I am with you and I am for you
So believe Me now
Believe Me now

I am the One who waved my hand and split the ocean
I am the One who spoke the words and raised the dead
And I've loved you long before I set the world in motion
I know all the fears you're feeling now
But do you remember who I am?
Do you..

Believe Me now
Believe Me here
Remember all the times I've told you loud and clear
I am with you
And I am for you

So believe Me now
Believe it's true
I never have, I never will abandon you
And the God that I have always been
I will forever be
So believe Me now

I am the God who never wastes a single hurt that you endure
My words are true, and all My promises are sure
So believe Me now
Oh, believe Me now

Fabulous Blog Finds - Craft Hope, The Pioneer Woman and Lysa TerKeurst

2010-06-28T08:00:00.000-07:00

Craft Hope is a fantastic blog and website designed to give you opportunities to help people and even animals that need it. This blog has only been in existence for a year and a half but has had tremendous success in part because it gives you practical and easy to get involved to help others but because it brings you in with a community of others who want to do the same thing. Each project lasts about a month and a half and they tell you what to do and how to do it. The current project is making washclothes and towels to give to the clean up workers in the Gulf who are helping clean the animals that have literally been coated with oil. In the past they have dresses and bean bags to children in orphanages. They are really doing wonderful things for so many in such a short time. You can check out their blog/website here.

The Pioneer Woman is a very popular blog that you may have heard of already. In case you haven't, you might want to check out Ree's blog. She has quite a conglomerate of features on her blog including fabulous recipes, incredible photography as well as easy and brilliant photographic tips and photography contests, elements on homeschooling and home and gardening. I'm a fan of her dog to tell you the truth! Charlie is always up to something adorable in my opinion. My mother in law would strongly disagree since she is not a fan of basset hounds, but how could you not think this was adorable? Her photography is truly incredible and inspiring. If you're interested in any of these things, check her out here.

Lysa TerKeurs t is a fantastic writer and blogger. I have been enjoying her blog for about a month now. I just finished reading her book The Bathtub is Overflowing but I Feel Drained. This book literally sat on my bookshelf for 6 years because I'm not a girlie, mommy kind of person, even though I am a mom and was afraid I'd be so girled out by it that I wouldn't be able to take it. Not so. This book really helped attune me to my children and look at how I'm behaving with them and my husband as well as my Creator. I'm now following her blog. She is genuine, heartfelt and lays it all out on the line. It's a place you can go when you're having a bad "mom day" or just "being alive" day and feel encouraged. You can take a look at her blog here.

Share your favorites here and let me know what you think of these!

Friday Flip Out - Taking Time Off

2010-06-25T05:55:00.001-07:00

For the last week, my family and I have been on vacation. I think it took me until Wednesday to start relaxing.

The last six months can only be described as a self propelled rollercoaster in my mind. After prayer, consideration, counsel and affirmation from my husband, I decided to start my own business. It is amazing how much I did not consider or think of when deciding to do that.

It seemed like such a simple concept and the pieces started falling together quickly. But then reality started to set in. A friend of mine told me there are over 250 million websites out there...and I'm in competition with them? Me, an occupational therapist, is attempting to run all aspects of a business and blog with no prior experience except I know how to take pictures, I like to organize and do research and I have dabbled in Quick Books a little. Oh, and I like to shop. That's my experience.

When I was a teenager I worked in a family run petting zoo. I watched my aunt and uncle leave church early, stress out, argue with one another and miss important functions all in the name of their business. After watching them I vowed I would never own my own business.

Guess what? I own my own business. I have learned since becoming a mom that every single thing I said I would never do, I will absolutely do. This is one of them.

I want to talk about the experience of starting a business/blog more here, but for the time being I think it is sufficient to call it a man made rollercoaster of an experience. I decided to do it and now I'm on a rollercoaster.

Terrific ideas, the drive to tell others and develop community and even to help others, yet getting off the ground is not easy at all, nor is it guaranteed. In my small part of the canvas, I'm not sure I have even wobbled off the ground yet. I think many bloggers and small business owners feel that way.

It is a mind and soul consuming process and it's important to take a break. It is nearly impossible for me to take those breaks but intermittently they have happened over the course of the last week. It is indeed something to flip out about. It eases the guilt of the time it takes to develop these things. It refreshes the soul and in my case, my family. It reminds me of the peace that existed before "the business".

When I'm in my "good place" I KNOW that this blog, this business is NOT to be about ME. So much, so much I'm ashamed to say and even admit to myself, is about me in my life. I consider myself first almost always; a great character flaw of mine. I want to and need to remember that this and all I do and all that happens around me is to communicate to others how wonderful God is, to glorify Him, not me. I want to be wonderful. I want other people to think I'm wonderful, but that is a temptation. It is true that I still need to work hard and I need to focus myself to pray that His will would be done and what I do would glorify Him. Ultimately He is in charge of what happens here. That's a fact. When I remember that, I can take a break.

Are you starting your own blog or business? Let's relax together for the moment, taking a deep breath, saying a quick prayer and remembering, it's not about Him.

Fun Blog Finds

2010-06-21T06:50:00.000-07:00

While working on this blog and doing research for my business, I have found some great blogs that I'm so excited about. I want to start introducing you to them.

First......disclaimers.....
1. I want to mention that these bloggers do not know that I am introducing their sites to you. I do not receive compensation of any sort for introducing them to you or the Flip Out Friday features either. Just so you know.

2. I have absolutely no control over what is posted on this blogs. If they offend you, I apologize, but I just want you to know I didn't tell them to, nor do I endorse their offenses! :)

Now that the disclaimers are out of the way, let's find some really cool blogs!

My Giveaway Today - I just found this cool blog today. For free you enter their giveaways, which happen at least a couple times a week. Everything from scrapbooking materials to marker boards sets to trout clothing, this site has given away and offered discounts on many great products. They offer several ways to enter including commenting on their blog, "liking" the featured business on facebook, etc. and it's all explained in detail with each entry.

The Junk Drawer - This particular blog makes me laugh out loud almost every day! Kathy is hilarious - honest about her quirks and mishaps and random stories in her life. Last week she was featured on NPR for a story she has been doing over the last 2 years about Windy the plastic bag. It's about a plastic bag that got stuck in a tree outside her office window and has been stuck there for that length of time. She just celebrated Windy's 2nd birthday. I have been subscribing to this blog's RSS feeds for over a month now and it's one blog I never get tired of. I really enjoy it and hope you do too!

From An Igloo is a great creative and crafty blog where Christine talks about new projects she is doing and how to do them yourself. As someone who has no conceptual abilities whatsoever, I am even able to follow her directions! She also does Fabulous Etsy Finds in which she shows pictures of and highlights fun things she has found on Etsy during the week which is a lot of fun too. You'll get the creative juices flowing with this blog!

Hope you enjoy the features of the week. Favorite blogs you want to see posted here? Let me know!

Friday Flip Out - Washable Jellybean Rugs

2010-06-18T03:56:00.000-07:00

When visiting our local nursery a couple of weeks ago, I stumbled upon a rack that had the cutest rugs ever on it! They were Jellybean rugs and advertised themselves as washing better than your jeans. I didn't get one that day, but the next time I went back I did! I love this rug!

I never wanted to get rugs before because they always ended up looking so dirty and that frustrated me. If I washed it, I all of a sudden had a ruined rug because they shrink or have the rubber backing and can't take it or whatever. Lack of rugs in our home has lead to a cold feeling for me. People walk in our home and the statement is "Just get in here and take your flipping shoes off!" Now the statement is, "Hello. It's bright and sunny in here. Welcome!" I like that better.

This rug is designed for machine washing!

This rug is a little pricier than what I normally want to spend on anything since it's above the $10 mark, but I think it's worth it this time. I already have my eye on the next one I want to buy! You can find the jellybean rugs and the many cute and warm designs they offer in these places...

1. Madison at Main $29.95
2. Amazon $31
3. Linen Locker $24-29

Check them out and let me know what you think!

Kids Connect - God Hears

2010-06-17T03:28:00.000-07:00

Sarah Turns Against Hagar (Genesis 21)

Reading with your child.....
One of the people that lived with Abraham and Sarah was Hagar. Hagar and Abraham had a son named Ishmael. One day Ishmael was making fun of Isaac and this made Sarah very angry. It made her angry enough that she went to Abraham and told him to make Hagar and Ishmael leave and never come back. Abraham was very upset about this and didn't know what to do. God told Abraham to listen to Sarah and have Hagar leave because God had promised Abraham would become a great nation through Isaac. God also told Abraham that Ishmael too would become a great nation one day. Abraham listened to God and the next morning and prepared a meal and water for Hagar and Ishmael and sent them out of the camp. Hagar didn't know where to go so after she left she wondered around in the wilderness of Beersheba. When all their water was gone, Hagar set Ishmael under a tree and went across from him and knelt down beside a different rock because she thought he was dying and she couldn't stand to watch him die.

Both Hagar and Ishmael were crying when God spoke to Hagar from heaven. He told her to not be afraid because He had heard Ishmael crying. He told her to get up and take Ishmael's hand because He would make Ishmael into a great nation. Then He opened Hagar's eyes to see a well of water and she went with Ishmael, filled up the water canvas and gave him a drink. God was with Ishmael after that and Ishmael grew to be an archer and the father of a great nation.

Your child's insights......
- Do you think that Sarah was right to say that Hagar had to leave?
- How do you think Abraham felt when he asked Hagar to leave?
- Why do you think Hagar and Ishmael were crying?
- Explain the potential life Hagar and Ishmael had had in the camp with Abraham compared to the potential life in the wilderness.
- What do you think of what God said to everyone?

Ideas for prayer with your child.....
- Pray that they would be comforted when they are in the wilderness of life.
- Pray that they would turn to God when they don't know what to do.
- Pray that they would be patient when it seems like nothing can become right again.

Random thoughts for your consideration.....
This story is heartbreaking. Adultery is a nasty thing. I know that in that time period, men had multiple wives, but I don't remember God ever saying that was the way it should be or endorsing it in any way. I can't imagine living with your husband's mistress and resulting son, even at the hands of your own direction. And then seeing that child making fun of your son would be extremely anger provoking. Sarah just decides Abraham needs to throw them out. Her temper and impulsiveness in action.

Abraham's passivity is interesting. He just does as she directs him almost all the time. To his credit, I guess, he didn't just do it this time, but was torn about what to do.

God shows up relieving Abraham's turmoil and telling him to go ahead and ask Hagar to leave and he promises Abraham that Ishmael will be protected and become great as well. Can you imagine? Hagar had more than likely NEVER been on her own. She is thrown out into the wilderness on foot!, to fend for herself and her child. They would have had no idea how to exist or provide for themselves in the wilderness. But God shows up and comforts her. God keeps His promises. He takes the sin that we all create and redeems it. Abraham never saw Ishmael again that we know of. Ishmael lacked a father and a means to survive. God protected him. God showed up.

Previous kids connect - Isaac is Born

Next kids connect - In between Stories

Words of Encouragement - Your Beauty

2010-06-16T04:02:00.000-07:00

Last night I decided to do my hair.

I have obnoxiously wavy hair that likes to be either short or shoulder length. Anything inbetween is just impossible. Curls Rock is my friend. Throw a little of that in there and waves become curls...the end.

When I was younger I had a friend who had a lot of experience with hair styling do my hair. Wow, was that a good day! I should have been on Oprah because I had the makeover experience she always talks about. I sat down in Erica's chair with frizzy crazy hair and stood up with sleek, straight, totally different hair! I was thrilled! After my children were born, my hair decided that no matter what amount of product I put in it, it would never become sleek and shiny again. Man!

I had my hair cut last week and things looked promising. Mind you, the cut length is between the two lengths of manageable hair I described to you earlier, so it's pretty bushy right now but I was optimistic because of the picture in the magazine Emily modeled my hair cut after. Why can't I look like that? If her hair (the woman's in the magazine) can look like that then there is no reason why mine can't! I decided to take the 15 minutes and try to straight iron my hair. With gel and iron-in spray and shine gloss and more hair spray, low and behold, it became straight again! I couldn't believe it! I stepped back to admire myself and got a surprise I was NOT expecting.

I don't look like I did the last time my hair straightened out like that! My face is a little more wrinkly, under my eyes are blacker, my eyebrows are bushier, my hair is grayer. I am older!!!! Take it back!! I was so disappointed and no amount of lipstick and make up can cover that up.

I do not enjoy the bodily effects of getting older. Here's the thing though. God does. He knows that maturity and growth are far better assets than keeping incredibly straight smooth skin and hair and this is what He says about it.

"Charm is deceitful and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised." Proverbs 31:30

"Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained by a righteous life." Proverbs 16:30-32

"Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight." 1 Peter 3:3-4

Feel better? Me neither.

Try this.

"He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to Him, nothing in His appearance that we should desire Him." Isaiah 53:2

Even to your old age and gray hairs I am He, I am He who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you." Isaiah 46:4

Jesus, beautiful Jesus, was nothing spectacular to look at. He was simply a man, yet holy God. He wanted to be sought after because of His words of truth and wisdom, because of His love for us, because of His Father, not because of His beauty. He could have chosen any form to take, but He chose to take the cloak of humility and humanity.

Secondly, what is important to recognize when I look in the mirror and see my gray hair is that God has sustained me. Through good and bad circumstances, He has been there. He has carried me. He has made me just as I am and that's what He sees. Over and over through the course of the Bible, God reminds us that outward beauty passes and inner beauty is what remains. He reminds both women and men to focus on that beauty, true beauty.

It's all about focus. When I look in the mirror and am disappointed by the disappearance of my youthfulness, I must look again and see what He wants me to see. Maybe the verses I first listed don't make me feel immediately better, but they are truth. Even if they don't change my heart right away, with His help they will.

Beautiful one, delight in your beauty today.

Kids Connect - Isaac is Born

2010-06-15T03:11:00.000-07:00

Isaac is Born (Genesis 21)

Reading with Your Kids.....
At the time God had promised, Sarah gave birth to a baby boy and Abraham named him Isaac, which means laughter. Sarah was so excited that she and all of her friends laughed with joy that Isaac had been born. Isaac grew and become older and Abraham had a great feast to celebrate him.

Your Child's Insights.....
1. If you gave your child their name for a particular reason, share that with them.
2. Share with them the story of your name.
3. Talk to them about how God fulfilled the promise to Sarah even though she doubted.
4. Talk to them about how you celebrate you child's birth and how you have in the past.
5. Do you ever feel like God's promises might not happen? Do you think it is okay with God to question Him?
6. Have you ever been so excited that all you could do was laugh?

Ideas for Prayer with Your Child.....
- Pray that they would keep going to God even when they doubt.
- Pray that they would have lots of times in their lives that they are so excited they can only laugh.

Random Thoughts For Your Consideration.....
I find it interesting that Sarah "bookended" her pregnancy by laughing. Laughing with disbelief at the announcement that she would become pregnant and then laughing with joy when her pregnancy came to its fulfillment. I also love that even though Sarah doubted God, He still kept His promise to her.

At times in the past, I have doubted a lot. I can't say those times are all over because they aren't. Faith and trust are not easy and relying on Someone You can't see to take control over Your life and the lives of your loved ones is pretty scary when you think about it. When hard things happen and they don't make sense....doubt. When things aren't happening as quickly as we think they should....doubt. When it seems as though we're hearing nothing from God....doubt. I truly think that God is okay with doubting. I know He wants us to trust in Him, but I think He's okay with the questions. I think asking those questions to Him draws us nearer to Him. I read something though that helped clarify this issue for me. I think Philip Yancey is the one who said it....It's okay to question God as long as there is a stopping point when you realize that there is only trust left. We can't answer all the questions. As long as we stop the doubting long enough to acknowledge His power, strength and wisdom and that He has a good plan for us, the questions are okay.

What are your thoughts?

Previous kids connect - Sodom and Gomorrah

Next kids connect - Sarah turns Hagar away

Priority Challenge Wrap Up

2010-06-14T03:04:00.000-07:00

So, it's been 2 weeks. How did your priority challenge go? I hope you found your participation to be worthwhile and I hope that participating in the challenge helped you to clarify some priorities in your life that may have become cloudy.

I have decided to make a change in my lifestyle as a result of this challenge and from now on I will be an early bird instead of a night owl, even though my body fights against it! In keeping my physical balance, my husband is own board with this and has agreed to help me out by giving me one night a week to stay up late and get up late the next morning, which I am thrilled about and feel very grateful for! I think that will help get me through those mornings when it's hard to get up.

Let us know how your challenge went and if you'd like to see this happen again in the future!

Fabulous Find - Allrecipes.com

2010-06-11T03:10:00.000-07:00

Have you heard of this fantastic site?

When I was pregnant with our first child, I all of a sudden became hungry for seafood potato salad. Never had it before, but I was hungry for it! I googled it and allrecipes.com came up and I became addicted. Since that time I have found many many delicious recipes on this site. If I decide I'm hungry for something on a whim but have no idea how to make it, I go on this site and there it is!

The site was designed for people who want to upload recipes that they have created themselves. Other users rate, comment and attach their own pictures if they like. You can start your own recipe box for free, adding your favorite recipes, changing the ingredients based on the amount you want to make and customizing the size and look of the recipes you want to print out. They feature new recipes every day and gorgeous photos of some delicious recipes! You can search by name of recipe and then narrow it down by ratings or relevance. Check it out. I bet you'll like it!

Here are some of my family's favorite recipes for summertime that we've found here:
Easy Strawberry Lemonade
Easy Oreo Truffles
Antipasto Pasta Salad
Fruit Dip
Clone of a Cinnabon
Bacon Wrapped Hamburgers

Notice all the ones with "easy" in the title?? I hope you enjoy this site as much as we have!

Do you have favorite recipe sites? Share them here!

Kids Connect - Sodom and Gomorrah

2010-06-10T03:58:00.000-07:00

The Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 18 and 19)

Reading to Your Kids
As soon as the Lord finished talking to Abraham and Sarah, Abraham walked with Him and the two men He was with as they prepared to leave. From where they were, the were able to look out over the towns of Sodom and Gomorrah. The Lord told Abraham that the cries from the people of those towns were so great and their sin was so great that He was considering destroying both of the towns. The two men with the Lord went to visit Sodom after the Lord said this, leaving the Lord and Abraham alone.

Abraham came close to God and said, "Lord, would you destroy both the good and the bad? If there are 50 people there who do what is right would you please not destroy it? You are so right and holy that You would be too just to do something like that!"

The Lord answered Abraham and said, "If I find 50 people in Sodom who are right then I will not destroy it."

Then Abraham said, "I know I am made out of dust in talking with You Lord, but if there are 45 would you please not destroy it?" And God assured him that He would not destroy it if there were 45.

So Abraham said, "What if there are only 40? Would you please not destroy it if there are only 40?" The Lord again assured him He would not.

Again Abraham spoke. "What if there are only 30? Would you please not destroy it?" God agreed to this as well.

And again Abraham asked, "What if only 20 are right who are there?" God agreed to 20.

One final time Abraham says, "Lord, please don't destroy it if there are only 10!" And God replied to Abraham, "I will not destroy it if only 10 are found there who are right before Me." After that Abraham went back to his tent and the Lord left.

While this was happening the two men who were with the Lord and Abraham went to visit Lot, Abraham's nephew, who lived in Sodom. Lot invited them to his home and prepared a big feast for them. While they were visiting, many people surrounded Lot's house and demanded he send out the visitors so that they might hurt them. Lot told them no but the people outside were so determined that they tried to force their way into his house. The angels inside rescued Lot from the angry crowd, brought him back inside the house and shut the door and caused the men outside to be blind so they could not force their way into Lot's home. They then told Lot to get all of his family together and leave Sodom because the Lord was going to destroy it.

Lot got his family together and when the angels told him it was time to go he waited because he didn't want to leave, so the angels grabbed his hand, his wife's hand the hands of his 2 daughters and made him leave. Then the Lord caused fire and stone to fall on Sodom and Gomorrah and everything in those towns was destroyed, but the Lord remembered His promise to Abraham and saved the only righteous people who were in those towns.

Your Child's Insights....
1. Why do you think Abraham asked God so many times to save the towns of Sodom and Gomorrah?
2. What do you think of how God answered Abraham all those times?
3. What do you think the towns of Sodom and Gomorrah were like?
4. What do you think it was like for Lot and his family to live there?
5. Why did God have to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah?
6. How did God fulfill His promise to Abraham?

Ideas for Prayer with Your Child.....
- Pray that your child would go to God as many times as he/she wants.
- Pray that they would have the strength to be separate from the evil in this world.
- Pray that they would never get used to the evil in this world.
- Pray that they would remember that God always keeps His promises.

Random Thoughts for Your Consideration......
As this story is being introduced in Genesis the Lord says to the 2 men, "Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, since Abraham will surely become a great and mighty nation, and in him all the nations of the earth will be blessed? For I have chosen him, so that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring upon Abraham what He has spoken about it." God answers His own question and explains to us the answer.

I find it difficult to read stories to my kids about the crucifixion and things like this because they are brutal, horrifying in their reality. Its important that they know these things in an age appropriate way though. I'm not going to discuss in detail exactly how brutal these events were, but that they happened. In prayerful consideration, that is why I included this kids connect. Our children need to understand the reality of God's word and we teach them stories such as this one so that they may command their children and their households some day to keep the way of the Lord and do righteousness and justice. This is the only way toward blessing them and in turn helping them to bless others.

What do you think?

Previous kids connect - The promise of Isaac

Next kids connect - Isaac is born

Words of Encouragement - A Man's Steps

2010-06-09T03:08:00.000-07:00

Do you need encouraged today? Take some time to hear God's Word this morning.

Psalm 37:23-24 "The steps of a man are established by the Lord, and He delights in his way. When he falls, he will not be hurled headlong, because the Lord is the One who holds his hand."

I have always wrestled with understanding how God could allow horrible things to happen to those He has created. It never made sense to me. I know He has a plan and has ordained all our steps. I also know that man is sinful and we indeed have self will that God allows us to exercise. A conflict existed in my mind because God knows how it's going to work out - He knows what is going to happen and He allows it to happen. How can that exist with a loving God? How can He watch the evils of this world? Along with that, how can I not proceed through life and not feel tremendous guilt that I haven't messed up God's plan? I am sinful and step outside of His will each day through my sin. Some days in my life resonate greatly in ways I have stepped out of His will - directly disobeying and defying Him. Have a missed His plan for me? Days also resonate in which the pain others have caused me feels crippling. Has the resulting pain caused me to miss His good plan for me? Does it mean He doesn't protect me?

"The steps of a man are established by the Lord" - God has a good plan for me. He has a way in which He wants me to walk.

"He delights in his way." God delights when I follow His will. When I act in obedience to Him.

"When he falls" God KNOWS we are going to fall. It's not if we fall, it is when we fall. He knows when those around us are going to fall and hurt us.

"he will not be hurled headlong" We will not be destroyed - physically, emotionally or spiritually no matter what we have done or what has happened to us.

"because the Lord is the One who holds his hand." He still holds my hand, no matter how hard I fall.

Dear one, are you struggling with the pain of life today? The pain from your actions or those of others around you? Feel free to stand. He holds Your hand.

Kids Connect - God Keeps His Promises

2010-06-08T03:04:00.000-07:00

The Promise of Isaac (Genesis 18)

Reading to Your Kids
Soon after God changed Abram's name, He came to visit him again. This time He brought 2 angels with Him. God brought great joy and heartache to this visit to Abraham. We'll learn about the joyful part today. Let's see what happens.

One day Abraham was sitting outside his tent when he happened to see 3 men standing across from him. When he saw them, he jumped up, ran and bowed to them and said, "Please don't go past your servant! Please stay and have some water, let me wash your feet, rest under this tree and let me serve you bread before you go." The men accepted so Abraham ran back to the tent and said, "Sarah, make some bread!!" and he ran to his herd of cows, picked out the best one and gave it to his servant to prepare it for the men. After everything was ready, he gave all the food to the men and stood beside them as they ate.

As they were eating they asked him, "Where is Sarah?" and he told them that she was in the tent. Then the Lord, one of the 3 men, said to Abraham, "This time next year I will come back to you and Sarah will have a son." Sarah was listening through the tent door behind them and laughed to herself because she was so old and didn't believe his words. So God said, "Why did Sarah laugh? Is anything too hard for the Lord? This time next year I will come back and Sarah will have a son." Sarah argued with God and said, "I didn't laugh" and God said back "Yes you did."

Your Child's Insights......
1. Do you think Abraham knew one of the men was God?
2. When else has God shown up as a person?
3. How old do you think women are when they have babies?
4. Why do you think Sarah laughed?
5. Did Sarah laugh out loud?
6. What did God say when He knew she laughed?
7. What did Sarah say back?
8. What do you think about Sarah arguing with God?

Ideas for Prayer with Your Child.....
- Pray that God would help them to have the faith to do things in life that might look impossible.
- Pray that they would accept your and God's authority without arguing.

Random Thoughts for Your Consideration.....
- This passage always makes laugh. I can just see the swirling thoughts of Abraham as God asks him why Sarah is laughing as she argues with God. Can you imagine what he must be thinking? Here some men show up and Abraham literally jumps up, runs to them and bows, no easy task for a 99 year old! He goes out of his way to serve them and even stands while they are eating. God reveals that the time has come for His promise to be fulfilled through Abraham and his wife laughs! Having a husband, I can imagine he becomes frustrated with Sarah for 2 reasons....1. She laughs to herself saying, "After I have become old, shall I have pleaseure, my lord being old also?" She laughs because she can't believe they are going to have sex! According to her words, who knows how long it has been! I bet any man would appreciate that. 2. In addition to that, she laughs to herself. Abraham never even heard her laugh, it sounds like. He has gone completely out of his way and offered his best to these men, one of which is God! and all of a sudden, after God tells him the long awaited promise of an heir is finally going to come true, out of the blue to Abraham God says, "Why did Sarah laugh?" Can you imagine what he was thinking? What??? I didn't even know she laughed! Don't ruin this for me lady!!
- I always shake my head at Sarah when it talks about her arguing with God. Not out of judgment but because I know what's going to happen! Let me explain. When I was a teenager, my mom and I went to the grocery store. It had rained earlier in the day and there were huge puddles in the parking lot. For some reason, she decided to walk right through one. Facing it head on she must not have seen how deep it was, but standing off to the side I knew it was at least 6 inches deep. I'll never forget her walking straight through that puddle, so confidently, as she soaked not only herself but the bags of groceries as well! A head shaking moment. You can just see the future! Anyway, I don't know if Sarah initially knew that this was God she was actually dealing with since the passage says 3 men appeared, but she had to have known when one of them knew she was laughing to herself and what she was thinking. I have a feeling she knew simply because she laughed to herself and not out loud. I can imagine someone saying to my grandmother who, if she was alive would be close to 99 right now, "Hi, you're going to have a baby." She'd laugh out loud and tell them they were crazy, at least! Anyway, when God calls her on her laughing doubt, she argues with Him and then He argues back! I don't see God as much of an arguer. Usually what He says pretty much goes and when people question Him He either has a solution or that's just the way it is. Sarah must have needed a pride check or something because He argues back with her and then supposedly that's the end of the conversation. I know God doesn't work this way, but I wonder how bad her morning sickness and back labor were after that!
What do you think of this passage of Scripture?

Previous kids connect - Becoming Abraham

Next kids connect - Sodom and Gomorrah

Priority Challenge Check In

2010-06-07T04:33:00.000-07:00

A week ago I explained to you that I was issuing myself a priority challenge, which you can learn more about here if you don't already know. In sum, I challenged myself to change my priorities to reflect what they are and not what they have fallen into. Today I wanted to take some time to check in with you to hold myself accountable and encourage you in your journey in challenging your priorities too.

I told you how I struggle with getting up early because I'm a very happy night owl. My challenge is to get up earlier for 2 weeks to spend my God time before my family gets up and going to bed earlier at night.

God has a sense of humor. In my devotionals during the week I read this verse: "It is vain for you to rise up early, to retire late, to eat the bread of painful labors; for He gives to His beloved even in his sleep." (Psalm 127:2) In the actual context of this verse, Solomon is saying that anything built outside of God is vanity. In the context of my challenge it was quite ironic. I had to read that one to my husband. I said, "See, it's okay if I go to bed late and don't want to get up early! He can minister to me in my sleep!!" He thought it was funny......

Anyway, I have felt very good about getting up early and have enjoyed spending my God time and spending time with my family first thing in the morning. I have not had nearly as hard of a time as I thought I would in getting up early which is was a very pleasant surprise. On the other hand, it's hard. I love staying up late and spending time reading blogs and researching fun things on the internet. I love watching Fox News and hearing what is happening in our country and watching reruns of comedies I enjoy. I am missing that and feeling frustrated about that. I am also exhausted!!!

However, I'm learning that the things God wants from me are not necessarily easy things. I have always known that in my head, but I have also had the opinion, I guess, that if something was God's will, and not concretely described in His word, it should be smooth and easy. I know always telling the truth and remaining faithful and pulling the log out of my own eye, etc. were very hard things to do. Other things, like pursuing a particular path in life, I have always viewed differently. A challenge has always represented God not approving of what I'm doing. I have thought I should have complete peace if I'm doing God's will and not struggle with it. Holding this belief has made it difficult to stick with things and not become easily frustrated. Starting the business has been an emotional rollercoaster for me because of this belief. I think God is showing me the beauty of perseverance - that even though it is hard to change this priority, it is the right thing to do.

How is your priority challenge going? Let us know and be encouraged. God sees your efforts.

Fabulous Find! - Borax!

2010-06-04T05:33:00.001-07:00

What a crazy thing to flip out about right? Well, I'm pretty excited about borax this week and here's why.

I entered my kid's bathroom to see a most disgusting site this week and spent the next 45 minutes cleaning it! I usually use Clorox Clean Up to clean the bathrooms but I was out so I decided to use the borax I had bought to kill my ants a few weeks ago because the box said I could. I couldn't believe how well it worked! My sink and toilet and bathtub became clean again! I typically use Comet to clean the bathtub because of the grittiness of it and the fact that that seems to be what most effectively cleans up whatever that film is that stays after bath time. I never understand how something you use to get clean can become so dirty itself! I used the borax this time and it was white and cleaned up very well with less time and without me passing out! Its all I can do to not pass out from the fumes of Comet, but it has always been worth it (every six months I clean the tub!). Not so with this, and I didn't have to worry about the kids getting baths afterwards because it's safe to use as long as you don't eat it or give it to your plants to eat! I was excited about that too because as I said earlier this week, I'm not partial to using chemicals and items that could potentially kill my family.

Anyway, in light of the amazing job it did cleaning, I looked up some other uses for this $2.49 box of pure genius I bought and here's what I found. Borax is a.......

Flea killer - Sprinkle on carpet, leave overnight and vacuum the next day. Not for use on your pet though. Fluffy will NOT like it! Fluffy might die.
Removing heavy sink stains and rust in porcelain or stainless steel sinks -1 cup borax + 1/4 cup lemon juice - mix into paste and scrub the stain. Rinse away.
Removing mildew from fabric - "soak a sponge in a solution of 1/2 cup borax dissolved in 2 cups hot water, and rub it into the affected areas. Let it soak in for several hours until the stain disappears, then rinse well. To remove mildew from clothing, soak it in a solution of 2 cups borax in 2 quarts (2 liters) water." *1
Removing rug stains - "Thoroughly dampen the area, then rub in some borax. Let the area dry, then vacuum or blot it with a solution of equal parts vinegar and soapy water and let dry. Repeat if necessary. Don't forget to first test the procedure on an inconspicuous corner of the rug or on a carpet scrap before applying it to the stain." *1
Cleaning your garbage disposal - "To maintain a more sanitary disposal, every couple of weeks pour 3 tablespoons borax down the drain and let it sit for 1 hour. Then turn on the disposal and flush it with hot water from the tap." *1
Removing urine odor on mattresses - Wet the area (no pun intended). Sprinkle borax, let dry and vacuum.
Make professional looking dried flowers - "Mix 1 cup borax with 2 cups cornmeal. Place a 3/4-inch (2-centimeter) coating of the mixture in the bottom of an airtight container, like a large flat plastic food storage container. Cut the stems off the flowers you want to dry, then lay them on top of the powder, and lightly sprinkle more of the mixture on top of the flowers (be careful not to bend or crush the petals or other flower parts). Cover the container, and leave it alone for 7-10 days. Then remove the flowers and brush off any excess powder with a soft brush." *1
Removing ants and weeds from around your house - Just sprinkle around the parameter of your house to keep ants away and sprinkle directly on weeds you don't want. Just a small amount will do and don't go crazy unless you want to kill ALL your plants!
Restoring china shine - Wash in a sink with water with 1/2 cup borax dissolved in it.
Cleaning aluminum pots and pans
Drain cleaner - Dump 1/2 cup borax down drain. Let sit for 1 hour. Chase with hot water.
Cleaning tile and grout.
Removing grease.
Clean cutting boards - Just make sure you rinse thoroughly afterwards.
Make your bedding smell fresh and boost your laundry cleaner - Add 1/2 cup to detergent.
Removing odors from refrigerator/coolers, etc. - Dissolve 1 tablespooon borax into 1 gallon of water.
All purpose cleaner - Mix 1 teaspoon borax with 1 cup very hot water. Put in spray bottle.
Wash diapers and baby clothes - "Flush out dirty diapers and soak as soon as possible in a diaper pail filled with warm water and 1/2 cup borax. Pre-soak for at least 30 minutes before washing in warm water. Wash linens, bibs, slips and cotton crib liners in hot water, adding 1/2 cup borax and detergent. Borax helps get rid of odors, reduce stainign and make diapers more absorbent." *2
Wash delicates - "Dissolve 1/4 cup borax and 2 tablespoons detergent in a basin of warm water. Soak hand washables for 10 mintues. Rinse in clear, cool water, blot with towel, lay flat or hang to dry away from sunlight and direct heat." *2
Make slime for kids - Place all of 4 ounce bottle of Elmer's glue in a bowl. Fill empty bottle with warm water and empty in same bowl. Add a few drops of food coloring if you'd like your slime to have color. In another bowl, mix 1 teaspoon borax with 1 cup water and stir until borax has dissolved. Pour glue solution into borax solution. Mix. The more the resulting slime is handled and kneaded the drier it will become making it more moldable and easier to handle. Store in airtight container or ziplock bag. Kids love this stuff!

So let's see. What all can I stop buying now? Clorox Clean Up, Comet, Bar Keeper's Friend, Raid, Round Up, Bar Keeper's Friend, Drano....... Think of all the money I'm saving!

Any other ideas? Share them here!

*1, *2, 3

How to Remove Ants

2010-06-03T04:12:00.000-07:00

About a month ago we had these tiny little ants in our kitchen. We didn't just have a few, we had hundreds! I had no idea how to get rid of them all effectively and I felt like my kitchen was so dirty even though it really wasn't! Here's what I learned about ants and how to get rid of them. Oh, these aren't "natural". I am not against using ant killer or anything else that would kill them. I'm only afraid to use things that might kill my family. And this is not for huge infestations of ants either. Professionals have the keys to that one!

A Few Facts You Never Wanted to Know About Ants
1. The queen is in charge. You want to kill her.
2. The workers are sent out by the queen and then bring back food to feed her. You want to give them the bad stuff.
3. The queen knows when her workers aren't showing back up and will get stressed out and start dispersing her remaining workers in several different directions. You'll want to plan your strategy and attack!, doing it all at once and not doing what I did and suck them up with the shop vac every time you see one because you're grossed out!
4. Ants leave scented trails behind them so they can find their way back to their nest and so other ants can find the trail to the good stuff. Get rid of the trails not leading to the ant killer of your choice and keep the ant trail leading to the stuff that will kill it.
5. Ants like protein related foods (peanut butter) or sweet foods (honey), in my case my mom's strawberry jelly. Figure out what that is and use it against them as part of your strategy.
6. Ants do not like mint, vinegar or white gravel, so use that as deterrents in and around your home.

Planning the Attack
1. Do your prep work. Not necessarily fun, but just necessary. Make sure your floors and counters are clean. Use soap and water to clean or bleach. I used Windex with Vinegar. Strangely enough that killed them on contact, which morbidly I was very intrigued by! Keep your sinks clean and dry and vacuum and clean any areas you think might have spilled food, even in your kitchen cabinets and drawers.
2. Figure out what kind of ant you have. Great article here.
2. Look for the ants in and around your home. Some ants like moist areas and wood (carpenter). Others like dirt in the ground (really?) and wooden stumps and areas like that. Listen for crunching and crinkling sounds for carpenter ants. Dark areas are favorites too.
4. Buy and gather your killing supplies. My favorites are Windex with Vinegar as mentioned or just a spray bottle with vinegar should work too, Terro ant baits (I tried the Raid and the ants could have cared less), and borax (this little beauty I'm going to talk about later this week!). :)

Attack
1. Set out traps as close to their nest as possible, where they seem to be coming in your house and along baseboards, etc. Don't put them in the middle of your living room carpet because you don't want them there.
2. Mix up your own ant killer with 1 cup water, 2 cups sugar and 4 teaspoons boric acid (borax) and disperse that in the aforementioned areas.
3. Kill any ant colonies you find with ant killer spray or boiling water. (That one would be hard for me but hard times call for hard measures sometimes.)
4. Wait. They should be gone in a week. If they aren't, you may need to try other measures that I don't know about (that helps, right?) or call a professional exterminator.

Additional Articles
1. Killing carpenter ants
2. Killing sugar ants
3. General ant help

Good luck and happy any killing!

Any disgusting ant facts or killing ideas you want to share? Post them here!

Kids Connect - Becoming Abraham

2010-06-02T04:22:00.000-07:00

Abram becomes Abraham (Genesis 17)

Reading to Your Kids......
The last time we talked about Abram he was 86 years old. God had promised him that he would have a son and have many descendants - as many stars as are in the sky. Well, the next time we hear about God talking to Abram was when he was 99 years old! That's a long time to wait and have nothing happen that God promised! When Abram was 99 years old, God appeared and said to him, "I am God Almighty; walk before Me and be blameless. I will make a promise to you and I will multiply you exceedingly." Abram fell down the the ground and hid his face when God was talking to him. God said, "You will the the father of many nations. No longer will your name be Abram, but your name shall be Abraham for I will make you the father of many nations. Kings will come forth from you. I will make an everlasting promise with you to be your God. As for Sarai your wife, you should not call her Sarai anymore, but Sarah will be her name."

Your Child's Insights....
1. Do you think it was hard for Abram to have not heard from God for 13 years?
2. Do you think Abram might have felt like God forgot about him?
3. Do you ever feel like God has forgotten about you?

Ideas for Prayer with Your Child.....
- Pray that your child would have the patience to wait when it feels like God isn't close.
- Pray that your child would have patience when it feels like God isn't keeping His promises.
- Thank God that He keeps promises in ways that show that He is in charge.

Random Thoughts for Your Consideration.....
- I wonder why God didn't say anything about the fact that Ishmael had even been born and the interactions between Sarai and Haggar and Abram's passivity in that.

Previous kids connect - Abram

Next kids connect - The Promise of Isaac

Priority Challenge

2010-06-01T07:53:00.000-07:00

I have been fighting for a long time now. You know that feeling of guilt you feel convicted by but at the same time overwhelmed by. The one that leads to inaction. Let me tell you about one of mine.

Since we moved into our home about a year ago I have been late for everything. I mean EVERYTHING. I don't know why. It's very frustrating. I feel like I'm behind with everything all the time and am powerless to do anything about it. I keep trying, but the tasks keep piling on.

I was talking to my husband about my frustrations last week and told him I haven't spent any time with God lately because I am too busy working on the business. As soon as those words exited my mouth I knew something had to change.

I'm a night owl all the way. Morning time holds no interest to me. I stay up late after the kids go to bed and work, watch TV, whatever. I love it. There are several problems that have arisen from that. It is hard to get up in the morning. In all honesty, I have missed out on a lot of precious time with my husband and children because of this. Being a night owl isn't bad, but it's bad for me at this stage in my life.

So, I issued myself a priority challenge. For the next two weeks I am going to get up an hour before my kids usually do and spend my God time first thing. I'm also going to go to bed around 10 so that I get enough sleep. I am a few days into my challenge so far and I'm looking for joiners. Will you join me in challenging a priority that needs to move up or down the totem pole in your life? Let's encourage one another!

Greater Love Has No One Than This....

2010-05-31T04:57:00.000-07:00

that he lay his life down for his friends." John 15:13

Thank you so much to our honorable service men and women who have sacrificed so much for the many freedoms we enjoy.

Friday Flip Out!

2010-05-28T17:34:00.000-07:00

Here is something for both you and your kids to flip out about - in a good way!

Do-A-Dot Art is fantastic!

I have one child in particular who loves to do anything art related. We constantly have a path of art supplies strung through the house in which you can follow the course of our free spirited daughter's mind! Paint was one of those things.

As a mom who does not enjoy messes of any sort, paint was never one of my favored activities - we're talking once a year the kids might be allowed to paint and we call that night the night before Easter when they color Easter eggs!

I found these great Do-A-Dot art supplies at a local kids' store here and I am completely in love with them and so is my daughter. She gets to feel like she's painting on a regular basis and I get to enjoy the fact that these paints make NO MESS!

These paints come in tubes of sorts with a round sponge applicator tip head on them, tidied by a cap that you can take on and off freely. Tip them upside down and the paint doesn't come out! You have to press down on the tips in order to get the paint out.

These aren't like Color Wonder paints. They will paint on anything, but with the adorable coloring books you can get with them, your kids really won't need to fulfill their curiosity elsewhere, like on your walls!

The paints come in packages of 4-6 paint bottles in primary and pastel colors. They are pricier than regular paints, but have lasted us for months and my daughter paints a few times a week now! By the time we'd buy other paints and my kids would mix them up and dump them everywhere, I'd spend $10 a pop anyway. No more!

These things are most definitely washable too!

Here's the meat for you:

You can buy them at Amazon here. The paints range from $8-$14. The coloring books are $3-$8 a piece. All Do-A-Dot items are eligible for free shipping if you spend $25 or more.

At the main website, www.dotart.com, the markers are $10 for the 4 packs and $15 for the 6 packs. The coloring books are $5 a piece no matter which one you choose. Dotart.com charges shipping at a tiered level - $4 for an order up to $20; $5 up to $50; $7.50 up to $100; $10 on orders over $100.

At Christianbook.com the coloring books are $4.50 a piece and they also sell markers individually for about $2 a piece and in sets for $14.50. It's great to be able to buy them individually if you run out of a particular color and don't want to go buy another complete set. You can find their shipping rates here. They definitely estimate high on the shipping dates. I usually receive my order much faster than they state for suggested shipping arrival dates.

Finally, kazootoys.com has them the least expensive of all for the month of May, offering the paint sets for $12 a piece for a set of 6 (regularly $15) and the activity books for $4 a piece (regularly $5). They may make up for it though, depending on how much you order, on their shipping prices, which you can find here.

If you're still with me :), here's a great place where you can print out free printable activity pages for the Do-A-Dot art!

Happy Do-A-Dot arting!

How to Remove Outlast Lipstick

2010-05-26T20:47:00.000-07:00

Another problem we've had to remove is the lipstick that stays on forever. All the major brands and companies have them! My kids wanted to use them too.

To remove outlast or whatever it is, lipstick, get a tube of chapstick and put it everywhere the forever lipstick is. Wipe off with a paper towel. Works like a charm!

If, however, you have the aforementioned lipstick on your walls, for instance :), you need to buy a latex primer paint. Prime the wall and repaint. That's the only way. Heating it up with a hair dryer and wiping off doesn't work, painting without primer doesn't work and harsh chemicals don't work either. Believe me, I've tried!

How to Remove Food Coloring

2010-05-26T20:41:00.000-07:00

Have your kids ever made those baking soda volcano things? You make a mold out of something, clay, playdoh, etc. and then you place some baking soda inside. You add vinegar to it and wala! A man made volcano!

Well, my kids wanted to add a little extra pazazz to the volcano, so they added food coloring to their mix as well. At the end of their play time, which was mostly unsupervised (not smart on my part), we had food coloring mix all over the countertops and hardwood floors! I tried using vinegar, soap and water - no difference. I had a pink floor and countertop! Until, I tried the Windex. Windex cleaned it up in a snap and you can't even tell it was there now! Just a helpful tip in case you ever need to clean off food coloring. I wonder if that would work after Easter egg dyeing! Our Easter pics would look a lot different I bet if I had discovered this in the past!

Kids Connect - Abram

2010-05-26T20:11:00.000-07:00

Abram (Genesis 12)

Reading to Your Kids.....
Once upon a time, there was a man named Abram and he followed God. One day, God told Abram to leave his home and relatives to go to a new place far away. God promised Abram that he would have many children and his family would become a great and blessed nation in this new place.

Abram obeyed God. He took his wife, Sarai and his nephew Lot and all their belongings with them.

One day, after traveling a long ways, Abram and Lot stopped. They both owned so many things by that time, that they could not live in the same place. The people who served Abram and the people who served Lot were fighting. Abram went to Lot. Abram told Lot that he did not want there to be any fighting between them. Abram told Lot that they should live in different places, so Abram and Lot looked at the land. Abram told Lot to pick either the right or left side of the land. Lot saw how beautiful one side was so he chose that side. Lot left Abram that day to live in his new land. After Lot left, God talked to Abram again. He told Abram to look up - to the north, south, east and west. He promised Abram that all the land he saw would one day belong to his children and grandchildren.

Your Child's Insights.....
1. How do you think it would feel to leave everything you knew to go to a place that God asked you to go - a place you had never seen before?
2. What did Abram do when God asked him to leave?
3. What did Abram do when his servants and Lot's servants were fighting?
4. What did Abram say would be the best thing to do to stop the fighting between them?
5. What do you think of how Lot chose his land?
6. How do you think it must have felt to Abram to be able to hear God speak?

Ideas for Prayer with and for Your Child.......
- Pray that your children might know when God is asking them to do something.
- Pray that your children would have the courage to do what God asks of them.
- Pray that your children would have mercy towards others when they don't understand other's actions. (Lot taking the good land.)

Previous kids connect - The Beginning Stories

Next kids connect - Becoming Abraham

Kids Connect - The Beginning Stories

2010-05-25T05:34:00.000-07:00

The purpose of "kids connect" is to give you a simple, easy way to connect your kids to God and you with them. The more common stories that are already in their Bibles, I'm not covering because I don't want to be redundant for you. If there is a particular story you'd like to have a "kids connect" on, please let me know and I'll do one for you! I'm not a biblical scholar by any means, just a mom with a Bible.

Here are some of the beginning stories that are usually covered in kids Bibles.

The Creation
The Creation of Adam and Eve
Adam and Eve eat the apple and are cursed
Cain and Abel
Noah and the Flood
Tower of Babel

For the first in the series of kids connect, please click here.