This Journey of Life

Numbers 33:1-3

Stages in Israel’s Journey

 ¹ Here are the stages in the journey of the Israelites when they came out of Egypt by divisions under the leadership of Moses and Aaron. ² At the LORD’s command Moses recorded the stages in their journey. This is their journey by stages: ³ The Israelites set out from Rameses on the fifteenth day of the first month, the day after the Passover. They marched out defiantly in full view of all the Egyptians.......

As you continue to read through the stages of the journey you see where it is noted what God did or commanded them to do along the way.  It is a perfect synopsis of their journey.

If God commanded Moses to record the stages of their journey, shouldn't we then record the stages of our journey?

I started this blog because I have been lacking in the creativity area for 7 years.  That's along time.  As I look back over what was started to help inspire creativity, has become a record of this journey called my life. 

The Israelites weren't perfect and neither am I.  I am on this journey of life just like everyone else.  I am just a plain woman trying to work on what God shows me as weak areas.  Trust me, I have many.  But I also have grown in areas. I have seen God work miracles in my life.  I have seen change in areas that I didn't think possible. He has given me strength when I didn't think I had any. I know, beyond a shadow of doubt, that God has been with me along this journey and will continue to walk with me everyday of my life.

  

I want my children to know of His mercies, of His miracles, of His everlasting love for his children. How will they know if I don't record my journey?  How will my grandchildren know?  They won't. So along with sharing words with my children, I must record my journey as well. And hey, if creativity comes along the way, it will be a double bonus :)

September has come and almost gone...

Well, we have been in the the thick of it!  September has been a crazy month, to say the least.


We have kept busy with volleyball games, drum lessons, AWANA's, boy scouts, bible studies, conferences, a whirlwind trip to Washington, homeschool group stuff, getting a handle on our school (which is still in the works), and of course just regular living.


I get up in the morning and start and do not stop until I lay my head on the pillow. I am not liking it and have been praying that God would slow things down in our family.  Strip us of all of the unnecessary to focus on the important.  As children get older, it gets harder.  Season's change and I know that before I blink, they will be driving themselves to their own events and they will be gone.  So I remind myself of this often. :)


Our bible study is "Organic God" by Margaret Feinberg.  Right now what is standing out to me is just stripping away all of the extras and just being with God.  I desire to know Him so deeply and just want to simply be with Him.  Life is so full of distractions, lists are long, and I need to remind myself daily, to just simply rest at His feet.

Summer Has Departed

This summer seemed to pass in a blur.  We didn't take any wild vacations, heck we didn't even visit the local lake.  We didn't take any family drives or visit any towns festivals.  
Needless to say, another season is coming to an end and a new one is beginning.
What did we do this summer?  Well, two of the kids played sports and Dad coached one of them

This of course kept us very busy, with 2 games a week for baseball and 2 games a week for volleyball.

We gardened and built a retaining wall (which is still work in progress).

And we swam in our pool.

This year the big blue beast went on the opposite side of the yard.  We had a much better year with a lot less up keep.  Unsure if it will be water worthy next summer, but we have enjoyed the time in it.


I am sad to see summer leave but look forward to the next season with anticipation for all that God has in store for our family.

Sibling Rivalry Makes Me Sad

Tonight my heart is heavy and sad.  You see I gave birth to 3 children. In my perfect world my children would be each others best friends.Today and lots of days we just have fighting, anger, meanness.


I've read the books, I've prayed, I've argued, I've screamed, I've pleaded......nothing has changed.


Sometimes I will be given a glimpse into how it could or can be. Sometimes my husband and I will sit and quietly listen while our girls giggle and share a moment.  Sometimes I will hear brother tell his sisters how they are pretty or how much he loves them.  

Sometimes I'm given a picture of love.  That is what I am clinging to tonight.  This is what I will continue to pray for and hope for.


Psalm 62:5
Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him.

Another Table Story

Do you remember this table? This was my spring break project.

 

Didn't quite turn out like I had wanted so I brought it in and left it alone for awhile.  Well now that it is summer and the son and daughter are at camp, I thought it would be a great time to mess with this project again. I had actually applied wax over the top of all of that mess to see if I could make it look better....it didn't.  So this time, I had to strip it AGAIN, sand and steel wool it A LOT, while thinking to myself "what the heck did I do?"


You see I am a lazy decorator.  I know what I want, but usually do not have the patience to get it done and when I do something I want it done, not have to wait for each layer to dry. That is just too much time.


Anyways after 3 days, this is what it has turned out to be.

This is the top.  I stained it walnut.  I chose a satin but it was still a little to shiny for me.  Out came the fine steel wool and I dulled it done some.  

I then broke out the spray paint. Yes, white again.  I sprayed two coats. Then when my husband said "Needs another coat" I decide I am stubborn and do not want to go back again for the umpteenth time to the hardware store to buy another stinking can of spray paint.  No, not gonna happen.  This table has consumed enough time. So out again comes the steel wool, this time #3, and I scuffed it up to reveal the red paint that I never could get off the first time.  I stepped back and inspected and scuffed some more. Stepped back again........DONE!! SHE'S DONE!! Not the best pictures but it is the best my little camera would do.  Hallelujah's are going up and that my friend is how we 'git r done' around here.

Book sorting, garage cleaning and book sorting again....

I first started sorting through the many book cases in our house. Pulling what we won't be using this year, won't be using again, setting aside what we would be using.  Then I moved into the garage where, yes believe it or not, more books awaited.  I pulled all of those boxes in, cleaned out 3/4 of the garage and felt very accomplished.  This is what I was left with in the house

So I then sorted through all of these boxes, what to sell, what to give away for free, what to take and trade in at our homeschool bookstore.  I widdled these boxes down to one give away, two trade in boxes, 1 sell box, and packed away 2 boxes for future years.  I sat back and smiled at all of my hard work.

Then the phone rang, a homeschool veteran had graduated all of her kids and wanted to donate some books to the homeschool group. " Could you take them?" she asked..............long pause........."well of course I can" I answered.  She told me that she was on her way.

My garage was once again full of books, 12 boxes of books to be exact. I invited over everyone to have a give-away.  I widdled it down to 10 after I consolidated....

I then went to the bookstore with my 2 boxes and got that down to 1.  I am back to 11 boxes of books in the garage.

This is a reflection of how my summer has been going.  I am feeling like I take a few steps forward and then slide down the hill and have to re-work it all to climb forward again.  I do not feel like I have accomplished anything and we start school in 2 weeks.  I have had to blow in the brown paper bag a few times to calm my anxiety down.

Reminded of Matthew 6:33-34 ³³ But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ³⁴ Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

I remind myself that all I can do is one day at a time, give my plans to Him, and trust that it will all work out.

Forgiveness

The other night we watched "Invictus".  Have you seen it?  It is a couple years old and it stars Matt Damon and Morgan Freeman and is based on the true story of Nelson Mandela (played by Freeman) and the head of the rugby team (played by Damon) joining forces to win the the world cup and ultimately unite a nation.


I like watching movies that make me think and connect with the world that I may not always see.  This is one of those movies.


I have been kicking around one line imparticular spoken by Matt Damon's character.  He states "He (Mandela) came out of that prison cell after 30 years ready to forgive the very people who put him in there."  There was something powerful about that line that I kept on repeating it to myself for the rest of the movie and even days later.


There is power in forgiveness.  Power to unite a country so torn by division that no one believed it could be done due to the atrocities that had taken place. That same power can unite a family torn by lies and hurt, a marriage torn apart by infidelity.  That very power can unite you back to a Father who loves you so much. He can repair, restore, and renew.


I thought of Jesus- God sent his only son to this world for us. For you and for me. To live here for 30 plus years, to be put to death in a terrible way, he was buried in the tomb.  After 3 days he rose, prepared to forgive the very ones who placed him there.  To forgive those that had denied him.  To forgive you and me of our sins. It didn't matter what we had done, how big that we may think we have messed up.  He forgives. I pray that I am able to extend that same forgiveness to those that I may come in contact with through out my life.  I am thankful that I have had the experience to feel that power given to me.

Our 4th of July Celebration

We celebrate 4th of July because our country is free and I am thankful!  We ate and we laughed and we celebrated!

You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence every July 4, not with a parade of guns, tanks, and soldiers who file by the White House in a show of strength and muscle, but with family picnics where kids throw Frisbees, the potato salad gets iffy, and the flies die from happiness.  You may think you have overeaten, but it is patriotism.  ~Erma Bombeck

MIA

Yes, I have been missing.


There is no spectacular reason why.  A combination of a few things.


I am still alive and I have things to share with you.


First, I have been busy moving our homeschool group from Yahoo groups to BigTent. Let me start by saying I am not computer savvy. I have a MAC which I don't have a clue at all of the stuff that it can do but sometimes it takes me hours to do something that would take a knowledgable person 15 minutes.  All though BigTent is easy, like all things new, it takes time to realize all that you can do and how to do it. So after spending hours at a time working on that, I leave the computer wanting to blow it up, throw it in the pool, drive over it a couple of times. Yes, it is the operator not the computer, but still it gives me something to take my frustration out on....Better then the children or the pets or the hubby :) The only thing I want to do is get as far away from the computer. 


Then of course I have children and a husband who desire to get on the computer or need mom for something so after hours of doing what I have to do, I don't feel right just doing what I want to do. Make sense? Besides that it takes a lot from me to post something.  I am not the english major, I read and re-read. I know that I do not do things correctly half of the time and so when I am focused on what I am saying and how I am saying it, to constantly be interrupted gets me frustrated.


The second big thing that has kept me away are the projects that I have been putting off.  During school time I put a lot of things aside which then makes my summer packed with a long list of to do's. 


So all of that to say.......I'm back :) Batteries have been put in the camera, the BigTent move has taken place, I am ready to share so stay tuned.....You've been forewarned :)

Day 31 Complete!

Day 31 is complete and I am officially done with this challenge.


This week I worked on my laundry system- 2 loads a day, from start to finish.  I should also let you know that I have my two oldest daughters wash their own clothes.  As well as have my son fold and put his clothes away.  So, I  ended the week with clean clothes.


Since I do not have a utility room, I did not work on the Martha challenges.  I have my washer and dryer in the garage.  Not only are they in the garage but they are at opposite ends of each other.


I did however look at that area and tried to devise a plan where I could make my area a little more pretty.  If my husband will consent, I am hoping to tackle it this summer.  My plan?  Get rid of the stove, if possible, and actually get one in my kitchen :). Do something to the ugly cabinet, like paint and shelf liner. This ugly cabinet is going to become my pantry when we redo our kitchen.  I do not want ugly and my food in the same area :) I am also considering painting my area of the concrete floor.  Maybe hang some sheet rock.  Of course, some of this stuff will depend on the budget.


I gathered boxes for the goodwill and started gathering items to get rid of.


I got to hear from one of my favorite people, Sally Clarkson.  I just love listening to this woman.  I have sat through teachings from her and could do it all day long.  She is an amazing woman. Do you think I like her? :)


To hire help or not?  I use to be the help when I was younger.  I have hired help, in the past, when my youngest was born.  I had someone come in for a few hours every 2 weeks.  She would come in and deep clean those areas that I ran out of time for.  I knew this person and I absolutely loved it, but the budget did not, so it lasted for about 3 months and then we went back to normal.  It was such a blessing at that time though.  It gave me some extra time to get use to a new baby and the newness that this added to how our household ran.  I have walked into women's homes that homeschool with lots of children and they are very involved in other things as well and their houses are spotless.  I finally asked them how they did it all.  You know what their answer was??? Hired help.  Yep, they all had someone that came in and cleaned. Just a pipe dream here.  Besides my children are older and I would feel guilty.


We ended with contentment and balancing it all.  I listed so many things that I am thankful for it helped to keep all the dirt in perspective :).


I am glad that I did this challenge.  It was my first one since entering the blogging world a few months ago.  It helped me meet some other ladies and I do believe I learned some things about myself through the Mary challenges.


I am off to kiss my husband, giggle with the kiddos, and read my Word.


Blessings!

Time, Organizing, Planning, and Schedules

Well I was hit by the irony of the titles this week.  Considering that the whole month of May has whizzed by like a tornado and understanding that my time was maxed!


Summer has started for us.  Therefore my time is more mine. Well sort of :) I have planned on using this time to get some real habits in order.


My plan is to make a habit of doing at least 2 loads of laundry daily-completely done.  Not just shoved in the washer or dropped on the couch but complete.  I added to my daily list- beds made, maintain kitchen order, 10-min tidies 3 times through out the day for the kids, and wiping bathroom down.  If I can do this it should keep some order. Then Monday through Friday I will deep clean one area. M-Kitchen, T-Living Room, W-Bathroom #1, Th- Bedrooms, Fri- Bathroom 2.  If I can stick to this plan I will not have to deep clean anything on the weekends and my house should be in order. I have printed this schedule off and placed it in a plastic protector and have it posted on my refrigerator.


I will be good if I don't get distracted by shiny things, beautiful sunny days, a great book or magazine to read, or anything else that might show itself better then my plan. :)

31 Days to Clean-Crazy Week 4

Well I have had to postpone my week 4 to some extent.  Yet I don't feel behind.  That is improvement. :)

My hubby has been home this whole week on vacation.  I don't know about you but when my husband is home, my schedule stops, my plans are no longer.  I hang out with him instead. So this week has been about our time together.  We did some sporadic errands and meetings that we could not miss and he has been working on a retaining wall in our yard.

So I plan on picking back up this next week with the Martha challenges.

I did discover though that my block is in the frustration of the tasks never being done.  To not even have a few days of clean. It can be frustrating to clean a bathroom to only have the boy follow me in with muddy hands and throw his stuff off and squirt toothpaste into the clean sink, with muddy foot prints all over the floor. 


When I worked outside of the home I could work hard on a task and then step back and know that I accomplished something and move on.  At home, I never feel like I can step back and see a final result.  So then why bother?  I pointed out to my husband one day that I had done dishes 3 times already through out the day and yet my kitchen never looked clean.  So my block sets in and says why do it? I want it, I desire it, and I strive for it, but sometimes it is hard to get over the hurdle.


I also discovered that my personality type was the "D" style.  So I will be developing habits.  Which have always been hard for me.  Bad habits, I pick up easy :).

Heading out of town again today. My crazy schedule is coming to an end and I am so ready to get back to normal!  I will be closing up the homeschool group this week with our year end party and field day then I will be on summer break.  YEAH!! Long needed.

Growing Up

She is my oldest.  She is beautiful.  She is talented.  She is caring. She has hopes and dreams. God made her oh so special and I thank Him daily for this gift that He has shared with us.

While I was sick she went and did all of the shopping.  She just finished up with her first time at college. I am blessed to call her daughter!

Walking it out.

Limitations, imperfections, fatigued, oh my!  I felt as though Sarah Mae was sitting with me this whole week and writing specifically to me.
I hit bed on last Friday evening and was very sick.  I did not emerge from that bed until Wednesday of this week. I am still recovering and not completely 100%.  With a full calendar, I truly felt my limitations. Letting go and letting His grace cover over all that I could not change or do, was necessary and welcomed.


While sitting on the floor, crying, I came to understand what it truly meant to have a sound mind, a spirit that wanted to go, but a human body that was incapable of doing what I wanted it to do. I was made fully aware of how this body of mine will wear out.  Needless to say, I was frustrated and oh so fatigued. Since my fatigue was brought on by illness and then the stress of that illness, the only thing I could do was to get back into bed and remind myself again, to cling to His grace. It is sufficient.


Perfection? Me? I had signed up to make chocolate covered strawberries for my daughters 8th grade graduation. Before I was sick. :) The picture in my head went something like this: Beautiful, put together momma makes said strawberries, while laughing with my children, cleaning as I go, looking hot to my my husband the whole time I'm doing it, and finishing with plenty of time to spare. Ending up with beautiful strawberries, clean kitchen, and great memories for family.  
This is really how it went: Feeling so behind and stressed because of being sick, I turned into momma grinch.  I burnt the chocolate (twice), had to send hubby to get more, yelled at my kids (more then once), had to apologize multiple times to all involved, and needless to say was finishing up making them 15 min. before the ceremony.  My kitchen was a mess and I was not a pleasant momma or wife.  I had blown it. I literally told him that by golly my license plate said super mom and I was going to be super mom :).  He did quickly inform me that he could easily rip that off of my car. 

Today, I am leaving on a camping trip.  One that I was not completely ready for, I lacked the energy to get ready.  My plan was to do a little every day through out the week.  I have had to cram so much into the last two days, my mind won't turn off at night, so I am not sleeping well. At this point in time what is motivating me is spending time with friends. I am looking forward to getting away.  


I am struggling with figuring out my "jazzy" and writing a lesson plan.  I am praying over these two items and when I know I will share. :)


For the second week in a row, the Mary challenges took center stage.  I am comforted by the fact that I had spring cleaned 3 weeks ago.  So everything on my living room list had been done.  So I didn't beat up on myself.  Again, His grace is sufficient.  Seems to be my mantra :)

Keep the Prayers Coming

I have been sick. Bed ridden since Friday night.  I finally have no fever and my throat no longer burns. Please pray for continued healing....I am suppose to lead bible study tomorrow, my daughter has her 8th grade graduation on Thursday and we are heading to family camp on Friday.  I want to desperately participate in all of these things.

Just keeping it real

This week has been one of those weeks where I have just kept my head above water.  Where if I was able to get food on the table, keep the kitchen relatively clean, and everyone had clean underwear, then it was a good day.

So, I didn’t accomplish all of my Martha challenges.  When I started this, I figured the Martha challenges would be what would get accomplished and the Mary challenges would fall by the wayside.  Now, please don’t misunderstand me.  I desire to grow closer to Jesus daily! I start my morning off with God, reading the word, praying, then do my bible study homework.  So, I figured I may run out of my quiet time before I got to this study.  But that hasn’t been the case.

I so love the “doable” chunks of time that the challenges take.  I have found it very easy to incorporate it, daily, into my study time.  Even the Martha challenges are ‘doable’ tasks.  I just haven’t been home much to do them.  Which is what has been brought to my attention.  I am busy. Not that being busy is a sin but being too busy to be at home to accomplish the task of taking care of my domain, actually home schooling, feeling in control and not overwhelmed, well that could be a sin. If my priority list has been written and those priorities are not being met, then I am off. I am not doing what God has called me to do.  

Day 6- I did not ever complete my “top six” list and praise God that I had cleaned out the cabinets just a few weeks ago when we were on spring break. Otherwise, it would not have been done.

Day 7- My hope in the curse? That I am liberated from bondage and given freedom. Again, no organizing for me.  This was also done a few weeks ago, so I didn’t feel to bad :)

Day 8- God has been faithful many times throughout my life.  So it was very difficult to come up with just one to share.  But I felt that I needed to share something that dealt with God’s provision.  We use to own and operate our own trucking company and when fuel prices continued to go up and the cost of being in business outweighed the profit that was brought in we prayed and asked God what to do.  We had discussed that my husband could go to school to get re-trained.  Not knowing what it would cost, my husband stopped by the local college to find out.  Needless to say, he walked out of there with a full ride to re-educate himself.  God was faithful and we ended up being able to close our business with one bill.  He started school a few weeks later.  For 3 months we had no income coming in but, again, God was faithful and met our needs the whole time.  Not one bill was late, we did not go hungry, gas was in the cars, every need was met.  He provided odd jobs, groceries on the doorstep, a check from something that we weren’t expecting.  During this time, we sat down and discussed me going to work to provide for the time that hubby was in school.  After calculating up everything we settled on an amount that would meet our needs to survive and we prayed. Not sharing this with anyone.  The next day I stopped at the church to drop something off and was asked if I had a moment to talk to the pastor.  Long story short, he offered me a job that day that would pay me the EXACT amount that we had written down and prayed for. God is good.  He cares about everything and knows everything!

Day 9- Will be praying, without ceasing, for a spirit of diligence!!!  I stopped by Fresh & Easy and saw the flowers on sale.  So I got two bouquets of flowers for $1.25 each.  So, I hope more fresh flowers counter balance my dirty floors :)

Day 10- My vision for my home: A nicely decorated home with funky flair, creative, fun, warm and inviting, peace filled, love overflowing, tidy home.  Luckily, I have no curtains up in my living room, so I feel pretty confident that I can clean 3 windows. :)

How the story goes..

Busy, busy week!!  My calendar is full and I am running in and running out.  I do not own a 'special' phone or a laptop or any other special device that would allow me to blog on the go.  So, sporadic I am.

We bought some more vegies and got them into the ground.  I still need to get some more cucumbers and we may need to replace our peppers.  Still battling the earwigs, but I think we are making head way.  We have been using bottles filled with olive oil and something else, that I can not remember the name of.  I also bought some flowers to try some companion planting.  I have been reading on how some flowers help keep bugs at bay.  I will post some pictures after I get everything planted.

Been researching on our chickens.  I believe we will be getting Easter chickens.  They seem to be the best for backyards and are listed as being quite, docile, friendly, and handle confinement well. We are only getting 2 and we have a decent back yard, so I don't believe that confinement will be an issue.  But I believe that big dogs deserve BIG yards, so I don't want to take chickens and feel bad about confining them to the back yard.  We have looked at chicken coop plans and have come up with something that works.  So within a few weeks we will have chickens roaming our back yard.  Excited!!

We are having our last bowling day and girls club for the homeschool group this week.  Always a bittersweet time.  I so look forward to our summer off of activities, but I miss the families that we have had the pleasure of getting to know.  I can not say enough how blessed I am with this particular homeschool group.

I will be posting my "31 days to clean" all tomorrow.  I am doing great on my Mary challenges, not so much on my Martha ones.  Which kind of surprised me, but I will get into that more tomorrow.

Clothes are waiting to be folded, dinner must be put away, and a boy needs some attention.

31 Days to Clean #3, #4, & 5

While reading day 3, I starred the number of ways that I do give life.  I could only claim 2.  I will be working hard on implementing the remaining 8.  The one main word that resonated with me was grace.  I pray that grace will continue to increase in me. Much more of grace and a lot less of me.

I asked the rest of the family how I made them feel loved the most when caring for my home, the kids all shared the comfiness of the home and food.  My husband shared that it was my attitude in regards to the home.  If he could come home and be greeted with a happy wife regardless of the condition of the home.  He expressed that I am much harder on myself and the standards that I set for the cleanliness of the home is much higher then his.  Very good insight.

Day 4- This day was spent away from the house helping friends.  So, I did not invite anyone over but I did get to read through the challenges and am happy to report that I currently am meeting all 5 ways to create the 'put your feet up' atmosphere.
Some other ways that I add to the atmosphere is by burning my scentsy warmer or boiling some orange peels, vanilla, and cinnamon in a pot.  I also like to have some music playing quietly in the background.

Day 5- **Coming soon**  I had to go out of town today, so I will be reading my day 5 this evening and will post back tomorrow.

I am behind on 2 of my martha challenges and will be catching up with this as well.

31 Days to Clean #2

How to bring life to my home? Add flowers, light a candle.

How to bring life to children? Encourage and teach them.

How to bring life to my husband? To greet him with a warm hug, take him lunch.

How to bring life to my sphere of interest? Encourage.

I found that as I contemplated this more, encourage was in the forefront and extending grace more. I want my home to be grace filled.  That whoever enters would leave feeling encouraged.

I also followed through on my Martha challenge.  After I cleaned the refrigerator out, it desperately needed to be filled back up.  Oh, so empty. :)

31 Days to Clean #1

Why do I want a clean home?

1.  To take care of what God has blessed us with.
2.  To be able to minister properly to my family.
3.  To be able to spontaneously minister to others.
4.  To set the example for my children.
5.  To feel peace in my surroundings.
6.  To fell less chaotic.
7.  To enjoy my home.

Scriptures to motivate me:

1 Corinthians 15:58 (msg)  My dear, dear friends, stand your ground.  And don't hold back.  Throw yourselves into the work of the master, confident that nothing you do for him is a waste of time or effort.

2 Chronicles 15:7 (NIV) But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.

Colossians 4:23 (NIV) Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.

Feeling like I'm on the spin cycle

I have a feeling that this month is going to be a whirlwind.  The calendar is full and the days seem to fly by.

We had a great weekend and started working on our yard.  Hubby started the retaining wall, I weed wacked the hill, we waged war on the earwigs (I think we are winning), I worked on the table some more,we went to church, and had family group.

Homeschool- The goal this month is to finish up with the majority of everything.  We continue throughout the summer but in a much more scaled down schedule.  We will continue with math, nature study, art, some writing, and reading.

We are also wrapping up all of the groups activities this month with our year end field day scheduled at the very beginning of June.  And of course I am planning. Planning for the group for this next school year and planning for our own homeschool.

31 Days to Clean- I started the book on Sunday.  I am really enjoying this book and the challenge. I go back and forth wether or not to post daily or weekly.  I may end up giving this challenge it's very own page and list them there, one by one.  I am enjoying the accountability and looking forward to what others are gleaning from this challenge.  I keep forgetting to take pictures and I will try to do better with that.  Today I am on Day #4.

Well that is it for now.  I must grocery shop this morning, we have geography and writing class tomorrow, and the son and I are heading down to visit a friend on Friday. On top of that we will be cleaning and schooling.

31 Days to Clean

I will be participating in a weekly challenge based upon the new E-Book by Sarah Mae called "31 Days to Clean- Having a Martha House the Mary Way".  I am very excited to participate! I am praying that it will help me push through one of the undisciplined areas in my life.

Since I started homeschooling 7 years ago my house has gone down hill.  I find it difficult to get the house truly clean.  My heart desires it so!   This book deals with both the heart and the home. So very exctied!!

Check it out if you would like to join.

http://joyfulmothering.net/2011/04/22/31-days-to-clean-challenge-sign-up-plus-winners-announced/

Here’s how the challenge will work:

1. Read the chapters each day that week. Highlight, take notes, do what you have to do to engage the material. Don’t just read it. Really allow it to change you. Journal, pray, look up scriptures.
2. Write a post (or more, if you like) sharing your most challenging chapter for that week and give us a personal glimpse as to why you struggle in this area. Don’t worry! We all have an area of struggle, so we will all be sharing! Share what you need that could help you in that area. I will be posting a struggle, but also some extra solutions to accompany what Sarah Mae has offered. If you feel compelled, why not also share something that comes easily for you? Perhaps you could offer tips to others who may be struggling?
3. Use the button in your post so that others can find their way back in case they would like to join us. The more the merrier! I have changed the code so it brings you to the list of “31 Days to Clean” posts. You can find the button in my sidebar.
4. Link up your post(s) on Friday, beginning May 6th . It doesn’t matter what day you choose to write your post, you can still link it up on Friday.

Looking forward to what God has in store!

What did you do for spring break?

This last week we have been taking our spring break. I had great and mighty plans to spring clean, garden, decorating projects, some fun car trips, movies to watch, you know fun and enjoyment.
Well it seems as every day I was lucky to get one room deep cleaned. As the week went on it was, almost, all I accomplished. I ended up not even finishing.

I did get this hole finished. I started with this

After taping and applying three coats of texture, I sanded. After that I painted and ended up with this

It is hard to take a picture where you can fully see it.  However, trust me, it looks much better then the before shot :).

Then I attempted to strip a table.  I goofed and failed to take a before picture.  I found this table in a garage of a house that we rented.  The landlord said I could have it.  So I had first painted it white.  Then as years past, I painted it red.  I decided that I really wanted a more distressed look. So I figured I would do some stripping and some sanding and see where I ended up. Well.....

Not really what I had in mind. Once I started though, I couldn't just stop.  Getting it this far took me three days and lots of frustration.  In spots the red mixed with the white and I ended up with pink areas.  I also struggled with clumps of paint that would not come off but now was just a gummy ball of mess. It is sitting outside while I decide on how to forge ahead.  I am contemplating leaving it like this, applying some furniture wax, and calling it good.  Or paint it again.  Decisions, decisions.  Good thing I like the weathered, forgotten, look :)

I then moved on to the garden.  We moved into our house almost two years ago.  The first year we planted our garden on the side of the house and had a terrible year.  So this year we picked a new site.  Hubby rototilled, we added compost and mixed that in. I removed some of the larger stones but as you can see it is still rocky.  Let's face it, we are lazy gardeners.  

Tomatoes

The blank spots WERE cantaloupe and basil. They immediately were eaten by some unknown bug.  We will plant more in their spot. 

Our pumpkin.

Bell peppers and cucumber, which is also being eaten :(.

We have tried to figure out what pest is dining on our vegies, but so far, it is not happening.  So we have spayed some organic bug be gone (not the real name) and are patiently waiting to see what happens. I have plans to add a few more things and then mulch it all.  Like I said, didn't get to everything I had planned.  

In the middle of our week, the kids started getting sick.  One at a time it went through the house. We ended up having a VERY quit Easter.  I was such a mean mom, I dragged my sick boy to church on Sat. night so that we could all go as a family.  I did keep him with me but I did feel a little guilty.  I just really wanted my whole family together for Easter service and I knew that it wouldn't last longer then an hour.  He did well, came home and crashed. His fever broke sometime in the night and he woke up today fever free.  Yeah!! He was the last one to get it. 

So that was it for spring break.  We started back to school schedule today.  I think I want a do over. ;)

Should I Stay?? Or Should I Go??

***First off let me say that I am not getting anything for this opinion.  I am just sharing out of my own experience and promoting something that has saved me time.***

It has almost been a year since I signed up for E-Mealz.  E-Mealz provides a weekly dinner menu along with a shopping list.  They claim that their dinner menu costs you about $70 at the grocery store.  Basically what they help you do is plan. I still would have to plan for breakfast, lunch, and snacks but dinner would be taken care.

See, I was feeling like I was in a rut.  Making the same thing for dinner.  When I would venture out I was literally spending hours scouring the cookbooks and making my list.  Guess what?  I don't have hours.  I also felt like I could do it for less, $70 just for dinner was too much.  I am frugal.  I am a stay at home mom by choice.  Which means we sacrifice things. I have strived to keep our monthly food budget at $300 a month for our family of 5.  This has gotten harder since the kids have gotten bigger, but I don't splurge on things.  Snack around here is popcorn, usually the old fashion kind that you must cook on the stove, and some fruit or a veggie, sometimes they get yogurt.  After my kids visit their friends homes, they come back and let me know how deprived that they are. :)

After using this new plan, my grocery bill has been about $125 a week.  That is ALOT for us! My goal is to get that down but for now that is what it is.

Lately I have been debating wether or not to keep using E-Meals.  I have absolutely loved it and it truly has saved me time, effort, and energy.  The question was, am I really saving money?  Could I cut that out  of my budget and save more myself?  So this week I thought I would just shop for the dinner menu and see if in fact I was spending the ballpark figure of $70 for dinner items.

We just got a Fresh and Easy in town and I really like it!   I usually do my shopping at Winco but this time I decided that I would go to Fresh and Easy.  All total I spent $62.00.  I did use one $6.00 coupon and I did get some apple turnovers that were not on the list.  That was for 7 dinners.  After doing this little experiment I have decided to stick with E-Mealz.  Although it cost me a little more, the time saver of what it does for me is too much to give up.  It's also nice that we are trying new meals and I don't even have to do the work to find them.

Tech Savvy.....Or Not

I didn't start a blog because I am all tech savvy :).  I took classes back in school and I always worked with computers so I knew enough. Then we got a MAC.  Well I was stuck scratching my head and wondering what to do.  What I had learned no longer was useful.  Of course it was then that I would listen to the voices around me that where pushing me to start a blog.  So it was my daughter, Mariah, who got me started.  She set my original page up.

Then I decided I would poke around and see what I could figure out.  Well let's just say, I have been learning by A LOT of error.  She looked at my blog yesterday and laughed because I have lost things that use to be there and now they are gone.  Just vanished......out in Never Land. Say hi to Tinker bell for me...Anyhoo, I am learning and she is still helping (laughing the whole time).  So, while I learn, bear with me and please extend grace :) Things may look like they are in a state of chaos, but I know exactly what I am doing and if I can't figure it out, I will find someone who does.  Yes, Mariah, that would be you.  Do you like my new header??  She had to show me how to do that too...welcome to my life.

To Be More Like Jesus...

I have the most amazing privilege of leading a homeschool group.  I am always humbled by the women I am surrounded by and often ask God "Why did you pick me?"

One of the recurring need that had been talked about was a bible study for the moms.  Well it was someone else's idea, so I stood back and waited for them to take off with it.  After almost a year, I found myself with no study going and an odd open window of time.  So, I made the offer.  We ended up with 8 ladies and I have to tell you, it has been so refreshing to talk to other like minded women!

We are studying 'Brave-Questions Women Ask' by Angela Thomas. So far we have only done lesson 1.  Guess what the title of that lesson is???? WEARY. How fitting for us mom's to come together and talk and learn about weary. What mom isn't weary??

I love it when God speaks right to your heart. You know we live in these human bodies.  They get sick, they get disease, they break, they just plain wear out.  A lot of times we in our humanness add to the worn out bodies by adding too much to our plate.  One thing she shared that was so refreshing for me was that Jesus did not heal everybody and he did not go everywhere.  I can not be everything to everybody.  I can not do it all. I know that sounds so simple.  But being a doer and a fixer, this does not come easy to me.  I so desperately long to hear "well done" from my Father.  The goal in my christian walk is to become more and more like Jesus.

Well then, I must remember that He did not go everywhere and He did not heal everyone.  He could have but he didn't.

Blink-The Bunny

Meet Blink, the newest Stone pet.  She is an angora bunny.

She was named after Blink 182. We discussed changing her name, but she is already over 7 years old and I didn't want to confuse her.  As the funny man in the house said, "Not like bunnies come when they're called..." Not like the children do either, but you don't see me changing their names.

She has claimed her.

Zammie is so interested in this fluffy thing that hangs outside with her.  We have let them sit out on the grass together.  Zammie so desperately wants her to play and doesn't understand why she won't chase with her like the cat does...

                           

I agreed because bunnies can be useful.  The gifts that she gives daily is said to be the best fertilizer for your garden.  Our garden did not do well last year.  This is our second year in our home and so we are trying a new location and more compost.  So if bunny can help then she has a home here. :)

M.I.A.

This week I have been very busy. Not that my life is not normally busy, it just seems really packed right now.  

I started a new bible study this week (I'm leading, so more prep then just showing up), planning for next school year for the homeschool group, a conference at church that was 3 of my days.  Now I am preparing for a simulcast this next week which, again, will be 3 of my days. During this time I have been digging deeper, fasting and praying.

God amazes me daily, hour by hour, minute by minute. He is so good and is always faithful with answers to any questions that you may bring to him.

1 John 5:14-15 ¹⁴ This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. ¹⁵ And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.

So for right now, I have been in a state of contemplation, laying down things, getting free from some things, and preparing.

I leave you with the song that has been playing in my mind over and over the last week.  Enjoy!

Nasty, Ugly, No Good Kitchen.

This is my kitchen.

 In this picture, do you notice I do not have a pretty window to look out while I wash my dishes?  Do you notice the lovely missing drawer?  Maybe you are jealous because I have loads of counter space? Did you know that God says to not covet?  Do you notice the ugly small shop light that laces it's beautiful plug through the most gorgeous, oak, bathroom, towel holder? Yeah, that one attached to the side of the cabinet.

This is the other side.  I have a very small galley kitchen.  That wall oven doesn't even work and we have since removed it from the wall and put my microwave and toaster oven in that spot.  We lived in the house for about 7 months with no oven.  I used the bar-b-que for everything.  I can make you a mean chocolate chip cookie if you want one.  I was blessed with a free oven off of freecycle just in time for Thanksgiving.  It is big, old and ugly and the oven temp is off so it resides in the garage.  Yes, we are those people.  I believe that this is all to get me prepared for a kitchen makeover that will, I'm sure, be a long process.  But, hey, I'm ready know.

This is the dining area.  We have since removed the air conditioner out of the wall and removed the microwave to the oven area.

So I have been scouring the web for ideas.  I have been looking for something that will address the original footprint.  This is not my dream home and we are attempting to make it a nice home, on a very tight budget.

Well I found it!! I am sooooo excited.  She said I can share with you......

Isn't it just dreamy? It is beautiful and almost exactly the same layout as my kitchen.  She has many more before and after pictures at her site along with her dining room. Please visit her. www.fleamarkettrixie.com

I love the way she decorates and I thank her for inspiration!  I so needed it! Now, I need to go pray because I am coveting :)